Good Intentions

This year I'm thinking about Christmas early. Tomorrow is my sister Heather's birthday and am I done with her gift? NO. Is this a surprise to anyone? NO. So, you can see that I need to plan WAY AHEAD in order to accomplish that which I set out to do.

I was inspired by the blog 3 Cute Kids. Shanna posted about her plans for making gifts for her children this year. She's one of those creatively gifted people that I stand in awe of - now I'm going to take her inspiration and make a few projects of my own. After I finish Heather's gift, of course.

Of course!

Gift Plan #1:

I will make Caralie a chef's apron similar to this one:


You'll find the tutorial here. I will make it bigger so it will fit her longer. I also plan to add a ruffle on the top and bottom to girlie-fy it. And I think I'll make the neck strap adjustable either with snaps or buttons. Maybe throw a little eyelet in there for good measure.

I already found the material I want to use. When I went quilt shop hopping with my mom-in-law last week I saw this adorable calico print that I just couldn't pass up:


The photo doesn't do it justice. It's a lovely shade of lavender that just speaks to me. And now it has a purpose, therefore I can justify purchasing it! Woo hoo!

Gift Plan #2

I am hoping to convince my father-in-law to make Caralie a very simple doll house for her Barbies. I better hurry up and ask him before basketball season starts. It hasn't already, has it?

Something similar to this, but simpler.

Anyway, if he will build it, I will decorate it. I had a wood Barbie house when I was a kid that I insisted be painted dusty rose pink. It was the 80's okay? We used carpet samples to carpet the floors, an extra piece of linoleum from my grandparent's house to cover the bathroom floor, and Contact paper to wallpaper the living and family room. I loved that house. I was S.T.U.P.I.D. to give it away along with all the furniture. When you're in college you have no imagination and can't conceive of ever having kids in the near future.

Back to the gift premise: if he will build it I can make pillows and a quilt for Barbie's bed. Curtains, maybe even a bean bag chair or two... I'm even considering making Barbie clothes, heaven forbid. Have you seen the Barbie clothes in the stores lately? Apparently Barbie works the red-light district. Who knew? Anyway, endless possibilities here.

Gift Plan #3

Fairy wings. Caralie likes to dress up and her current fairy wings are leftovers from her Halloween costume circa 2004 (as in when she was 9 months old). I'm too lazy to figure out how to make fairy wings myself, but I can certainly decorate them. I purchased a pair of plain white fairy wings at Joann a bazillion years ago and have slowly accumulated fabric paints, glitter, and jewels to gussy them up.

Gift Plan #4

I have ballerina fabric to make Caralie a pillowcase. She is into ballerinas at the moment (even wants to be one for Halloween - well, at the time this goes to press she does). Here is the fabric, not ironed of course:


Let's see, I have had this project in my possession for how long? Oh, about 2 years. I'm cool like that. See, I knew she'd get into the ballerina thing at this time, this year. I was planning ahead, see? That's right.


Okay, that's all for now. I will post other projects if I think of any. Cuz you're all dying to know, right? But now that I've put my plans out there into public cyberspace, maybe I'll actually accomplish one or more of them? I'm accountable.