Christmas Presents

With all the cross stitching I was doing, I didn't have a lot extra time to make other Christmas presents. I did, however, want to make a set of bags for my mom and my mother-in-law. Luckily they don't take too long to make so I was able to get them done. I think these are so handy! Hopefully they will find a use for them!

One of these days I'm going to make some for myself!

Christmas Stockings

I finished Victoria's stocking about a month and a half before Christmas!

I took a look at my stocking, and decided that there was a small chance that I could get it done as well! And I did!

I'm so glad to have finished all of the family Christmas stockings! It only took me 4 years! But they look so nice and I think it is so special for kids to have a homemade stocking, just like I did growing up.

Notice the fabulous cookies the boys made for Santa!

They also made this amazing gingerbread house!

Merry Christmas!

Snowman Christmas Cards

Every year I say I'm going to make all of my Christmas cards. It never happens. Mainly because I leave it until December and then don't have time to make 50 cards. So I end up buying some or doing up a quick card on Print Master. This year was no different. I had an elaborate card planned, and as December neared the card got simpler and simpler until I abandoned my original plan all together.

I was still determined to make a card, so I looked around on Pintrest for super simple Christmas cards and I came across this. I knew it was something I could pull off!

I'm sure I would have been able to work more efficiently at my desk but it was (and still is) covered with Lego. I was ban to the floor. I'm afraid my desk is forever lost to Lego. I should have never cleaned it off!

Regardless, I got to work making snowmen.

Then made a snowflake background using my fabulous Cuttlebug.

Added a "Let it snow" stamp, embossed in blue and gold and called it done! It's pretty cute for just some circles!

I'm glad I got them done because with the price of stamps going up I might never be able to afford to mail letter again!

Canadian Nickel Cake

Last year my dad asked me to make a couple of cakes for the Regina Coin Show. They were so impressed with them that they asked if I would make a cake to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Regina Coin Club. They wanted a nickel with the years 1953-2013 on it. I checked back with them about a month ago and the cake was still a go.

Truth be told I was a little nervous about this cake. I wasn't sure if I could get it silver enough, or if I could make the beaver look like a beaver. The good thing about making coin cakes is that it says right there what it is - "5 cents" - so there is no mistaking the beaver is actually a beaver, regardless of how it looks. Unless, or course, you don't know what a Canadian nickel looks likes - then there could be confusion!

I guess I shouldn't have worried because the cake turned out very well. The beaver definitely looks like a beaver! And once I sprayed it with the silver food colouring the lines showed up better then I thought they would.

I met my mom half way to Regina and she delivered the cake for me. It sounds like they were quite pleased with it!


Update: The Regina Coin Club sent pictures from their 60th Anniversary party to Coin News and so my cake will be in the next issue - Dec 31/13!

Organizing

Our laundry room doubles as a storage room. When we first moved in we put a bookshelf in there for canned food, cake pans, the small kitchen appliances and, well, all sorts of stuff. The entertainment stand soon joined the bookshelf and in it we (and by we I really mean me) piled quilt batting, Christmas decorations, gift bags ... basically all sorts of more stuff. And those shelves were surrounded by totes of fabric and baseball cards and childhood keepsakes, which stuff was also piled on. I didn't take a before picture, so you will have to believe when I say it was getting out of hand.

Last month we decided enough was enough. We simply had to reorganize and make better use of our limited space. I emptied the entire room in to the rest of the basement and cleaned it. During that process I discovered the washing machine was leaking oil; luckily it wasn't too expensive to fix. We then moved in a extra fridge we had and removed an old fridge that was set up in the under-the-stairs-storage room and started to build shelves.

We kind of planned as we went, and it turned out very well!

Then came the fun job of putting everything back. I moved things back and forth between storage rooms, made a garbage pile and a garage sale pile. The rest of the basement still needs to be cleaned up and organized, but the storage rooms are amazing!

Now the rest of the basement is a bit of a disaster but with a little more cleaning and a little more organizing it will be just as clean!

Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en has come and gone for another year. The last couple years I haven't made any costumes. I found some good deals at a garage sale, and so the boys wore those. This year the boys wanted to be Captain America and a Ninja Turtle. I decided it would just be easier to buy those costumes!

I didn't have anything for my little girl, so I made her an angel costume using Simplicity pattern 2835. Since our fabric store is unfortunately closing out I was unable to get the fleece I needed, so I ended up buying a fleece blanket from the Bargain Stop and used that! I bought a skirt from the dollar store, since I didn't have any netting, as well as a halo. I made her wings out of foam and glued glitter on them, which may have not been the best idea! While it looked cute, there is now glitter all over her car seat! I think she will be sparkling for a few days!

She didn't like her halo very much, so we replaced it with a pretty white toque. She didn't like that either, but I kept putting it back on! It was a very nice evening for trick or treating, but it did cool off. At least there wasn't snow like last year.

Here are a few costumes I made for previous Hallowe'en's...

Pandas are my favourite! Simplicity pattern 2783.

Performing monkey! I really like this costume. Both of my boys wore it. Simplicity pattern 3594.

And a baby knight in shining armour! Both my boys wore this one as well. Simplicity pattern 2835.

