Awesome surprise to get when you come home from a business trip!

Some time ago, I signed up for a "Pay it Forward"  chain where you sign up on someone's blog to get a surprise handmade something, and in return you agree to pay it forward to 3 more people.  I haven't made my PIF presents yet, and to be honest, I had completely forgotten about the fact that I would be getting something in the mail by surprise sometime this year.

I was out of town on business last week, and when I got home there was a padded envelope among my mail on the kitchen counter - with this wonderful patchwork tote bag inside! It is from Brita at Scraps of Happiness! and it is so bright and sunny. I used it all over town yesterday, the weather was glorious, and it carries a lot of stuff (always a good thing).

But wait, there's more!  It's reversible too!  Below you can see the inside, which can be the outside today if I want. 

I love the reversible idea and have seen some tote patterns I'd like to try, but this isn't a design I've seen before. It's an offset square patchwork so the shape is a square bucket. I feel really lucky - Thank you so much Brita!!    I'd better get to work on some handmade gifts for my recipients.  But we are leaving on Tuesday for Alaska - family vacation (yay). So it will have to wait a little longer...

Happy Independence Day to all of us here in the USA!