Homemade Christmas

The long awaited post. Sorry everyone...

Among the MANY other things the kids got this Christmas, here are the things that were the best part of Christmas this year, mainly because the kids put so much time into making them.

These bows are so fun and easy and thanks to Danessa (who happens to be a great new friend who was so good to help welcome me into the ward) we were able to make oodles of them. I think every little girl (and big girl)needs one in here hair, maybe that is why I can't help myself from giving them away.

This was one of my favorite projects. I kind of got carried away with these darling things. I now have a great supply of beads and things if anyone wants to come hang out and make some. (For future reference to my sisters who do photography, a pajama'd knee makes a great backdrop for just about anything.)

After taking 3 years of sewing and having a mother and sisters who make marvelous things with a sewing machine, this is all I dared attempt to make. I tell you they were FUN stuff. I might attempt something more daring next time.

These things were actually quite a surprise. My darling little man spent countless hours at his Grandpa Smiths to make these things. The shelf pictured above is mine and he made 3 others for each of his sisters. I have to say that I LOVE the coat hanger too. Somehow the coats stay more organized on it.

Jordan was a little more self reliant than the others and planned out these darling little projects. She scrap-booked journals for each person with darling little pens to match (not pictured above. In my quest to get pics of all these projects, there were things that I could not find, mainly the rest of the journals.) Didn't she do awesome?

I had fun doing these little tutus. I had seen them around and never thought I could make one. My kids love them and I am not sure why I don't have any pics of them in them.

Rob wanted in on the action too. He helped the little girls make something for Brandon as he probably would not have appreciated any jewelry or flowers that they were making. The above contraption if you have not ever seen one is a marshmallow gun made out of PVC pipe. They are quite fun and should be banned from any home unless they come from a homemade Christmas. The marshmallows are no fun to pick out from the carpet. They are found everywhere. They do make a great outdoor activity though.

This year was by far our favorite. It really got me wondering if next year we could really pull off a total and complete homemade Christmas.