Cookies

Well the cookie making extravaganza weekend was indeed canceled.  My windshield wiper mechanism is in the backseat of my car as we speak (?! speak, type?!- hmmm) Luckily, our friend Chris is always up to a car mechanical challenge and 'fixed' it for me!  Savings of like $150 probably - right before Christmas - Thank you Chris!!

That didn't stop me from making cookies though - I had three kinds of dough already made and after a little arm-twisting (and maybe even some tears - lol) Eric did cave in to helping me - and I think in the end he might have even had some fun!  We made peanut butter blossoms, ginger molasses, and Great Gramma O's cut-out cookies...

By the time we got to the cut out cookie I think he was getting into the spirit.... (or maybe it was the other spirits he was getting into...I dunno!)

But he seemed to have some fun and even a sense of humor.  He made the Christmas Liberty Bell.

lol!  Luckily we were invited to dinner at two good friends houses on Saturday and Sunday - so I got to bring a plate of cookies to share (instead of me eating all of them!)  Unfortunately I didn't get to see BK again before Christmas, and I still have to frost all the cut out cookies (yeah, that's not gonna happen).  But I did get some more Christmas crafting done (I really can't wait to show you all I have been making!) and some house cleaning and laundry to get all ready for our trip home this week!  Only two more days!  Yippeee!

Cookies ... Cancelled?!?

Alas, the cookie baking extravaganza weekend maybe cancelled, and not on account of anything fun - like snow!  (unfortunately - b/c I would choose snow over the 33 degree rain with 20mph winds we ARE having ANY day..)

Instead, it may be cancelled b/c in my anal retentive ways this morning, I couldn't STAND to have a leaf going - back, and forth, back, and forth, back, and forth, across my windshield.  So I rolled my window down, gave my wiper a quick snap - and well, broke it.  (I know...my brute strength is amazing right?!?)

Well - its gonna be rainy and dark (bad combination for me driving to begin with) but add REALLY cold, alone on the interstate, and no windshield wipers - and well, it just becomes a bad idea.  So short of getting home and Eric saying 'Oh!  This is why!", and clicking it back together (which won't happen b/c our mntc guy at work couldn't do that!) then I won't be on my way to Chapin for any of this...

and these...

or donning our cookie making war paint...

 or spending the weekend with my BFF

Ahhh Man!!  Why do I have to be so anal and ruin all my own fun?!?  :(

(there will still be cookies though - but making them in my small kitchen by myself - boo!)

Plans...

When I am done with all my Christmas Crafting (and who knows if I will ever get it all done - why oh why did I think I needed something handmade for EVERYONE?!?)  Anyway - if I ever get it all done, I have big plans...

This bag is in my plans...

And this pink is in my plans...a quilt?  The patchwork AB bag? (from In Stitches?)  Who knows...but there will be pink!

Hmmm...what are your plans after the Holidays?

Crafty Blogs gone MIA...

I think I am noticing that I am not the only crafty blogger slacking off on my posting as the holiday season nears.  Seems that as you spend all your available crafting time making handmade gifts - gifts for Christmas that you can't put up on your blog because they are for people who read your blog!  (Especially if like me your mom is the only one who reads your blog!  Hi Mom!!)

There are other signs that you might be using all your time to make handmade holiday gifts...

your house probably looks something like this...

With crafts in the living room (see the blurry part on the table at the bottom of the picture?)

And like this...

With multiple LISTS of things that you need to get made hanging on your craft room wall

and even like this...

With the first piles of finished things...(that you can take vague enough pictures of that your family and friends won't guess what they are)

Sad thing is, if your house looks like this you might ALSO have friends stop by and tell you (true story) that your house looks like a "Craft Explosion!"  Now this comment might cause one to feel bad, OR you might actually feel kinda proud that the explosion of fun Christmas Crafts might bring joy to your loved ones this Christmas season (then again, it might cause them awkward situations where they thank you for your strange assortment of handmade gifts!)  lol - here's hoping they go over well!

Happy Christmas Crafting!!

