Crafty Recap

The holidays have come and gone and with them the usual creative projects were launched but never documented due to how alternately busy, then lazy I was.

I made a whole slew of flax filled neck pillows, pictured above, warmable in the microwave, and quite addictive. I followed Blair's tutorial here.

I made a new skirt for underneath our Christmas tree. I made it up as I went, using the little houses I'd originally cut out for ornaments as the houses around the edge, and following a tutorial here for finishing it.

Kid friends and family received t-shirts with appliques.

I made the girls matching nighties in time to wear on Christmas eve. I've wanted to do this every year but this is the first year I made their holiday pj's. I'm not a big fan of sewing clothes using a pattern, so this was a huge undertaking and I'm still not absolutely thrilled with the result. I used this pattern.

I knit hats for my brother Andy (pictured in orange) and my husband for Christmas.

I made a scarf for my brother out of a felted sweater.

I made a tote bag for my sister-in-law.

At the old Christmas tree farm we used to go to, there was a little store in the barn and they had these really cool chestnut garlands that I would always oogle. I figured one day I would get my hands on some somehow and this year that sort of happened, in the form of a trip to Goodwill. I found a garland someone else had already made (yes, chestnuts with holes already in them!) studded with wooden stars and wound with a gaudy ribbon. I clipped it apart, dissassembled it, and strung the chesnuts on a beading thread.

Then I spent the rest of the vacation making absolutely nothing and enjoying it. :O)