Present From My Brother

For Christmas our family does a handmade or thrifted gift exchange.  This cuts back on a huge amount of shopping and stress, but I also have a wonderfully talented and creative family (for the most part!) so there are some pretty amazing gifts exchanged.

                          

This past year my brother made me the coolest hanging candle lanterns, so I just had to share them.  The vases/cups are thrifted and the beads were from his wife's stash.

I love that each one is different!  And they are really beautiful when they are lit up at night.  (That's my brother in the photo below.)

These days we've had lots of warm spring nights to sit out on the patio and enjoy them.  Thanks Bro!

-Jen

My 2nd quilt!

So, I know that this material was not re-used or what not, but it is a craft that I completed. this was for our 3rd nephew. The tags are for when he starts feeling things and he can rub the satin between his stubby little fingers! ACF

Apples to applesauce

About a month ago I got a bag of bruised apples at the farmers market for super cheap.  I decided I would learn to make applesauce.  That batch turned out awesome!  A bit sweet (tasted more like apple pie), but really yummy and so easy.

So then a couple of weeks later when a friend gave us another 50+ apples that were left over from a conference, I decided to try again.  

This time with no sugar so it would taste more like the sugarless kind that I generally buy at the store.  Again.....pretty awesome (except that I burnt an entire pot...which really ticked me off! Grrrr...).

Nothing like some fresh, warm applesauce on a cool winter day.  Happy February!

Jen

Free Chair

I found this chair in the alley on the way to pick up the kids from school one day.  It was a total wreck.  It looked like a pack of rabid dogs had chewed on it and it was filthy.  But I loved the shape, so I loaded it in my car with my kids protesting that the police were going to arrest me for stealing.  I tried to assure them that it was in the alley because the owners had thrown it away, but they persisted that I would most certainly leave them motherless.

It sat in my garage for 18 months.  I'd like to say that this is because I was concerned about bedbugs, but honestly it sat there because I am the queen of procrastination.  After my husband threatened to put it back in the alley, I figured it was time to turn it into the beauty it was meant to be.  I don't have a true "before" because those pictures are on a computer that crashed.  But here's a "during":

And here is the after!

I love my new chair and my kids have forgiven me for my transgression of stealing from the alley.  The fabric was in the clearance racks for $7 a yard and I bought 3.  The paint was left over from the hope chest behind the chair.  The foam and batting was on sale at JoAnns, so I figure the project cost me about $35.  

Christmas Kitchen

Finally finished!
This is for my little princess:
Before: A cabinet that I bought at Goodwill for $7

And now:  A pink kitchen of her very own!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

-Jen

Christmas Stockings

        Last Christmas we made these stockings for each person in my family.  It was a group effort with everyone (from the aunts to the grammas)  adding their creative juices.  No wonder they turned out so wonderful!

They're made out of old wool sweaters we found at Goodwill and felted.  All other embellishments are leftover scraps and anything we found around the house.  

        Coziest stockings ever!  Thanks family for working on them with me.  It's nice to be able to hang them up this year.  -Jen

New Bags

I just finished 5 new bags.  What do you think?  They are all made with 100% recycled stuff.  I call them "Carry On"  since the materials are carried on from one use to another.  If you or anyone you know likes them, let me know because I am selling them.   Bec
This Bag style is called the "Esther Leigh"

 This bag style is called the "Jennifer"

 This bag style is called the "Gloria"