Finished Gifts

The gift making is done! I took it easy this year by only making a couple things. I'll share more about these after the holiday...





I am surprised to realize December is basically already half-way over. Time is completely out-of-control lately. Only 4 more months until I suddenly will have two children. Can't wrap my head around it!

Finally Some Cheer and Holiday Spirit

Until yesterday, I was pretty ambivalent about the upcoming holiday season. So I forced myself to make a little advent garland and we got the Christmas decorations out. After cleaning and decorating a bit I'm feeling very festive and looking forward to celebrating. Yay!

I'm quite pleased with how I decorated this year. I did everything much more simple and clean than usual. Instead of just decorating around all of the every-day decor, I removed everything and just used the Christmas decorations. Like, duh.

We're going to a Christmas tree farm tomorrow to cut down a tree, go on a hay ride and have some hot chocolate. I'm going to wear boots and a scarf and pretend my 3.25 person family is on a Christmas postcard. It'll be fantastic.

*Please excuse the blurry photos. My house is dark. I used my iPhone. If I bother waiting for better photos it'll never happen. Cause I'm lazy like that.

Hello November

I am so excited about this month! In two weeks we'll find out what kind of baby we're having; we're going to Utah for Thanksgiving; my brother is getting married and there are plans for lots of fun projects in the works. It should be a great one.

I'm currently working on this ornament kit by Alicia. I also have this kit waiting to be done, so hopefully I can get them both done by Christmas this year. I made these ones last year. I'm thinking I need a tree just for these ornaments alone. Or maybe turn them into a garland. They're too cute to be lost amongst the general chaos of the other ornaments.

This and That and Christmas

The sampler is finished! Just needs a good pressing and framing. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I'll post a photo when it's framed up.

Will asked me to make him a scarf "for skiing", so that's what I'm working on now. I'll probably end up making a matching hat, too, if there's enough of this yarn left. He is very excited, which makes making things for him really fun. It's nice being thought of as magical. :D

I've also figured out 85% of the Christmas gifts out. Now I just have to actually make them. Some knitting, some sewing, some concocting. I'm getting excited...

Quilt Finishing

Last spring or so, my brother Ivan got on a sewing kick and put together this quilt top. And then got burned out I suppose. Knowing that he'd probably never finish the quilt on his own, I took over. I bought the backing and batting, tied it, bound (binded?) the edges and gave it back to him for Christmas. It was a satisfying day's work (after having the quilt top since July and not doing anything with it...oops).

Popcorn on the Cob

Just some little gifts I quickly put together for all of my aunts and uncles and some friends. A couple cob of popcorn with instructions and a hot pad or two. Fun, easy and cheap!

Victoria Fingerless Mittens

I tried no less than 3 times to make some fingerless mittens/mitts/wrist warmers for my mom for Christmas. She had mentioned that she wanted a pair and I thought I'd be able to just whip them up quick and not even need patten. This was not the case. It took me weeks of trying over and over to finally admit I had no idea what I was doing and just get the correct yarn and use a pattern. Psh.



And I'm so glad I did. I am happy with how they turned out. This pattern is Victoria Fingerless Mittens from Knitting Little Luxuries. I've had this book for several years, and love a lot of the patterns, but this is the first one I've actually tried. One weird thing I noticed is that all of the mittens and mitts in this book are knit flat and then seamed. For some reason I couldn't figure out how to just knit it in the round so I did it the hard way. Also, even though the pattern only called for one ball of yarn, and I got a ball that was more yardage than the pattern called for, and I had the correct gauge, I still ran out of yarn about 3/4 through the second mitten. Annoying. But it was all worth it.

Christmas Show-Off

A few of my favorite Christmas gifts! Just pretend these are good photos and not bad iPhone pics.

John got this for me and I thought I was going to be all Bad A and dominate this game. I was sorely mistaken and was swiftly taken down several notches. It's wicked haaard. (But I'll still beat you.)

Pretty, pretty vintage locket from Beth with pics of my sistas. I pretty much wear this every day.

A wee little 1930s copy of A Christmas Carol from my brother, Trev. It's amazing and sweet.

Anthro earrings from Ruth. I had been wanting these forever. I never want to take them off.

Adorable bag made by my Mama. She made all of the girls bags like this with different fabrics. Mine is now my official knitting bag and it's so perfect.

I'm sooooo excited about this cookbook! It's so beautiful. I love just looking through it and smelling it and dreaming of cooking all of the lovely, rustic, delicious things. This was also from John, cause he is the best!

2009 Christmas Card

I think pretty much everyone who reads this silly blog is on our Christmas card mailing list, anyway, but here is the card we sent out last year. The photos and design were 100% John and I think he did such an amazing job! I loooove this card! How are we going to top it this year?

The Fam

These portraits were John's Christmas gift to my mom. He did all the photography, printing, framing and surprised my mom on Christmas Eve with them all hung up in the family room (special thanks to Trev for hanging them). I think she was pretty excited and happy. Especially since before these, everyones' photos were about 8 years out-of-date.

Mom & Dad
Greg
Trevor & Christi
Bethany
Ivan
Alexa
Ryan

Also, a little photo shoot of Greg and his girlfriend Erin and her son Griffin. Aren't they the most adorable little family you've ever seen? I love these kids.

Paper cuts

Yet another Angry Chicken project -- this one from her Mailorder #10 -- for a couple of friends. I'm sooo hooked on paper cutting now. It's so like, meditative, slicing through the paper with precision. I love it. I wish I could draw so that I could design my own -- I have so many ideas in my head -- but I'm thinking there are probably a lot online that I just have to look for to find.

Isn't the laundry line so adorably perfect for a laundry room? I wish I had a cute laundry room to decorate! I'm planning on doing another "Hello" for our entry, along with the two others that are in the Mailorder set -- a quilt and a kooky little house. Can't wait!

Two Simple Totes for Two Little Girls

These little book bags were made for two little girls I know who love books. They seemed so tiny when I made them, but after seeing them on little ones, they were just the right size.

The pattern came from Amy Karol's (aka The Angry Chicken) Bend-the-Rules Sewing, which I've made several projects from now. The directions were soooo confusing for me, but once I actually just followed them -- instead of trying to think ahead -- it was easy and it worked!

This project uses so little fabric, is so quick and it's so fun to mix and match fabrics. I'm definitely going to make one for Will and probably will make a larger one for myself. Heaven knows I need yet another bag in my life.

Wish List

These pretty, pretty books.

All of these, from Antro, of course...
(I can't find any of these on the anthropologie website. I think a lot of them are on clearance already!)











And last, but most wantedly, a beautiful Dutch bike. Add-ons would include a baby seat and a basket. :)

Overwhelmed? Me?

I just finished making a list of the projects that I'm currently working on and ones that need to be started and finished. The number is 30. 30 projects. Sewing, knitting, crocheting, designing, printing, assembling. And those are just for Christmas! There is an entirely different list of projects that need to get done in the not-too-distant future: Norway Trip blog, printing, framing, painting, photo albums, hanging, thrifting. Phew.

Today is going to be all-projects all-day. I'm not even going to bother getting dressed. I think it's going to be a very good day.

Here is my favorite song right now. It's officially my new running song -- the one I switch to when I need a burst of energy to keep me going. Enjoy!

Gift Horse

Several months ago I found this rocking horse over at Warm Biscuit and instantly fell in love. Hello, it's perfect.


William's Uncle Tim was kind enough to get it for him for Christmas, but it ended up being back ordered for nearly 4 months!

Luckily, the horse finally showed up and William is nuts over it. And already is trying to do stunts like stand upon its back no hands.



Love!