New Christmas Dress

Being the only girl, among a sea of brothers, does have it's perks sometimes. Like, when Mama is sewing and would just LOVE to make another dress! I am so lucky my daughter is a girlie-girl and loves dresses. With three boys, she is my only chance at getting to dew really cute, sweet girl things. I'd love her just the same if she was a tom-boy, but I adore her love of dresses & frill.

I love my boys just as much, but there are only so many pants & t-shirts you can make before needing a dress fix. This little girl is as sweet as the candy on her dress. She's the resident peacekeeper, always getting along with everyone... and with a smile and giggle too. She loves dresses, especially one's made by Mama. I just love her so much! She'll be rocking this little number straight through to the New Year. {wow 2011 went by quickly!} Shhh, she has an equally cute one waiting patiently under the Christmas tree for her.

Visits with Santa

We are completely enjoying the last few days before Christmas here, including a trip to see Santa. Hope everyone is having a warm, happy, December.

Holiday Knits

This is what I have been doing with my free time. I have lots of lots of knits to gift this holiday season. Many more still on my to-make list, along with lots & lots of sewing, but I'm making progress. I'm really proud of what I have been able to finish so far! It's more than I imagined completing when I made my original Christmas list. For all you family & friends lurking, I tried to photograph them so they are not very clearly shown... and you never know what may or may not be for you.  

I've also been working on fabric gift bags. I think that saying we will use "no" wrapping paper this year is unrealistic, but I was thinking if I make some of these bags for the next several years, probably in two years or so, we can be using all re-usable fabric wrap. Well, as long as I don't give them all away each year. haha! I know I've set this goal in the past. Maybe this is the year it works.

Ohhh, how I love this season!

Little bits of Christmas Past

Christmas has officially landed here. I have to say, not a minute too soon for me! I LOVE Christmas. I find it has a magical feeling about it. I feel energized, optimistic, and overall so lucky for the amazing people in my life. It's also a time I am reminded of those I have lost in this life. Holding little trinkets that they once held in their hands, this time every year. Putting special ornaments on the tree that I remember playing with when I was my children's age.

The magic is there, even for this silly 30 years old "adult". I get to experience the beauty & joy through my kids eye's all over again. My most prized decorations are those once owned by family & friends before me. I hope that they will grace the homes of my son's and daughter someday, along with the handmade items we've added to the mix. Someday, I want them to pick up an ornament and think, remember how Mom always loved this one best, or this silly thing, I remember making this with Mom. Sometimes trinkets are just a way to remind us to remember. Remember the great times, remember the bad. Keep the memories in your heart and hold on to the love that we have.

New Quilt

Just finished this for the baby & couldn't be happier. He's quickly outgrowing the baby blankets I've made him {gasp}. It's so strange to have his little feet... and legs, stick out of blankets that once {wasn't it just yesterday?} seemed enormous for his little body. {although to appease my sister here, I must say he was 9.5lbs at birth, so never "that" tiny.}

It is backed with a nice, soft, blue flannel and cotton batting = super warm, but not super heavy. I started & finished it in a few hours the other night. It's actually just a really cool fabric, ABC print {by designer, Jenn Ski} that I quilted. No sewing blocks at all. I'm really happy with the binding, and think the colors show showcase the print, perfectly. I subtly embroidered his name so that he will always know it is, 100% for him and only him. You need to remind fourth children of this sometimes, as they get lots of things that once belonged to the siblings.

This is one Christmas present ready to be wrapped up and put under the tree!

It's Santa!

First Year with no tears & all the kids made it onto Santa's lap. Hooray! Baby {J} wasn't "thrilled", but we'll blame that on just being woken from a nice comfy nap and dropped onto a strange man with a giant white beard and silly hat's, lap.

Gifts asked for this year: a sword, magic, & a guitar, or kids computer... Baby {J} just wanted to go back to sleep.

More Baking

Christmas cookies! Oh, how I LOVE Christmas cookies. The frosting, glitter and color! They make me feel happy & cheerful just looking at them. That all said, I actually hate baking. Yes hate. When the cookies are all cooked, cooled & decorated and smiling at me from their glass jars and holiday plates is when I sit back and enjoy them.

This year my husband asked why I do cookies EVERY year if I hate the process [he had to "help" this year, so quickly he questioned the need. hmmm, men]. I said wait until the kids are busy creating their little snowmen, gingerbread's and tree's. Look close at their little faces concentrating & perfecting. THAT is why! The memories of the kids faces is totally worth it for me! They way their eyes sparkle and light up when they get it just so.

See you next year holiday sugar cookies... now pass me some chocolate covered pretzels. YUM!

Some Christmas creations

The Christmas Elves {aka-mama} are working around the clock to have everything ready for the holiday. It's approaching so quickly! I had everything under control and was way ahead of schedule until disaster struck the Kunklebaby household. Every single person in the family has been sick. A nasty cold bug has drifted through the family for 2 weeks now, slowly working it's way through all six members of the house. One urgent care visit, fevers of 104+ and lots of medicine and we are slowly getting to the other side, only the parents are left ill at this point.

Here's a peek at some of the current projects happening, in various stages. Lots of needle felting & sewing with a splash of embroidery here and there. The red nest & eggs in the last picture was made by Miss {M} for her teacher. They have been studying birds in her classroom. I'm really proud of her work!

I hope there are enough hours left next week to get everything finished up. I have a quilt & several dolls 1/2 way to completion for the kids. Lots of late nights after they are tucked in bed.

Joy

A cookie. I never though one single cookie could bring me so much joy. One cookie brought giggles, smiles and happiness to our tiniest member of the family. All that happy warms a Mama's soul!

