Pinspiration and a Happy Handmade Christmas: the Boys

Pinterest can be a bit... girly.

Pink.  Cute.  Ruffles.

Shoes.  Scarves.  Hair.

Cookies.  Cakes.  Suppers.

You have to really hunt for the boys stuff.  But when you find it, oh, it's good.

This year for Christmas the boys got two necessary things for boys...

Beards.

Yes, this is a picture of me... 

finishing the beards... 

late at night... 

or early in the morning... 

giddy and greasy haired.

It was knitted with some crazy yarn by a pattern of my own.  Since it fit me, it was a bit large on their little faces so I'll have to spend another evening knitting some more.  Maybe I'll wear this one when I'm doing chicken chores or getting the mail.  Might cause some neighbors to do a double take.  Fun.  

and bows and arrows.

(tutorial here)

I will say, these little things shoot far!  I'd say 20 feet. Unbelievable.  Also after a couple days of normal boy usage the dental floss tend to get stretched out but its easy to swap out.  I got to use my wood burning tool again to freehand some tribal-ish designs.

I also did a t-shirt for a boy who got a real pair of youth boxing glove (for use on our heavy bag, not his siblings!)  His shirt is a white print on a black shirt of gloves hung around his next and the distressed word CHAMP on the back.  I think it is his new fav.  Yay!

(another blurry Christmas morning photo... 

what can I say?  We are up sooo early...)

My first total success.  Every child got a handmade gift.  Hope I just started a new tradition!

Pinspiration and a Happy Handmade Christmas: Little Girl

I love homemade gifts.

I realize lots of people say that.  Let me clarify.

I can't stop smiling while I am making something for someone I love.  I can hardly wait to give it to them.  I nearly cry when they open it.. and I get all warm and fuzzy every time they use what I have made.

The whole process for me is delightful.  Scouring Pinterest for ideas.  Shopping and scavenging for supplies.  Drinking mug after mug of  wine hot tea after the kids are asleep... Spending nights at the table making wonderful things.

The girls presents are always especially fun for me.  Beyond Barbies, I think it is challenging to shop for girls. I want quality and wholesome but often stores have plastic and superficial.  

Oh well.  So I made my own.

Here is what they found Christmas morning...

A simple wooden box (bought with my 50% off coupon) decorated with clearance stickers and my wood burning tool that I bought last year.  And inside...

... a scrap fabric paper doll kit!  What girl could resist?!?!  Color, cut, glue... ribbons and pom poms.  

(inspired by this)

and the little one found this...

not just a mint tin...

but two new friends in a little bed!

They are adorable.  And again, made from simply scraps! 

(inspired by this)

And finally for the girls to share this matching game.

The original was made of paper but I love using felt.  Next time (because I will make this again for some lucky little friend's birthday) I will glue only the middle so my stitches around the edge look better!

These are three success stories.  I attempt homemade gifts every year and most years they look like attempted homemade gifts.  I feel doubly good this year because they actually look as good as the projects that inspired them.  These lovely presents have gotten lots of use already.  Thanks Pinterest!

More homemade Pinterest success stories to come!!!  

*********************************************************

p.s.  I just remembered that I also painted my first shirt... a gold unicorn on pink shirt using a stencil I created myself on the silhouette.  Now if I can just her to not wear it long enough so I can wash it and snap a picture...you will have to take my word for it! But I did find this blurry shot of her unicorn wearing it Christmas morning...

                     

                                                               

How about you?  Any surprising homemade gift success stories... do tell!!!

                                                       

Preparations...

Christmas Eve preparations, my favorite day of getting ready.  Today at our blue house we are busy...

rolling 100's of tiny meatballs (from one of our cows)...

packaging foods to give as hostess gifts...

(I think they are going to love them!)

enjoying an Americano, cream, no sugar, ...

making cookies for "Santa"... at his father's request...

helping, or as I call it NOT helping... but she is so darn cute...

and paper wreaths all stacked in a row...

Whew!

Today's and tomorrow's advent cards all have to do with visiting family.  Last night we camped out under the tree.  And when I say "we" I mean the kids.  I slept in my bed just around the corner.   The kids have been counting down the days and now the final hours until Christmas morning.  I know they are excited for the gifts, they are children.  But I hope that in time the emphasis on the presents will fade and the special gift of Jesus born on the silent night so long ago will bring them even greater joy.  

... and if I don't see you tomorrow... 

Merry Christmas, dear friends!

Baby Dresser / Party Pics

When my friend Heather found out she was just barely pregnant she immediately requested that my gift to her be a refinished dresser. Goodness does she know me. I have a basement with half empty paint cans and a garage full of quality wood furniture that simply needed attention. She peered into the packed room and pointed to this little treasure.

Well it wasn't exactly a treasure in that state. Maybe it takes a mother's eye to appreciate that kind of beauty and potential. Yellow greasy finish and sticker residue? I saw through that...

I sanded it to the bare wood and covered it with two coats of a dark blue grey.

While this would be super for a baby bachelor pad, the coastal blues and sea greens she wanted in her nursery would not mesh well with this dark dresser. Back to the basement to mix some paint.

After a thin coat of a light blue grey, I sanded some of the top coat off to reveal the dark underneath. Then I applied stain in a mahogany satin with a foam brush, let it sit a minute and then rubbed it off with a clean towel. The look?

