Happy Homemade Christmas 2011: gifts from me

I'll have to say after hours spent browsing Pinterest there was no limit to the gifts I wanted to make.  But I resisted the temptation to wear my self tired and cranky in the name of crafting and only committed to making a few gifts.

Here's what I made for James, William, Peter and Henry, colorful wool comforters.

I realized they really needed these the night I spent helping Henry sleep in his own bed.  So far we have solely heated our house with the wood stove downstairs but upstairs does get chilly at night. The boys probably have the coldest room in the house dipping into the high 50's.  They actually haven't complained about it and in fact I find everyone sleeps better.  But still I thought they could use a nice cozy layer.

I ordered the wool comforters from Zeilinger's here in Michigan then sewed the covers from a collection of colorful sheets from Garnet Hill.  Having grown up on bunk beds I know the frustration of making the top bunk with a regular twin size blanket so I made these just large enough to cover the mattress, these are 42x75.  I will note that the photos really highlight the wrinkles here, but we're no catalog company and I'm just happy if the boys make their beds.

Also Henry is still finding way into my bed at night but these nights he usually drags his new cozy comforter with him. On those nights I really enjoy sharing a corner of it with him.  Paul has since requested I replace our old comforter with a cozy wool one, maybe when we process our own wool?!

Next up: gifts for Paul.  We usually both make gifts for each other but I suppose he was off the hook this year since he's spent most his free time chopping, collecting and stacking wood.  My gift from him this year may just be a warm home.

Here's what I made for him, a collection of pillows to add comfort to the spaces he works and relaxes. 

 I hand embroidered the heart pillow over the course of a few days when my back ached so bad I had no desire to do anything else.  Sitting in "the chair" working on it actually made me feel somewhat productive in my laziness.  The girls watched me in awe and kept saying "it is turning out so beautiful", and "I know you love Daddy because there are so many stitches".

Can you guess where the big "Best Seat in the House" pillow is going?  yes "the chair".  This was done on white denim with freezer paper stencils.     

The trailer pillow was a flash inspiration while looking out the kitchen window at Paul heading in for work in his vintage trailer. I quickly designed it up on Adobe then proceeded as I usually do with freezer paper stencils.  After that and the other stencil pillow I wondered if a silhouette machine would be a good investment, probably not since I have a super long list of homestead supplies and animals to purchase.  This pillow made everyone laugh, even all our neighbors who stopped by for Christmas dinner.

Anyway, it's all just stuff.  What really matters is the love we put into it and the love we offer alongside it.  And that is exactly why I cut back my "to make" Christmas list, I knew could not offer my much needed love and attention alongside frenzied production.  What was intended for the girls will probably be a project they'll work alongside me with and for that reason they'll probably love the gift all the more. 

Happy Homemade Christmas 2011: gifts from the kids

Weeks before Christmas when asked what was the favorite Christmas tradition, favorite gifts given and favorite gifts received, the answer was the same, homemade gifts.  So it continues.  This year we started the first week of Christmas because I knew my energy would be lagging.  I also directed the children towards simple creation that could be done without too much help from me.  As pictured above the kids took turns staying up late to work in secret, turning our play room into an elf's workshop.  Here's what they made:

To:  Henry

From:  George

This is a set of homemade playdough mixed with essential oils.  George really enjoyed the messy participation in mixing these up.  We found a perfect sized box at a thrift store to store them.

He also painted him the letter H.  It was picked up at a craft store and George was completely independent in painting it (and himself).  

To:  William 

From:  Henry

I had all sorts of ideas that we could have made for William but Henry had his mind set on Star Wars guys.  So we made some out of FIMO, Henry did a lot of the work but Peter helped us so they would be true to character.  

I took it a step further with an idea I saw on Pinterest.  Before baking these guys I pierced a hole up there back so they could ride a mini zip line like this.  It works out okay but I'm sure William's inventive spirit will find a way to improve the design. 

They also make for funny window ornaments.

To: Maryanna & Clara

From:  William & Peter

The boys worked together on this since it was such a fun project.  They made mini FIMO food for the Calico Critters.  They were over my shoulder looking at mini FIMO food on Pinterest, here's what they came up with:

I'll have to say their favorite part of this project was probably eating all the Trader Joe's vanilla mints so they could have a tidy tin to store the food in.  They then decorated the tins with duct tape paper.

