Five on Friday: Home Made for the Holidays

I meant to post this earlier this morning but I got involved in a sewing project . . . for myself. I know it's the holidays and I shouldn't be buying or making anything for myself but here we are.

See, what happened was this . . . I rarely fit in time for being creative. Then the holidays come and inspire me to make gifts for people, which then gets my creative juices flowing and now I have a new bag:

It's a present, Dave . . . from ME to Me.

But I have already made and given lots of homemade gifts this year and am proud of some of the things I've been seeing my kids make:

1. Felt ornaments! I really love making these little guys and I think they make sweet present toppers:

2. But what presents did they top? Things I forgot to take pictures of, so you'll have to use your imaginations. (Two were lavender-flax seed pillows made with a cute bumblebee print fabric and one was a set of reusable fabric bowl covers and snack back created with pink gingham and floral oilcloth)

3. My Middle School boys announced that they needed holiday hats for school the next day and begged me to take them out and buy some at around 8pm the night before. I did not. However, I did grab their older sister, some supplies and hot glue . . . so Merry Christmas, boys.

There were also some candy canes involved, but they were missing by the time they got home from school.

This one even lit up!! 

4. My oldest daughter is an extremely talented artist who recently opened an Etsy shop to sell her amazing linocut block prints. I adore these vintage ornament stamps, which were inspired by some we inherited from my Grandmother and always hang in a special spot in the kitchen. I'm guessing the gift is also homemade . . . but I'm going to have some trouble ripping the awesome wrapping paper to get to it.

5. When I've asked teacher friends about what gifts they've loved best, they always say personal notes are their treasures. I bought little gifts for some of the boys' teachers and I asked them to write something heartfelt for the ones that were really special to them. I hope this goes on Mrs. Bean's most treasured gifts list: