Handcrafted Christmas

We celebrated Christmas on Monday.  I finished making my Christmas gifts for my family Monday morning at 4am. Actually, that's not entirely true. I stared at my mom's gift from 3-4am and was just creatively stumped...probably as a direct result of my sleep deprivation. I owe her one. The concept is great- but the execution just wasn't happening. 

I'm not proud that my mom's gift wasn't finished. But I had spent some long hours turning out other homemade gifts for my family. I'm really proud of how they turned out. It made giving far greater than receiving this year. 

I posted a picture last week of this pig in it's previous state. It was my sister's bank as a kid and I wanted to repurpose it for her family. I punched out millions of tiny squares from an old Abe Lincoln book and used a whole bottle of decoupage. (It took forever!)  I even embellished it with a little chalkboard tag that says "we are currently saving for_______" I filled in the blank with Disney. Because that's going to to happen. So is college. They have to decide what's more important!

I made this activity tote for my niece. It's perfect for books, and puppets, and any other things she needs to take with her when she leaves the house. I actually made her an adorable puppet to. I just didn't get a picture.

My dad is super proud to be a grandpa. It's very cute. I took this picture a couple weeks ago and just told him it didn't turn out. I bought a bunch of frames this summer at rummage sales. (this one was .25!!) I used scrapbook paper, a piece of burlap, and black paint. 

With another rummage sale frame, a cardboard W from Hobby Lobby and Ikea material that was leftover from their new window treatments, I made this for my sister and her husband- the Windels. 

My brother-in-law had an article printed in Group Magazine this past year. Along with some gold leaves from a tree he had from his Grandma's things and a little creative insight, this happened. 

 

I posted pictures of these rockers in their original state too. I spray painted the bronze and hand painted the colors based on my fabric choice. I bought and remade both chairs for under $20...and I'm in love with them. The pillows were from fabric scraps and some filling I had from an older pillow. 

I love how everything turned out. I'm pretty confident the recipients were equally pleased. But, I was exhausted when it was all said and done. I even took a nap after we opened gifts, and I haven't crafted a single thing all week! I'm making a resolution to have all my gifts for next year made before December 1st!