Saturday, December 5, 2009

Projects for a Frugal Christmas


Here is my work in progress.

I know, it looks like a hot mess right now, but I have a few weeks. Give me time!

The random yarn is an almost completed scarf for my niece. It's only taken me several hours to knit, and I am so close to being done. (SO CLOSE!) Here's hoping that the colors are "cool" enough for a 15 year old. I've been working on it at the hockey games and practices.

The small quilt squares are the start to two different projects. I will be getting a tea kettle for my MIL this week, and making a cozy for her. The small squares will be cut and re sewn into a pinwheel pattern, then stuffed and lined.

The other quilt squares will be trimmed out a bit more and made into potholders for my SIL and my mother.

The other men in my life will be getting baked goods (who turns down baked goods?). Cookies, caramels, and toffee. I purchased small boxes on clearance last year after Christmas for really cheap, and will use those to pack all the yummy goodness into. (Also a great idea for teachers and other helpers you know.)

Lastly, I purchased vanilla beans off of eBay (for less than $5.00 with shipping- whoo-hoo!!!). I will be making vanilla extract to also send along with the potholders. I am super excited about trying to make vanilla extract....I hate the fake stuff, but buying real vanilla extract is EXPENSIVE! If I can make it myself for less than a dollar a four ounce bottle, that will make me super-dooper happy. I will make a separate post about that little project once the beans arrive.

So, this is one frantic homemaker trying to get all these sewing projects done. I'm making progress on it!

1 comment:

  1. Oh I hope you do post about your vanilla extract experience! That would be really good. I want the real thing but when I stand at the grocery shelf and see the price difference I usually can't bring myself to buy it. I did catch organic real vanilla on sale half price one but it is gone now.

    ReplyDelete