All the things I made (because I am obsessed)

Hellooo.

I've been absent from this blog lately but I have been doing so much! Actually, not feeling like I have to share the things I make has made me so much more creative. I actually learnt to sew (more than just a straight line) over the past couple of month and I've been sewing up a storm.

I don't know what possessed me, but this Christmas I suddenly wanted to make things. All the things. All the presents, all the decorations, all the everythings. 

I honestly think that a break from blogging (and un-installing my instagram account) freed my brain up to be able to think for myself rather than being constantly "inspired" (i.e. jealous of and wanting to copy) other people's ridiculous projects.

As a result I've ended up becoming one of those people who does ridiculous projects myself.

I'm so pleased, tho, to have a truckload of project pics to show you of things I've made. 

Don't think this is normal - it may never happen again - but I've been on this weird obsessive making streak and I'm just going to make the most of it while I can!

I've never actually wanted to make stuff like this before. I love Christmas and I love buying gifts. But for some reason this year I've had a strange desire to create - and I've never found anything more satisfying and enjoyable. I don't know if I'll be able to stop.

Here's the first thing that jumped out of my sewing machine at me, made from fabric scraps. I saw them heaped on top of each other and thought they looked too happy together to not be made into a cushion. (My mum had to help me with the hidden zip!)

 

 

I also got a bit Christmas-tree-happy and made a few bits and pieces from felt, including a heart, star, gingerbread man, little red stockings, and these guys:

{Excuse Robin Hood on the left...but doesn't he look wise? And angry.}

{Our first proper fake Christmas tree that isn't tiny or tacky}

 

I had the brilliant idea of creating the entire nativity set as tree decorations, but after the wise men I ran out of steam and got very distracted by other things. Like:

Felt food!
I made sure all the icing on the biscuits and buns is removable so my niece can ice them as she pleases:

A customised cushion for a kid's room: 

... and the rather time consuming but fun task of transforming a crusty second-hand play kitchen into something new and lovely for my daughter as her big (only?!) Christmas present. Not finished yet, but it's looking light and bright and beautiful in our garage right now. I'll show you when it's done, but here's a before:

{Don't mind the phone screen shot...}

I also got to enjoy the felt-ball wreath that I had planned to make last Christmas but ended up finishing it sometime in February. Now it finally has a place inside our front door:

 I've also been making dolls, but those are still a little bit secret!

{just a prototype while I learned to sew them}

For my nephew I had to think of something not pink, which was actually quite hard if you could see my fabric stash! I also had determined that I wasn't going to buy more fabric and just use what I had in my hoards. In the end I caved and bought some fabric. And THEN I discovered this that I already had. Doh. It worked better with this navy stripe fabric than the other stuff I bought, too. But anyway, I made a shark bag/toy for putting things in. It was the only not-girly thing I could make other than clothes and now I just need to find something a tad more exciting to put inside it.

I made this quite adorb's mini cushion because the fabric and trim were so cute together. It needs a home. Unfortunately I couldn't get the stuffing to not be lumpy. What's up with that? It was the only type of stuffing available at spotlight. :(

I have actually made a few other things (doll bedding, a pillowcase for my daughter, etc) for gifts but this post is getting lengthy and I don't have pics yet.

There are still other things to sort/make before Christmas. We have a tonne of events on (like everyone else) and the hubs is equally busy with his own projects. Every week is full to the brim and these projects are just the fun stuff that I try to pack in when I can during my daughter's naps!

But on my list, I still want to make another bag/pencil case (maybe a monster one?), finish the play-kitchen for my daughter (and some accessories to go with it maybe), some clothing for my husband, and... I forget the rest, but there's always more. 

I also had the ambitious idea that we would not use wrapping paper (so wasteful! What is it with our society and creating waste) and I would sew drawstring bags for everyone instead. But now I'm kind of wondering how realistic that is. I think the olde paper of wrapping will be making an appearance again soon.