Handmade Christmas - Take 3

This one is sort of a reprise.  But I'll tell you what...I can't get enough!

So, you know I've been making batches of Lavender-Tea Tree Spray, as prezzies.  Then, it came to my bumbling brain that not everyone likes lavender...(I know, how silly of them!)...so, I decided to come up with another version.

And here it is!

Refresh Orange Room Spray

Ingredients
1 tsp pure orange essential oil*
2 tsp vodka
4 oz distilled or sparkling water

*When using essential oils, do buy a good quality oil, preferably organic.  Considering the small amount you use in each spray bottle, a little goes a long way, and you'll have plenty for making multiple gifts.  Plus, who wants to be inhaling nasty, fake stuff?*

Combine all ingredients in a 4 oz spray bottle, shake thoroughly, and there you go!  The scent is absolutely delicious.  A beautiful, awakening, clean scent.  I will confess to feeling ever-so-slightly hungry after spraying it.  For oranges, of course.

I wouldn't recommend using this one as a linen spray, as the orange oil does have some color to it.  But spray freely, with abandon, around the room.  It'll make everyone happy!

Happy Winter Solstice!

Handmade Christmas - Take 2

I just had a mini moment today, when I realized that it's been a week since my last post.  Oops.  All I can say in defense of myself (in a thoroughly unoriginal defense), is that it's that time of year.  And you know how that goes.  S*#t is busy.

Here's a little of what I've been getting up to, of late:

Teacher Prezzies, a la Lavender-Tea Tree Spray.

One of quite a few pairs of fingerless gloves, all of which still need their ends woven in.  As do the hats, which aren't pictured.  Easy peasy pattern, available for free here, on Ravelry.  Now to finish the other two pairs I still intend on making...

And Oh.  My.  Word.  Check these delicious little numbers out:

Felted ponytail holders, tutorial available here, on Kirtsy.  I sort of had to make them, when I spotted them, and oh joy!  found some felted balls at Michael's for the bargain price of $4.99 for a bag.  They take a whopping 5 minutes a piece, to sew the balls onto a hair band.  The girl and her cuzzie will dig them.

And, because I do so enjoy a challenge that defies all reason and logic...

Why not begin knitting a little lace, not so very long before Christmas?  Hm.  Rather underestimated the time this one was going to take.  And let's not even talk about the fact that I'm beginning to go seriously squiffy-eyed from knitting with teeny tiny yarn, on teeny tiny needles, into the wee hours...  Oh well.  It is quite pretty, and fairly enjoyable to knit anyway.  Although would be a fair bit more enjoyable, had I begun just a few weeks earlier.

So, fine friends, those are just a few bits and bobs, things going down around these parts.  Here's to finishing them all up...

Preferably before Christmas...

Handmade Christmas - Lavender & Tea Tree Spray

Seeing as how I'm having a mighty struggle getting recipes on this here blog, at the moment...and seeing as how I'm immersed in making handmade Christmas prezzies...well, it naturally followed that I share a few ideas with you fine people.

So...drum roll...today we have a little special something-something.  Lavender and Tea Tree Spray.  My dear friend, Jamie, the maven of all things herbal and beautiful, first gifted a Lavender Spray to me, a few years ago.  I fell in love with the idea of this gift, and have had plans, since I received it, to learn the recipe and share the love.  So, finally, at long last, here's my wee adaptation of Jamie's recipe for room and linen spray.

Jamie's Lavender and Tea Tree Spray - makes 4 oz

Ingredients
4 oz distilled or purified water
1 tsp pure essential lavender oil (do use a good quality oil, it's worth it)
8-10 drops tea tree oil
2 tsp vodka

Pour each ingredient into a spray bottle, mine was about a 6 oz bottle, shake, and there you are!  Lovely to freshen a room, or spray onto your linens.  Also, this is perfect to mist about when you've got people down with a bug, both tea tree and lavender have antiseptic qualities.  Might I also add, should you suffer from a bit of uptightness from time to time...lavender is very calming.  Just saying.

Now that I've got the recipe, I just need to find some pretty bottles, and make up some labels.  I do believe how about orange would be a good place to visit for label ideas...

Happy Handmade Gifting!

Gifting Handmade

Devin was recently invited to a birthday party for her wee friend, and when I asked what she'd like to give her, she decided:  "I'm going to sew her a stuffed kitty."  Right.  Well, I figure if my six year old is gifting handmade things, I'd probably better rise to the challenge myself.  Let's get to work.

 

I think this gal may turn out to be quite the seamstress.  Already she's showing a good deal of patience with a project (far beyond what I am capable of), and quite an aptitude for designing bits and bobs to sew.  I love that.  I wish I had that gift.  But I'll settle for watching her, and seeing where the creative spirit takes her.

So, one kitty coming up. Designed, hand sewn, and accessorized, all by Miss Devin.  (I did help sew on the beaded eyes, but the rest is a Devin original.)

 

She's so cool.  I dig this girl of mine.

For the other birthday gift, I opted for the Lazy Days skirt, a free pattern available from oliver + s.  It's a super simple, my kind of sewing, straight lines only, no way to mess it up, sort of pattern.  And it turned out pretty cute.

The fabric is from the Oddesea line, by Moda.  And I just so happen to have enough left over to make my gal a skirt too. Perhaps once she outgrows a few of the several I've already sewn for her.  Just to keep it practical, you know.

 

And since we were on a roll here, and I hadn't messed anything up for a change, I got inspired to finish a project that's been sitting in the to-do basket for months.  The Mister had a pair of pajama bottoms that were out of commission, and I love the beachy stripes, therefore couldn't get rid of them.  So, new pj's for the boy!

With some sound technical advice from Mom, I managed a pretty easy remake.  Not bad, not bad at all.

Great for lounging, on a sunny morning...

Or for doing that sweet kickboxing move you've been working on.

You know how it goes.

Have a lovely rest of the weekend.