Handmade Christmas - Potholders!

There are a few people who always get a small handmade gift from us at Christmas. Every year, I imagine I'll do something like make caramel corn or vanilla extract, but it never seems to work out that way...I always sew something up for them. This year was no different. Maybe next year, I'll take on the food gift!



This year, I made these cute little pot holders. When I saw this Michael Miller Fabric for Christmas I knew I had to have it! I've got enough to do some other fun things next year, so expect a revisit!

They sew up simple and quick. Each of them measures about 8 inches square. The batting I used is insulbright insulated batting.



Aren't they just fun? A simple gift to give to a few people in pairs...one for each hand of course!

Handmade Christmas - Lavender Hand Scrub and Knitted Washcloths

Let's carry on with the handmade Christmas, shall we? This gift may seem simple enough, but let me tell you, I'm a slow slow slow knitter...I don't have a whole lot of patience to sit and knit knit knit, and I'm constantly distracted by two small children, so it's no surprise that these two wash clothes took me a few nights in December!! Do you know what I could have sewn in a few nights? Don't even get me started...but alas, it's ok, because my sewing machine was out of service briefly anyway!

I used this great pattern for the washcloths, it was free, after all! It knits up really easy and it's got a pretty edge to boot!



The mason jar contains some amazing lavender hand scrub. I get dry hands in winter...as do several other folks in my family. I'll try just about anything, but a nice olive oil scrub works beautifully! To make it is really simple. Mix 1/2 a cup of sugar with 1/3 a cup of olive oil. Put in several drops of essential oil. Mix it all together. Scoop out a little bit and rub it all over your hands before rinsing them. You won't regret doing this. It makes your hands feel soooo good in the deep dry winter!!

Handmade Christmas - Shopping Bags

So let's see...where did I leave off before telling you all about my ambitious little project yesterday? Oh oh that's right...the handmade Christmas! I'm not done yet...oh no! I've got another gift or two to share!

A few years ago, I made my cousin Dawn some amazing shopping bags. I've been making shopping bags since before they were cool. They are so easy to make and I use them for everything. Ironically, I use them mostly for stuff other than shopping LOL! When I do use them for shopping though, the checker folks always LOVE my bags! It's good because I love em too...



Anyway, Dawn's sister really admired said bags. A little bird told me this summer that it might make a good gift, so that's just what I did! Each of these bags is lined in a coordinating fabric and they are completely reversible, so if you don't want the print you can use it on a solid side! They are made of a decor weight cotton, making them almost feel like a really soft cotton duck. It also makes them extra sturdy, and they wash well!

Handmade Christmas - The Traveling Pyrex

My aunt and uncle are notorious for bringing food. They are very generous folks and their food is always welcome here. I imagine it's welcome at other people's houses as well. So when I saw this neat idea for a traveling casserole, I knew this was the gift for them.



It came together surprisingly easy. I was able to get the insulated batting online in a sleek Black Friday sale at Joanns...score! I also used it for the oven mitts and various other gifts!



I didn't get a picture of the side of this pyrex...bummer...I actually used etching cream and etched their name in it! It was a lot of work. I printed out their name and taped it to the side over contact paper. From there, I used an exacto to carefully carve out each letter. I used a paint brush to paint in each letter and I waited....ever so patiently...for several minutes. When I washed it off, the etching was perfect! They'll never lose this casserole! Perfect!!

Handmade Christmas - The Oven Mitts

I pride myself on my homemade gifts each year. Most of them are of the sewn variety. Some years, I imagine I'll do something like make a big batch of Vanilla Extract and package it all pretty, but I digress...there is something particularly loving about collecting ideas through the year and sewing up a few gifts...



Over the next few days, I bring you The Handmade Christmas (2011, of course!) I couldn't share these before because some of my family actually READS my blog! This year, Pinterest has given me a few new tricks up my sleeve. By next year, there will be even more, I'm sure!

So to start, the oven mitts. When I saw them here, I knew they were the perfect gift for my cousin Dawn. She likes to bake. I know her well for making the cakes and cupcakes for many a birthday over the years. She even made the amazing baby rattle cupcakes for my baby sprinkle! Of course, it was fitting for a baker to receive oven mitts!



What I like about this pattern is that it isn't the wonky side thumb. You actually reach in and grab the pot out of the oven with it! It works well with the opposable thumb! Wouldn't you agree?

For Dear Friends - The Ornament

A few days ago, we got together with some dear friends for fondue and laughter. It was a wonderful evening. These friends had never quite gathered like this before, for these are my knitting friends...the ones I meet every week at the local coffee shop...I had a few surprises up my sleeve, as did some of the others...these ornaments were one of them!

