The Crafty Christmas Gifts

SO you probably saw my rant to Simplicity about Pattern number 1680 Here.

I didn't blog about the finished product because it was for the family gift exchange. This was a great gift because we had a food item gift exchange this year. My wonderful cousin Robin came up wih the food idea when we figured out that we would have kids from age 7 to adults in their prime all in the same grab bag gift exchange. Food was the perefect idea! It was such fun for the kids and the adults too! 

Anyways back to the gift. I loved the Simplicity pattern using purse handles to make a casserole carrier. Little did I know that Micheal's, JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby do not sell purse handles. What to do? Well like the little red hen says, I'll do it myself!

 

 I happen to have a pile of pallet wood around, and some of it i is lovely oak, so that would make a good solid handle. I roughly traced off the shape of the handles on a purse I own-no I couldn't just rip them off the purse! I love that purse!!

 Then used the jig saw to cut out the shape and the drill to make a starting hole to make the handle insides. Then sanded like crazy!!

 And sanded some more! Then test fitted the carrier part and found that I needed more space in the bottom part of the handle-back to the jigsaw again! And the sander again!

 There! The fabric fits pretty well!

 The pallet wood has a great color to it too.

 If I make this again I might consider not insulating the part that goes through the handles to reduce bulk.

 That silly step 14 in the pattern that calls for a piece of ribbon to hold the inner flaps closed-at least that's what I think it's for-because they never really say-I put in a bit of velcro instead-seems to work great!

 The handles are far from perfect, but they have a nice rustic sturdy look!

 This carrier went home with lovely Jean and Uber son! I made a pan of chocolate chip cookie bars to be the food item.

 The other little project I made was these little candy packages.

I used leftover coffee filters!

 I stamped them with Merry Christmas and some snowflakes-I was kind of in a hurry to get them done.

 Still pretty cute on the natural colored paper filter.

 Then I tested a few stitches on the sewing machine.  Turns out basic zig-zag worked the best.

 I put some candy in each filter and added a bit of ribbon because I thought it looked like a little basket...hmm-Easter idea!....

 Then sewed them closed. It was hard to match the curve if there was too much candy.

 

But aren't these cute? And quick! And that does it! 

 And the last project isn't really mine, but one of the cute kids had Mom's name in the family drawing, and Mom said she needed a clock for her sewing room. Soooo I happened to have the proper supplies and cute kid came over and executed it!

 It's pretty hard work gluing buttons onto a vintage clock-Popsicle  break time!

 It came out really great looking and looked great in mom's sewing room!