The Twelfth Day of Christmas

Without realizing it, I celebrated the last of the twelve days of Christmas. Jennifer and the kids came over for a last minute play date on Monday, before it was time for the girls to head back to school. We still hadn't exchanged gifts, so Monday was the day. I started this apron for her months ago. I found the skull fabric on Hancock's one day when I had a coupon and just couldn't find anything to use it on. When I stumbled upon this fabric, I knew that it would be perfect for Jen and that she would need an Emmeline apron made out of it. The rest of her gift consisted of bits and pieces of holiday treasures that I picked up during the course of the year, so I figured the apron could do duty as Valentines, Halloween and possibly Christmas. The good news is she loved it. And more good news....she gave me this. Now, if only I had a kitchen to cook in. Jim tells me it is coming soon. Time will tell.

Resolutions

I use to make my new year resolutions in February, after all the chaos of the holidays had passed and I felt like I might have a chance at keeping them. Then I realized that even that was too ambitious for me. This year though, I have some goals. First, since we rang in the new year with the girls, I took the occasion as an opportunity make some changes for them. We aren't eating in the living room any more, which won't save the current couches, but might save any future furniture and, in an effort to save furniture, we are now only coloring at the table. Perhaps this will keep any more artwork from appearing on the TV, couch, floor, you name it. And for myself, amongst other things, I would really like to be able to give more (and more and more) handmade gifts that the recipients will actually be happy to receive.

And lucky me, I have to opportunity to put the plan into action just three days into the new year, as we have a birthday party to go to tomorrow for a four year old friend. I thought I'd make a Black Apple doll to start with, and then last night, as I was trying to fall asleep, I felt like she needed something to go with her, so today I found the tutorial for this little bag over at Lula Louise. It came together super fast, just like the doll, and together, I think they make a cute set. The bag is reversible, and while I'd prefer for what I've got as the inside to be the outside, I didn't think about the perils of using a directional pattern when I made the doll. Not a problem for the doll, but for the purse, half is right side up and half is upside down...a problem that continues to follow me in sewing. So something to think about when your fabric pattern isn't non-directional. Now there's a certain little girl working on turning six under this roof in a matter of weeks. What to make for her?

A Picture Heavy Post

So we've been wrapping up Christmas here today. It's always so depressing for me, having to take down the tree, cut the lights, etc. Sort of like snuffing out the magic. Rachel was disappointed as well, so I tried to spin it as "won't it be fun when the magic returns next winter?". Ha. I'm not even buying what I'm selling. The stockings (with the exception of Jim's, on the left) were all knit by my Grandma. I don't know what year she made them for my sister, cousin and I, but I feel as if we've had them since birth. At the least, our very early childhood. We loved them as children (and still do) and I am so thankful that all my Grandma's great-grandchildren have them now as well. Thank you Grandma!

I have something else to say thank you for as well. I was the very lucky recipient of a handmade Christmas gift from Amy. Not only is it an incredibly beautiful purse, but it's also reversible, so I got TWO purses. Lucky me!! Thank you, thank you, Amy!

And Jim gave me a present on Christmas day as well. The "HOME ADVANTAGE", I'd like to call it. Also known as a kitchen floor. Not the final kitchen floor, mind you, but something to walk on besides joists.

And he moved the refrigerator and oven in and hooked them up, as well as the sink, dishwasher and a few cabinets, giving me a bit of a working area. Unfortunately the oven only worked for four days, two of which we were out of town, and now it's out of commission again. Sigh. I almost made some cookies.


Earlier this week we had the pleasure of a visit from Jim's brother Sam and his family. Rachel was really digging her new cousin, Elaine, who we got to meet for the first time over the holidays. We enjoyed getting to spend some time and hanging with all the kids.



And here's Sarah, as I was trying to wake her from a nap today. She partied too hard last night, as all four of us rang in the new year together. The wisdom of that decision is debatable today. So that's a look back at the past week or so. Now I'm ready to look forward to what 2009 will bring. Happy New Year!

Gifts and the Jolly Old Elf

A few more handmade gifts. I made my Mom and my Aunt a set of handmade cards. I think this is the third year that I've given cards as gifts and they have been a big hit. It's usually a mix of happy birthday and thank you cards with a blank one or a get well or something thrown in. I have more "paper arts" supplies than I can shake a stick at, but no scrapbooks for my girls. I like the relative instant gratification of cards - my scrapbook pages were taking too much time.

This is a gift basket that already went next door to our neighbor. I am a pack rat, but every once in a while it pays off. This basket has been around for years (and years), so this year I filled it with a jar of homemade blueberry jam, a set of note cards that I had printed at Shutterfly with pictures that I took of his garden this summer, and to round it out, chocolate. What's a gift basket without chocolate?

And then.....