Christmas Crafts

Things have been a little slow around here... there should be alot of Christmas gift crafting going on (handmade gifts and all that I had high hopes for)... and well there is a little of that...

But mostly I have been obsessing about making this wreath.  Last year, Starbucks had these in their stores, and I was thisclose to having my hands on one.  The guy even called me and told me I could come pick it up (for free!!) but it was in Charleston and I never made my way back down there and I am KICKING myself over it!  But I started my own (with mostly stash yarn - how embarrassing is that?!?) and its going okay.  The green yarn balls are looking okay, but I am worried about the assembling portion.  We'll see.

Here is what I have so far...

 And let me tell you - you think it will be 'cheap' b/c the foam balls are the bulk of the size - but it still takes quite a bit of yarn.  Here is me hoping its all worth it in the end.

(p.s.  No yarn was harmed in the making of this wreath - I am trying to figure out how to attach it without glue even so it can all be used again later if and when I decide a yarn Christmas Wreath was a bad idea, or I just need some green yarn!)

What are you making this Christmas?

Voting Open

I might have mentioned (maybe about a dozen times already) that I am going to be an aunt (soon!)  We are throwing Kelly a shower at home over Christmas and I want to make her some burp cloths (to get her started).  They aren't finding out if they are having a boy or a girl (so exciting!) so I want to make the burp cloths neutral. 

After sorting through my stash again and again, I decided on these two options - which 'set' do you like better?

Option A

or Option B

I think A is more fun -but I don't know if it is neutral enough (its mostly the Red Letter Day fabric I have picked out to make them things if its a boy!)

I need advice - which one do you like?

Pheobe

Remember yesterday's bagaholic comment...well I promise a whole post on it soon - and I might come completely clean.  Or I might not - but I adore bags.  (Not expensive Coach bags or anything) but practical (so they can be changed often) bags...

So I made this one the other night. 

I saw the Pheobe pattern on Sew Mama Sew's Handmade Christmas and thought it was very cute.  Nevermind I had just finished my Birdie Bag and will probably not carry it (or have anyone to give it to).  But I loved the bag, wanted to make it and this new Amy Butler Love fabric looks sooo great on it (don't you think?!)  (and how appropriately named b/c I do LOVE her fabrics!) 

Anyway - this is the same picture but with a flash...which one looks better?!? - I am soo bad at trying to capture pictures of my crafts in the dark dark winter (non)-light. 

Good news is my husband thinks this is the best looking bag I have ever made (he really likes the fabric for some reason) and I am hoping maybe I can talk him into carrying it  :)  j/k.

Happy Crafting!

I am a bagaholic...

Charm Design Bags and Totes $50 gift card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

More on me being a bagaholic later (oh - but really I am!!) - however, being a bagaholic might be why I HAVE to tell you about this giveaway - so I could maybe win a chance at one of these bags! Gorg!!

check em all out here!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/charmdesign/

3...2...1...

Three...

three socks without a partner...

Two...

 

 

two feet without a sock...

(sorry about the pic - I love it!  Its from my wedding - the photographer caught me with the pre-wedding nerves having to pee - in my wedding shoes!  lol!)

 

One...

One serious problem.... This is the sock yarn in my bag right now - not any of the other three.  

 

I have three socks finished and not a pair to wear!  Hmmm... and a serious case of second sock syndrome apparently.  :)

What are you making?

O Happy Day!

I finally finished it!!  I started this quilt back in the summer and I procrastinated and procrastinated and then I maybe even procrastinated some more.  In the end I still love the overall look of this quilt (totally and unabashedly copied from Ashley ) but I am not very pleased with my quilting skills (man putting that big thing through my machine was tough!)  or how the binding turned out.  But its for me, and it was a learning experience and I am still very proud that its done (and ready to keep me warm this winter and remind me of brighter days - I HATE the winter!)

Its a lap quilt about 54" x 60"

and the back

Ta-da!  So what do you think?  How did it turn out!?  :)

Here's hoping this is enough motivation to get me back in the sewing room this week!