Squirrel Apron

This is the apron I made for my sister-in-law, who struck a pose but made me promise not to post her head. (Thanks again for the pot roast!)


















I think the Japanese squirrel fabric came from Superbuzzy last year. I don't see it online now, but here's a similar one.

The List

I just corrected my last post...turns out I made 20 Christmas gifts this year. (No wonder my sewing room is such a disaster!) Here's the list:

6 tea towels
4 potholders/oven mitts
4 crocheted caps
3 pillowcases
1 afghan
1 apron
1 taggie

In my haste to finish and wrap gifts, I forgot to photograph the apron and one of the pillowcases, but there are still some embroidery pics in the queue. This is a cowboy snowman towel I made for some friends who are Texans at heart.

Mountain Streams

I made 20 Christmas gifts this year. I enjoyed every project, but this was my favorite: an afghan for my mother, who has had a rough year. When I'm feeling blue, my favorite thing to do is snuggle under a homemade afghan or quilt and nap or read a book. I'm hoping this afghan brings some comfort to my Mom, who takes such good care of her family. I named it "Mountain Streams" because it reminds me of the beautiful property on my parents' farm here in the Blue Ridge.














The pattern is Lion Brand Yarn's Motif Afghan. I increased the width and length by a couple of rows/columns.

Meet Mavis, Deirdre, and Tom

A few weeks ago I commented that I'd like to get my hands on a styrofoam head for modeling hats. Turns out Santa was listening.











Poor Mavis is still a little chilly. Deirdre is modeling my latest Urban Chunky Newsboy Cap. And Tom is wearing the Boy Beanie I tucked into Jeff's Christmas stocking.

Thanks so much, John and Deuce! And a merry Christmas to all.

Handmade Christmas

By Thursday, if all goes well, I'll have made 15 Christmas gifts. (Hopefully I won't be sewing all night on Christmas Eve!) Now that my girlfriends and I have had our gift exchange, I can post a few of my projects. These are the towel and oven mitt I made for Gina.

Cookie Time

Olivia amazed me by going to bed early (!) last night, so I was on my own with our favorite sugar cookie recipe for today's class party. But Harry Connick Jr. kept me company. Yum.














Also on my Christmas baking list are these two, blogged by Elizabeth at Oh, Fransson. Can you say "Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies" and "Praline Cookies" without your mouth watering? Neither can I.

Our Projects

Here's a sneak peek at what I've been working on. (That's supposed to be a Juniper berry in her beak.)












And here are Olivia's projects. She's been sick with the flu and double ear infections, but she perked up yesterday and built a "movie quilt."


















Then she treated Mama Kitty to a makeover.

I am sitting! I am drinking!

This cotton tape is so doggone cute.

















I ordered it from A Little Goodness and was saving it for coasters, but the sentiments seemed just right for Milo's Christmas taggie. Milo, my 6-month-old nephew, is the happiest, chubbiest little guy you ever saw. Sitting and drinking are right up his alley.

Special Order

Gina sent me an airplane-themed standard pillowcase from The Company Store and asked me to create a tot-sized pillow and blanket from it. Finally, the fleece I stockpiled three years ago came in handy! I tailored the pillowcase to fit a small (12x16) pillow form and used the rest to bind and applique a square of blue fleece.

The package wasn't complete without a Butter & Sugar onesie; this one features a patchwork airplane.

Cake

Olivia just had a birthday, which we've celebrated twice so far (cupcakes at school, Christmas pageant party with friends) and will celebrate once more tonight (family party). Excessive? Definitely. Shameful, really; we're determined to figure out how to consolidate next year. But oh, the cakes have been grand.


















I ordered these precious ballerinas (and other lovely cake toppers) from the delightful cyber-shop Bake It Pretty.

And the winner is...

Huge, heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited yesterday and left a comment. You truly made my day.

Congratulations to "Mommy's Home," who won the random drawing for a onesie from my shop. In fact, extra-special congratulations are in order...she wrote that she's expecting a baby!

Good luck to all who entered other Give-Away Day contests!

Etsy Shop Give-Away

Hooray! My Etsy shop has just been launched, and it's Give-Away Day. For starters, the featured items in my new shop are patchwork monogrammed onesies, now available for customization.

In celebration, I'm giving away a customized onesie. Just leave a comment today and I'll randomly select a winner.

If you haven't done so already, check out Sew, Mama, Sew's list of other Give-Away Day contests!

Settling down for a long winter's nap

Warning: Christmas spoiler...Rudie, no peeking!

To me there's nothing cozier than putting on a pair of warm pajamas and curling up in bed to read a good book. Hence the inspiration for my gifts to several of the children on my list this year:

* A handmade pillowcase,
* A pair of PJs,
* And a book.














These are for my niece. I'm keeping fingers crossed that she'll love The Boxcar Children as much as I did when I was her age.

P.S. December is "Holidays at Home" month at Sew, Mama, Sew!. Visit them for more gift compilation and handmade holiday ideas.