I'm the Cookie Mom for my troop plus the Cookie Manager for the entire area of 70 troops and the Cookie Cupboard (where troops come to get more boxes of cookies after they pick up their initial order). I'm probably going to be counting boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas in my sleep. 

Yes the cookie season is crazy, my troop is determined to be the top selling troop in our area for the 4th year in a row. I'll be helping to man cookie booths on weekends for a month in mid March to mid April but it is all worth it for the fund my troop earns that allows us to do so much.....our activities, great field trips and an awesome annual charity project.  This year we will be filling backpacks with school supplies for the low income kids in our school district.

If you don't have a local cookie connection, I'd be happy to hook you up with Sunshine's online Digital Cookie order page so you can stock up this year.  In addition, you can buy donated boxes for our school district's Bountiful Backpack program that provides a backpack full of food on Fridays to those low income kids so they have something to eat over the weekend.  We also support our council's Gift of Caring program for donated boxes to US military and veterans.

It's definitely is an insane time of year for me but I hope that I can sneak in some sewing time too.   All cookies and no sewing will not make me a happy person. 

I learned that she likes bright colors and Teal is her favorite so it was a perfect match when I found that I had this fabric in my stash.

I used a Orange-ish Red batik for the lining that coordinated perfectly.

This was really quick and easy to create.  I didn't time myself to see if it really took just an hour but I'm really pleased with the way it turned out.

She absolutely loved it and was shocked to learn that I made it and didn't buy it somewhere.  The look on her face when she realized that I made it especially for her was priceless.

I've decided that I really like making gifts for Christmas and I already have some thoughts on what I can make for folks next year.

I knew that I wanted to use a Red fabric for the front pocket as Red, White and Black were Danny's school colors and it took some searching through my stash to find just the right one.

The Red print lines the front zippered pocket as well as the front open pocket.

I kept the quilting simple with jut diagonal straight lines.  I thought I was going to do the same in the opposite direction to result in a triangle pattern but once I finished the sewing in the first direction I decided that I liked this better.

The top zipper is a bit trickey to put in but the one for the front pocket zipper is definitely easier.

I didn't have enough of the Red print fabric for the inside lining and chose instead to use a gray print from the same line and I really like the contrast.  Both fabrics are from the Wallflowers line by Allison Harris for Windham Fabrics.

I still love that this bag pattern has so many inside pockets plus a roomy center section.

To say she was beyond thrilled with her gift is a huge understatement.

I expect that I'll end up get requests for this bag from a few other family members and I'll be happy to oblige.  It comes together quickly enough and makes a great gift. 

Santa also brought me a new Clover leather thimble (I have a well loved one and am scared it will get lost), a jar of Peels for taming thread, a 6 1/2" x 12 1/2" Creative Grids ruler and not 1 but 3 of the cute Thimble Blossoms pins.

Santa is always happy to have a wish list to choose from to make his task easier and I love getting quilty things that I want.  It's a win-win for all.

I want to wish you a very Happy New Year.

May the coming year be good to you and yours and may you accomplish all that you hope for.  I know for me, I've already started working on my 2018 goals.