Love & Gifts & Red Hearts

It's Valentine's week, and the world's a flutter with hearts, cheesy love poems, balloons, and flowers... lots and lots of flowers!!!  I enjoy lovey-dovey stuff with the best of 'em, but I must say, I'd rather have my boyfriend surprise me with flowers, a card, or a sweet dessert on a random Tuesday just-because (which he does - I'm a lucky gal) rather than because-he's-supposed-to on February 14th.  

And this makes me think about gift giving in general.  Receiving a gift feels so good when it's just-because, whether it be a physical present, a special note, an unexpected personal piece of mail from a friend, or even a kind voicemail left on someone's machine.  Now that I've tapped into my sewy side, I am trying to make a lot more of the gifts I give rather than store bought.  I love it; they love it. It's a win-win!! I put my heart into the presents and I get so much joy seeing my friends and family open their gifts.

So here are a few of my favorite gifts that I gave this past Christmas...

I made a matching sets of makeup brush rolls that tie and zipper pouch makeup bags for many of my girl cousins and aunts.  The most fabulous part is the vintage lace with which I trimmed each of the zippered pouches.  The lace is from my Great Grandmother's house.  When she passed away, my Grandmother collected it and has had it sitting in her closet for many years.  When I shared my new love of sewing, she gave me the lace to use in my projects.  Now, as it has been gifted, in part, back to many of the women of the family, we all have a piece of my Great Grandmother to carry with us.

I made this dog bed for my dad and his new puppy, Tilly.  Tilly is an Blue Heeler Australian Cattle Dog.  She's the cutest thing, but tends to tear apart pretty much anything in her path.  My parents were leary when my dad opened his gift, knowing how sad we'd all be if Tilly were to destroy in mere minutes what I spent many hours putting together.  I didn't have a pattern or tutorial.  Instead, I started with giant (36" x36") psuedo quilt block of three diff fabrics.  There's a 4" wide stripe connecting the bottom and top pieces. The bottom was a sturdier denim fabric, with a buttoned opening that allows the inside liner pillow to be taken out and the outside cover piece can be washed.  Turns out, I have new love and respect for Tilly. She hasn't so much as layed a mischevious paw on her bed, except to sleep on it.  She sometimes even prefers to jump off my parents' bed at night to enjoy the coziness of her own Tilly Bed.  So sweet!!

(sorry for the blurry shot)

I purchased a bunch of extra fabric for this cute apron that I made for my mom, with the full intentions of making one for myself too.  So cute ~ matchy match!  I'm super close with my mom and that's just the cheesy fun stuff we love! Well, my half of the matchy hasn't happened yet.  I love this scalloped edge reversible apron! I found the tutorial here: Apron Tutorial).  I even made a matching little pot holder.  That's me modeling it to make sure it was done correctly, then my mom wearing it on Christmas morning for her "fashion show".

That old phrase "it's the thought that counts" is tried and true.  Show someone you love that you're thinking about them - in a gesture big or small.  Do it tomorrow on Valentine's Day.  Do it next Thursday because it's Thursday.  Do it as often as you can.  The smiles you'll start are contagious and easily shared!

Love love love ~ I'm such a romantic.

Cheers!

Nina