More presents.

It never ends.

Vacation!

Walnuts & Wiggly Eyes: First in a Series

Christmas with the in-laws.

Pillows!

Remember when I showed you these two photos?? Here are the finished products! Plus one more for a 30 Rock fan.

Boxing Day?

I made these little bags as Christmas gifts for my friends. Filled with these. Mostly I'm excited about the fabric. Marimekko scraps I found at the Crate and Barrel outlet for 95 cents. Super clean, pretty and cheap. It's like me in a fabric. Tutorial here.

Mmmmm,...exhaustion.

Things I think are easy and end up exhausting me: I found the recipe at Bakerella and thought, "food processor + microwave = super easy. I am now laying in my bed. Trying to engage my brain enough to type this. Part of it is that halfway through, I caught Hartwell "cleaning" by dipping a magic eraser into Barkley's water and wiping the wood floor. And the new sofa. Which, in the course of 5 days, has been vomited on, pooped on, scratched, and Sharpie-d. Do sit down.

I still have to make the oreo truffles.  I think I need a nap. But first, I need to go buy a new oven mitt. What the hell happened to that one? It's all I can see in this photo.

I ended up with a bunch of extra chocolate so I dipped Peppermint JoeJoe's:

Hamburgler?

Hartwell just walked into my bedroom wearing this:

It's like my very own Lady GaGa.

Ornaments

We went to Cost Plus and I let the boys each pick out an ornament for the tree. Bee picked a dinosaur. Hartwell picked:

Feed the Squirrels

Buon Natale!

Aunt Natalie came to visit last night. And I was totally surprised at how quickly Bee took to her. (He's a bit stand-offish with new folks). Like, he growls at people and makes the most stunning frowns if you ask for a hug. At Thanksgiving, in Phoenix, I found myself apologizing for his rudeness towards his family. But then Natalie stopped by and they just adored her! This morning Hartwell asked, "Can we go to Natalie's house?" They must just sense her amazing spirit.

3 skulls and a bag...

 

Puttin' on the scarf

 

I went to IKEA last Wednesday and found a pillow case in the discount bin for $2.50. I loved the gray and white pattern and pictured it as a scarf. (I ALWAYS forget "before" pictures. Imagine a standard pillow case). I cut off the edges and then cut down the center and ended up with 2 long pieces. Which I gathered and stitched together. I also zig-zagged the edges, allowing them to fray but not disintegrate.

I spent about 30 minutes on it and I think it's pretty cool. It may not be for me, I still have to figure out if I like it. My boobs are too big for it to hang properly, so I either have to bind myself or give it to someone as a gift. Kind of a bummer because I finally made an accessory that I actually like. Plus? Donna Karan says to keep white by your face, as in jackets and scarves, because it brightens your complexion. Any little bit helps.

Advent Calendar!

 I've had this idea for an advent calendar in the back of my mind for a while. Then yesterday, I was at Big Lots and I found 8 x 8 Christmas scrapbook paper for $3. $3?!

So I bought a couple packs and went to town folding. It's a pretty simple origami paper cup that I learned in third grade.

The numbers I found here. (If anyone wants to create some 1-2" numbers that are printable through etsy, I would totally buy them!) I just scaled it to fit my page and printed it on matte photo paper. Then cut them all out. Which was nuts. Hence the 1-2" idea. Then I just need a punch.

Here's how it looks hung up. There is NO light in that area, so photographing this was heinous. I hate using the flash.

 

Hartwell has already instructed me to fill them with candy. I don't think he's over Halloween yet.

Skull Ornaments!

Things I found at the thrift store:

I thought the 60's funky sun pattern on this paper was really great. Then I picked it up and discovered it was the famous No Bugs M'Lady shelf paper,...or paper covered with chemicals. My friend Carrie has a great story about this, so I had to photograph it for her.

But, seriously, I found some good stuff today:

Only missing two pieces...which actually equals four pieces...

