Baby, Its Cold Outside!

Longing for only joy in one's life is human. Thing is, we all need practice to elevate the quality of our work, as well as staying in some situations that push our growth and creativity. 

I finally finished the 58 rice bag hand warmers. Once I got going with chain stitching them, it wasn't so bad. I did use 5 pounds of white rice filling them along with Rosemary Essential Oil for a bit of a scent. 

Then I tied 2 bags together, sort of matching the colors & now need to make up and print cautionary microwave instructions. I'll hole punch them so the ribbons can run through it for each pair. 

I am still folding dollar bills for 7 money trees for the Grandkids, and need to pin them to the forms. That project marks the end of what I made this year going back to the Midwest as gifts to family and friends. I have a couple of things for local presents, but am not pressured by shipping deadlines. Everything is just about ready to go once those trees are finished, and at least the quilts ship next week.

The next fun part will be wrapping the gifts and finding ways to mail them back safely. The hand warmers will go in simple brown envelopes without gift wrap because they are meant to just be a happy mail treat only related to the cold play days in the Midwest.

I wish that I took time to make mini holiday gifts all year long. Its always a goal of mine, but one I never reach. I have a huge list of items I want to make and simply never get to. Every once in awhile, I meet someone in a fabric store who agrees that we can never sew/quilt as fast as we dream.