It's finally done. At least mostly done, it still need tabs and a dowel to hang it. My sister has her very own advent calendar, and I get to take mine home.

My mother started to cross-stitch one for my sister not too long after she was born. She missed a line somewhere in one of the figures and between the need for things to look just right, yes, I come by it honnestly, business of life, etc. it just didn't get finished. Two years ago I picked up a pattern for a pocket calendar thinking it would be a fun summer project. I'm not sure what happened to that first summer, but somehow it flew by and the extent of my accomplishment telling myself that it would be an easy project.
This summer, since I'm not working and only have the baby, cats and puppy to worry about, I decided to start and finish the project. At least I planned that I'd start and finish the project. Finally I took the first steps in sewing together 25 little pockets and roofs sometime in the fall. Here and there, with the help of my mother-in-law, I completed little bits of it. Blanket stitching teh houses onto the background didn't go as quickly as I would have liked. A few months after Monkey was born I ended up with a flare-up of tendonitis in my thumb despite following correct baby-lifting techniques. So the final touches (snowflake buttons) were put on on Christmas Eve after dinner with my hubby's family. I'm usually finished wrapping presents a week before Christmas, so this was a little unnerving for me.
It's not as perfect as I'd like, a few things are a little askew, but I'm pretty happy with it, and I think my sister is too!

Not the best picture, but here's the final product! I bought this beautiful Christmas fabric over a year ago with the intentions of making a tree skirt. A few things got in the way of this being completed last year - a move, new puppy and being pregnant, all that on top of teaching a crazy course load.

This fall I got my act together, found a pattern on line, made a few chages, and voila, the skirt was finished in about 2 weeks. This was a great project. The pattern was easy to print off and put together. Instead of making this a circle, like the pattern shows, I made each section come to a point so as to create a decagon (I had to look that up, FY, it's a 10 sided object). Popped in some seams and pieced it together then snipped the edges. This was the first project I completed using a new-to-me sewing maching, so it was great for testing out the machine before tackling any more complicated projects.

I love that this is a piece that I made myself, that the fabrics are ones that I absolutely love, and most of all, that it is washable! Within the first few days of it being completed it was spit up on, and now it's become the dog's favourite place for burrying her bones. Ahh, pets and child

I love being creative in the kitchen. I find it theraputic. Unfortunately I no longer have the metabolism of a 13 year old so I can't eat all that I make. No, I can eat it all, I just shouldn't. In order to bake as much as I want to, I give a lot of things away as gifts. From granola to jellies here are a few of the things I've done in the past, but didn't really get around to this year. Hopefully they will inspire you.

Cookies
Whether it's Espresso Shortbread or Vanilla Bean Icebox Cookies, a pretty bag or tin of cookies made with quality ingredients, (local unsalted butter, organic vanilla, free range eggs), is always appreciated. I find that the classic, old fashion cookies have great keeping quality so they work really well. Depending on the recipient I'll even tuck in a copy of the recipe.
See my previous post for a few recipes that are great for giving. 

Biscotti
One year I made custom flavours for family, everything from classic chocolate almond to spiced fruit and nut to blueberry white chocolate. I use a simple basic recipe and then jazz it up with  different flavours. I like to package these using paper coffee bags or in some cellophane.

Spices
I love making my own spice mixes. I keep a basic Tex-Mex one on hand that I use for tacos, chili and anything else that needs a kick. Hubby also is super at making different rubs of meat. Simply whip up a big batch of your favourite spice mix fill up some pretty jars and label. Include a few ideas for how to use it!

Preserves
Since I can remember I've been inolved in making jam. Strawberry season rolled around and I got the task of standing on a chair by the sink hulling the strawberries while mom and dad did the slicing and boiling. Then it was rasperries, apricots and blackberries. As I got older, I graduated to using the food mill. Each summer and fall I look forward to stocking up the pantry with jam. This year I only got a few batches made, the week before baby arrived, I made Stawberry Vanilla Bean jam and in August apricot. I`ve still got Roasted Garlic Jelly on the list. Hopefully next year I`ll get ahead of myself and get enough made to give away! 
Because there is quite a bit of science involved in canning, and no one wants to get Botulism or other nasties that can appear in improperly canned goods, it`s important to use highly tested recipes. I find that the Bernardin website has a great selection of recipes and good instructions for beginners too!

So obviously being preggers was a life changing event. Of course, having a baby also meant major changes. Although, for the most part I still remained in control, or thought I was still in control for both of these events. This is quickly coming to an end.
I think we've finally hit the biggest change, aside from talking. Yep, he's moving. I now officially have an inchworm that is eager to get his little knees underneath him. Fortunately he's still moving fairly slowly so I can generally keep up with him, aside from the headder he did off the bed the other day (epic mommy fail), so baby gates are still a few weeks away.
Now there's a whole new world of things to discover. Right now he's most interested in the dogs and cat's toys, especially the kong with leftover peanut butter in it. Ick. At least he'll have a good imune system!