Handmade Christmas for the kids

It's been absolutely killing me to not be able to blog about the gifts I've been making for my family! Last year I went handmade by purchasing gifts from Etsy for most of my siblings and parents- and I did pretty well. This year with funds being somewhat more limited, I decided to make them all myself, using as much as I could from what I already have. I started well before Thanksgiving so I could get most of them done in time to take with me to my parents' house, where we all gathered to celebrate. Saved on a bunch of shipping that way. Only one didn't get finished, but that was only because I couldn't think of anything!

Anyway, I've also been busy making the majority of my kids' gifts this year as well. I'll share what I've got with you so far.

This toy idea came from a tutorial found on one of my favorite crafty blogs, The Long Thread. My finished rocket doesn't stand up very well on its own, but I did manage to make the inside sleeve long enough to fit 3 wooden eggs, which I still need to paint obviously. One will be the rocket boy, plus an alien and maybe a robot. I like that I was able to use scraps from my son's quilt to make this for him. 2 1/2 year old boys don't mind handmade gifts, do they?

This (I hope) will satisfy my daughter's Christmas list request for a robot. Granted, it doesn't move or beep or do anything, really, but she loves soft toys and I'm hoping she'll appreciate that it is made from her own design. I ran out of steam on him at about 1 a.m. this morning, so I still need to sew him up, but he's just about done.



Somehow, my son has but one winter hat, which he wears practically everywhere these days. It's been getting very, very wintry around here so I thought it necessary to build his collection a bit with a handmade beanie from a felted sweater (tutorial courtesy of CraftStylish). The cute little dog design is from Betz White, so please don't think I'm creative enough to come up with him on my own! The bouncing ball and tag in back I can take credit for. ;)


I've come up with a few other handmade goodies for the kids, a couple of which I've managed to check off my list. I made them each a Wall-E tee using heat transfers that I found at Joann and some inexpensive tee shirts bought at K-Mart and Steve & Barry. They turned out cute, but I wanted to wait and post photos of the kids wearing them, so that will have to wait. I've also assembled a sort of jewelry-making kit for my daughter using brightly colored wooden beads (also from Joann) and some string. Simple, but I think she'll like it. She loves doing projects, especially of the crafty sort (wonder where she gets that from?). I started on a felted sweater beanie for her, too. Not that she needs another winter hat, but I found an image that I really wanted to turn into an applique, so I'll have to post on that one when it's done. Think I'll have time to make them each the pajama bottoms that are also on my list?

I was tempted to add a couple of these to the list as well, thinking I could use the large amount of buckwheat hulls I have as the filling. I decided, though, that I don't have enough for two chairs, and if I can't make two then I'd better not make any. I mean, it just wouldn't be worth the fights. So that will have to stay in my "projects" folder for a little longer. That fabric still makes me drool. I used one on the above mentioned quilt a few months ago.

Aahhhh, that's better. Feels good to share some of my secret projects. :) Hope yours are going well and you're not spending too much time (and money!) in the stores!!