The Great Gift Bag Challenge

Last summer, a friend forwarded the guidelines for a swap from Pat Sloan's online group and lamented the fact that the timing wasn't good for her and she couldn't play with the sloanies. Being the swapaholic that I am, I told her that, when she was ready, I'd love to do the swap with her.

Here's how it works:

1. Find a gift bag with a design that appeals to you, add 6 FQs and swap it for someone else's gift bag.
   
2. Once exchanged, design and make the top for a small wall hanging or table runner. The gift bag suggests the design; once designed, the quilt is made from the fabrics received and any others you want to add.

The time is here. We've decided to make table-runners for one another. Our deadline is Thanksgiving. Here is the bag I sent and its contents:

I live in a small house--really more of a cottage--built during the arts & crafts era, so the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired bag was perfect. But the colors weren't really right for me, so my fabric choices were inspired, instead, by my china . . . I included a cup and saucer in the package I sent, along with some Ginger Peach tea (my favorite). What good are rules if you can't bend them a little?

And here is the cool gift bag I received . . . with perfectly matching FQs.

Now all that's left is to decide which way to go: traditional? artsy? whimsical? classic? I know I have to pick a direction soon and get busy.