Catching up after the Christmas Rush

Wow! It seems like forever since I've sat down and written a blog post! I was so busy making things for my grandchildren during December that I barely had time to look up. I sewed and made gifts right up to Christmas Eve this year. Thought I'd share some of them with you here today.

For my two granddaughters, ages 3 and 2, I purchased a rolling cart at Michael's with 10 drawers. From a suggestion from their mom, I filled each drawer with craft items. There were pom poms, googly eyes, pipe cleaners. popsicle sticks, stickers, foam shapes/stickers, die cuts, A2 size paper, envelopes, patterned paper, glue sticks, Elmer's glue, crayons, and much more! It took me quite a while to accumulate all these things, some were purchased, some were out of my stash. The girls started sticking stickers all over everything when they got this gift! I think it will get alot of use around their house. I did not get a picture of the actual cart unfortunately, but here is the same cart I use in my craft room.



 
 For my granddaughters and my grandson, I also made Super Hero capes. I used a pattern I found here. They were a big hit too, although my grandson, age 2 1/2, does not watch much TV and really had no idea what a Super Hero was. I think he will get the jist of it though.

For my new baby grandson Henry, I made a soft minky/flannel ribbon blanket. I had some help from my 3 year old granddaughter on it. She sat on my lap as I sewed on the machine and took out the pins as we sewed along.I also finished a quilt I have been making for Henry, and made a stocking.

 

For my 12 year old grandson, I made a little wool penny mat for his dresser. It has an owl listening to an ipod and says "You Rock". 

I also made sewing kits for each of my two daughters. I made the actual zippered pouch which measures 12" x 21" when opened. Then I filled it with all kinds of things I thought they could use for casual household-type sewing - good scissors, pins, a pincushion, safety pins, neutral colored thread, needles, a marking pen, a tape measure, etc. This kit was alot more complicated to sew than I had thought at first glance. It is a pattern by Atkinson Designs called Classmate.

On top of all these crafts, I also made all of our Christmas cards and several ornaments from the Papertrey Tinsel and Tags Make-It-Market kit.  The most special thing I RECEIVED for Christmas was this one of a kind fabric that my daughter designed. She made inked handprints from each of the grandchildren, uploaded them to a website, and had this fabric printed. I will treasure it forever and will try to find the perfect project to use it - that is if I can ever cut into it!!!