The Holiday Aftermath

Tweet I don’t know about you guys, but I have had just about enough cookies, treats, and butter-laden foods.  It’s a good thing I decided to take a few days off the business because I’ve been busy digesting!  These have been my main source of nutrition lately – on the left are candy cane marshmallows, and on the right are double chocolate truffles.



As promised, here are pictures of the AWESOME play kitchen that Santa refinished for the kiddos.  Bridget has been making lots of cakes and Graham is so happy to have cabinets he’s actually allowed to open.  Thank goodness they like it because it takes up half of our living room.



We took the doors off, sanded the whole thing, and spray painted it semi-gloss white.  I painted the blue trim on the fridge, the double oven scene, and the cook top with acrylic craft paint and sprayed it down with sealer.  The paper in the hutch is just scrapbook paper I Mod Podged on.



We found most of the stuff at our local Menards that went out of business a few months back.  We even found a sheet of fake granite laminate, so the play kitchen even has swanky countertops!  Kenny cut all the knobs using a hole saw and the hardware was super cheap.  I think we probably spent about $75 total (the play kitchen was given to us when B’s preschool replaced theirs).

 

The kids weren’t the only spoiled ones – my keeper of a husband bought me an iPad!  I was completely shocked and have been glued to the thing for days (except for Christmas day, when my mom hogged it all day to play Angry Birds).  I’ve been playing around with some business apps, so sometime soon I’ll give you guys my recommendations.  If you know of any good ones, let me know!  I’m totally app-downloading-crazy right now!

Did you guys get anything ridiculously awesome?  And please tell me I’m not the only one that hasn’t recuperated from Christmas yet!

What’s on This Santa’s Handmade Gift List

Tweet I mentioned earlier this week that I really want to show you guys what handmade gifts I’m planning on making.  I figured I can share a few without specifying who they’re for and hope most of my family doesn’t read this blog post.  I have almost finished up the business sewing, so next week is going to be a mad frenzy to finish the gifts!



I’m going to embroider some tea towels using patterns from The Sublime Stitching Craft Pad, which I bought YEARS ago.  I love love love Jenny Hart’s embroidery!  There are some awesome Parisian patterns (plus a unicorn on roller skates!) that I think I may use.



I’m using this tutorial from Hope Studios and some pink striped knit to make a couple of ruffled scarves.  I’m excited about this one – I think it’s going to be a super quick, super cute project.

 

A couple of years ago I made a trash bag to hang in my car.  I fused together a couple layers of Target plastic bags (how-to here), used them as a liner for some home dec fabric, and added a webbing strap with a snap.  It hooks around the headrest of the passenger seat.  My husband has been whining since I made it that he wants one for his car.  Guess who this is going to?



I’m going to use this tutorial from Sew, Mama, Sew! to make a laptop sleeve.  I have some super awesome turquoise and orange home dec weight fabric that will be PERFECT.  I think I’m going to do a velcro closure and sew on a vintage button from my stash.



I’m making a couple of these ADORABLE gathered clutches (tutorial here from Noodlehead).  I’m for sure going to take one to my wonderful stylist Claire, who has finally tamed my unruly hair and will forever have my gratitude.  Little does she know I’m bringing her my daughter tomorrow, who was cursed blessed with the same head of hair.



I think these fabric covered clothespins from Prudent Baby are going to be my gift tags this year.  I’m probably going to wrap gifts with butcher paper and tie on some red and white twine (which I just ordered here), so I think these little clothespins will look sooooo cute.

 

Word on the street is the bobaloo is getting an American Girl doll for Christmas.  This has been top on her list (“I want a ‘merican girl doll with purple stuff and a pink sewing machine and fabric and a sign for my room that says no cats”) so I’m pretty stoked for her.  I made the pillows and quilt using this tutorial from From an Igloo and they turned out awesome (those little pillowcases!  couldn’t you just die?!).  I’m trying to talk the hubs into making the bed from Ana White, but we’ll see.

Our biggest project right now is for the kids – we’re refinishing a play kitchen.  It’s one from B’s preschool, so it’s super sturdy, but it’s got years of kids banging on it under its belt.  When this is done I’m for sure sharing pictures because it’s turning out AWESOME.  Is it wrong to be disappointed that Santa’s getting all the credit for this one?

What are you guys making?