The Last Christmas Tree Skirt of 2007!

Well Christmas is nearly over in the Rachael Rabbit workshop and I will be concentrating on some Easter and spring goodies now. I'll post more pictures of the Christmas Tree skirts on my website soon - but for now - here are some snap shots.

a baby polar bear

Santa and Rudolph around the tree

Santa in his sleigh
Cupid and Dancermachine embroidered skirt with bow detailWhere does Santa live?Santa's housethe reindeer are waiting for Santa
polar bears in lovesnowmen like to give gifts as well

bow detaila very christmasy patchwork reverse

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON - I am now off to the UK and will be back behind Bernie in January!!

Recycling for Rabbits

After falling out with Bernie rather badly last week. I decided that perhaps he would like to come with me at the weekend instead of staying in the city - perhaps he missed me. So off we went together - and we seem to be firm friends again.

I have been pouring over my craft books and on Saturday I was reading Denyse Schmidt Quilts: 30 Colorful Quilt and Patchwork Projects again. (I am trying to organize my thoughts and ideas so that in the new year I am ready to go with a whole list of creative projects and gifts!) Suddenly, and quite randomly, I found myself boiling old sweaters and making rabbits - these rabbits are loosely based on Denyse Schmidt's "Steve" pattern (see the three Steve's below.)
I seem to find making rabbits rather fun and these are definitely more quirky than any softie I've made before. Aaron and I are still giggling at the "pink disco ballerina" rabbit - she just looks like she got SO over excited dressing up in pink things. Perhaps too much pink?

One of my new years resolutions will be to make more things from recycled materials. Stay posted to see what wonderful (or strange) things are produced!

Advent Calendars

When I was little the advent calendar was one of the highlights of Christmas. First we had the kind where you open the little windows to reveal a different picture .... then the chocolate advent calendars - which were a huge luxury upgrade (and it was hard to resist eating all the chocolates at once) ...... then we had the super duper Daddy upgrade. Daddy made us an advent calendar of boxes and in each box was a little gift ... perhaps a chocolate bar in one or a pound note or a party popper. Daddy's advent calendars were the best .... and it was confirmed that advent calendars were indeed one of the most exciting parts of Christmas.

You can read more about the history of the advent calendar at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_calendar

A couple of years ago I made our nephew Cullen his very own advent calendar out of felt. Although I was pleased with the end result I had not thought about what a large piece of chocolate each day can do to a toddler's sugar level - and the fact that I am still not able to restrain myself from opening all the windows at once and scoffing the chocolates - so what hope did a 2 year old have!!
So this year I decided to think about this a little more - take out the danger of sugar - but try and make something just as pretty and exciting. So here are this years personalized felt advent calendars with no added sugar. One was for Finlay's 1st birthday.... .... another for my sister's birthday ...
... and the other I sold on Etsy (woo hoo!)

Jeannie asked for the word Peace rather than a family name - so I made a little felt dove carrying an olive branch too. I think that the word Peace was a lovely idea for the calendar.

Birthday Napkins

I think I have found my new super gift ...... I love these napkins that I inflicted on my sister-in-law Emily for her birthday. I used the same Molly's Handmade Napkins pattern from the Purl Bee. They are 16"x16" and made from egg blue linen with Moda's Shangri La Oasis Green as the trim.
I am currently making some more from chocolate and cream linen bordered with Hoffman's Essential Vines in cream. Yum.