Sample Gifts

Since my family's Christmas Give Exchange worked so well and we are doing it again, I decided to compile a list of small fabric gifts I can make and try them out.  I got a box of fabric scraps from my favourite fabric supplier (e-Bay) and discovering that quite a few were in the pink / very bright range, I thought I could make test items and give them to my friend Karen.  Karen and I have been friends for a long time.  We rarely see each other, but when we do, we pick up where we left off and neither of us care about the time that has lapsed.  She is wonderfully crazy and can be quirky - which is why I value her.  We once went for lunch around Christmas time and she wore those antler headband things.  We had to wait in this long line-up for quite a while to get a table.  Tons of people.  No one would look at her or even make a comment.  So she would try to get people's attention.  She is a gem.

Anyway's, I thought she would appreciate the gifts.  Here they are:

Laminated Michael Miller fabric bag.  Nice and big with long handles. 

The rest of the 'gifts' were wrapped in brown lunch bags and put in the big bag.  (She called me last night and told me she has a bag fetish and said she loves this bag - lucky I didn't just put stuff in a big basket for her).

I numbered the gifts #1 - #11 and she was to open only one bag per day.  She don't listen too good sometimes.  Had to yell at her to stop opening them and make them last.  She re-wrapped #2 and said she'd open it today, promising to act surprised.

Gift #1

A set of pot holders (2nd pic is of flip side) loosely based on Amy Butler's In Stitches pot holders.    Very bright.  She loved them.  Concerned she may wear them to work tomorrow as mittens.

Gift #2

Lavender bean bags.  Added a note that she could take them to work and throw them at stressful customers.  That way she gets the satisfaction of hitting them, with the relaxing scent of lavender to follow.  This is the one she opened early.  She said she could smell them.

Gift #3 is an invisible ink game book.  She'll love that.

Gift #4

This is a table runner.  Very conservative colours.  Included a note saying that she should use this when her accountant husband and her are having dinner.

Here is the original pattern from a magazine.  Like my version much better.

Gift #5

Love this one!

Another table runner.  Loosely based on Denyse Schmidt's Hop Skip Jump quilt pattern.  The enclosed note said she should use this table runner when she dine's alone.

This is another shot of it before I quilted it.  Very bright colours.

Gift #6 was a fantastic peppermint lip gloss from Victoria Secret.  Very BAM! when you put it on.

Gift #7

 

Coasters from Last-Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts.  Done in a coffee theme.  Enclosed note told her that if she doesn't use these as coasters, she can use them as throwing coasters, since ninjas have throwing stars, she can have throwing coasters.  Two sets of three, she can play with a friend.

Gift #8

This is the sleeping mask from Amy Butler's In Stitches.  It turned out horribly misshapen and I absolutely love it.  Explained in the note that it was misshapen because our faces are not symmetrical and it would fit better this way.  Very bright and annoying.  She'll love it.  I cut these out with scissors and I've never been a good scissor cutter, will use the rotary cutter next time, I seem to cut better with that.

Gift #9

Pillow case with assorted annoying strips  of fabric at the end.  She'll love that they don't match and they clash.

Gift #10

The note said I know how she hates her hair falling in her face so I made her a hair band.  Reversible so it will go with absolutely any outfit she has.  She has short hair. 

Gift #11

Lazy Girl Wallet.  Love these.  Can't remember which one I included.  The other will go to another girlfriend who admired mine.

Now I'm working on an abstract, no pattern, wonky flower in a pot that I'll get a frame for and she can put it on her desk at work.  Very bright and annoying. 

ttfn

H

More Pictures!

OK, let's see where I left off .......

Here are my boys keeping busy.  Nate won't wear socks.  They love tents.  It keeps them busy.  Last Friday was the first day they both went to preschool together.  They cried / had separation anxiety, but did well after a few minutes.  It was good for them to go together.  They were both more outgoing and mingled with the other kids more.  Definitely more self confidence.

I had a birthday.  I'm in denial and am counting backwards now.  That means I turned 39 ... again.

This is what my brother made me.  LOVE it!  It's gonna look great in my yard .... if the snow ever melts and the sun comes out.

I made a simple charm pack quilt for our chaise.  Thinking it would help keep it clean.  Now I just have to convince the boys that they should leave it on the chaise and not rip it off and throw it on the floor to lay on.

Here is an up close shot on how I quilted it. Wavy lines.  Quite easy and forgiving.

ttfn

H