Time to tip things back in balance after the holidays

This Christmas was a special one.   The first year that Brooke really understood what was really happening and the first year she was truly animated about it.  We watched Christmas movies, sang Christmas songs and I actually enjoyed wrapping Christmas presents this year (that's a first ever!).

Christmas card photos were such a blast this year since you could actually get her to pose without feeding her food and snapping shots at the same time, just hoping that you got something in the process.

The owlet sweater I made her was perfect for our Christmas card photos.  She looked so great with her little brown boots and her red and white striped leggings.  Not sure if it gets any cuter than this?  But I say this every year and some how we seem to pull off another great card the following year.   Just glad I have a cute subject to photograph.  This photo card was designed using the Stampin Up MDS software.  This was the first time I have made a digital card or even played with the software.  It was fun, but a little sad. . I do love the paper and stamp cards . ..I just did not have the time with all I had taken on with making gifts this year.

Still, I would highly recommend the software.  It is just like working with paper and stamps. .without the paper and stamps.  They have all the paper, stamps, eyelets, punches, etc that they offer in the catalog all at your fingertips.  And rather than the preset cards they have online, I can design my way!

How could you not love that face!

Now on another note. . .finding balance again.  I love the idea of making all my gifts, it really does truly make me happy. . .but not getting it all done timely makes me feel awful.  Starting earlier in the year in my game plan for next year.  I made so many things that I didn't have time to photograph before gifting them away.  Bummer :(

My felted carrots looked good enough to eat so I did good on the felted food front.  

I made my first bucket hat (free pattern by Oliver + S) came out great.  I even made one as a gift.  But I didn't get a photo of this before gifting away.  I think I will make more as gifts and Brooke will need a few more for the summer.  The pattern is fairly easy and it has a really nice professional look to it.

And Brooke's expression on Christmas morning after I had been at the sewing machine for hours on end proved completely worth it.  

She said "Thank you Mama for all the presents.  Mama you are so proud of me." 

I am proud of you Sweet Pea. . .my cup runneth over :)

Christmas gifts weeks 5 & 6 . . .

The past two weeks have just been incredibly SUPER busy.  Between trying to get all these pajama sets done (and photograph them), my office Christmas party, the Christmas card photo shoot for our Christmas cards, and then the normal work routine and raising a 2 1/2 year old . . .just crazy.

I will say that I am enjoying the thought of Christmas so much more since I decided to make my gifts this year rather than buying them.  There is just something so much more organic about making your own gifts that really represent the spirit of the holiday giving season.  I find that even though its stressful to get them all done, the act of personalizing each gift is so much more rewarding.  I hope that my daughter will always enjoy them.

When I got to this set of pajama pants I decided to go with a different cuff.  I decided to use the technique that I used from the lady bird pink dress so that you get more of the cuff pattern.  You do lose a slight bit of the length on the pants but maybe a 1/4 inch I think.  I like the look much better!  I actually have many more pairs finished.  I just haven't had time to put them in front of the camera.  I am hoping to today.

I also finished the owlet sweater for Brooke to wear in our Christmas card photos (will post photos later).  I love this pattern (Katie Davies - you can find on revelry) but this time I knit it in a bulky weight adjusting the pattern size to get the size I wanted based on the gage.  So I knit the baby size in a bulky and got a 2T.  The yarn is Cascade Lana Grande in a off white.  I also chose to knit a two by two rib for the neck to make it a turtle neck sweater rather than a straight neck.  Gives it that warm cozy winter feeling I think.

Red buttons for the Christmas season.  

So excited about this sweater!  The photos came out amazing and were so much fun this year.  Keeps getting better every year.  

The one thing I did have to give up this year is making my own paper cards.  There is just not enough time and something has to give.  So this year I used the MDS from Stampin Up to design my own digital card.  Its a digital card . . .but at least it is my own design.  I like it and will post later.  I am now eagerly awaiting for them to arrive in the mail so I can mail them out.