Can We Put on Big Crosby Yet?

Hey everyone!  My name is Karen and I blog over at Renegade Homestead.  Though it’s only October, I cannot wait to get started on Christmas presents!  For once, I’m (sort of) on top of my game and like many of you, have already decided on a number of gifts that I’ll be making this year: 

- My husband, Beau, will be the big winner of homemade presents this year.  He’ll be getting PJ pants, a men’s toiletry case and beer can coozie covers to start with.

- My sister, Laura, has loved her Victorian dollhouse since we were little girls.  This year she’s asked me to help redecorate by making tiny curtains, throw pillows and bedding.  The pillows are particularly ironic because my very first crafts were wee little misshapen pillows that I forced my family members to buy for a nickel each.
- For my two-year-old nephew, I’m going to try my hand at my first quilt (for his first big boy bed) but if I were a two-year-old, I’m sure I’d rather get a toy so, maybe there’s room for improvement here?  I’m new to crafting for children.

- For my best friend of almost 20 years, Lulu, I'll be making a skirt like Anthropologie's discontinued Vichyssoise skirt using some brighter fabric and a bit of ingenuity to reinvent that waist.

The original (am I the only one who had to look up "vichyssoise"?)

- For my three best girl friends from college, I’ve been eyeing up five-year one-line-a-day journals .  Each page provides five lines for one date so when you restart it for the next year, you can see what was going on in your life the year before.  I think that’s such a neat idea, especially for these lovely ladies who have so many adventures.  Could I make those?  That’s an excuse to invest in a paper cutter, right?

- My two closest couple friends (two couples that is) will receive goodie baskets full of my husband’s homebrewed beer, my homemade snacks (crackers, cookies, etc) and possibly a Christmas ornament. 

But, well, that’s where I stop being on top of my game because I’m clueless about what to do for my remaining family members.  Here’s who’s left on my list:     

- My mother-in-law, who is a connoisseur crafter and quilting extraordinaire.

- My sister-in-law, Cara of i dabble, who inherited her mother’s crafting gene and loves fashion and baking.

- My Dad, who acts in the local theater and loves old movies.   

- My father-in-law, who roots for every New England sports team and likes home improvement projects.

- My brother-in-law, T, who just moved to LA and is involved in finance stuff that I will never, ever understand.

- My brother-in-law, J, who is the class clown of the family.

I always have trouble coming up with ideas for guys so thank goodness there’s a tag on here for men’s crafts!  I’ll be following that one closely.  Meanwhile, I’d love, love, LOVE to hear any suggestions that you might have and good luck on your own crafts this holiday season!