stress free holidays

ok so I wasn't totally stress free leading up the holidays -- I had other people's Christmas schedules and traditions to consider, broken sewing machines to mend, a hundred meetings to participate in for a new job position, and the need to find a cat sitter while I'm off elsewhere stuffing my face with mashed potatoes -- but compared to other years -- it has been realitively stress free and may I add, peaceful.

and I know why. It's because not once - not even to get one stocking stuffer, not even to get a wedding gift for a recent wedding... did I once step in a mall to get my gifts....

....okok so I went to Zellers, but it wasn't in a mall and while I was there I experienced this bizarre euphoria where everyone around me was rushing here and there; kids were whining and crying; and I walked up and down the aisles in my own little world... it was, dare I say... fun...

Anyway I'm happy to say that although I didn't officially pledge to buy handmade this year, I managed to mostly do just that. I made the majority of my gifts -- mostly napkins, table runners, and tote bags and then I bought a few things off etsy: some earrings from the wonderful Sulu, pottery from the talented Marymee Studio, and desk calendars from Anna Cote and her little design biz Modern Printed Matter. It was so fun getting this stuff in the mail -- who ever gets anything in the mail anymore!?

Update on my Dad's blanket -- I finished it this morning! I'm so happy I stuck with it because I almost threw it out the window.

I hope everyone has a Happy Christmas!
--lealou

c to the rescue

when it comes to buying/making christmas presents I think the men are the toughest to buy/make for... there are so many cute things out there to get women but the men are another story. Every year I go through the same stress about what to get my dad, does he really need another sweater or pair of socks???

so this year, since i'm on a mission to make most of my gifts, I came up with a idea to make my dad a cozy blanket. I thought it was such a great idea.... until I started actually making it. I got two types of fleece and sewed them together... didn't look right so I tore it apart and decided on just using one type of fleece... so I started sewing it this morning and I heard a *kaplunk* and and then my zigzag stitch wasn't zigzagging anymore -- it was just a wobbly line. anyway I think I broke my sewing machine. the good news is that I've made most of my gifts already but now I don't know what to get my dad!?

WELL C came over for soup today and she brought her sewing machine! what a life saver... so I think I'll try something new for my dad -- not sure I'll attempt the blanket again -- the last thing I want to do wreck her machine!

still no pics -- my sister-in-law borrowed it to take pics of my super sweet little nephew - I can't wait to spend christmas with them all this year!

later--
lealou

snowed in...

ok so I don't have any pics of the obscene amount of snow we got over the weekend but take my word for it... there's a lot of it. I just want to thank my S2B hubby for shovelling more than 500 lbs of snow, both at my mom's house and our house. I'm very thankful...

This pic was taken at my friends' wedding this past weekend -- I'm very happy to hear that their flight was delayed only 45 mins for their hot trip to Jamaica.

happy holiday crafting y'all! I have A LOT to do this week!