The only thing that salvages this holiday season anymore is my daughter. I love to buy gifts for her and make things for her. She's always so happy to get something and is very receptive to homemade gifts. Going to the craft store to pick stuff out for something is one of her favorite things to do. Besides going to Build-A-Bear, which I think tops the list of her favorite things to do. There are times when I get my Jo-Ann's paper in the mail and she sees it she gets all excited and thinks that we are going there right away.
This year for Christmas I did the going out and buy her things part of it, but I made just as much stuff for her as I bought for her. I made her several skirts (one yellow with pastel dragonflies and butterflies on it; one yellow with red apples and honeybees on it; a brown flannel one cause for some reason finding a brown skirt for a six year old girl is almost impossible, a black one with watermelon slices all over it and a blue flannel one with aliens on it), a nightgown (pink flannel with fairy princesses, dragons and castles on it), a robe (pink striped sparkle flannel), a fleece poncho (brown with multi-colored polka dots), a dress (royal blue with dark blue and yellow dots which says looks like the earth and the moon) and a pair of pajamas (pink cotton with little white flowers). I also whipped out several Barbie outfits (mostly skirts because those are so easy to make), some Build-A-Bear skirts and some stuff for Fancy Nancy. Heck I even crocheted a pair of legwarmers for Fancy Nancy. Bright rainbow colored legwarmers, even. I didn't have time to finish everything though. It's hard to sit and sew for her when she's right there, either watching TV or staring at me. I still have a dress to make, a tunic top that has matching pants (which she chose the fabric for and I have to say she's has really good taste. There are three coordinating fabrics - navy blue with stars and moons all over it; navy blue with stars and moons all over it; and navy blue with fairies splattered everywhere.), a pair of Angelina Ballerina pajamas and a skirt with penguins on it. Not too bad considering the pile I started out with.
I wanted to make oth
er things for Christmas, but retail makes it hard to spend a lot of time sewing and crafting. I did make her teacher a bracelet with little fantasy charms on it. From left to right - a treasure box (there's a treasure box in the room that the kids get to chose something from when they do good for a whole week); a ring of keys (cause every treasure box needs keys); a lion (school mascot); a pegasus; a frame with a picture of Lily in it; a crystal ball; a fairy; a royal carriage; a frog prince and a fairy box (which was supposed to have glitter in it, but I couldn't find my glitter glue). Her teacher loved it and it was a blast to make. I wanted to make matching earrings, but I didn't have time for that, too. I did however get extra crystal balls so I can make myself some earrings in the future.
I made some cat toys, too. I usually buy them toys, but this year I wanted to do something different. So I made some. Lily is being a wonderful model for the cat toys. The tan one is a mackerel and it's dead (the eyes are little 'x's') and the orange one is supposed to be a giant goldfish cracker. Ronin, our cat, loves goldfish crackers. I felt it only appropriate to make him his own toy goldfish. I had plans to make other toys, like a gingerbread man (which I may still be able to whip out), a hot air balloon ( I even drew up a really nice pattern for one, but I didn't get around to them. Maybe for Valentine's day), a piece of candy and a teddy bear. Ronin doesn't really need more kitty toys, so it's not like he's notice that they aren't there. I'll try them later.
I have been summoned to watch TV with my little bunny, so I am off. =o) Have a nice Thursday!
2 comments:
Oh good god, my first job as a teen was at Waleden Books in the Santa Monica Mall. I loved being around books, but man oh man the people. Especially during the holidays. Still, every now and again a much older customer, like a nice old lady, would come in and ask for me specifically to help them with something. "Where is that nice young man Kevin?" That made up for a lot. Hang in there and have a great holiday!
I had a couple the other day tell me that they were really glad they came into my store because I was really helpful and very friendly. That made up for the lady who yelled at me ten minutes before that cause what she wanted was no longer on sale.
Thanks! You have a great holiday, too.
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