Our Homemade Christmas

Why hello there cyber space! Happy New Year to you all!


With that said...

My title probably made you cringe a little, right?! :) Well, its just toooo good not to pass! 


This year, my BIG family which includes our amazing parents, 7 children, and 5 "in-laws" (which includes my hubby!) decided that instead of doing Secret Santa like we usually do for Christmas gifts, it would be HOMEMADE SECRET SANTA! I KNOW!! It's an awesome idea! :)

The idea really began for us when we were kids. Our parents decided  that for Christmas one year we would make gifts for each other. I still have a neat wooden box with a wooden lid that my daddy made and stained for me! (I will have to post a picture up sometime :). The idea is brilliant and easily can become a tradition in your family!. Since younger children usually don't have the means to buy a present for their sibling or parent, this is a great way for them to show their love and appreciation! It's the thought and effort that goes into a gift that will make the memory live on and on... I also believe its something you can teach your child to love! I believe that most of our "craftiness" and the artsy qualities that me and my siblings possess were instilled in us from our parents. I grew up watching my mother sew dresses, embroider beautiful pillows, and both of them remake and sell antique furniture! I probably began cross-stitching when I was 8 or 9 years old! Not to mention our fashion runway shows my sisters and I had in the barn! (but that's another story for another time!)

Our parents were and are definitely an inspiration!

Since this all was decided almost last minute (a family full of procrastinators haha!) we decided the exchange date would be New Years instead of Christmas. 


The Rules were: 
1. Your allowed to buy something from the thrift store but you must REMAKE it somehow. 
2. Your also allowed to get help if you feel like your crafty-challenged.


My beautiful sister-in-law picked my name and I was speechless when I opened my gift! I really thought she cheated and bought something! And to think she was afraid of doing this to begin with!

Let the pictures speak for themselves... (or they might not because I cannot capture all the yumminess!)

 Love the "store name" :)

 YUMMMM To me, this would have been enough! Chocolate is all I need to make me happy :)

 But than seeing THIS!!! I absolutely adore it! And it's so much more beautiful in person! I used flash so you can see the color a little more, but it still doesn't do it justice!

Just gorgeous!

This is one of the most beautiful things anyone has ever made me. I know it has created a memory and I'm not letting anyone touch it! :) Thank you, Inessa. It made me feel special. 

I hope to catch some pictures of what everyone else made! Can't wait to show you all what I have been working on for my Secret Santa! :)

Goodnight!