A Well-Deserved Break

Is up ahead for my sewing machine when we leave for Christmas tonight -- although I have to admit, I did think about bringing it with us to Michigan. But my in-laws already think I'm crazy -- there's no point giving them more ammunition.

Due to my procrastinatic (is that a word?)nature,along with copious amounts of this,



Has enabled me to burn the midnight oil for the past week so I can finish these Christmas/travelling "essentials", among other miscellaneous crafty crap, as some people call it...

I'm terrified of how the Michigan winter will treat Isabel, so for the day when she has to be semi dolled-up, instead of making do with the "skimpy" pretty dresses that we already have ready, I felt the need to make one that's lined in fleece...



If you think this looks country bumpkin-ish, you should have seen it before I made the last-minute adjustment last night. That would have won her the Miss Country Bumpkin title. A warm country bumpkin, but still a country bumpkin nonetheless.

Another quilt with a mini-me for Isabel to cuddle under during the LONG ride there and back...

I'm still trying to get the hang of making the backing using fleece -- apparently my Craft Hope quilt was not enough of a disaster to make me learn from my choices. I'm just that kind of (not) smart

And I saw this featured on UCreate a few days ago, and I had one of those epiphanies where I know that I just HAD to make it, else it will come back to haunt me for the rest of eternity (or at the very least, the whole drive back to hubby's hometown)



A portable DVD player tote.

I know, snazzy, huh?

(if I'm really smart, I'll try and figure out how to make a camera bag)

I used this tutorial as a guideline, with some minor tweaks and lots of winging-it as I went along, using what supplies I had (a pitiful amount of batting, but lots of cheery fabric - gosh, I love Fabric.Com)

Note to the wise, if you feel that you need one of this in your life, I strongly encourage you to attach the flap portion BEFORE you assemble the tote together (like how the tutorial had attached the pleated pocket first. Unless, of course, you like to make things difficult. If so, then by all means, ignore me.

Hope that you won't have to travel anywhere TOO far -- if so, do consider making some of these "essentials" to make it a more comfortable one.