Ok – so for the sake of keeping it real around here I have to confess. I had grand plans for handmade gifts for Christmas.
Apparently – a little too grand for my (family’s) sanity and the amount of time I gave myself. When it came down to the choice between actually buying gifts and enjoying the holiday or running around like a crazy crafty person up until the last-minute and sucking the life out Christmas – I chose Door Number 1. And I don’t regret it one bit.
Well – ok. Maybe a little bit. :)
This year I am going to do better. I am going to make gifts ahead of time. I am going to plan ahead and create and not forget where I put them after I make them.
Which if you know anything about me – you will know that is not my forte.
But this year I have some grand schemes (along with some other bloggers you know and love) and so I am going to try to have all the gifts I am going to make done ahead of time.
So I can actually bake a Christmas cookie or two. Not just mooch off dear friends. (Though they were mighty yummy cookies Aimee., thank you.) :)
Enough with all that – would you like to see what I did make this year?? Hopefully I haven’t bored you to tears already.
First up is a Camera Strap I made for my sister. She got a new camera for her birthday and the strap definitely needed a little dressing up.
I didn’t follow any tutorials – though there are a bunch out there. I just made a casing the size of the strap, then added two layers of ruffles to the top piece before I sewed the front and back together.
I am so in love with these Amy Butler fabrics! They are bright and fun and cheery I think.
I have a sweet little niece who is in love with Giraffes. I went in search of a giraffe pattern and found Vogue Pattern 8349. Cute Giraffe – but it was a little too “serious” -being made out of actual giraffe print. I decided to do something a little more fun.
I’m all in love with her orange and pink color combo – and the pink pompoms down her neck. She also has a rick rack tail – which is hard to see in this picture. And it looked just a little too awkward when I tried to take a picture of her backside. Trust me though, it’s pretty cute.
I was not in love with how they did the eyes on the pattern – and I didn’t realize until I had already cut them out what they wanted. (Note to self: Read patterns through before going all Edward Scissorhands on the fabric). Instead of the ginormous buttons they wanted, I opted for safety eyes – and lots of eyelashes to cover up the random way they had me cut out the eyes.
I like her fluffy eyelashes though so it worked out. And her smirky smile.
Oh – I should also mention – she’s pretty big. Like 20ish inches tall.
My other niece is a little older – so when I came across the adorableness that is the ENTIRE Gingermelon Etsy shop – I knew I’d found the perfect pattern for her gift. After much debate I decided on her Woodland Stufflings patterns and made all three. I had a really hard time giving these away and I think I might make a set to keep. I have no idea what I’ll do with them but they are just too cute.
They are far from perfect – as you’ll see in the closeups below. My hand stitching still needs some work to get it all pretty and straight. But the wool felt is pretty forgiving and covered some of my wonkiness.
These guys are pretty tiny – the little owl measures about 4″ tall. She has a little lace scarf and a flower on her head.
Sigh.
The deer might be my favorite – though it’s a close call. I just love this pink felt and her little antlers.
So – even though I wasn’t able to make everything I had planned – I really enjoyed what I did make. And they seemed to be received well so that’s the important thing right? :)
What do you think? Did you make everything you’d planned to?
The soft toys are fantastic..I understand you have a hard time giving them away
Oh, I love, love, love those Woodland creatures!!! That’s one lucky niece!!!
How cute! I knew I would not have much time, so I only made 2 small quilts, one was a wall hanging and the other was rag quilt throw. I was supposed to make my hubby pjs and a bathrobe – but it didn’t happen. Maybe for Valentine’s Day? LOL
I Love everything! The little woodland stuffies are especially cute
Of course you did a beautiful job! These are too cute. I LOVE making stuffies. I think my daughter is one of the few kids around who never plays with toys but will spend hours with stuffed animals. I adore the giraffe. I think I want one for myself. I need to find a way to get myself on to your gift giving list. HA!
So super cute! That giraffe is too precious! I totally had the same plan to make gifts this year, but it jut didn’t pan out. Read all about it. http://westcoastleslie.blogspot.com/2011/12/nifty-gifty.html?m=1
I’m with you, don’t know how you gave those things away! Such cute projects, and how thoughtful, but in the end your family would have gone with your choice of sanity, good choosing! Happy New Year! One of my plans this year is to do one of your jewelry tutorials, that will be a first for me!
