Sunday, January 10th, Lots of little projects.

Thought I would share some of the little things I have made in the past few month, some for selling, some for gifts:
I made ten sets of these 4 season place mats for the guild boutique in September and not one of them sold. That just meant that I had Christmas/birthday/shower gifts! Curves also offered us to sell things there for over the holidays and I sold two sets there.
I made a dozen of these wine gift sacks for the boutique. Because they were fairly low in price, I did sell a couple of those and gave some as gifts and sold some at Curves.

My friend Kathy had this awesome pattern for a reusable shopping bag that I have made multiple times. I had a ton of fabric that I wasn't going to use for quilting that I used and made 6 of them and have 4 more ready to sew. I did sell a couple of these at Curves. But when I saw this fabric:
I knew I had to make one for each of the girls. They love reusable shopping bags rather than getting a plastic bag each time.The cool thing about these bags is that they fold up to go in your purse. (if you carry a big purse like is so popular right now)
This is the inside of Candice's bag, and Catie's is made opposite.
I have been making these decorative towels on a monthly basis since August. I make 4 at a time. They are really cute and I gave 5 of them to my sister-in-law for Christmas. I couldn't get the whole year done before Christmas. I am getting really good at the blanket stitch on my sewing machine.
This is my most recent project, a diaper bag for my nephew's baby that is due next month:The pattern is not marketed as a diaper bag, but when I saw it and the fabric that the shop sample was made in, I fell in love with it. The fabric is by a local designer, Jane Sassaman, who spoke at our guild. She took us through the entire designing process, which was fascinating.
I also made a card and got it in the mail before our big snow hit on Thursday. They actually got it in time for the shower yesterday

Friday, December 25th, Brown paper packages tied up with strings....

My work schedule requires that I either work the Eve or the Day of Christmas. I prefer to work the Eve, because we have always done our Christmas on the day. Since I work with a few Polish gals and they usually celebrate on the Eve, it almost always works to my advantage.
I got home in a timely manner and before my nap, we opened our socks. I bought these cute "magical" socks for the girls. They are all shrinky...and then you put them in water and they expand...
into these beautiful socks....we say beautiful because that is what the package said.

and then I took a 4 hour nap. The girls have always been so patient. We have our traditions; homemade Caramel rolls for breakfast, gloriously baked by Catie, the reading of the Christmas story from Luke 2, family prayer and then the choosing of Santa (this year played by Catie)
I think maybe the crafting gene was passed to Catie as she wrapped her gifts in a most lovely manner:Yep, that "bow" is a fat quarter for me!
Chuck has collected maps for years and he gave a few to her to use:It was just a lovely gift opening and we always make it last and last. In fact, this year, we listened to The Nutcracker while opening and it finished when we opened the last gift.
Here are my thoughtful acquisitions:
A Bare Minerals makeup brush...because somehow I lost mine! From Candice...
My very own personalized return address stamp...from Catie and of course the fat quarter.
Some awesome scrap booking stuff from Chuck.
This quilt book that I really wanted from Chuck and also some delectable lip gloss/stick.
I made these reusable shopping bags for the girls.
After cleaning up the mess, we sat around and enjoyed the beauty of the day, the glow of the Christmas tree and each other. And then we watched the snow fall.
We munched on appetizers while dinner was cooking...another tradition and then had a wonderful dinner of baked ham, potato casserole, green beans, cherry jello and Hawaiian rolls (the same every year).
However, this day is more than just gifts, food and traditions; it is the celebration of the greatest gift ever given from God to man. To think that God would stoop so low to come as a baby drives me to my knees in thankfulness and joy.
My dad's cousin wrote this lovely poem for their Christmas greetings this year and it says so eloquently what I can't:

GOD'S BEAUTIFUL PROMISE

Behold God's Beautiful Promise, kept from eternity,
That plan before creation, to reach humanity.
The Promise sent to save us, for oft we sin and fall,
The hope for earth from heaven, lies in a lowly stall.

The Promise come to Bethlehem, when Jesus Christ is born,
Brings fear, then jubilation, on that blessed holy morn,
As angel hosts sing glory, to God in highest heaven,
Shepherds seek and find him, their homage humbly given.

Among the sheep a Shepherd comes to the world that day,
Who leads us on life's journey and finds us when we stray.
The Lamb of God as promised, is nailed to Calvary's tree,
Our sin and shame upon Him, He dies for you and me.

His star lights up the desert, drives darkness from the land,
Its rays shine down from heav'n as sages cross the sand.
The long awaited Promise beckons seekers far and wide,
To make the journey with Him, and let Him be their guide.

The Promise kindles hope, throughout the darkest night,
When doubts and fears assail us, awaiting morning light.
The shadows that surround us, will not ere-long prevail,
His light shines in the darkness to lead us through the vale.

Charles B. Jessen

Friday, October 9th, Awareness takes on a new form

Curves has a bra decorating challenge every year and I was the first to submit my entry:
I had the BOO fabric and came up with the bees....get it???? Sick huh?