When I first saw this ornament over on Pinterest, I knew I had to make not one, but a bunch! I put it in my bag of tricks to craft for the holidays!



I used a glass ball as my base and wrapped the yarn around it after tacking it down with hot glue to start. The knitting needles are actually very simple...you'd never guess! I cut bamboo skewers to the length that I wanted and glued wooden beads to the top! They really were very simple to make and I'm in love with the way they came out!

My friend Kerrie, over at Sea Kettle Diaries posted a brief tutorial on how she made hers after she saw my pin. Go check hers out! They are just as beautiful! She has a different spin to her needles too!!

The First Gift of Christmas!

My little guy is a huge fan of the Polar Express, as you might have guessed with his love of trains. So it's no surprise that I have much of the book memorized and when I thought of this post, these words came to mind.



Maura receives physical therapy every other week. Susan comes to see us and does play therapy with her then. She's been coming now since August, since just before Maura's last batch of seizures. She's been helpful in giving us ideas to guide Maura along in her development. So naturally, being a part of our life, we have a small gift for her as well.

This knitted cuff came together very quickly...It's called the kindling coffee cuff and I found it over at Ravelry.



I pulled it all together with a coffee cup from Wawa and a gift card for Susan! You see, Susan travels from child to child. I'm sure she occasionally stops for a beverage. This will surely come in handy in the brisk winter. I'm sure she'll just adore it, don't you agree?

Handmade Christmas - Day 4

My dear friend Elise once made me a table runner for Christmas. It is red and green and comes to a triangular point at the ends and has little bells that dangle from little ribbons. I've treasured it for many years as it finds its spot on top of an old chest that we have each year at the holidays. It really is stunning! So when I thought about what to make for my Aunt and Uncle, I knew they'd very much appreciate one!



This one is very different than the one my friend made for me. The color scheme seems appropriate for all of winter's woes, and not just Christmas. I also used a classic chevron pattern to create the depth and design of this runner!



I'm excited to go visit in the coming months to find this adorning their coffee table. I'm sure it will look just as good there as it does on our own! Perhaps this should be on my agenda for home now that the holidays have calmed down a bit!

Handmade Christmas - Day 3

We've found ourselves frequenting the library more and more these days with our little guy. I've found myself thinking he needs his *own* bag to carry books, not just one of ours. So when the idea struck, I figured that some of very favorite little cousins might also like their own library bags!



These bags are great! They not only serve the purpose of carrying books to and from the library, but perhaps you need a kidsize grocery bag to carry toys to a friend's house, or even actually using it at the supermarket to make them feel included! These bags, while I call them "Library Bags", are so much more useful than the library!



Hopefully they'll get much use in the future!

Handmade Christmas - Day 2

She lost her first tooth fairly recently..so it didn't take me long to think that Emma might like a little something special to leave her teeth for the tooth fairy!



Everyone needs a cute little tooth fairy pillow. It will keep your teeth safe and sound until she makes a visit to you! This one is made of wool felt and features the tiniest little pocket on the back to hold your tooth AND treasure! Of course, it also needed some character as well!



I'm sure it will serve Emma well as the remainder of her teeth begin to fall out! Perhaps she may even pass it on to her brother!

Handmade Christmas - Day 1

Every year, I rather pride myself on handmaking gifts for my family members. I don't really do it for my husband, although I've gotten into the tradition of making a photo album for them on Snapfish, which required me to dig through 1200 photos that I've taken in the past year to document my little guys life! Can you even imagine what next year will be like with a new little one on the way in May?!



Anyway, I'd like to spend this week sharing some of the homemade things I've put together for the holiday...Yes, it's January, but put them away for next year! They might help you out!

DSLR Cameras seem to be up and coming these days, no? It seems like I've had mine forever, but family members are starting to get in on the game now too! It's very cool because I can share with them what I've learned so far and encourage them to try different things. I even found myself lending out lenses on Christmas to other Canon users to try. Neat stuff!



Anyway, a few years ago, I found an interesting tutorial for turning YOUR Canon strap into a personalized one! I took the time to take my Canon strap apart to save the hardware and use it on a new one, thinking all the while, why can't I just get this stuff and make it from scratch?!

Well I did. Not without a little tweaking. I had to add a thicker interfacing in these than I did in my own to give it some stability. I also still think I need a better nylon webbing that the one I've currently got, but for now, this works! I've ordered several widths and pieces and I think I finally nailed it down.

I made these two straps for my cousins who had previously told me their favorite colors. They were both thrilled to see that I'd put this together for them. One of them was even too timid to ask me to make one! So I'm thrilled they were a hit!