Project Lineup - Christmas Ideas

Today i wanted to share some of the fun things i'm trying to do this year for the family for Christmas. I've browsed through lots of craft/sewing blogs (which is a hobby of mine that takes up more time than it should) and have found some neat ideas! I'll update as the projects get finished. Wish me luck!!

My adorable wee ones on Christmas Day, 2008 (because blog posts without photos just aren't as interesting)

First on the list (because i actually did it today, but haven't got the pictures loaded) are basketball shirts inspired by Crap I've Made. I tried the bleaching method she talks about, and it was a disaster! Since i wasn't brave enough to ruin MORE shirts, and I actually found two white shirts that i didn't have to spend any money on (score!), i opted for orange fabric paint instead. But the freezer paper stencil worked out quite well. The link for the stencil i used is here. I bought some incredibly cute basketball fabric ages ago at Marshalls to make pajama pants for them, and i thought the shirts would match wonderfully!

The next project on my list is for the grandparents - I found this adorable idea for Christmas ornaments at a blog called "The Crafting Chicks". I hope mine turn out as cute as hers!!

Both the older boys are getting twin-size quilts for Christmas to go on their new bunk beds. You can see the finished top for Riley's here. I'm anxiously waiting for the fabric for Elijah's quilt to come in. Since he loves animals, and I LOVE the fabric, i ordered some fabrics from this line. I plan on using the pattern from this quilt i saw forever ago at Cluck Cluck Sew. I wanted to branch out from simple square patches, and this seemed challenging and yet easy enough. It should be a fair sight easier than Riley's was, anyway.

I'm making personalized stockings for everyone this year too. I didn't find it online, i bought a pattern. I wanted them to be really nice, and didn't trust my freehand enough to draw my own template. We like them to be BIG, so i found this pattern by Simplicity. The big one is HUGE! We're going with the medium ones.

I'm hoping to have enough fabric left over to use it to make these ties from The Purl Bee. If not, I'll have to buy something else. It's so hard to find cute matching ties for three boys of all different sizes! And i like that you can tie these, because my boys always pull off the clip on ones, and I don't much like the way their zipper ones look.

I also found these fabric Christmas ornaments, also at the Purl Bee. How cute are they? I wanted to try making at least one, so i'm seeing if i can get the book from the library.  Not something i really NEED to make, so if it doesn't get done, no tragedy. I just wanted to try it.

I would LOVE to make these Candy Cane flavored marshmallows i found at Not So Idle Hands, to go with my favorite homemade hot chocolate I found eons ago at Sherbet Blossom. Not sure if it'll happen, but it's on my list.

I realize that i've shovelled a lot on my plated, especially with the new baby coming, but it's something fun to keep me busy on the cold, tired days at home.