The girls have enjoyed serving up many little feasts to their Critters.  And they have also fretted over already lost tiny pieces.  Looks like this mini FIMO food project will continue into the new year.

To:  Peter 

From:  Clara

Weeks ago we purchased a large suede purse from a thrift store with the intention of remaking it into a tool belt for Peter.  But when Paul pulled out two brand new ones that were just laying around his workshop area our plans changed slightly.  We made a nylon web belt then simply personalized the found tool belts with a burning tool.  This was a perfect gift for Peter because his pockets are always bulging with stuff and can never seem to find a pencil for school time. He's even been sleeping with it on! 

To:  James

From:  Maryanna

James has been practicing magic for a few months now and really needed a box to keep his supplies secret.  Maryanna and I found one the perfect size at a thrift shop then painted it up and added gold stickers.  It was simple to do and a very useful gift, and James admitted to me he was relieved we didn't sew him anything.

To:  George

From:  James

This was probably one of the most exciting gifts to get finished.  Probably because it was James' idea from start to finish and I had my doubts.  We picked up a piece of scrap soft maple from the Re-Use center and James drew on the designs.  An old neighbor helped with cutting them out on the band saw then James spent many hours sanding them down then wood burning on the details.  He made a sheep, a cat, dog, chicken, duck, pig and Michigan football player.  I sewed up a little carrying bucket from an old burlap rice bag.  

James also decided to make something special for Paul.  I'm not sure if this was so much a gift as it was revenge for all the times Paul's beaten him in football, wrestling, chess and ticket to ride.  It is a 50 question test that James assembled out of his encyclopedia brain, I reviewed it and only got a few correct.  Paul says he's going to have to study a bit before officially taking it.  

In addition to this test, James spent several hours the week before Christmas typing up 20 pages of journal entries from his summer train adventure with Nanny and Poppy, that was his gift to them.  Also not pictured are the piles of scraps of paper cut and decorated and delicately wrapped by Maryanna.  She handed them to me with breathless enthusiasm.   

In addition to homemade gifts Santa usually brings at least one big toy per child, Mommy and Daddy offer books, socks, Jammies and other needed tools and art supplies.  But the first gifts opened are always the homemade gifts because like I said earlier these are always the favorites.  

Dressed for Christmas

I finished these two dresses the morning of Christmas Eve while to the girls were in the bath and by the time they had dried their hair by the fire they were ready to slip on.  I tried to keep my holiday sewing simple this year simple so I went back to the same knit pattern I used two years ago.

I found this beautiful textured cotton knit at Habermans, from the outside it looks as fine as a St. John's knit but the inside feels as cozy as an old favorite hoodie.  I will say it once again, it is not worth sewing a stitch of something "itchy" for little girls, I save that kind of sewing for dolls.

I was short of fabric so the sleeves are cropped and the back is a simple tie instead of a bow.  And these girls are not always thrilled to wear matching dresses but I convinced them with different color tights.    

As for Christmas jammies, I gave up on the idea of making them weeks ago remembering last year's remained uncut well into January.  Hanna Andersson to the rescue! (and I bought them big enough to hopefully wear through next Christmas). 

Quiet Christmas Corners

Our home has been anything but quiet these last few days.  The younger kids are buzzing about asking how many days and hours left until Christmas, I've been buzzing away on the sewing machine finishing last minute presents, the older boys are buzzing around the house with a new vaccum and Paul's clacking away on his laptop writing up a Chirstmas letter.  Right about now I've had enough to give me a headache so I'm taking some time out to catch my breath.  George is next to me in bed and we just watched this video of the song Still, Still, Still.  That is just what I needed.

In reflecting upon my favorite holiday moments this year I see that they were the ones that were the most still, happening in quiet little corners of our home.  Here they are:

The annual Christmas tree sleepover. This year everyone slept, no one threw up and they got to cuddle and share their hot chocolate and cookies with the kitties.

  

Paul read to them of all our past Christmases together, our favorite being our very first Christmas with no heat, no fancy food, and very little money.  There were few presents but also very few distractions and we were certainly present.  That first Christmas together we wrote of what we thought Christmas would be like in years to come and we laughed along side our children as we read accuracy of these predictions.  

