Made with Love

Three of my favorite gift ideas that have just been waiting to be released: apron, reading pillow, and marble bag. First the apron. I shamefully do not have a picture of one right now and so the professionally sewn minus the blood, sweat, and tears is pictured below. My care-free 5 year old niece just got the latest edition and it's all the rave. It's plain red with red and white candy striped straps, pocket and ruffle. I toss in a cake mix, frosting, sprinkles, etc. Little kiddos love it! The apron is used as store clerk attire, dog washing day or whatever else they are pretending at the time. The cake mix is something fun to do after the birthday hoopla is all over. (The pocket is a must have. What kid doesn't like to stuff random trinkets to save and relish?)This next gift I stole from the YW presidency. They made a pillow with a pocket that was sized to fit a Book of Mormon. The purpose of the pillow was to have it on the YW's beds to help them remember to study the scriptures. So, my little brain started turning and figured a beginner reader would love this as well. Daradie loves helping me pick out material for her friends and then she helps me stuff with batting (is that the right word?). I just barely made Daradie one last night when she kept feeling bad that she hadn't received one yet. Pretty simple: scraps of material (yellow in back is leftover fleece from scarves), sew the pocket on before you stuff, and the last minute star was because I didn't have any pink and purple material and that's what she wanted so I cut out a star from felt and quickly sewed that on. Great gift idea for 8 year olds and a Book of Mormon, friends with a Junie B. or American Girl book, or even for those teens. Make the pillow however big you want.

Koen is into marbles. You'll have to read the post below. I've been pumping out some marble bags for gifts for the boys around town. Sew a miniature pillow case, make a casing and feed some string through. Presto! Quick and easy gifts made with love.