Christmas Yorkie

For all of my nieces and nephews I've crocheted them a special friend. (like this little turtle.)  It was time for my newest niece to get one of her own. 

My in laws happen to have a Yorkie named Sugar that my niece loves.  So of course I made her a little Sugar of her very own.

I based the pattern off of this one. 

Christmas Eve Attire

My in-laws create the most beautiful spread on Christmas Eve.  A candle lit dinner with the finest china is laid out every year for the occasion.  Unfortunately Brian and I are always working up until the last minute and barely make it in time to sit down with the family.  We always want to look nice, but relaxed.  So here is what I have picked out for Brian and myself.

Sweater || Blazer || Jeans || Boots

Pants || Blouse || Necklace || Watch || Shoe

What will you be wearing?

Homemade Christmas

I'm the worst at taking photos of crafts that I make for other people.  Unless my husband volunteers a photo shoot it probably won't happen.  I'll tell you what I made for people and you can imagine how adorable everything was.

1.  For a friend I made her nieces hats.  I crocheted a 3mo and 3-year-old coordinating pink and turquoise hats.
2.  I knitted hats on a loom for all of the men and boys in my life along with button in crochet beards.  (The count in case you were wondering 4 men hats, 3 boy hats)
3.  I made custom necklaces for my favorite ladies that had their favorite boy's name in Morse code.
4.  I made a neck/upper back rice heating pad.
5.  I made hot chocolate on a stick.

Here are the homemade gifts I received though.
(disclaimer, I received some awesome homemade ornaments, that are already in storage.)

I received these awesome edible gifts...a favorite of mine.  Homemade vanilla. (already been used a few times.  Cowboy cookies in a jar.  Peach Rosemary Jam!

I received a lot of amazing bracelets this Christmas!  I was pumped!  How awesome are all of these from my sister.  

My sister-in-law made me these!  I like to mix all my bracelets up.

This is a pic of all the bracelets I received for Christmas just for kicks.

My hubbie made me this!  It's a beautiful vintage Samsonite suitcase with some goodies inside.  Everything I need for a picnic!  He bought vintage dishes, silverware, and even a vase.

It turns into a table!  How cute is this?  I have the best husband ever!

Nephews' Christmas

I am an aunt of some pretty awesome nephews.  I was browsing etsy and found some great gifts I think they'd like.  Check them out!

Here

Here

Here

Here

Christmas Dresses

I've really been in the Christmas mood lately.  I know it isn't Thanksgiving yet, but this past week I've been buying some Christmas decorations.  It's cold outside, and it feels like the beginning of Christmas season.
I have to admit, I still buy myself a Christmas dress every year.  It may not be filled with tulle and velvet like some of the 5 year-olds I'll see around Christmas.  But I like to wear something new and festive on Christmas Eve when I go to church and my in-laws' formal Christmas Eve dinner.

1. Here 2. Here 3. Here 4. Here 5. Here 6. Here 7. Here 8. Here 9. Here

4 is my favorite, but that color would probably make my skin tone look green.  oh well.  a girl can dream.

Joyful Monday

Christmas decorations in my house.

Inspiration

I saw this picture on this blog.  It includes a tutorial on how to make it.  I was very inspired.  I can't wait to make crafty things around my home for Christmas.  I thought this was still done fairly tastefully.  When I convert it to have my holiday decorating colors of choice I think it will look really good.

Holiday Crafting

If I wasn't getting married I would be starting to make all of my Christmas gifts.  Instead I am making things for the wedding!

I did find this great blog, Skip to My Lou.

She is doing a Holiday Bake, Sew, and Craft Along.  She has some great holiday ideas.  Check it out...

I really like her laptop sleeve. How cute is that?!?!
Check out all of her other stuff too!

Christmas Project #4: Dish Cloths

November 22, 2009 is when I completed these towels (also the day I got engaged!)

So I wanted to screen print on towels something that matched my friends and families kitchens or something that at least matched their personalities.

This is the first one I made, it is for my almost in-laws (!) I wanted this to have a traditional feel like their kitchen, so I did their monogram and some curls behind it. But I think my mistake was using black and grey paint. It has a modern feel now.
The next two are for my sisters. I just mixed some paints and got a color I liked and made something really simple with their addresses on it.

This one is for the BFF. It has her colors in it and a simple modern design. This was my fiance's favorite.
This next one is for my friend who has a black and pink kitchen and loves vintage kitschy things and cats. So I hope she likes this too.


For my brother, the graphic artist, nothing seemed cool enough. So I put it off and put it off. I remembered this technique of sewing yarn on fabric that I am planning on using on another Christmas Gift later on...(Found in The Big Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano) and thought it would be awesome to do on the tea towel. So I pulled out my 100% cotton yarn and made this...