On other occasions I've caught the kids in all sorts of imaginary play with the bottom 1/3 of our Christmas ornaments.  I just let them and have enjoyed repeated "shows" throughout the past week.  Some of those ornaments did break and we did our best to fix them, the rest have not made it back up on the tree but have found a safe home under the tree in a basket.

I also have enjoyed the chance to spy on some quiet Nativity play.  This year we found a really cool lit up manger to display our Playmobil Nativity set and George especially likes to sit at it.  I especially like to watch this unusual toddler stillness.

And probably the favorite corner of the house is this striped chair right next to the wood stove, it is rarely unoccupied.  There is a basket of favorite Christmas books just next to it so it is there that the kids quietly read or beg to be read to.  I'm grateful for the moments I stole away to find refuge there as well.

I'm off now to do a little baking, sew on 4 buttons, sneak in a shower, beg the kids to help clean up whatever mess my baking makes and then load them all in the van for the family festivities to begin.  And if I start to lose my breath in the limited time I have to accomplish that list, I will simply hum the song Still, Still, Still because that is how I wish to celebrate this year.  

Nativity paintings

As fun as it is to make sweets and goodies for Christmas too many (or even just a few) leave most of feeling unwell.  So I was quite relieved when Nanny offered to host the kids for cookie making and decorating.  That left me with the opportunity to do some Christmas painting with the kids. 

With James busy working on some homemade gifts and the younger two boys napping I joined with Maryanna, Clara, Peter and William in painting the pictures below.  I encouraged them all to close their eyes and really envision the scene that we read about in the scriptures of Christ's birth,  I told them to paint whatever they saw. 

We used watercolors on the backs of an old cardboard box.  But now I kind of wish I would have taken the time to dig out some watercolor paper because the images would have been more vibrant and paints more flowing, next time.

Here is Maryanna's.  I really like the detail of the spider web and Mary next to a horse bringing flowers to baby Jesus.

  

Here is William's.  He really connected with the story of the shepherds probably because he is the primary care taker of our sheep.  He is looking forward to lambs being born sometime before spring and said the shepherd on the far left holding a lamb will be him in a few months.

Sometimes I think it helps to participate in art projects with my children, it especially helps them get over their own self consciousness of painting and drawing.  When they see me let go painting imperfectly and simply enjoying the process then they follow.  I tell them we all have our own style, and we do, and that is perfect. 

I am about 4 weeks away from my due date (+/- two weeks since each child runs on their own time), I also now know the reality of keeping sheep.  My picture depicts the reality of the two together and the calmness of Mary in the midst of it.     

Here is Clara's.  It is such a happy scene and so true to her style of art.

Here is Peter's, it is clean and simple.

This may be a new holiday tradition to share with my children.  Paul walked in on our painting and was surprised at the quiet reverence of the activity.  Everyone was lost in the concentration of their own creation and now quite satisfied to have them displayed on our kitchen bulletin board.

New header and little signs of love

Spills happen.

Sometimes we're quick to wipe them up and sometimes I just find them.  It is funny how such a small offense has the power to throw me into a "mommy freak out", but not always, sometimes I have the patience to watch the flow along side my children and make our own interpretations of them, kind of like watching clouds.  We often see animals and States in our spilled milk and on one occasion James was so convinced the spill looked like Texas' Bevo that he took a picture of it.

Just last week one child decided to get out of bed and serve himself up what was left of a cold pot of hot chocolate.  I was in the other room resting by the fire when I heard first the clunk then the little "uh-oh".  It was probably around 10:30 pm and though I was in no mood for a second round of kitchen clean-up I was more irritated with the child out of his bed after repeated tuck-ins.  I marched into the kitchen full of frustration but before I could voice it, I noticed the spilled milk had formed its way into a heart.  So of course I had to take a picture of it.  But before I did I gave my child a hug and poured him a fresh cup of milk then sent him back up to bed.

