Another use for a giraffe, and Martha Stewart doesn't know Everything

Actually, let me get to Martha Stewart right up front. She likes to present herself as a person who knows Everything about Everything. I'll admit that she has an edge on me in a few areas; first, she's a lot older than I am, second, I haven't done Hard Time (although I'll put my experiences in summer school at Phoenix College in 1967 up against anything she had to endure in The Joint) and OK, she has her own TV show. But dude, when it comes to putting a comforter into a duvet cover, I RULE! She demonstrated it on her show the other day, and I can't even bring myself to tell you her method, since it's just Wrong Wrong Wrong. But here is the straight scoop:

1. Turn the duvet cover inside out and lay it flat on top of the bed.
2. Lay the comforter on top of that.
3. Reach inside the duvet cover all the way to an inside corner, grab the corner of the comforter and the corner of the duvet cover, and pull through the opening. Set that corner aside.
4. Do the same with the other corner.
5. Hold each corner that you pulled out, making sure you are firmly grasping both the comforter and the cover, one corner in each hand, and shake, shake, shake.
6. Now the comforter will be almost covered. Just reach inside the two remaining corners, one at a time, and poke the corners of the comforter into the corners of the cover. Button it all up, and finally, grab onto one side, making sure you are holding both the comforter and cover, and shake, shake, shake to make sure the comforter is filling up the cover. Do the same on the other side and either end, if necessary.

OK! You barely worked up a sweat with that! I won't tell you how many years it took for me to learn to do it this way, but let me just say that I spent way too much time inside too many duvet covers, fighting for daylight.

Now, the giraffe. You probably thought you knew all the standard uses for a giraffe, but did you know how good they are at modeling tote bags? I didn't think so. I have been pitiful at getting sewing done lately, but I did finally manage to finish this tote, and I have a few other pieces in progress. (No, really, I do! Just wait and see!)