Homemade holidays

This is the advent calendar I made this year. I wanted something big enough to hold candy and things, so I cut wrapping paper rolls into 3 inch lengths, covered one end in tissue paper, put in leftover Halloween candy or a note, and wrapped them in paper, stacked them into a wobbly tree with a bow on top. Then I wrote numbers on with a Sharpie. The kids just punched in the paper each night. It was hard for them to only have one calendar- they don't like to take turns.

I made a lot of gifts this year. However, I didn't really do a homemade holidays because I also bought gifts, even for the people I made things for. I just didn't think homemade was enough. Here's a list- some with pictures.

Spiced nuts- for Ali's teachers, the office staff, my dean, our neighbors.
coasters- for Leila's teacher. I wish I had made this mug, but I can't. I bought that for myself at my school's ceramics sale.

Magnets- with various themes. My sister got the "California Cuties". The pirates were for Leila's music teacher, who really loves pirates.

She also got one of these-

- in a pirate material. I made some for friends and family as well- some well received, some not. This material is a Guatamalan placemat that shrunk in the wash.One of my friends got this bracelet along with her cup cozy.

Leila stayed for lunch one day and I sewed all morning until she got home, working on this apron, pot holder, and tea towel to go with her baking set and tea party china.

I also made some earrings and a necklace that were pretty cool. I forgot to photograph them before giving them away. I attempted to knit Leila a scarf, but between my leaving it in her reach and her messing it up, twice, it didn't happen.

The final homemade gift? I'd been thinking of this t-shirt my brother used to love- he wore it to shreds and my mother finally threw it away, to his consternation. I've been wanting to recreate it for him for a while, but I couldn't remember the particulars. I called my parents and my sister, and while everyone remembered the shirt immediately, noone could remember the number. Finally my dad found this slide:

I did a pretty good job of duplicating it- not exact, but close- at Spreadsheet. The funny thing? My brother couldn't remember the shirt at all! His wife told me that he appreciated the gift, though. Luckily I also got him a book by Jim Wallis and a fancy schmancy pirate cup cozy for his coffee to go.