Hand-Crafted Christmas: Checkbook Covers

Here is part two of my "made from the heart" gifts, haha. My mom really wanted a new checkbook cover once she saw the one I made, so I figured, hey I'll make them for both moms. Again this was one of my first attempts at ruffling, and I never realized you were supposed to pull out the basting stitch when you were done. Oh well, hopefully no one will look too close!



A definite benefit of my Hubby working at a bank is that he was able to snag me a couple of those plastic checkbook covers for me to cut apart.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Hand-Crafted Christmas: Sunglasses Case

So here is part one of the intense (well at least for me) sewing I did while I was unemployed. Because of the unemployment issue I decided to make as many gifts as possible. I took the sunglasses case idea from this awesome tutorial over at My Blond Ambitions and made a couple for sunglasses and two smaller versions for reading glasses. My mom and sister gave me these really cute tags that have my name on them and I finally got to put them to good use! These little pouches also gave me the chance to finally try making a ruffle. I have been so intimidated by ruffles that I have refused to try and instead would pawn off the task to my mother. I really don't know what I was so terrified about, yes they take time, but they aren't nearly as challenging as I made them out to be.

The details

Christmas Card Wreath

In the December Martha Stewart Living magazine I saw a really cute idea for a Christmas card wreath holder. She made it out of an embroidery hoop and clothespins. While at the dollar store the other day I was looking at the frames and the idea popped into my head to make the holder out of a frame. I grabbed a frame, clothes pins and a snowflake ornament, and for $3 + some ribbon I had laying around, I have a new Christmas card display to hang on my coat closet door.

Ribbon Christmas Trees

I have been sewing and crafting up a storm lately, but almost all of those creations are Christmas gifts, and knowing the recipients would peek on here, I have to hold off posting them.

But here is one I can share.

Hobby Lobby trees

I saw these ribbon trees sometime during the summer at Hobby Lobby for about $20 each on sale, at least for the smaller one. I was not about to spend over $60 for 3 trees that will grace my table one month a year. So I gathered foam cones, ribbon and ornaments that were crazy on sale at JoAnns during Black Friday weekend.

All you need to make the trees is:
Ribbon cut in 4 inch strips and glued in half
Cones
Toppers
Glue gun
Lots and Lots of PATIENCE!

And about the time your back starts aching from sitting at the table gluing, measuring and cutting, you will have a newly finished holiday decoration!

There are only 2 trees for now because the medium size one in still in the making.



**I'll be linking these trees up here