Here is the close up.
You just zigzag over it. I did the 3 stitch zigzag and it looks awesome if I do say so myself.

Christmas Project #3: Aprons

I wanted to make aprons for my friends.

On November 21st I completed this apron. I thought it would be cool for my friend to make a cool vintage looking one and here is what I came up with...

I added pleats all along the edge of a secondary fabric and tacked on a cute bow to the pocket.

It is a little sickeningly floral and pink, but I kind of thought that part about it was fun and vintage looking.

I did get both of these fabrics from my favorite place, leftovers etc. So this is vintage fabric.

Christmas Project #2: Homemade Crayons

Today is Monday October 12, 2009.

Today I made homemade crayons for part of my nephew's Christmas gifts. I first went to my favorite place... leftovers etc. and got a bunch of used crayons. While I was there I spotted some Christmas Candy molds. I was already borrowing candy molds from my sister, but when I spotted the Christmas ones at leftovers etc. it was pure coincidental magic.

STEP 1:
I started off by peeling all of those darn crayons. I only used crayola, because I think they're the best.

STEP 2:
I then went through the recycling bin and found a few soda cans. I cut the cans in half with a pair of scissors.

STEP 3:
I broke up the peeled crayons and placed them into the cans by color.
All the colors will be melted together to make one color, so choose your crayons wisely.

STEP 4:
I put them in the oven at 350 degrees. It took mine about 10 minutes to melt completely. I used 4-5 crayons in each can. You can use 2-3 crayons and it should only take about 5 minutes in the oven.

STEP 5:
When I pulled them out of the oven I gave the cans a gentle shake to mix the colors properly. Then I poured the mixture into the candy molds. Some of them I poured a little too much and I have those long drip sections. That's okay because when it cools and you take them out of the mold those parts break off easily.
**When pouring I made a few layered crayons. I poured a little bit of one color, let cool, then poured more of another color to make layered crayons.

STEP 6:
When the crayons have cooled completely. Turn the candy molds over and the crayons pop out!

Now I have fun festive crayons for my nephew's Christmas!

Here is a website I used to help me.

Christmas Project #1 Magnets

Today's date is October 5, 2008 and I just one of the Christmas presents I'll be giving to a few friends and my siblings.

Magnets

I first put in one of my favorite cartoon movies, Anastasia....

The craft all started when I bought this Science Book that was published in 1961 at a book fair for a quarter!I cut out a bunch of cute pictures to make into magnets...

Then I had to cut the pictures out the same shape as the irregular glass chips I got from Hobby Lobby.
Then I put modge podge on the picture and pressed it on the flat side of the glass chips. When that dried I modge podged the back of the glass chips.

When that dried I stuck a piece of craft magnet on the back!
Viola!

I got the instructions for this craft from the book Big Ass Craft Book by Mark Montano!

It's beginning to look a lot like

I went to Anthropologie the other day and started to admire their awesome Christmas stuff, so handmade looking!


So I thought, gee I can have my own awesome homemade looking Christmas too!


First I crocheted these snowflakes. I saw them on one of my favorite blogs. I made them into ornaments by adding loops with red yarn.


Then I got an idea for my gift tags this year. I sewed on buttons to tags and tied red yarn in a bow at the end.

When I looked at my little Christmas tree in my room, it needed a topper. So This morning I crocheted a long piece of fabric and tied a bow topper for my tree.

This afternoon I sought my embroidery thread and felt and made this cute little bird ornament. I want to make more of these, so who knows if I will.

I'm kind of thinking of giving my Christmas ornaments away as Christmas gifts too. I haven't decided yet.

December is Over, Hallelujah

oh yeah, and Happy New Year.

I had a really busy and stressful month. I had a lot to do at work. I had papers to finish for school. I graduated. I made all of my Christmas presents. I got the flu. I gave everyone I know the flu. I some how managed to dread Christmas this year! I know! When Christmas Day rolled around I found it to be the best yet. It was a relaxed day filled with family, laughing, and food (even though my tummy wasn't fully recovered from the flu yet). It was so so GOOD! I loved celebrated Jesus's birth with my family and truly enjoying the joy of the moment.

Yesterday, New Years Eve, I had a fabulous time with my boyfriend. He took me up in the arch! Then we went shopping and met up with my friend Alicia (an old college roommate). After I bought Brian some Christmas shoes we went grocery shopping and ran into more friends Betty and Jason. We then took pizza fixin's home and brought in the new year with Ashley and Nate!