DiY Gifts

I know...its a little past Christmas

I have been meaning to post the Christmas gifts I made this year, since there were quite a few and they turned out so well and I want to be able to brag on pinterest and there isn't too much room in the comments section for explanations.  So here we go...

Potholder - First is the potholder I made for Dad.  I found some sailboat home decor fabric on sale at Jo-Anns in, like, October?? and knew I could figure out something for a gift.  Dad has a sailboat and has guaranteed himself gifts made with or from or for sailboats for the next...oh...rest of his life.   I put off making this because I was dreading how difficult it would be, but it really wasn't! He seemed happy with it and I'm hoping he can use it on his boat (if he ever gets to take it out).

Initial Tee - Next we have the tee shirt for the little guys in the family.  It has the letter of his first name, which is made from a tee shirt that his dad (my brother) and I both had.  I spent a few hours embroidering "sprinkles" onto it.  Then, I sewed the letter on a simple shirt from Wal-Mart in his size and presto present-o!  I know the other nephew I made one for LOVES his shirt and I am guessing that because every time I see him he is wearing it.

Play Mat Road - This was easy and fun.  For the back I used a checkered material.  I tried to get fabrics that look like things - water, grass, jungle with cutesy animals, and the grey could be buildings or stone roads.  There was some sweet building fabric I found online, but it was sold out - Black Saturday strikes again!  I got a few vehicles "matchbox" cars (including a fire truck and tractor cuz I had an inside line that the kid LOVES firetrucks).  Notice the Angry Bird car?  Yeah, I am the awesome Aunt who is tuned in to current kid stuff.  Kinda.  Angry Birds is still a thing, right?

Story Bots Tee - Yup.  Did it myself.  No link here to find the tutorial for this.  Cuz I made it up! Well, kinda.  I found out that you can use freezer paper to make cool stencils for fabric. I also found out about Story Bots from the brother whose taste for clothing is only one of our similarities. We are also related (spoiler alert).  Side note - if you do not know about Story Bots that means that you are probably not the parents of or spend much time around children ages 3 to 10? I know the preschoolers love these videos.  Too much.  This shirt was also a big hit and the cause of tears for the poor child who did NOT get this shirt as a present, so maybe two of them would have been a better idea.

That's all the pictures I have access to now.  Maybe more to follow? I am enjoying my week off, as you can see, and keeping really busy.

-I am Sami