Hearts appear in the strangest of places and when they do I take them as a sign of love.  I often see hearts in the grain of wood and in rock form but sometimes they appear in the way a piece of thread was trimmed and fell to the floor.  The girls often sprinkle them around the house in the form of paper scraps or smudge them onto foggy windows.  A couple weeks ago I noticed some parking lot litter took the form of a heart and that made me smile, I wondered how many other shoppers noticed it and smiled just because it was there.  That is all I can remember right now but I promise if you look out for them you will see hearts appear just when you need a reminder of love.  Because sometimes all it takes is a reminder of love to turn a spilled milk episode into another opportunity to hug a child.                

Winter Reading

With the colder weather and ever growing baby belly my productivity is way down.  Even my Christmas "wish to make" list has been slashed down dramatically.  Instead of bustling around (like I usually do this time of year) I've simply slowed down and taken the most comfortable seat near the wood burning stove.  

This book, Little Heathens sent from some friends has been the perfect companion to my lazy holiday sitting.  It is amusing in its honest and matter of fact tone, and the chapters on laundry day and toilets left me full of gratitude. 

Flipping the pages of a real book fills me far more than any screen reading.  To be honest I've stepped away for the moment from facebook, pinterest and several blogs as I'm finding them to be more and more depleting.  Maybe because I've used them too often to "check out".  I'll be back there once I'm ready to use them to my enrichment but right now I'm simply craving stillness.

Besides the above mentioned book I've been working through two piles next to my bed, each with its own illustrated scrap paper book mark from the kids.  Most of the books fall into two categories, one to help prepare me for the labor of labor and the other to help prepare me for the labor ahead of us on this farm.  I look forward to both with a clear knowledge of both the pains and satisfaction.  In the meantime I'll enjoy this short season of rest and allow it to fill me for what lies ahead.

               

Paul's cozy new office

We never did get to finishing the studio office above the pole barn, Paul's simply been working in there with a small space heater.  But with the temperature dropping there was a need for an immediate solution.  

We've been eyeing vintage travel trailers for years and always had our heart set on a 28 ft airstream but most we've seen have been either too expensive or in need of too much work (remember we still need to finish the room above the barn).  This 1955 Beemer trailer came up in Holland, MI just the week Paul needed it.  James and George accompanied him on the adventure to pick it up in the old Ford pick-up, and it was enough of an adventure that James chose to write about it for one of his writing assignment this week.

There's not much information available about Beemer trailers, the exterior is not as nice as the airstreams but I instantly fell in love with the simple and cozy birch interior.  But I'm most relieved that it passed my "smell test", even a few lovely airstreams failed at that. This Beemer is still in its original condition and  is only in need of new flooring, cushion covers and a few wood panels.  My favorite is the kitchen stove.

Here are the bunks which may have the possibility a sleeping a total of 5 cozy kids, 2 on the top and 3 on the bottom.

The bathroom is small and simple with just a toilet and sink.

And here is the dinette that serves as Paul's corporate desk.  Those on the other end of his calls have no idea of the surroundings in which he works, grazing sheep, roaming chickens, jumping kittens and playing children, that is the view outside his "office" window.  

And here is the view outside my kitchen window on those evenings when Paul has to stay late at the office.  

I'm happy he finally has a warm place to work but probably more excited about the possibility of taking this on the road with our family.  

Mini Fig Display

Mini figs have infested our home, they are everywhere, in the dryer, at the table, in the cushions and even sometimes in my shoes.  The boys have enjoyed the thrill of collecting series 3, 4 & 5 and trying to guess what character is inside.  They've named each one and have used them to compose all sorts of funny brick films.  

But as much fun as they are, we were in need of some mini fig crowd control.  I've been searching thrift stores and antique stores for an old thimble case and finally came up this old printer's drawer.  William was with me and happened to have his boxer mini fig in his pocket and we were thrilled to find the letter boxes to be a perfect fit.  We spent $22 on the drawer and another couple dollars for the hooks to hang it, not bad for such a functional and decorative piece.     

I like how the boys can stand up there for extended periods of time rearranging the display making all sorts of stories involving battle droids, fishermen, ninjas and aliens. Their playing kind of reminds me of the gods on Clash of the Titans, taking each one down and deciding their fate.

Here's a record of William and Peter's current collection (James chooses to keep his in an enclosed tube).  Hopefully they'll be able to keep better track of them here on their wall instead of in their pockets or lost in the van or around the yard and house.  They are anxiously awaiting series 6 and have reserved enough spots on the display to welcome them.