Posted in: handwork
As promised, here are the photos of the slippers we made last week. They were really easy, and Elisabeth loves them. We're definitely making several more pairs.
We have had a hideously busy weekend, and it makes me ask myself why I'm constantly trying to "do it all." But then, what could I realistically give up? Sigh.
First off ... the Advent stocking garland. I made this two or three years ago (it's troubling that I can't remember!) using this kit from Magic Cabin. The idea did not even cross my mind at the time that I could design my own! (I sometimes think I am better at following a pattern or recipe than inventing one for myself.) But I like the results, anyway.
I was working outside the home last year and the year before, in jobs that required me to be away during the night, and my dear husband had to be responsible for doing much of the filling of Advent stockings. Last year was really tough, and there was many a night that we almost forgot to fill them. So, this year, I resolved not to have that problem again. I have accumulated all of the gifts already, and put them into these bags that I whipped out in the last two days. We have been thinking a lot lately about the "footprint" we leave on this earth, and I just didn't want to use plastic or paper bags for this when I didn't need to, so I decided to sew some that we could reuse again and again, even though we're the only ones who will ever see them.
Many of them have "coupons" in them for outings (seeing lights, a holiday performance, carriage ride, etc.), and there are some actual gifts: some Ostheimer figures (we're collecting the farm figures), locally-made ornaments for each wee one to get the day we'll decorate our Christmas tree, and some craft supplies for days we'll make holiday crafts (today it was decorating an Advent candle -- pictures later, I'm sure!).
(SouleMama has a post on Kiddley with even more suggestions if this idea appeals to you. I also added a lot of suggestions to the comments on the flickr page for the top photo.)
Our Advent wreath form - just waiting on a delivery of a fresh evergreen wreath we get from a friend.
I haven't shown our nature/seasonal table here yet, and it's kind of in a state of transition right now (we had to move the objects to make room for our nativity), but here it is in its current state:
OK, back to the decorating, the Christmas music, and the fun!
So, after five days on, five days off, I thought I really should blog something today to get back into the habit. (I'm going to say that I was absent for five days because of the holiday weekend.)
My mom cross-stitched these beautiful name "plaques" (I don't know what else to call them) for my wee ones this summer. In fact, she was looking through alphabet patterns to design a community cross-stitch quilt for a co-worker (a tradition at her work for anyone having a first baby), and had these patterns sitting out. When I saw a similar example in this pattern, I asked her if she'd make some for Elisabeth and James, and she said yes. Then she had them beautifully framed.
They're done on linen, and I just love the vintage feel of them. Even the frames have that feel. I just love my mom's work. Her stitches are all so even and careful. The children that were "assigned" to the letters "E" and "J" were not quite right for my children -- I think the "J" was a girl, and the "E" was like a baby or tiny toddler, so she changed the patterns around to make it work. She even added a beagle from one of the other letters to James's (we are beagle owners).
I am sorry I've cropped the photos so severely, but when I first posted this, I was using pseudonyms for my children on this blog as using their real names was still far outside my comfort zone at the time.