Christmas Handmades

It’s funny to think how few days ago Christmas was~seems like it’s been ages, instead of 4 days.  I’ll wait until Monday or Tuesday of next week to undo the decorating, but it’ll definitely be put away well before Cole’s big 3rd birthday on the 9th.  :)  A lot of the boxes have already been picked up by the refuse folks as of this morning, and I put most of the remaining broken down cardboard into the cart as soon as I rolled it into the garage.  I love the decorations, but I am ready for just plain old normal—or really, whatever holiday the kids want to gussy up the joint for next (Valentine’s?).

We had our fun making handmade presents, and here are a few of them:

This litter of scotties went up north to live with friends in Portland.  (Hope they have made it there and I’m not spoiling anything – I only mailed them on the 21st.) Pattern HERE.  We loved these guys so much, we ended up making a few more for closer friends… they’re a good beginner project, and with each dog, Bun was able to do more of the work herself.  We also made homemade cat toys with a little catnip in the stuffing.  :)

I love this scarf pattern that I used to make my father a muffler.  It has a nice checkered effect that looks far more complicated than it is, so I could sit and only halfway pay attention to it while also watching the kids play outside.  Carter liked it so much, he wants one, too, though I think he’d weaponize it given the chance.  :)  Pattern HERE.  There are so many patterns in this blog that I want to make.  I guess I want to wring everyone I know’s necks (with a scarf), given the time.  :)

 
This stained glass star I gave my sister was handmade, but not by me.  I found it HERE.  I had envisioned it exactly where she chose to put it, on a high window above the mantle in her living room.  Isn’t it a pretty bit of color with that freak semi-blizzard outside?  I chose that color because it ‘goes’ with her living room and also in a way, it evoked a starfish to me and a seaside color (she lives near the beach).

We also made blondies, chocolate & mint chip cookies, granola, soup-kits… and Bunny made a papier mache bowl for her grandpa.  All in all, I think we put a lot of ‘us’ into the gifts this year, and I think it showed.  Bunny and I both are excited to do even more next year.  :)