I feel like this one is growing up over night. In the wee hours when we are asleep in our warm bed, not noticing how fast the inches & milestones are passing. This one who seems like he just arrived, but is on the brink of crawling and talking.This little boy, so new, yet so very much a part of this family. This will be his first Christmas. I know he will have absolutely no memory of the season, but it will hold a special place in my heart forever.

Creating

Lots of making going on at our home. Between Kunklebaby Christmas orders and all our holiday gifts that need made, our days have been full. I've spent the past few months knitting and we'll spend the last few weeks before Christmas sewing. The kids have their own long list of "to do's", like Christmas cookies, clay, gingerbread houses and their own gift making. Mama is finishing scarves, new dolls, quilts, ornaments and some homemade baking too.

It's such a happy time of year for us. We are all excited to see the extended family soon. With most of our relatives 2+ hours away, it's becoming a special treat.

Merry & Bright

I am so amazed by the love these two little boys show each other! Little {L} is never referred to as a "gentle" child, but he is so tender and sweet with his Baby JuJu! I love watching them grow into friends. I know there will be many fights & disagreements over the years, but deep down, the love is already there-a bond of brotherhood growing stronger each day!

Ho HO HO

So, it turns out that Little L is horrified of Santa this year! We went to our local, annual tree lighting. [We have been going for six years now, it's amazing. Tree's, music, lights & fireworks!]. The whole day, {L} was chattering on about Ho-Ho [Santa]. He was chuckling, giggling and running around with excitement. Fast Forward to that night-we arrived late, almost missing the lighting. Mama is stressed [doesn't anyone understand how important this was! lol] Turns out due to "our" [read-husband] lateness we scored a PRIME spot right at the base of the stage. Things are looking up and stressed mama switches to excited again Mama! Thinks, this is going to be amazing! Super close so all the kids can actually see this year. The parade is ending, the crowd is cheering, here comes Santa, he's making his way towards us! I know any moment {L} will be squealing in delight! He's in sight!...and {L} is.... SCREAMING? Screaming and clawing at his Dad like we are trying to feed him to Santa. One morsel at a time! Screaming like his skin is n fire!

I was so confused.... Turns out, the ol' Shrek Christmas movie he's been watching has a scene where Santa, roaring like a jolly Godzilla, eats The Gingerbread Man's girlfriend-all up. This 2 minute scene, have terrified my baby. Looks like this picture is as close to Santa as he will be getting this year! Oh Shrek.

Magic

The magic of Christmas is once again flowing through the house. Whispers of Santa and all the upcoming fun times, flow out from under the doors of the "sleeping" children's rooms. The ornaments are on the tree and we listened to our young children reminisce about their "old" memories of Christmas' past. Mama is happy and can't stop thinking about knitting, sewing and all the new gifts to be made for the children. If magic exists I feel it this time of year. We will be celebrating Baby's First Christmas, for the fourth time-each and every as special as the last.

I can't wait to see what else the season holds for us!

Flasback Friday

This flashback Friday is from 2008. Yesterday was my little sisters birthday-Happy Birthday Tina!

This was the year my niece was born. My sister had asked me to be with her for her for the delivery. I was really excited, the only hitch was our location. We live 2+ hours away on a day with no traffic [or potty breaks for kids]. I was also nursing, so needed my husband to come along so he could watch our three children, and shuttle Little{L} back and forth to the hospital to eat. [He never, ever drank from a bottle. We tried for a while and finally acknowledged it wasn't in the cards for him].

We ended up making it to the hospital in time, and I was really lucky to be present when my niece arrived in this world! The top picture was taken about a week later. We were back in our hometown for Christmas. Miss {M} was so thrilled to have a girl in the family! Mr. {D} loves all babies and couldn't get enough snuggle time with his new niece. It was pretty cool!

The second picture is from the same year, on Christmas morning. I had made Miss {M} a doll from my old clothes. It actually turned out to be a horribly ugly doll! It was a last minute, I need to make one more thing project the night before we opened gifts. All that aside, she LOVED that doll the moment she laid eye son it! It was her favorite gift that year and carried it everywhere. I just love this shot I snapped right as she opened the package! So sweet, and a great memory for me!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Hope your day is filled with family, happiness and love!

Ho Ho Ho!

We are counting down the days now!! The kids are finishing up their last week of school before our break. We are reading lots of books about Winter, Christmas and the Winter Solstice. It's been a fun week filled with lots of arts & crafts too. Our weekend plans include 2 full days of baking. Mmmmm Christmas cookies! I can't wait.

The only thing better than making tons of homemade cookies with the kids, is going to my mother in laws and eating some of her awesome cookies! Yum! She makes these really tasty cherry filled ones-they were a pregnancy craving while I was pregnant with {L}. I'm looking forward to sampling some[ok-a lot!] on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Gifts

Finishing up the last of my Christmas gift sewing. HOORAY! I still have some things to get done for the kiddies, but everyone else is pretty much done.

No matter how hard I try it seem that I am sewing up to the last minute for everything lately. I'm actually glad I didn't sign up to do all the holiday shows I had wanted to. I would be a sleep deprived crazy woman, if I had!

I'm really happy with the fabric coasters that I made. They are a simple square cut of fabric, backed with fleece, then quilted. I love the randomness of the quilting lines. They make nice gifts to give as a "family present". We are not able to buy every individual member of the family gifts this year. I'm happy to gift these though-they are fun and useful at the same time!

I also made a batch of hand printed tea towels. They are one of my favorite gifts to share. I use hand carved stamps and do each image one by one. I keep meaning to make another set for our house, but they seem to get passed on to family & friends faster than I expect.

How fun are these Eric Carle, the Very Hungry Caterpillar: Coaster Set? [my favorite of the bunch!]