Tree Presents

Since Mum is currently somewhere over the US making her way to our home I thought I'd take a moment to share a couple of projects I have worked on over the last month but could not share. She won't be checking things on here between now and Christmas so I feel I can go ahead. We have a tradition that we love here called "tree presents". These are small, low cost gifts that we hide in the christmas tree and open following Christmas dinner. One of the fun things about this tradition is that it helps Christmas day seem longer, as it seems to fly by so quickly. So, we start the day with our stockings, have breakfast and after everything has been cleaned-up we head to the tree to open presents. Then after spending the day cooking we enjoy a yummy dinner. Following this clean up we head back to the tree for tree presents.

Tree presents being  low cost items I am always on the search for new ideas. attending two craft fairs in our area in October and November I was able to get a couple ideas. I have seen the idea several times before of the nylon net scrubbies and had had the thought of making some but had not done so. Then I saw a new take on the scrubbie at the Nov. craft fair and for $1 purchased one to take home and make a pattern from. A recent estate sale in my neighborhood found me with loads of the netting for dirt cheap and so I set to work making some of these:

The pink one is the one I purchased to make a pattern from. They go quite quickly and are super easy and I think will work great as a tree present.
The other idea I got from the Oct. fair was this idea for a flop mop.

Upon seeing it I knew mum would not only want one for herself but for some of her friends as well. Since I was able to get 7 from a bath sheet this was no problem. The cherry fabric was left over from another project so the total cost of each came out to about $1.50. Another low cost, fun tree present. This project was also fairly simple but very messy once you cut into the towel. I was covered in little black bits of terry cloth, as was the floor and table.

A Little of This A Little of That

What a crazy week! I spent most of it at the sewing machine sewing up costumes for the nativity program that we put on at our church Christmas party Friday night. When not busy with this major project the boys and I were busy with their schooling and the poor girls felt totally neglected. But mommy is all their's (that would be all four of them) again and they are happy campers. I did manage in all the choas to find some time over the weekend to do some pleasure sewing and I enjoyed every minute of it. I started this project several weeks ago but had to put it to the back burner as other things cropped up. Well it is complete and I am very pleased with how it turned out. A project that I will certainly be doing again in the future. A Big THANK YOU to May Britt for sharing the pattern. And these pot holders went together in a snap and will be a great gift for the person it is going to.

5 Down 5 to go

Well I was able to complete 5 of the baked potato bags yesterday that mum had requested. I had sent her this one in the last parcel I sent her way as a fun little extra and she loved it. So she then called to say she wanted a total of eight more. I love this fabric I found at Jo-Ann's and since I was able to get a total of 10 from what I purchased of the fabric I decided to do one for a friend (as promised) and one for my sister, Gail. I love that they are so quick to put together and so versatile in the microwave. So I must hop on back down to Jo-Ann's and get some more batting so that I can complete the other 5 waiting to be done.

HOT POTATO

I stumbled upon this pattern for a Baked Potato Bag a month or so ago at a local quilt shop and thought, "What a Great gift idea". You simply wrap your potato in a paper towel and place in the bag. Then microwave for 3-minutes per potato and wa-la, a HOT POTATO. I finally gave it a go this morning and love how quick it is to put together. I picked up the fabric, Wee Play by American Jane (moda), yesterday and am in love with it as well. Such endless possibilities are running through my mine. And a look at the reb gigham lining: