flower pacifier

This was my first project from this book. It was a birthday present from last year. The pictures of all the projects are so beautiful, and there are so many projects that I want to do... just not enough time in the day, so little by little. This was for a baby shower, and I can just imagine how cute this will be hanging from a baby. I made a brightly colored changing pad to go along with it, but I guess I didn't get a picture of it.

I really haven't done a whole ton of knitting, but this was really easy... I only had to look up a couple of stitches. Such a cute pattern, so glad that some people are so creative, and like to share their creativity with others.

gifts

Before leaving for Palmyra, NY on 9 May, I had some gifts to finish up and take along with us. Since Arlo and Kara were going to be at my parents' for a bit during our visit, it turned out to be a perfect savings of postage. I made myself a needle case, for knitting/crochet needles, a while back, and made a couple more at the same time. One was for Kara, who is an amazing knitter, and the other is for Michelle, who is also a fantastic knitter, and who actually taught me to knit. I still haven't mailed Michelle's yet... so if you're reading this, the secret is out!

Anyway, wouldn't you know it - I waited too long to mail Kara's, she had just recently made herself one - so, now she can gift the one I made to another knitting friend, or just have more spaces that she needs to fill with needles. (I hope I haven't waited too long for Michelle.)

Arlo had also mentioned that Kara had liked the Buttercup Bag I posted a while ago, so I decided it would be fun to surprise her with one. Here's her bag in a cute green fabric, with brown ric-a-rac, and cute striped pink/green lining. Turned out really cute, and she loved it.

Our trip was perfect, since we arrived in Palmyra on Mother's Day. So here's the bag I made for my mom...

Mom's is a blue toile, with a dark blue lining with roses on it. This one is actually 30% bigger than the original pattern. I thought mom might appreciate it just a little larger.

Then, the week after we got back my sister Lynette and her husband, Anthony were stopping by on their way to Corpus Christi, (yeah! Someone closer... a meger 11 hours away!) Lynette was one of the people from my pay it forward post, so for her handmade gift, I made her a buttercup bag as well. Here's was also green (kind-of an apple green), with brown ric-a-rac, but her's had a blue inside.

What can I say... I LOVE making bags!!! So who knows, myabe if you leave a comment, requesting a buttercup bag - I may just make one for you!

teacher appreciation 2009

Last year for teacher appreciation we did this. It was a big hit, with a few teachers asking to purchase some as gifts for daughters, etc... but since we had a repeat in one teacher this year, I couldn't do the same thing. So here's what we ended up with this year...
Slice of paper cake, filled with chocolate.

"You take the CAKE, Teach!"

Too cute, and so easy! You can find the pattern here. And you just print the largest size cake slice (bottom slice) onto the back of your pattern paper, and then cut and score and fill. The flowers on top I embossed and sanded - they really add something. The possibilities are endless. Wouldn't these be cute as party favors from a baby or wedding shower? So cute!

And then each teacher got a bag... Sadie's teacher got this one.

This one was for Phebe's teacher. It ended up a little smaller than the one for Sadie's teacher, but the same basic pattern.

And here's the one that Isaac's teacher got. This one was a little different, a little deeper - she has little kids, so we thought she might appreciate this one.

We have really loved all of these teachers, they've all done so well with our kids. It's been a really good year!

felt food

Around the first of the year, the girls were invited to a birthday party. I love giving homemade gifts, especially if I know it's something the person will really use/love. This little friend has a fun wooden kitchen, and the girls often play with it when they go to play. So, here's the gift they gave...
Bacon and eggs for breakfast.

Pita sandwich and chips for lunch.

And pizza for dinner.
And don't forget the dessert... frosted sugar cookies,

doughnuts,

and chocolate chunk cookies. Then doing the packaging was almost as much fun...

(obviously you can't tell from this picture, but these were packaged inside a cute "lunch sack").

The finished gift all packaged up and ready to gift.

The birthday girl loved them, and the rest of the birthday guests had fun playing with them... score! So, the food was so fun to make and play with, I made another two rounds (minus the pizza) for a neice and one for Phebe too, for her birthday.

The doughnuts came from a pattern that I found online here. The rest came from my head, after looking at lots of fun food from etsy, or other random places. So fun. Now I want to add to the start of a fun collection. Amazing what you can to with felt!

In case you're interested, here are the directions for the packages... I think they could be used in so many different ways.

Here are the directions for the "lunch sack". I think I actually made it from two 12" x 12" sheets of scrapbook paper, to make it large enough for the pita and chips.

And then here's the box pattern I used for the doughnuts. I think I actually made it a little larger, I think I just increased the dimensions and made it fit a 12" x 12" piece of cardstock. Then I cut the window and taped some clear cellophane over it. Fun, fun!