May I Present. . . The Presents.

Someone said to me a few weeks ago, "Out of necessity comes creativity." How true it is!! I have had such fun this Christmas - giving to my girls and family almost all homemade gifts. And nearly *everything* came from our house already. I cut up sheets for skirt lining, used textured maternity clothes for quilts, scraps and burp rags for baby doll quilts, shirts and jeans to make purses. I think that the gifts I made this year will be treasured long after the things they 'wished for' will have been forgotten.

Here are a few of my favorites. . .

Rattle Snakes for the baby boys in my life (and Vivie!!) The tails actually rattle. Made out of Milo's ties. . .

A special request from my nieces. . .

Finger painted canvases for Auntie Tristin's condo.

Madison wanted a skirt similar to this all year long - the big black elastic waistband, flower print. . . also, by making it myself, I could regulate the length!!!

Lillian's team had a picture frame exchange for their Christmas Party. We made two to go together.

We made *several* batches of mintzels. . . I realize, not a real present to show you, but a necessity at Christmastime all the same. And now, the girls make it completely by themselves!

My biggest project of the year - Family Trees. Love that each member of our family is proudly displayed. And that they are magnets that we can move around and the girls stay super familiar with all of their cousins/aunts/uncles/grandparents...

The magnets were *so* strong that after many mishaps of them jumping together while the glue was drying, I finally attached them to a mini-muffin tin. Worked like a charm!

Gabby Paige's baby doll quilt.

Vivie Martin's quilt. . .

This was an old doll bed that Madison and Lillian used to play with. We fixed up the broken mattress boards, and then I used batting and old (clean!) burp clothes to make comfy mattresses for the littles' dollies.

I made this purse out of a shirt that the girls had never worn and an old jean skirt. I made it for my 8 year old niece originally, and loved it so much that I made a second one (so glad I had enough leftover!) for Ella Bella. Inside, the pockets are directly from the jean skirt - so cute!

I made these ultra-soft and comfy quilts mostly out of my old maternity clothes. . . Corduroy pants, knitted sweaters, dresses, textured t-shirts, and a 4T velvet dress the girls all wore. The backing (after MUCH frustration b/c I needed to use what we already had!) ended up being black, fleece blankets that we got the big girls a couple of years ago from IKEA.

Possibly my favorite gifts this year. . . My little girls' night-time ritual - bedtime stories starring our heroine, Pickle Head Sue. I wrote them and used pictures of the girls - even going into their classrooms. . . I printed them off onto white card stock, sewed it together, and bound it (along with covered cardboard front and back covers) with love, special tape and duct tape!

To add a little Christmas cheer, I cut up an old sweater of Milo's - riddled with *many* holes - and made a cover to an unused pillow form. . .

I made several other things including a 'Best Dad' scrapbook, a pin-purse for Lillian's collection of Skating pins, cute scarfs, art display boards, and more. . . watching the girls open (and love) the things that I made meant so much to me this year. The only thing I'll do different next year is start EARLIER!!! I missed out on some of our traditions this year because I was so concerned about getting all of this done. . . Such fun. I'm grateful for so much. . . including the ability to be creative when money is tight. What a wonderful Christmas.