It's In The Bag.. and I am dreaming of a New Year

Handmade Holidays:
It was fun.. It was crazy... It really should have started earlier.. Like, last April.
( The handmaking part, that is...)
But I had a great Christmas and I hope you all did too.

The most fun was the boy-craft. I mean, I loved the girly stuff:

The felted doggies, the "ruffle duffle", the sweety monster:






and my sister's Mini Pinny (casual modern pinafore to be worn with jeans- sorry, no pics, but soon in the shop.. pretty soon, anyhow. I mean, I need to catch my breath! phew!)

But the really wild stuff was for the boys.

Felt revolvers ala ReadyMade Mag for the big boys:




Pokemon storage and deck tote for a serious gamer who has to catch them ALL:




The sketchy sketch book for my manga obsessed future animator:




The Make Mag/Craft Mag inspired recycled plastic bag music and sketch book holding mini messenger bag (check out the grommet for the earphones for the new i-pod from Grandma):


It was all such a blur.. Kinda like my photos (oops, sorry.. it has been pretty cloudy lately) .. and now I am ready for that New Year feeling, fresh start and all that jazz.

Thanks to everyone who comes by to say howdy and to the people who bought crafty gifts from me and the people who sold crafty gifts to me and the people who sold them to my relatives so they could give them to me...

More soon.... I have missed you blogland... It is good to be back.

Tutorial Tuesday: Battle of the Bulge

As I am the lucky type who, thanks to a delightfully fortuitous marriage, gets to indulge each year in both latkes and Christmas cookies, it has come to my attention that unless I control my urges or actually exercise (no time, making presents, damn it) it might be in my best interest to ask Santa for a rather aggressive foundation garment.

Here again, advise from the formidable but devastatingly accurate Nurse's Guide to Charm:

How to Buy a Girdle...


That's right, Santa, I have removed my rose colored glasses...
I will take the "Lycra Iron Maiden"..in medium.

Oh, and I will be good next year.. to make up for some stuff.

Made it Myself Monday: Some Handmade Holiday LOVE

So this is what I finished last week:



Eco-Friendly Owl Handbag: Recycled sweater, rescued handle, recycled inner facing and splurged on the new gorgeous Amy Butler fabric.. from a great local shop.

Because shopping local is important too.

Used again, here:


The purse ensemble: check book, tissue holder ( thanks, Cassi) cosmetic bag, and change purse.
( modified, but inspired by Kerry)...

Rose hat, tutu, and wings (modified from the Halloween tutorial from Threadbanger) ..

Did I have fun making all this stuff? You bet I did!

Yes Virginia, Handmade Holiday is worth it. Really Worth It.

But, I better go get cracking on this weeks to do list! I have about 10 more people to make for!
and if I am baking that is about a person a day!

Giddy-up.