Handmade Holidays

NOTE: Sorry for the lack of pictures, two reasons for that 1) Blogger doesn't let me add more than one picture to a post and 2) I don't really want to risk any of the recipients of gifts reading out what I made for them before they get it!

I'm amazed at myself. Every year for the last six or so years I've said I was going to make gifts for everyone on my list. Then at the last minute I ran out of time (because 12 months just isn't enough!) and ended up buying gifts for people. Amazingly, this year, perhaps it's because my list of people to give gifts to is shorter, I've been able to make gifts for pretty much everyone! And the funniest part is the reasoning behind giving handmade this year was different. Yes it's because I know a handmade gift is special and more love goes in to making it than in just picking out an item at a store, but mostly it's because I didn't want to go SHOPPING! Is that lazy or lame? Here I am, in my studio four days of the seven day week (and more if you count that I come here after work every day) and I just decided, I can make gifts for people. And I did it. Mostly I just made pillowcases but I think they are personalized enough to the recipient that they will really like them. The gift I'm most proud of is a wallet I made for my brother in law. I used fabric from a shirt found at goodwill and it only took me maybe an hour at the most to make it. I hope he likes it and can get some use from it. I'm probably going to make one for my dad for Father's day or his birthday. The thing is brother in law is difficult to find gifts for, he's vegan and doesn't use anything with animal products and other than that, I don't know much about what he likes. So when I decided to make a wallet I had a feeling he'd like it, even if he only uses it for a little bit. In fact, the tutorial I found after searching and searching the Internet ALL day yesterday was actually REALLY good! It's on a blog called Quiltish which I am actually and very happy I found. Well, I'll do my best to take some pictures of the pillowcases and other gifts I made this year. Maybe with the recipient and their smiling faces! In other news, I brought my doggy Starbuck up to the studio with me today and she was pretty good. It was nice to have a little company even if it's the four legged kind. She likes to stand on her hind legs and look out the window at the passing cars. I didn't get the organizing that I'd planned to do accomplished but the gifts are made so that's an accomplishment in itself, even it if it IS Christmas Eve!

Happy Holiday Stitches!!!

Anna