Starting again!

I am so sorry I was horrible with my blog.  I didn't put up pics or anything of all the presents that I worked on for my family.  They all really enjoyed them.  I made car mats, a sweater rag quilt, flower barrettes, fairy dust necklaces, family recipe books and decorated them myself. 


So I am starting it all over again, because it was such a big hit and I had a lot of fun.  I have started my collecting process.  My main present this year will be aprons.  I found McCall patterns at Hobby Lobby for $0.99 so I bought all kinds.  I am also going to try tool belt aprons for the little boys.  I am going to attempt making my first real quilt for my little sister, and artwork for everyone else.  I have some pretty cool ideas with artwork using records and car parts. 

I have also started projects to improve the color in my house, because we just bought one.  I bought a really awesome magazine that you should check out called, Do It Yourself.  It is really amazing with lots of wonderful and crafty ideas. 

Thrift Stores are the best!!!

I went thrift store shopping today for more materials.  I found some really awesome coffee mugs, that I am going to put homemade coffee mixes in.  I also got a sweet deal on folder/binders.....3 for $1, then I got to the register and they told me it was 50% off.  I purchased 15 notebooks for 2.50. I also bought 5 XXL sweaters for my fathers throw quilt for 0.99 a piece.  I love a good deal!! 

Just the beginning!

So I have started several things to begin my really cool Christmas gifts.  I am making a recipe book with all of my family's favorite recipes.  I have started typing them and arranging them.  I am really excited about this because some of the recipes are not even on paper yet.  I am going to get with some of the family and watch them make these things and try to write a recipe.  I think that it will be a good thing for generations to come to continue making the family recipes.  So many foods die with the next generation.  I still don't yet have a plan for how exactly I will put them together.  I have thought about having them printed by Kinkos, but I have not priced something like that yet.  I really want the pages to be protected somehow so that the books last.  I have also thought about printing them myself and sliding them into protective covers and puting them into a binder and decorating each binder for a more personal touch.  I am trying to do it the most inexpensive way.

I have been having fun checking out all the local thrift stores for thrifty finds.  I have been looking for material, such as sheets, clothing, and curtains that I can cut up and use.  I have also been looking for neat coffee mugs that I can include in baskets for my friends. 

I have also started gathering material for my quilts.  I went to a couple of junk stores and purchased clothing off of the cheap racks.  I have cut out the material that is useable as well as zippers, buttons and drawstrings to use for other crafts. 

One other thing I am in the process of designing is a children's quiet book for the younger nieces and nephews.  Two of my sisters have newborns, along with my own.  These will have photos of family and other pages with quiet activities, such as a tree and you unzip the tree and pull out apples to place on the tree.  I don't have a pattern for this yet, but I am excited.  I am hoping I will really improve my sewing skills.  At this point I don't have much. 

I am up for ideas so leave a comment.

So I am starting!

I have recently stopped working outside of the home, and I am stoked.  I decided that with my spare time I want to make crafts.  So for Christmas I thought it would be neat to make everyone's presents.  I have a very large family: 3 brothers, 4 sisters, 2 brother in laws, 2 sister in laws, 4 nephews, and 4 nieces.  Not only do I have my family, but I need to make presents for my husband's family too.  However, his family is significantly smaller: mother and father in law, grandma and grandpa, brother and sister and an aunt, uncle and a cousin.  On top of all these people I have two kids (son and duaghter). So needless to say I have a lot of crafts, and I need to begin now.  I am starting the blog because I can't keep a secret and I know if I don't have someone to tell then I will tell everyone what I am doing, then the shock factor will be gone. So far I have researched ideas and have a list as to what I want to make everyone.  For the families I am planning on getting a cook book organized with family recipes.  One of the main recipes that I hope I can get featured in the book is the family biscuits.  No one has the recipe on paper, and it is going to be difficult to mimic.  My mother puts a bunch of flour in a bowl, and makes a hole in the middle and puts her other ingredients in the hole, and kneeds in the flour until the consistancy is right.  I am really excited about making these things for my family.  I have a family that will really appreciate them.  I am aslo up for cool craft ideas.