Help me decide!

Which bear is best?
Well, there are basically two schools of thought...
WRONG!  It is a Black Bear.
BEARS, BEETS, BATTLESTAR GALLACTICA.
***

Sorry...don't know where that came from.  ;)

Anyway, I'm entering a contest!  It's called So You Think You Can Sew, hosted by Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night.  I have to submit a project that I think best shows my sewing skills.  I know what I think took the most skill, but it's hard for me to look at my own projects objectively.  So I'm putting it to a vote.  Can you guys help me out?   What do you think would have the best shot at getting me into a competition?

Here are the three projects I think are the best, in terms of sewing: (in no particular order!)

Spring Top

Ava Bag

Chair Slipcover

Look at the posts if you want, or just look at the pictures.  And if you would be so kind, would you please vote for one of them, in the sidebar to the right?  Thank you so much!  You can only imagine the process I put my husband through when I can't decide on which shoes to wear...

A Giveaway: That sort of thing's my bag, baby!

Hi, glad you're here!  The giveaway is now closed, though. But why don't you stick around anyway?  :)

Please forgive the Austin Powers reference. These are the things that are taking up valuable space in my brain.

So anyway...who's ready for a giveaway?  This will be my first one!  Remember those Two Peas in a Pod Ava bags I made last month?

This giveaway is for The Frenchy Bag: ooh la la

 One of you awesome readers can win this!  Here's what you need to do to enter:

Follow Pleased as Punch, like, for real!  No more lurking for you!  Just go to the right of this page and click on "join this site," and register.  Then, leave a comment to let me know that you have done that (or already are a follower, of course).  That's all!  

I'll choose a winner one week from today (which will be Wednesday, July 27).  To be fair, I'll probably do the random number chooser thingy.  But wouldn't it be fun to be unfair?  I could choose the wittiest comment...or whoever lavishes the most praise on my cute purses...well, I'll make it fair, I promise.

Ava Bag Sewalong: the finished bags

Here are my completed bags for the Two Peas in a Pod Designs Ava Bag Sewalong I participated in, hosted by one of my favorite blogs, Sew Sweetness. 

In no particular order...as I was working on them, I kinda gave them names:

1. The Frenchy Bag

back

the inside of the front pockets

the inside pockets

 I loved the original fabrics I picked out for this bag, but it was just begging for some black & white somewhere on it.  I found this polka dot and bought the rest of the bolt (relax, it was only like a yard and some inches!).  For the record, this polka dot fabric was the only fabric I actually bought for these purses.  The rest was from my stash.  It's hard to justify buying more fabric when I have so much just sitting there already. 

Anyway, I couldn't love this color combo more.  It's so Frenchy! 

2. The Mom Bag
Not like "mom jeans," though.  I just kept calling this one the Mom Bag because the fabrics look like something my mom would like.

You may notice that this one has a covered button on the inside instead of a snap.  That's because I ran out of snaps and refused to run all the way up to the store to get one more.  I had these covered button makers that I found at a yard sale, so I sewed one on.  Now I just have to work up the courage to sew a buttonhole on the other side.  I'm going to have to practice a LOT on some scrap fabric, because I will cry if I mess up this bag because of a stupid buttonhole.  Well, on second thought...if I mess it up, I can stick a big flower on it.  Thank goodness sticking big flowers on things is "in."  If you see me carrying this thing around, and it has a big flower stuck to it, you'll know that the buttonhole didn't work out. 

3. The Crazy Bag

It's just a little loud I guess.  I love it...it's just a little crazy.  Plus, I somehow cut straps out of a totally different fabric (by mistake!)...but then realized that they would look kind of cool with the other fabrics I was using...so I went with it.  Hence, the Crazy Bag was born. 

I was going to do a pattern review, but I think I'll do that another time this week.

Ava Bag fabric choices: Opinions, please!

Hello!  Happy Summer! 

I try to make it a point to not apologize for my lack of posting, but...sorry!!!  Hey, it's summer, what can I say?  The kids are out of school (yeah!), and for some reason, the "lazy days of summer" haven't gotten to our house yet.  I feel like we're busier now than we were during the school year!  Swimming lessons, little league (both kids, different teams!), cheerleading practice...plus, we're babysitting an 8-year-old this summer.  She's a nice little girl, but it's taking some getting used to - for all of us, I'm sure.  I haven't had my boundaries tested like this since my own kids were toddlers; let's just put it that way!!!  But give it another week or so, and I think things will be just great. 

Well, today, I have an opinion question for you all.  You might have noticed a new button on the side of my blog...I'm participating in a sewalong at Sew Sweetness this month; we're sewing The Ava Bag from Two Peas in a Pod.

I like the bag so much, I'm making three.  I just figured, it would be easier to make three at once than to go back and have to do all that cutting, etc. each time.  Plus, it was hard to choose only one fabric combo!  Which brings me to my question for you all:  What do you think of these fabrics?  Do you like the combos?  Do you not like any of them?  (You won't hurt my feelings, I promise!)  Which one is your favorite?  Inquiring minds want to know!  ;)

Here they are...

Ava Bag #1

Ava Bag #2

Ava Bag #3

...what do you think?  Just because I've cut them does not mean I'm committed. 

And do you like my cat's paws?  She can be such an attention hog!!!  Here's what I'm up against every time I try to cut something:

By all means, Snowy, make yourself comfortable.  Please.  I insist.

Look at that face.  She's like, "what?  you got a problem with this?"

OK...so get your commenting fingers typing.  I want to know: 1. Which one you like best, 2. if there are any you do not like, and 3. any general comments you want to throw my way. 

Thanks in advance!  :)