Well, what you DID get done? Amazing! I LOVE that little giraffe the best though. That is just the cutest thing ever. Great idea with the ruffled strap and I think the little animals are really cute- xo Diana
Squeee! You KNOW I am in love with those Gingermelon cuties. Great job on everything. I can’t wait to sew up a fox of my own (well, one for the baby too, I SUPPOSE!) lol
Oh my gosh, such lovelies! I don’t know which of your plushies is most adorable – I want them all! Too cute!
good job! they all turned out great!
Amazing as always!! Especially that woodland creature set- too cute! :)
Hope your holidays were wonderful! :)
really adorable…i am in love with the giraffe…i want one for myself…great color and patterns…LOVE IT! I’m so glad to hear that you can’t get it all done either (sorry but i don’t want to be alone in that)…i have such grand plans and then poof it is december 24th and i have a cupboard full of fabric, paint and glue and none a stitch of anything that resembles a gift :). Happy New Year…looking forward to all your beautiful creations this year.
best
christy
thanks for linking up to Make it monday Bev! :)
Happy New Year!
I’m so loving my adorable camera strap! :-)
I just adore your handmade goodies! I think you did a great job on them and next year I would love to be on your list! I’m going to have to take a look at that giraffe pattern for my favorite Auntie who is a giraffe lover. The expression on the face is so adorable! And love, love, love those little woodland creatures! I’m going to hop over to that etsy shop and grab that pattern! My little granddaughter would love those! I had picked up a vintage pattern of tiny dolls on etsy and these little critters would go so well with them! As for finishing all the gifts I had planned….nope, not even close! Oh well, there is always next Christmas! Happy New Year!
Ooooh, how wonderful your Woodland Stufflings turned out!! Wow! Love the colours you chose for them and the pretty trims too:) Thanks so much for the link to my shop – I had a visitor today who mentioned your site, so I had to pop in for a visit!
Warmest wishes for a wonderful New Year,
~Shelly from Gingermelon
You did well!! I liked them all!
Found you via Today’s Creative Blog, so loving it here!
My daughter collects giraffes, going to have to try the Vouge pattern!
Hope mine is as cute!
Okay so so cute! I may have to try making those little animals. Great job!
Everything is adorable, Bev!!! But those woodland animals… those are just to die for! Too much cuteness!!
I need to share a similar post with all the projects I made just before the Christmas deadline that didn’t make the blog. lol! Hate this rushed crafting!! ;)
You did good Bev! I love all that you made. I make my family’s gifts each year – this time were flannel pillow cases and do you knoiw I didn’t take any pictures of them. Go figure!
Thanks for sharing yours, they are beautiful.
I think they are all too cute but your intentions were good
Will you please put me on your Christmas List? I would be happy with any of them!!! That giraffe is to die for!
Mandy
Nice!
Congratulations!!
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I really like your less serious giraffe fabric, Beverly. The woodland creatures are the cutest–the lace scarf kills me!
You did a beautiful*** job on your sewing. I loved them all. I would love to try and make the owl stuffie for my granddaughter. Love your blog.
I didn’t finish anything I wanted to before Christmas. By the time I go through blogland for ideas (how’s that for an excuse for time with you all?) shopped, lost, searched for and sometimes found materials, cleared space, cut out some things….you get where this is going. I have to start tomorrow for next year. Those little animals are adorable!! No little people in my life currently, guess I’ll just have to make them and hold them, enjoying them all the time, till more age appropriate people enter my life. Love, love, love the woodland trio. I thoroughly enjoy your blog in my inbox and thanks for keeping it real. Feels like we’re sisters now, with the incompleted projects and losing items patterns in both our lives :-).
Janet
Love the giraffe! So cute!
Oh how cute are they. Do you think a baby could pull the eyes out?
Love love love the giraffe. I wanted to make a travel toothbrush carrier for everyone in my family and extended family as well. I didn’t find the fabrics I wanted for each person and so the plan fell through. But I did get a ’50’s poodle skirt done for a niece.
All of your projects are wonderful. What a blessed family you have! I’m absolutely giddy about the giraffe. The fabric choices and the eyes… wonderful!
LOOOVE your woodland creatures. And the giraffe is precious. The eyelashes are my fave. As usual my to do list was a mile long for handmade gifts, and again, as usual I did not finish it. I may or may have not wrapped some amy butler fabric for my step mom and sister and had them open it only to tell them so this is what it will be…. hahahaha. They still love me, I think.
Is the finished giraffe for sale?
LOVES HER!