Tank turns Tote

Remember this t-shirt I found in my basement?
I've finally gone through stuff from way back. I made this to show Tampa stuff like :
flamingos, tropical fish, palm trees, Bayshore Blvd, Ybor City, tanning, sailing, Gasparilla, azaleas in February, and University of Tampa Minarets.

I don't want to wear it now, but what to do with it?
Hmmm, how about a tote bag? I thought this up myself, made it long before I found someone's mention of it on their blog. Nothing new under the sun?

So I used the straps as handles, sewed a seam across the bottom, boxed the corners to make it wide at the bottom

Put a piece of stabilizer in to keep the square shape, and it's done.

Well it's got the poodle seal of approval. Or is he just admiring that strange poodle in the room...

I have a long love affair with flamingos.

I also love a palm tree and have made many a palm tree quilt.

Similar, flamingo necks and palm trunks. Thin, long and curving. Palm fronds look like flamingo wings.

As to Ybor City... it's Tampa's latin quarter. Tampa was cattle country back after white people took it from the Native Americans. Then soon after Cubans moved in to make cigars a business. They formed Ybor City.

When I was in my wild teens, Ybor was sort of run down, the habitat of artists and party-ers. I can't tell you the stories, but it was FUN. I'd put on my high heeled Candies Mules, and a feather boa, and dance the night away. Oh the parades!

Tampa is the Big Guava, and Gasparilla is similar to Mardi Gras with parades, parties, crews, and general mayhem. It's celebrating pirates take over of Tampa, but today's pirates are well known businessmen, lawyers and doctors who shoot off guns, and throw beads.

One time I was dating this guy, he and I were going to the parade in his convertible, and had taken black beans to throw at the floats! Well, one wrong turn led to another, and we were suddenly IN THE PARADE!

Hahahahahaha! Whee! I sat my butt on the back of the car and waved and tossed black beans at people til we were ushered out of line by some nice policemen. Mark, if you're reading this, it was a good time!

Another year found me in the parade in a hot air balloon float. We threw candy at the people, and shot the flames high into the balloon to make the crowd cheer! Oh, give me a glass of wine, and I'll tell you LOTS of Gasparilla stories! And Ybor tales, like the Artist and Writer's Ball each year.

I miss the fun of Tampa.

Well, for now I have my memories, and a t-shirt tote.