Christmas Projects

If you were to ask Mike- I took on too many projects this year! So much- in fact that I have promised to keep away from projects for awhile! I didn't take pictures of all my projects- just a few of the bigger ones.

The Quilt

Last year my sister-in-law Angela (Mike's sister) made the cutest blanket for their sister Marissa. I loved it- so I copied her and then I put my own spin on the idea and made one for my mom. I really enjoyed doing it- of course there are a few things I would change- but oh well- it was my first real quilt!

On the quilt top I did 10 picture blocks. 6 blocks- 1 for each kid- I did an 8 picture collage of each child growing up. With the last 4 I did a family picture in each (with just the kids). In the trim I found the perfect poem about mothers and placed it in a smaller box. For all the picture blocks I worked with the pictures in word and then copied them off on a iron on transfer.

It was a lot of work- but more than worth it!

Stockings!

So ever since Samantha was born I wanted to find the perfect stockings for the family. But being silly I wanted them to all match- but I worried as each child came- I wouldn't be able to find ones that coordinated. I really liked ones that I'd seen in Pottery Barn- but honestly what can you find in Pottery Barn -in season- that a medical school family could afford? So I came across a free pattern on line as well as a killer deal on some cute fabric! So I bought enough fabric to make 6- figuring that realistically we wouldn't be having more than 6- and even 6 is a stretch! And really with what I paid to make all 6 I could have bought one from Pottery Barn! Now they are definitely NOT Pottery Barn- but they work!

Now each child following Samantha and Collin I will find images ie. a doll or train etc that fits the sex of the child.

I haven't finished the cuffs of the stockings- I can't decide how to do them- any ideas?

Puppet Theatre

My friend Jena and her mom are pro-knitters and they knitted(is that a word?) an adorable puppet theatre that hangs in your doorway. Samantha loves it and loves the one at the library. Now I am an awful knitter- so I thought that I could figure out how to sew one instead. I have found that my mind doesn't work that way- because it took my awhile to think things through- but in the end it came together ok. I just need to put in the wooden dowels in the back to hold it's form while hanging. Santa being ever so helpful- knew what I was making- brought the kids some puppets to go with it!

Don't you love the flip-flop at the bottom right corner- in the middle of winter-on the wrong foot- only Samantha.

Too many Scrapbook Pages!

This last project is one that we do each year- it was thought up by my mom. Instead of picking names each of us has to do a 2 page layout of something our family did the past year- or whatever we want. We then make 7 (one for each family-one for ourselves and one for our parents). Then on Christmas Eve we exchange them. I'll be honest you'll hear a lot of grumbling while I am doing it- I want to be a scrapbooker- I just haven't caught on to it yet- but I LOVE having this scrapbook- love it. It is so fun to look through. My mom does the first 2 pages- and does a collage of pictures of when we are all together- like this past summer and then finds a great quote about families. Last year she made up the best poem which included an inside joke for each member of the family. Unfortunately now that we aren't living close anymore- there aren't as many inside jokes- so she is not able to do a poem each year.
I didn't take pictures of my pages- I took some of my moms- because they were way cuter than mine!

Well, we'll see if I can keep my promise to Mike and stay away from projects for awhile! He never really gave me a time limit?! I really love doing them- and they seems to help the time pass!