Homemade Christmas Present Roundup

This year, I decided I was going to try to make as many homemade Christmas gifts as possible.  In typical Gemini form, I completely underestimated the time it takes to actually make homemade gifts.  Nevertheless, I was able to churn out a set of placemats (from a pattern from Amy Butler’s “Institches”) and matching napkin rings (my own creation) for both my parents and my mother-in-law, and a few aprons (again from Amy Butler’s book) for my sister and sister-in-law.  I guess everyone else is going to have to wait until next year, when I get my homemade-making-act together a little bit earlier.

Here are some nice shots of the placemats I made for my mother-in-law on display on her kitchen table.  You have got to love Amy Butler.  She puts the adorable and easy in make-it-yourself sewing.  “Institches” is a truly great sewing pattern book — definitely the first book I’ve picked up where I actually want to try every last pattern!

Yogalates, Yogalates, Yogalates

Back a few years ago, before the tv show “The O.C.” jumped the shark, there was a very funny episode that forever embedded the term ”Yogalates” in my everyday vocabulary.  In an effort to actually practice Yogalates, in lieu of walking around just saying Yogalates (try it, say “yogalates”, it’s addictive isn’t it? can’t stop, can you?), I decided to make a yoga tote for my unused yoga mat. Suffice it to say, that I have actually only used the tote (and therein yoga mat) once since I made it.  But I look pretty cute wearing it when I’m walking around the house saying “yogalates” instead of practicing it…

Don’t ya just love the hippie batik print?  It’s so very Boulder, CO.