It's beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas here at Casa de Cornfields. No, I don't have my decorations up yet (isn't it bad enough the stores have had them up since Halloween?? EEEKK -- nope, we wait until AFTER Thanksgiving in this house thank you very much) -- but I have been a busy bee sewing up some Christmas themed items and getting some work on hand made presents done. I don't know why I do this to myself every year -- I wait 'til the last minute (ok, so a month or so before isn't the LAST minute, but you know what I mean) to get all the handmade stuff done and/or underway.


If you're like me -- you also forget about people you know you want to do something for -- but not a full quilt (or, well, projects that are going to require a huge investment of time and/or money). The coworker gifts, teachers (my daughter has 4 teachers who are with her on a regular basis), coaches, family members who you see once a year but still want to do something for...what to do? What to do? Well -- one option could be these little lovelies that I've been working on this week. Fun fabric ornaments/gift tags. The pattern is new from Daisy and Dell (though, I was having problems with their site if you follow the link) and tons of fun to make.


Though -- I will have to say, my ability to overly complicate things may have been in overdrive here. Yes, the pattern does call for doing machine blanket stitching around the fused pieces -- but, seriously, on pieces this small -- I probably should have just let it go. It's not like it's going to be washed or anything. It looks great (or at least I think so) but -- seriously folks. Despite that bit of insanity -- they really are fun to make, and easy enough to use for some of those gifts you're not sure what to give -- who couldn't use a cutie patootie ornament for the tree?


I may even make some more of them to give as gifts (or for myself for that matter). Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that I was making these as shop samples. A case of "one of my favorite quilt shop owners and designers (hi Tammy) went to market and I get to play with the goodies!" And speaking of goodies I got to play with (and another shop sample) -- I FINALLY got my hands on some of that yummy Chocolate Lollipop fabric I've been wanting to play with! (If you don't remember -- there was a bit of a saga the last time I tried to find some) Add in a fun new pattern by an all around wonderful blogger who had two new patterns introduced at market (see the November 6th post) and you've got another fun project to make. This one is both fun and easy -- and I have a 'tween on my Christmas list who may be getting one of these. Thanks PamKitty for such a fantastic pattern to play with!


Hmmn...with all of these shop samples you would think that my claim of getting Christmas presents done was, well, not quite the truth. But -- I have, in fact, been getting some done. Or, well, close to it anyway. Here's a sneak peek of an in-progress project -- more of that lovely Cherry Baby fabric. I got to keep some of the "scraps" when I was making aprons and so I've been turning some of them into pincushions. I've got another "scrap" project cooking with these as well -- I'll see about posting hints on that soon :0).

I've got more projects in the works and some fun stuff I'm working on -- but it looks like this post is getting to be WAAAAYYYY longer than I intended (I really need to work on the whole running off at the fingers thing). So, I will say goodnight for now (despite when this SAYS it was published -- it's after midnight by my watch!)


Oooops, almost forgot to mention -- Anna Maria Horner (the lovely lady who designed the Chocolate Lollipop fabrics) will be on Martha today (Nov. 15th) so check it out!