Much better. A quick coat of black flat spray paint on the bronze hardware and the transition was complete. Yes, I lightly sanded the hardware after painting too.

I wrestled a lot with the colors and finish of this piece. Overall I love the look. Its cool blues is a great pop of color for a neutral nursery but the shade and style can grow with the child.

Ahem... Please ignore the lawn mower, kite, saw horses, bike trailer, random rusty items and other dilapidated furniture in the background of these pictures.  Is this the best ta-da I can do?  If I ever plan on selling anything ever I need to learn to stage better.  

.............................................................................................................................................

I'm finally going to do it!

Post pictures from a party that I made something for... I know, you are shocked.  Don't worry, I'm sure I'll get around to posting pictures I promised from summer parties during the frigid and dark winter months when all I have to to is sit inside and stare at this computer screen.  Sigh. 

Just last week I posted a bunch of things I was putting together for a very special baby shower for a very special friend and her very special sister.  Yep, a double shower.  Two sisters due just days apart.   Here are a few pics from the occasion...

big sister


little sister

It was such a simple beautiful shower.  There was so much love and support for the girls.  So glad I could be a part of it.  Those are some lucky kids!

Christmas Giving: Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog

At this point Christmas is 9 days away! Yes, 9 days. Maybe you have those last hard to give to people on your shopping list and you are completely stumped for ideas. Maybe you are like me and have an important family member who can't afford to give gifts this year and so refuses to receive them. Or maybe you are looking for some charity to donate to. An inspiration to your family to remind them to give generously to those less fortunate and as we all know those less fortunate are growing swiftly all around us.

Idea:
Check out this year's Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog. I have received this catalog in the mail for years and I have donated in the past. This year though I am finally stepping out and using it for gift giving in addition to donating. I would be honored if in lieu of gift(s) people would donate to a cause in this catalog that they know I care about so I hope others feel the same. This would be money well spent and that would perhaps leave a lasting legacy of good to my fellow men (women, children).

In addition, as I posted earlier this week regarding my WRING acronym, a gift donation was part of our families "holiday spirit" and we chose two causes that really hit close to home for 2010.

First:
"The birth of a child should be a cause for celebration, but many women in developing countries are filled with fear as the big event approaches. Tragically, hundreds of young mothers and thousands of newborns die every day from preventable causes. With proper training and equipment, a Christian birth attendant can save countless lives and reach young families with the Good News of God’s love. A gift can provide specialized instruction, basic obstetric supplies, or even antiviral medicine to protect newborns from contracting HIV from their mothers." - Catalog Quote

This year I was pregnant and had a child! I could rest assured, having excellent care and plenty of information to learn from. Our family wanted to reach out to women who didn't have that assurance.

Second:
"Without an education, this little Sri Lankan boy was probably doomed to a life of hard labor, hunger, and hopelessness. Around the globe, Samaritan’s Purse helps thousands of children like this through a variety of education and literacy projects that bring hope to impoverished communities and offer local believers an effective means of sharing the Gospel. A gift can provide a month’s tuition or school supplies, enabling an eager student to learn of Jesus Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3, NIV)." - Catalog Quote

This year the importance of an education has also been a theme. Not only have I started to think about what I want my newborn son to learn, where I want him to learn, etc. I have had the joy of watching him discover the world via fun classes at the library and at home in play.

I can rest assured that I can teach him to read and write if there were no other educational opportunities for him (but of course there are). In addition, my step son has struggled with issues at school and watching him deal with those struggles raises the awareness as to how important an education really is to the future of an individual. So our family decided that helping a child to read and write was so very important.

Perhaps you will find the perfect gift for those you love in this catalog too.

Merry Christmas!

Heifer International : Give a Goat..or a chicken...

Eden going to collect eggs this past summer

Being a farmer (I use that term loosely) raising animals are part of our daily family chores. My kids know where our hamburgers and eggs come from on a first hand basis. I realize that in the United State our way of life seems uncommon but in most parts of the world its the way to ensure provisions for your family. This is why I love the giving through Heifer International. The whole idea behind Heifer is similar to the biblical story of how it is better to teach a man to fish so he can feed himself for a lifetime rather than just giving him a fish that will provide him with a single meal. Heifer International gives families a source food, such as livestock or seeds, rather than short-term relief. Families are educated on the care of their animals or seeds and then encouraged to pay it forward to another family when their animals or seeds reproduce. In this way, a single donation to a family can drastically effect an entire community. Wow! Shopping is fun at Heifer International, with so many options and levels of giving. You can "buy" a goat ($120) or a share of a goat ($10). A flock of ducks is only $20! I could easily see a business forgoing exchanging gifts in the workplace and instead buying the gift of an ark (15 pairs of animals sent all over the world to change lives!)

After all, sometimes all a child needs to be healthy and happy.... is a goat!

And its not just a Christmas thing either. You can volunteer, visit, learn, and even do fundraising though Heifer International!

Ten Thousand Villages

Ten Thousand Villages

I have been shopping online for Christmas gifts for years. But not just gifts to fill a need but gifts to support a cause and make a difference.
This company guarantees its artisans a fair price for labor and supplies, a long term relationship between itself and the artisan, and that their products are environmentally responsible using local and/or recycled materials. Those are not easy promises to keep while keeping products marketable and prices affordable. But they are and they do! Underneath each item is the craft group responsible for its creation. Its great to see a face for the people you are supporting.

Ten Thousand Villages