Hartwell is only 3-1/2 so we only use half anyway.

 A mirror with a mustache cutout. Still in the box. Super cute for a teenage girl I know.

Pillow insert for all my craft project presents:

Vintage aqua casserole. I love vintage aqua anything. Had to have it.

Pretty good thrift store day. Complete with missing children and screaming tantrums. 

Santa, baby...

After I read that you can use a Xerox to make iron-on embroidery patterns, I went nuts looking for cool, free patterns. And I found this one. She offers one a month and this is part of a christmas set.

So I printed out a bunch of great patterns and went to a copy store, copied the patterns, chased my kids. Got home, and was disappointed. It barely shows up. Maybe I needed to darken the copy, I don't know. It just didn't work. Too faint to see any pattern.

Then I discovered that Sulky makes markers that are iron-on transferable. But, as usual, it's a weird item I'll never find in a store. Unless you're me and friends with the UNIVERSE! Then you walk in a local sewing store, and there it is, one black iron-on marker, waiting for me.

So I taped my patterns to the window and traced it to tracing paper. And it worked! There are definitely some tricks, but it's the best thing I've tried so far.

Just Dance...bags.

Hmmm,...I wonder which one is Grace's?

More bag.

Eye'm your biggest fan...

I went to my sister-in-law's blog to see if she had anything new, (NO! Get on the stick!) and thought I could maybe do a kick-ass eyeball for her.

It's only okay.

But I bet she doesn't have one...

Holiday Embroidery?

I am obsessed with "dolls" and have been trying to find a way to work them into a project.

Alternate title:

Santa's Little Helpers

Keep the change, ya filthy animal.

 

What did I do last night? I made mustaches! Last friday the boys and I stopped by a KFC for lunch. Their kids meals don't come with a toy, but they happen to have a bunch of gumball machines full of cheesy toys. They both took their quarters and popped them in the mustache machine. And got little mustaches with sticky on the back. Bee called his a "granpa." (Wahr my granpa?")

I googled "felt mustache tutorial" and used this one, because they had the best patterns. Also? Is there anything I could google that wouldn't get me hits anymore?

Dia De Los Morty

 I made this, and soon to be many more, to be like, extra gifts for people. I want to make them into ornaments, we'll see what I have time for. (I just found out my sewing machine is ready to be picked up. Seems someone decided to fill the inside with pins).

I also learned a new technique. The fancy whipped backstitch. I found a bunch of great tutorials here.

And I'm STILL trying to figure this out. Mine keep turning out too messy.

Just another manic craftday

Office Set.
Felted thrift store sweaters on felted thrift store sweaters. 100% wool.
Collection of the Artist...not for long.

Oh, stitchery, whatever will become...of me.

Why can't I make stuff this nice for myself?

The stitch is back...

Another project I'm working on. This one is a Christmas present for someone. So I can't show you what it is. But it's super cool. Everyone gets homemade gifts this year. And I totally take requests. In fact, I need them. How many bags does one person need?

I learned I can embroider way faster than I thought I could. Especially if I put a bandage on my needle finger. And give the kids Benadryl (TM)(R).

Was a heart of felt...

Hartwell gets a heart ornament. In green. Because as of Thursday, at 9:32 am, that's his favorite color.

And you can dance, for inspiration. Come on. I'm waiting...

 Trying to get back into the groove of making Christmas presents. My two rascally boys don't make it very easy.  We spent some time in the basement, with Bee somehow making it messier. And Hartwell demanding I help him with his video game.

I decided to make a little felt box out of my huge stash of recycled thrift store sweaters. It'll probably end up as a gift for someone. Mostly it was a test of my skills.

I think it would make a great vase with a glass tucked inside. The tutorial presented it as an office supply box. Full of pens and pencils.

It was driving me crazy, I was staring at it and went back and added one more flower.

Much Better.

Pattern is from "A Greener Christmas" by Sheherazade Goldsmith.

Pacific Standard Time