Heard on High

These are some of my favorite ornaments. I made these little angels when I was in college. I think I had intended to use them as gifts, but I loved them so much that I kept them. And I'm so glad that I did - they definitely bring a smile to my face each year when they come out of the Christmas box.

We've been busy getting ready for Christmas here - finishing up the shopping, making yummy treats (chocolate dipped delicious things of all sorts that we plan to share with neighbors and friends if we haven't eaten them all before we get around to putting them in pretty packaging), and enjoying the white covered world outside. I'm still making gifts and probably will be until the last minute - stuffed monkeys for the boys, crayon rolls for nephews, and some things I can't mention because they are for people who read this blog. I'm getting excited just writing about it!

In the Air...

It's in the air - that crispness and chill that says autumn is here! And with it comes that most fun of all holidays, Halloween! Remember these? (I hope you do - it was only a few days ago) - here is what they became...

And I made four - one for our family, one for a gift, and two for the shop. I'll list one today and one later this week. I still have a bit of fabric left, so I might have to think of another little project - any suggestions?

To start out the Halloween fun, we had some friends over last night to make pumpkin cookies (and ducks - somehow the boys found the Easter cookie cutters and insisted on making some Halloween ducks). The boys (theirs and ours) licked the frosting off the cookies and sneaked bits of dough while the adults enjoyed each other's company.
And a few more bits of handmade - this is my trick or treat bag from my youth. My mom made it for me - isn't she great? I think I am now just realizing how lucky I was to have all these handmade items. I grew up in the 80's - handmade was not cool (at least not where I grew up - even though there was a lot of handmade going on where I grew up). I'm so glad that handmade is making a comeback and people are appreciating the one of kind, unique, and lovely nature of it. I would love to make these for my boys - I'll have to see if my mom still has the pattern.
And this - well, this is Funky Frank. I made him the first year we were married. I made him from a Simplicity pattern that came with many other wreath patterns. I think it must be out of print now because I don't see it when I'm perusing the Simplicity catalog. My favorite part about him? His bobbin bolts! Happy Halloween Everyone!