We are way behind this year. In past years we have been so prompt as to visit Santa the week after Thanksgiving. This year we dashed to the mall this evening. There was a lot more time invested in getting there and back than there was sitting on the fellow's lap, but all was good. No more Sarah glued to the mall floor in fear as she did two years ago. They wore the outfits I made, although Sarah's on her second top. I had the brilliant idea to wash her first white shirt with our orange couch cushion covers. Her shirt came out a marvelous shade of dingy, dirty blech. I was thrilled. And the second shirt is no masterpiece - I was having a lot of issues which I later found out stemmed from me not resetting my thread tension after finishing the free motion quilting on the third and final baby quilt of the year. Whoops. The headbands were a new addition to the outfits today. Just a length of ribbon with the ends sewn down and a strip of elastic sewn to each end. I think they were a nice addition.

And with all that's going on, how could one not crash on the car ride home?

Christmas outfits

To say that I'm running behind in terms of Christmas preparations this year would be an understatement. To illustrate this point, I will tell you that Saturday morning Jim and I plan to go Christmas shopping for the girls while my parents watch them. It's just been that kind of season. No weekends at home, without obligations between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a house in disarray and, I think, me still getting use to the demands of having a child in school full time (and a school that requires lost of parental involvement). So, I have forgone the idea of Christmas pictures like I always take the girls for, as well as the Christmas dress that I always get them - and that's just the tip of the ice berg. I did, however, manage to get these outfits made for them, which I think will be cute for them to wear together to go see Santa, if that doesn't get scratched from the list as well.

The skirts are from the Oliver & S Lazy Days pattern, which can be found here. The really do whip up in a jiffy. I read the directions over a few times before beginning, and was really stumped as to how the whole ribbon hem was actually going to work, being that I learn by doing more so than reading. Once I dove in though, it all worked itself out. I will say that when it comes to attaching the ribbon to the skirt (step 1 in "sewing the ribbon hem"), the front side of the ribbon should face out at you. That tripped me up a bit and I didn't want it to end up sewn on backwards. The shirts were inspired by my friend Molly, who has been whipping up some cute ones of her own. I cut out the tree and a package from the print in the skirt and appliqued it to the shirts, then added star buttons to the tree tops and ribbon bows to the packages.

The skirts were such a hit that replicas were requested for some dolls and I was able to get two of those made in record speed. I even had some narrower red and white polka dot ribbon to use on the doll versions.

And someone else was feeling crafty today as well. Here she is modeling her Christmas rabbit ears. The word on the street is that she set out to make hearts in a chain, but the scissors got away from her. I love how she turned her oops into something new. I now posses my very own pair now as well. They were given to me as an apology for pinching her sister and then throwing a fit over getting busted. I'm not sure Sarah got any though.

So school's out, family comes tomorrow and the festivities begin. I've still got a crafting "to do" list that I will chip away at until Santa comes knocking and then hopefully I'll just keep on crafting into the new year so that maybe Christmas won't take me by such a surprise next year.

Coming down the pipleline

Thankfully, some gifts are starting to materialize (no pun intended) at my house. I have been slow to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I don't know why. Perhaps it's the chaos of the house or just the chaos of life. Who knows. But now that some of the things on my to-do list are getting done, I'm feeling a little better. These little jobbies, for lack of a more accurate description are for several people on our list. I made my first one a week ago as a birthday present and promptly wrapped it and gave it away before remembering to photograph it. I hate when that happens. Anyhow, I had seen several ideas for pencil rolls and the likes out there and had planned on jiggering something of the like up for my nephew for Christmas. When I needed a birthday gift stat, I decided it would be a good time to find a tutorial and try it out. And with seven done now, I think I've found one that is working quite well for me. The tutorial can be found here, at One Red Robin.





I've got them all assembled, and am personalizing them on a "it's time to give this gift" basis. The one on top is for Rachel's 7th grade buddy, whom she will be exchanging gifts with tomorrow. Somehow, I managed to embroider her name in a color that blends perfectly into the fabric. Oops. But she's only in 7th grade, so perhaps her eye sight is much sharper than mine. On a side note, I was trying to read the ingredients in some soup at the grocery store the other day when I found myself holding the container out, away from my eyes. When did that happen?!? I'm blaming it on the store's lighting.




So, for the out of elementary school set I'm putting a journal and some fun pens and pencils in these. For the younger ones, I've put sketch books and colored pencils. I'm working on my last one now, for Sarah and instead of a ribbon to tie it shut, I'm using elastic and a button on the front. Hopefully these will be well received. They are really quite easy to make and I can get one done, start to finish in about an hour (when I don't do stupid things like completely forget how to use my sewing machine), so they are time friendly too.


I've made the girls Christmas skirts and embellished tops to match, but they haven't been worn yet. Rachel is wearing hers tomorrow for their Holiday Festival and Christmas party, so hopefully I'll get some good pictures of her in it. If I do, I'll share. Now back to the gift making.

Your Crafting IQ

Do you want to know what yours is? Martha Stewart can help you find out, just by clicking here and taking a ten question quiz. I must say that I don't often score 100% on tests, but on this one, I did. Crafting must be my calling. I've got a multitude of projects going on and will share soon. Some of it might even be finished in time to give it to the recipients for Christmas - imagine that.

I also realized that I needed to update my header, as it was no longer Halloween or Thanksgiving. So for now, a little one with, perhaps, visions of sugar plums dancing in her head.