January 08, 2010

Finished and Not So Finished



It never fails. Every year at the beginning of the holiday season, I pull out my assortment of Christmas books and magazines and mark pages and pages of projects and ideas that I want to try. It also never fails that I don't get to them. It's also completely possible that I mark the same projects every year. This year the tradition continued.



Instead I used my spare time around the holiday to work on Melissa's stocking, a few small projects for other friends and these for the girls.


The blue for Maddie and the pink for Emma.


Treasure boxes, journals and fun little trinkets. I was very excited to give each of the girls a handmade gift this year. They both said it was their favorite gift. It made me cry that they appreciate such things especially when surrounded by things like Ipods and new bicycles.

 
Maybe this will be the year that I'll work on Christmas projects during the year instead of adding to the holiday frenzy with unrealistic expectations.

23 comments:

  1. Forget the holiday project list, those gifts were wonderful. They'd have been my favourite one, too! What a lovely idea (and one I may copy, if you don't mind??)

    ReplyDelete
  2. those are so adorable. no wonder they were their favorite gift. would be mine too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful boxes...such a great gift idea! I'll have to remember this one for next Christmas. Yes, I do the same thing with Christmas idea books. Crazy!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I do the EXACT same thing!!!!! And every year I tell myself that I am going to get an early start...never do! But I do love those boxes and goodies inside...just lovely!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm the same, marking off the projects to try. This year, I chose two projects & actually did them. I think that by choosing just 2 & not feeling like I should be doing more of them, it was fun & do-able. Next year, I'll choose 2 others & may make it through those idea books one day!

    I LOVE those handmade packages that you made for your girls. They are just beautiful. I made my daughter a little bar of pink handmade soap this year & she used it right away & keeps saying that she wants more of it. It makes me so happy that a little gift from me made a bigger impression than so many of the store bought gifts.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love it that your kids loved those the most. It reminds me of my husbands grandfather, when he was moving in with his son, and could only bring a handful of possessions, wanted the doilies that his wife and made. So sweet.

    I'm the same way with projects. Great intentions. Unrealistic intentions! I always say I'm going to start now to work on things for Christmas, but then there are always too many other fun things distracting me. Seed catalogs, yarn, and cupcakes to name a few.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my -- those are so beautiful and special -- no wonder your girls said they were their favorites!

    Janet

    ReplyDelete
  8. Girl - you are just amazing! I am not worthy, Your Craftiness.

    So happy to hear that M & E fully appreciated them.

    ps- Where is that divine red table? I don't remember seeing it??

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your treasure boxes are wonderful and how delightful it must be to have your girls appreciate them so....I think that your dilemma with Christmas projects is very familiar to me and others too... and so perhaps I will take up your solution as well and since my xmas decorations have not yet been put away..maybe I will get to a few things now! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Those gifts to be treasured are much better than more Christmas decor. I do the same thing. Start now, in January while the ideas are fresh and you will have finished projects for next year!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, I am exactly the same way - making plans during Thanksgiving and I don't even think I tried the recipes I wanted to try, let alone a craft project. Maybe there's something to those "Christmas in July" sales.

    Your treasures for your girls are so sweet and lovely and I'm not surprised one bit that they are their favorites. Such a thoughtful and pretty gift!

    ReplyDelete
  12. The boxes are beautiful! Our children never know how much we love them and I think we underestimate how much they love us. I still have the trinket box my mother made for me over 25 years ago :0)

    ReplyDelete
  13. It occurred to me the other day that I pack away my Christmas Idea books and then don't see them until the end of November (I hate having clutter around). However, this is not working for me either. I left out a couple books so I could go through them in June, when school is out this year.

    LOVE the boxes! What a lovely gift!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Those boxes and their contents are beautiful! I am sure your girls will forever treasure them.

    melissa

    ReplyDelete
  15. Those boxes are sweet, so glad your girls loved them. That delicious stack of books on the red table is so enticing, lucky you!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Good for you - how wonderful to give such delightful hand-made gifts. No wonder they loved them - treasures to be held on to and remembered always. That cannot complete with ipods!
    This year I made my husband a sweater - by his request and also knit a few other gifts for friends. It really feels wonderful to do that. I once heard it said "the only gift is a portion of one's self" Hand-made gifts really do hit the mark in that regard. Happy New Year to you - may it be filled with wonderful times with your family & friends and special creative moments.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Such lovely treasures your girls will cherish for years to come. A fabulous idea, sort of like a mini hope chest. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. How fun to have girls that love the very same things their mama does. And ditto on the Christmas mags. Maybe one year....

    ReplyDelete
  19. move to oklahoma. be my neighbor. you should. there's an empty lot across the street.

    GUESS WHAT! i just finished googling these three words..."composition notebook scrapbook"...whoa NELLIE BELLE!!!! imagine my surprise when i click on your little bloggy....hmmmmm....thanks for the continued inspiration!!!

    blessings!!
    moi

    ReplyDelete
  20. oh, and i LOVE that pink floral fabric the boxes are on....love it...

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a wonderful gift!!! They both are so beautiful...and such a lovely mother to daughter gift. I am sure they will treasure it forever!!!

    Enjoy!!!
    XOXO
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hello - these treasure boxes are so sweet. You have inspired me to do something similar and work on them throughout the year, adding to the boxes little things as I find them that are special to each of my daughters. May I ask what you used for the boxes?

    Thank you for sharing!

    Blessings,
    Marie
    http://emmacallsmemama.com

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note. It's always so appreciated.