Christmas Craft Mania

Things have been truly craftastic around here lately. I know some can relate to the crafting compulsion, aware that it CAN happen, it can get done, amidst the hustle and bustle of busy family life. Me, I've been using spare moments during nap and after the kids have gone down at night to get things done. I do it because of a compulsion, yes, but also because making things makes me. And so, a report:

There is some definite homemade goodness going on for some of the kiddos Christmas presents. I made felt cookies kind of likethese that still need beady sugars adorning them for Jooge as well as a Little Pea for Avery, who loves the book so much she has taken to saying, "Plech," whenever she's not into a food. I have finished one scarf for Jooge in a lovely pomegranate red, am working on another pale pink scarf for Avery, am planning to make several "head scarves" for Jooge (per her request) as well as some of these felt barrettes, and a Raggedy Anne for Avery. I also made two of these. (The ones I made are above).

Each year we get together with my friend Donna and her daughter Jenna near the holidays. The kids exchange Christmas books and we do a little something for one another. This year we made a day of it and did these and the kids made these(with our help of course). We ate brownies with mint frosting. I saw this post and was inspired. My brownie recipe is from cooking class in high school and recipe for butter cream from a Mary Englebreit book that never fails me, plus a bit of peppermint. They were SO. Good. Yum.

I got my Christmas cards made during a "viewing" of this movie. I found some adorable paper similar to this at Oblation, bought blank cards, and got to cutting and gluing. Happy with the results. Next will be the photo to put in the cards.

I also tried silhouettes this year, after getting a great idea here. They turned out fairly well and though I didn't attach them to plates I'm hoping to put them in oval frames. I made extra sets too that could be given as gifts.

There will come a lull in all these flying fabric scraps. There could be a "plech" thrown in there when they open stuff. But I'm hoping for happy. That will be my present.