"Recent" projects

I don't have much extra energy these days, and what little bit I have is often spent tap-tap-tapping away perusing the internet "for just a few minutes", while an hour (or more) quickly slips away.  Two occasions in the past few months gave me the opportunity to put my creative juices to a more useful purpose than cataloging projects I would "one day work on." 

One was when a dear friend had a sweet little baby.  I'd been wanting to make this particular type of blanket for a while and Asher's impending arrival prompted me to finally do it.  I love, love, love the look and feel of this blanket. 

 I did not so much love, love, love how it took 10,000 times longer than I anticipated. (Which is why Asher was 4 weeks old when he finally got it.  Even though his arrival date had been scheduled months in advance.  [Side note: when I started working on this, Jared was all, You'll never finish that in time.  And I was all, What do you know? Obviously I've given myself ample time to finish this project that will take me no time at all.  Wellll, apparently he knows better than me.  Don't tell him I said that.])

 At one point while making this blanket, I was surrounded by my sewing machine and multiple stacks of fabric circles and a friend (the recipient's father, to be exact) commented that it was a little weird for me to be giving a bunch of homemade nursing pads as a baby shower gift.  Uhhhh, yup.  That WOULD be weird! 

The moral of this story is if you want me to make you one of these sweet blankets, tell me as soon as you find out you're pregnant so I have plenty of time.  Better yet, just let me know when you're trying to conceive.  Just don't be weird about it.  

The other opportunity that prompted some craftiness was Anna's Christmas gift.  Years ago, a friend's mom made some quiet books for her grandchildren.  I admire them every time I'm at their house, and I decided Anna needed something like it.  Even though I kept it fairly simple, I still just barely finished in time for Christmas.  I used fabric that I already had on hand for the entire thing, and had to purchase a few random things to put in the book (tassels, elastic, grommets, ribbon).  Have you ever looked at these kinds of books on Etsy?  They are expensive.  Now I know why.  

(Quick note-- some of these photos refuse to rotate, no matter what I do.  Sooooo, you will have to deal with it.)

 I kept the covers simple and without her name because I knew they'd be passed to other siblings one day.  And this way I wouldn't be required to make another.  :) 

 The petals are removable.  Anna can't do the buttons yet, but she does like to spin the petals around them.

 I do love these little jellies that move along the strings. 

 I tried to keep everything that was removable from the page attached by a ribbon so it wouldn't be lost forever.  

 Anna's second favorite page-- the letters are attached by snap buttons and can be tucked in the pocket below.  

 There's some soft, wooly fabric inside the mittens for her to feel. 

 You know how when you get new sheets and they come in those clear plastic thingies?  I always saved them, thinking I would surely have a use for them.  I had been waiting for this moment for years, and here it is:

 A slip in pocket for photos.  

 Do you see how the tie-closure is not in the center of the covers?  That's what happens when you stop measuring and just start eye-balling because it's December 23rd and this just.needs.to.be.FINISHED.  Like a week ago, so I could actually enjoy the days leading up to Christmas. 

Now.  Does this make you think I am super crafty or competent or capable of having things together enough to use time to do these fun things? 

BAAAHAHAHAHA.  Don't be fooled.  

If I was going to share the good stuff, I figured it was only fair to share the not so good as well.  Below are some photos of my kitchen and living room area earlier today.  There was stuff EVERYWHERE in our house.  Nothing was in its proper place, and to be honest, it's been like that for a few days.  But when I take the time to work on projects that are fun for me, this is what happens to our living spaces-- they explode. 

Dirty dishes in the sink.  Two compost bowls needing to be emptied. 

 A sweet view of our dining room table.  Clearly not used for dining, but more so for puzzles, school work, laundry folding, and apparently a place to put your to-be-planted pansies. 

For what it's worth, I did use the afternoon to tidy up.  We'll see how long it lasts.