More Christmas!

Today, I wrapped gifts.  I wrapped all my gifts in less than an hour!  How?  Well, a bunch of years ago, it came to pass that I discovered that Howdy's sister doesn't use wrapping paper.  She's just darned frugal, you see, and she can't stand to spend the money on it.  She wraps her gifts in fabric bags.  Now, I used to be a much bigger sewist than I am now, so I had a humongous stockpile of Christmas fabric.  One year, Howdy and I made a bunch of bags.  (Yes, you read that right, Howdy made some, too.)  Wanna see?

This is not a very good photo, but all of the bags have attached ties, some are ribbon, some are cording and some are even rick rack.  One of them is made from a dress that I made for Daughter the Younger.  It buttons at the top.  All I do is pop the gift in, tie it up and put a self-adhesive tag on the front with a name on it.  They really are festive, too.

The tree I pictured the other day is directly to the left in this photo and I'll arrange the gifts under it later, but I wanted to show you my mantel decorations, too.  The snow family I made mostly from felt maybe 8-10 years ago.  They are sitting on some fiberfill with lights strewn on it and covered with one of those "sparkly snow blankets".  I have a ridiculous attachment to these things, every year I get them out, I just ooh and aah over them and I wistfully think that my kids are going to fight over them.  I made the stockings the year Howdy and I were married and added to them as we needed them.

I'd love to see everyone else's Christmas decorations, too!  If you'd like to blog them, send me a link in the comments!