knitting kitchen

After Christmas last year, when it became apparent that there was little that any of us needed that could be purchased in a store, we agreed to make all of our 2007 Christmas gifts. By the time we were deep into the process, the handmade pledge popped up on the ‘net, and we were glad.

Although not everything that was made and given was photographed, here are a few pictures from our Christmas at home.

As the sun sets, a fire is lit for Christmas Eve.  This fire isn’t just for looks. It’s pretty chilly in the library.

Alle, Olivia, Jessye, and Nana share stories.  Alle uses Chloe for her doggy body heat.

A couple of Jessye’s presents

Alle with a couple of her gifts. The sweater she’s wearing I knit in the early 1980s?!

Olivia shows off her hat, mitts, and bag.

Olivia’s Christmas socks

Alle’s Christmas socks

Mark made Jessye an electric guitar amp out of a Ritz Cracker box. He used plans from Make Magazine.  It works well and each of the girls has placed orders with him for their own amps. I love any excuse to buy Captain Crunch.

Llamas Go Golfing are adding new instruments. Alle received a single-string bass from Mark which he made using plans from Make Magazine.

Olivia made Mark a blown-glass paper weight.

Alle made Olivia a fabric-covered box and some “art bling”. Art Bling is a gift certificate to the Village Center for the Arts, the place Alle works, and Alle actually made the ceramic gift certificate.

Polar fleece and rubber ducks, what more could Mark want?

Of course, there was much more. I made pearl and crystal earrings, silk scarves made from sari silk fabric, and pajamas. Mark made Olivia spears and a spear thrower, also from Make. He made me a nostpinne and a vacuum former (you’ll see the fruits of these projects later!).

When Christmas was all said and done, we agreed to make everything again next year. It led us all to thinking a lot about the gift’s recipient and what would please and amuse them. It kept us out of the stores which had the dual effect of reduced stress and enhanced ability to afford more crafting supplies and better hors d’oevres.