Curtains and Dust Ruffle

First off, I'll answer the question you are all wanting to ask. Yes I finished cross stitching my daughters Christmas stocking! I still have to sew a back on it, but the time consuming part is done! She will be the first of my 3 children to have her stocking done for her first Christmas!

And speaking of my daughter, I finally made curtains out of the fabric my aunt found at a garage sale. They didn't take my very long, once I decided which fabric to use. In the bag my aunt gave me there were yards and yards of 6 different corresponding fabrics. It was a little overwhelming! I started sewing while the kids were having their "afternoon nap", and finish them late that night.

I also made a change table cover, which is basically just a pillow case.

And a dust ruffle.

With the left over fabric, and there is a lot, I'll make a bed spread...or two! But not until after Christmas, at least! Now to complete her room we just need to paint her room a pretty pink or purple!

Where did September go?

So September flew right past me and I don't have anything to show for it. I guess that is not totally true as I did make some curtains for my brother and I have been cross stitching on my daughter's Christmas stocking. And I intend on finishing it tonight!!! I just have the reins left. And the lines on the drum. Oh, and the lines above and below her name, but that is it!!!

This past weekend I completed one more of my Pay-It-Forwards for 2013. When I post these things on Facebook, I take it seriously! I will send you something if you respond.

My sister was one of the 3 that replied and since this past weekend I was going visiting her (Ladies Night!) I thought it would be the perfect time to deliver her gift. She had been wanting to make bath salts for a couple months now, but we just never got around to doing it. I made up a batch and divided it in to 4 different scents.

Everyone always makes fun of me for saving boxes, but I can't help it! They are just so useful! Especially when you can make them into pretty gift boxes.

Then I decided it would be fun to put a little twist on it since I was going to be at her place. I made it into a treasure hunt for her to do after I left.

I folded up the clues like secret notes. It took me back to grade 5 when we passed notes constantly and this was how we folded them. I couldn't remember how to do it so I had to look it up!

Who wouldn't want to find this?

Kindergarten!

My little boy started kindergarten this week! He was pretty excited about it. We went school supply shopping a few weeks ago and he picked out his book bag and the kind of markers he wanted. The list also called for a cloth bag for change of clothes and a paint shirt, so when I was checking out the closing out sale at Clothworks (very sad about them closing) I picked out some fabric I thought he would like.

Of course, now that he is in school, everything has to have his name on it!

Giant Pillows!

This is the third giant pillow I've made now. I use it to put behind Victoria in case she topples over. Sometimes all three kids lay on it together and look at books. I used the Brick Road quilt pattern.



This is the second one I made. It was made to match a rag quilt I had made for a baby gift.





And I can't find a picture of the first pillow. I made it a few years ago and used a Cars panel. It turned out very well! I'll keep looking for that photo!

A Pink Zebra?

My husband's niece's birthday was last week. Months ago she asked me if I would make her a cake. This is about the 3 year in a row that she has asked. It never worked out in the past, either they were on holidays or we were. This year I was determined to make it work! We were gone the week before her birthday and they were going to be up at the lake for her birthday so I needed a fairly simple cake that needed no prep work! I've wanted to do zebra strips for a while, and decided this would be the perfect occasion. Pink is one of her favourite colours so that is what I went with. It is a little wild maybe, but great for a 9 year old!

When we packed up the car for the lake, I made sure there was a safe spot for the cake - on the floor, under Victoria's car seat! It actually made it there safe and sound! We dropped it off at their camper as soon as we got there. Avery had quite the surprise when she got back from the beach! She loved it! She came running and gave me a big hug! I was so glad it worked out and I was finally able to make her a cake.

Beach Bags!

I've had this Butterick pattern for a couple years now and I finally got around to making it! Part of the struggle was finding canvas I liked! I checked at Fabricland and they only had solid colours. Turns out Walmart had just what I was looking for. I haven't bought any fabric at Walmart since they got rid of their bolt fabric. It was a very sad day for me when they removed their cutting tables. It was my main reason for going to Walmart! Now they only sell pre-cut fabric and the selection never changes. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to find they had a nice selection of canvas.

I haven't used this one yet since I didn't have the contrast fabric in the right colour. I should be able to get 2 medium size bags out of one bolt.

Here are the bags I did make!

I didn't use the fusible interfacing, so the sides aren't stiff. They are so perfect for going to the park, or beach, or grocery store, or anywhere!

I need to make some more! So handy and so much cuter then the ugly Extra Foods bags I have! :)

Red Roses

About a month and a half ago a lady called me in a panic for a wedding cake. Luckily we were going to be around on her wedding weekend, so I was able to help her out. It was a pretty straight forward cake - 2 tier, white, black ribbon and red roses. As I as making the roses I realized that I have made pink, white, burgundy and blue roses, but never red roses! Red is such a tricky colour. You have to use a lot dye or you'll end up with extremely bright pink! In this case I used well over half a bottle and my roses look very red!








We delivered it to the hall and the bride thought it was beautiful. It made me happy that she was so happy with it! It is a nice feeling, knowing your contribution made someone's day a little more special.