UGH!!!

I know, I know, I said I would do better with updating this blog but I haven't done a whole lot of crafting lately. I did make one more dvd bag, but I've decided for now that the whole new years resolution in going out the window. We've decided to move and I've been busy with that. I did, however, make the kiddos' teacher, aides and bus drivers presents at the end of school. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of any of it. I painted sayings on ready made canvas bags for them. For the teachers and aides (5 total), I quoted Dr. Seuss's The Lorax:

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not. (If that's not the direct quote its darn close, LOL, I've already packed the book so I can't quote it exactly)

For the bus drivers and aides (3) I simply wrote: Bus Ladies are Cool! I was going to paint the Dr. Seuss quote for them as well, but after painting it 5 times before, my hands were tired. I kinda put off making the gifts for lack of inspiration. I didn't start them until the Sunday before school let out.

We have been steadily looking for houses and we finally found one. We are moving into town, woohoo. When we bought our current house, we didn't realize just how isolated we would be. It will be nice to be around people on a regular basis again. It will also be nice to have our kiddos in better schools. We've lucked out so far with their teachers and such but we felt it was better to move now. I think the whole family is excited about the move. I know I am.

Oh but here are the pictures of the Easter Chickens I made this year. I made pompon chicks to go inside the eggs. I made them for a friend at Gavin's speech.

My New Years Resolution

Well it seems every year for the past few years, I have the best of intentions to make cloth giftbags and wrap for Christmas and Birthdays. I never seem to get around to it. So that is my New Years Resolution..... to make at least 50 cloth gift bags and/or cloth wraps this year for my own personal use. I'm also thinking of making so to sell, so you see why I put that last bit in. Well I've gotten a good start this year. See what I have done already.

Here are 1-8 of the the 50 I'm making. Yep I've been a busy bee.

The first 4 are Media Gift bags that can hold dvd's/Wii games/Playstation games/books/etc. I'm still tweaking my pattern but I think I've almost got it perfected. I'm hoping to sell both bags and possibly the pattern to make the bags soon. I think I'll have it for sale soon. I'm still trying to write the directions, tweak the pattern, etc.

Anyway here are the first 3 in Christmas fabric:



This next one is another Media gift bag that I made especially for my neice. Her birthday was this month and we got her a game for her Wii so I had to make a gift bag for it, LOL. I think this one is my favorite that I've made to date.



The next 4 gift bags were made on my circular knitting looms. I made them using different size looms (I have a set of 4 looms) and made them to different lengths. I think they turned out fabulous, LOL. I made them using Yarn Bee "Airy" yarn. The results are awesome and I love how they sparkle.

The first 2 are my "Santa" bags. I made them out of traditional red and white and I just LOVE how they turned out. I used the same sized loom for both (the 2nd smallest loom) but I made one longer than the other.



The last 2 are my tribute to Dr. Suess bags, LOL. When I saw these 2 colors together I just had to make a couple of gift bags out of them. The small one is made using my smallest loom and it makes the perfect bag for wine bottles and smaller items. The larger bag was made with my second largest loom and took a while to make. I think the results speak for themselves....

Christmas Coaster

This year, for Christmas, I made coasters Teacher/Aide/Bus Driver appreciation gifts. I didn't get a chance to take pictures of them. I ended up making a total of 28 of them for my kiddos to give to their Teachers, Bus Drivers (and Gavin's Aides). They turned out awesome, so I ended up making myself some as well. Here is a picture of the ones I made for myself.



I think they turned out awesome and I believe they were well received.

Christmas presents

I didn't make a whole lot of presents this year but I did paint some shopping bags I bought premade. Actually they are more the size of book bags than shopping bags, but I didn't realize that when I bought them.

I made this one for Nana:



I made one for Pawpaw too, but I didn't get a picture of it.

I made this one for mom for her birthday. It said Baaa! on the other side. She plays a lot of World of Warcraft so I thought I'd make something for her that tied into that:



This one is my favorite. I made it for a friend who works at Walmart. I found the cartoon in a newpaper a while ago and had it on my frig. He saw it and liked it so I thought I'd paint it for him. I think it turned out awesome and I found out later that he really likes Pinky and the Brain (what's not to like about mice trying to take over the world, LOL):



Another friend of mine is a penquin collector and teacher so I thought I'd make her a penguin bag. Here is one side:



Here is the other:



I thought it was appropriate.

Halloween Costumes

I can't believe I forgot to post the boys in their Halloween costumes this year (I didn't get a picture of my husband and I in ours).

My oldest is Ben 10, my youngest is a Jedi Knight. I put together both costumes, though the Jedi Knight took alot more work. The Ben 10 costume was just painting a white shirt and finding green pants and the Omnitrex in the toy department for him to wear. I sewed everything for the Jedi Knight costume except the lightsaber and the boots.

Gingerbread monsters

I made gingerbread men monsters for my husband. He wanted some to take to work. I think they turned out awesome. I'm hoping I get a chance to make more. I drew up the pattern. I cut out the patterns in felt and embroidered on the details and added beads and buttons. I put heavy card stock and a ribbon in between 2 gingerbread man shapes.


Zombie, Vampire, Mutant/Alien, victim, Cthulhu





I didn't get any good close up pictures before he took them to work.

Okay I finally got some good (not great but good or atleast better than the ones above) pictures of these monsters :

Christmas Bags

I made some cloth Christmas bags. I'm hoping to make more, but this is it so far.



These are bags for dvd's and games.

Thanksgiving Owls

These are the only Thanksgiving crafts I made this year. Owls for my Thanksgiving tree. I forgot to take a picture of them on the tree, but here they are anyway.





I found the pattern for the owls here:
http://moonstitches.typepad.com/photos/owl_pennant/index.html

Halloween Party Food

Here are the foods that Brian made for the boys' Halloween party.

Pumpkin cupcakes


Witch's fingers


Bones


Worms (jello):


Brain puree:


Puking pumpkin:


Chocolate frogs, watch out some are crunchy:

Pumpkins

Here are the pumpkins my guys made this year.

Colin did the one on the left, Gavin drew the one on the right. Aren't they adorable.



Here's the pumpkin that Brian carved for his office: