Monday, December 27, 2010

Candy Canes & Treats!

Candy Cane Ornaments

I made a few of these sweet ornaments for friends and family this Christmas. This fit the bill of quick and easy with an adorable and big impact. All it took was some denim, felt, and embroidery floss and I had myself a candy cane!

Candy Cane Ornaments

I love how simple they are! But don't you love them? You could do so many cute shapes - tree, wreath, snowman.... love them! 

christmas treats

I also made some of this awesome (and WAY easy) snack mix for me to give as thank you gifts for my preceptors at work. I'm all done orienting at my new nursing job!

christmas treats

Lastly, my hubby and I only exchanged stockings so I decided to make some of his favorite treats - chocolate covered pretzels. I wasn't going for most beautiful snack of the year, but I think they'll do the trick. Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! 

Friday, December 17, 2010

three years in the making: christmas stockings

Christmas Stockings

Three years ago, the first Christmas we lived together, I bought the pattern for these stockings. I tried to make us some that year, attempting to model them after the ones my mom made us growing up. I failed miserably - got VERY frustrated and gave up. The following year, we got married and just after the holidays moved to Missouri so there was little time for crafting. Then there was last year. I had a few weeks off of school and I thought there would be NO problem knocking out a few stockings. I was so wrong. A little being came into our life and TOTALLY took it over. I did have time to get fabric, thread, and I cut out a few pieces, but no sewing was undertaken. THIS was going to be the year. No excuses. And, remarkably, they got done! 

Christmas Stockings

Not without a fair bit of strife, but done. The pattern has a cuff that was just straight, but I wanted ours to be scalloped like the ones my mom had made. I'm not much of a seamstress so I struggled to make my own pattern piece and get everything to match up. I made Grant's first so it suffered a bit more, requiring complete redoing and embroidery of the cuff. But after that the other two whipped up pretty quick. They are, by no means, perfect, but perfect is overrated, right?

Christmas Stockings

Can you imagine how excited I was to find CHRISTMAS PUPPY fabric for Olive's??? Totally made my day. Grant and I picked it out together. He thought her stocking should be smaller, but how would I get all her toys and treats from the doggie bakery in there? Big it is!

Christmas Stockings

I embroidered our names on them, leaving the other side blank so that if/when we have babies we can decide if we want to put Mama/Papa on ours. My parents' stockings always said Mom/Dad so I kind of feel like its weird if the parents' say their names. Is that just me??

Christmas Stockings

So the 'better' side is actually them hanging the other way, but since, in theory, they will be used for longer after we have kids we are using the crappier side for now. I'm SUCH a freak for thinking that all through, huh??

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Tassel Hat

tassel hat

I made this quick little hat for little one a friend is having super soon! We are so excited to get to send this off to help celebrate the little one's arrival.

tassel hat

The pattern is out of this book, which I love and have been hoarding from the library for 2 months. It has so many cute, quick baby hats!


details:
pattern - chocqua
yarn - lion brand cotton-ease in seaspray
size - newborn (0-6 months)
...also detailed on my ravelry page

Friday, December 3, 2010

Autumn for Winter

Autumn Hat for Winter

Umm I LOVE this hat! It was super quick to knit and is really warm and I am loving the green. Grant can't get enough of it either - apparently he likes a girl in a slouchy hat - who knew?!

Autumn Hat for Winter

I knit the bigger size and I'm thinking I should have knit it a bit smaller, but I will be making lots more of these so there is room for changes. I also think I will increase the length slightly next time for a little extra slouchyness!

Autumn Hat for Winter

Don't I look happy freezing my ass off for these pictures?? My hubby is so great and indulges me in all my blogging photo shoots. He takes tons so I can pick my favs.

Autumn Hat for Winter

OH and I didn't mention that the other plus of this pattern is that it is mostly seed stitch which is my ALL TIME FAVORITE because the texture is so amazing. Yay! I love this hat!

details:
pattern - autumn by Jane Richmond (love all her stuff)
yarn - lion brand wool-ease quick 'n thick in grass
size - large
...also detailed on my ravelry page