After a very long day today, filled with way too much whinning I bring you the Christmas Craftiness post. I did not get as much done as I had originally wanted or planned, but such is the way with a new baby around the house. First stop the laptop sleeves. I did them in two different colours one brown with pinks, oranges and whites, the other green (olive or sage you could say) with burgandy, purple and cream. They are lined in a faux swede type fabric in order to be nice and soft. These sleeves are not padded, but are meant to keep your laptop scratch free when you throw it or slide it into your bag. My Mom and one Sister have shiny black laptops that are already getting a bit scratched from sliding in and out of their bags. My other two Sisters have Apples in the other two sizes from mine so to keep the white one shiny and the aluminum one scratch free they got sleeves as well. They were hits even though my eldest Sister didn’t think it would fit at first, but when she saw that it was supposed to be snug she decided it was good.

The brothers-in-law did not get homemade gifts. I just couldn’t decide what to do and then realized that what they needed the most were some ‘happy pants’ (flannel pants that you wear around the house to be comfy) and matching shirts along with a coffee card to sit back and enjoy Sundays. All the boys loved them, which is what it is all about.

Little hats everywhere. J got his hat that he begged me for (the blue one in the back) but won’t wear it now because non of his friends have the same one. I also did a few for some friends with new babies. I love the one I did for Apple, so I just couldn’t resist. I am now working on a blanket for Apple as she keeps grabbing J’s and he is not happy about it. At all.

Aprons for the kids. I did three blue ones like J’s for the boys, a yellow one in the same pattern for eldest neice and two in a cuter pattern for the two youngest nieces. The kids loved them, except J who exclaimed, “But Mom I already have one!”. Then when he realized it was the same as his cousins he was so much happier. My Sister’s were all thankful as they have been looking for aprons for the kids and now don’t have to look anymore.

I had plans to make some glass magnets with the kids photos in them for my Sisters but, I needed time without Apple so that I could work with the glue. And well, with Hubby finishing up parts of the basement I just couldn’t get that time. I have all the stuff so I have them on my to-do list for January.

I also got some fantastic ideas for this coming year and with so much time to plan I can’t wait to get started. The one I am the most excited about it a homemade board game called Memory Lane. One of the Mom’s at J’s school told me about it and it is awesome because my Sister and I used to make board games when we were younger.

I did manage to make 45 boxes of cookies for Hubby’s employees at work, one of which called me in person to thank me which was very nice. I also made rum balls and peppermint bark for teachers and neighbours, with a little left over for the rest of us to sample.

All in all not a completely homemade Christmas, but a crafty one at that. I am so excited to plan ahead and get things started early for next or this year, I guess, so it can be more of a homemade Christmas for everyone.

I leave you with a photo of my very small front yard (we are on a pie shaped lot so we have way more back and side  yard and not so much in the front, irritating yes but so worth it in the summer). This photo was taken at lunch today, and by supper most of the snow in the bottom of the photo was totally gone but the banks by the driveway are still there. I can see grass in the backyard too. It was so warm today I didn’t even need a jacket to pick up J from school. I love the January thaw, except of course that it is usually followed by a very, very cold February. Stay tuned…