Homemade - 2013

"When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness."  -Bob Hope

A round up of homemade gifts, 2013:

Aidan sewed an owl pillow for Pax (with peace signs and everything!)....His sewing skills improve each time, and the hours we spent working on his project was a gift of its very own.

 He made a dalmation puppy pillow for Leo (who is the Year of the Dog)

Leo worked to create beautiful snow globe snowmen for each of his brothers.  He was especially excited about getting to use the glue gun for this one, and, like me, Jeff reveled in the one-on-one time this project afforded the two of them.  (Plus Jeff secretly loves making crafts, almost as much as I do).

 Pax made peace sign ornaments for Leo and Aidan.  First, he made them out of clay, and once they were fired, he glazed them before they were fired again.  This is very authentic work, with just a little help from me:

I made a whole nest of owl ornaments for friends and family.  What a hoot!

For each of the kids, I made a clay whistle.  (A completely deceptive project:  it looks unbelievably easy... until it's time to create the right angle/pitch of the hole underneath to let the sound come through.... thank heavens for Jeff, who always solves my math-related crafting challenges!  A hugemungous thank you to my mom, as well, for guiding me through my clay projects and waiting through two firings for our gifts!)

The whole family worked to make this Shrinky Dink hearts bracelet for my mom.  The kids did most of the hearts (I did a few) and Jeff assembled the finished product.  P.S. The possibilities for making shrinky dink things?!  Endless!!!! 

I made a canvas for my dad of 10 years' worth of "The Reading" of "'Twas the Night before Christmas," which includes 1 grandson in 2003 to FIVE grandsons in 2013. (Acrylic paint; cardstock; photographs; stickers; mod-podge on canvas)

Jeff's awesome duck tape belts for each of the kids:  I mustache you a question.... Will you shave it for later??

 And the coolest homemade gift *I* received this Christmas?  Check out the best ever book light:

The photo does not do it justice.  22 carefully selected books, including childhood favorites like Danny, the Champion of the World (Roald Dahl) and Harriet the Spy (from whom I got my 3rd grade obsession of wearing oversized glasses frames with the lenses poked out) as well as recent reads, make up this this sturdy, oversized lamp that puts an end, definitively, to the value of paper books versus nooks and kindles.  

'Tis a "great glow of happiness," indeed!