the handmades

The handmade Christmas presents really begin here in the summer.  I usually start my first knitted gifts very early so that I have plenty of time to finish the inevitable last minute additions. You can see all of those handmade gifts in the crafting tab. The knitting has really heated up in the last few weeks though, as the last minute additions kept popping up. Fortunately, I'm down to the last few stitches and I see no problem finishing those today.

I'm not the only one who has been crafting recently though.  The older 3 kids and I decided to do a theme for Finn's birthday (on Christmas).  We each chose a storybook around which we would like to create a handmade play set.  I was so proud of the big kids!  You should have seen them, piecing quilts,

hand-sewing felt,

constructing with paper and cardboard.

We did buy a few small wooden pieces to supplement, but below are the storybook gifts Finn will be receiving.  Elizabeth made Finn a quilt for his Little Red Riding Hood set. (I made the knitted Little Red and Grandmother for her.)

Philip made the Bremen Town Musicians window. (The Bremen Town Musicians came from Jupiter's Child, as did the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood.)

(We decided he might need a flashlight to fully enjoy this set. ;)

Paulie made the Star Child, based on this pattern from Rhythm of the Home. (The wooden candle holder is from PrettyDreamer on etsy.)

Here's an up close view of the little Star Child.

All 3 of the books are illustrated by Bernadette Watts.  (We love her illustrations!) And we were fortunate to find 2 of the 3 at our local used bookstore. Finn is also getting a Peter and the Wolf book and cd from us with a wooden figure set, similar to this one, without the hunters. I didn't handmake anything for that set so I didn't picture it here.

I have been working on some other handmades besides knitting.  I made minty chocolate lip gloss for stocking stuffers.  I'm already working on my tube and it IS divine!

I also made some hand cream this year for some of my extended family. This recipe took a few days to cure and thicken, but it's very rich and creamy now.

And of course, there's the knitting...always more knitting.  All of the toes, fingers, and heads in this house will be toasty though!