Last year I made sure to get to some creative projects and it was a success. I mostly rehabbed a chair (I will finish it this year, I need to do it outside and it’s cold out), I quilted Christmas placemats, I made Friendship Bracelet Christmas tree garland, I watercolored fruit and disco balls and a few other things. I enjoyed having the sewing machine out and cleaned up the basement enough to set up my sewing table without blocking the workout space so I could do more sewing in 2025. I then had the ambitious idea to make my nieces a quilt for this Christmas. I know full well, and my sister has already cautioned me, they will not think this is an amazing Christmas gift, but my dad got my sisters and I a quilt when we were about their age for Christmas and it was special. My mother is certainly not a quilter, so Aunt Sarah is going to have to take this up.

I found a fun pattern for my oldest niece (11). She’s a little wacky and all over the place and this pattern is a little all over the place. It require lots of novelty fabric scraps. Luckily, I learned there’s a market to buy fabric scraps on Etsy. I purchased a few bundles and got some real gold for the project. In addition, there were lots of scraps that are perfect for my new favorite little gift craft – coffee sleeves. I had a reusable coffee sleeve that I used and loved for a few years until I accidentally threw it away with my coffee one day. So when I needed to start getting some sewing practice in AND had all of this fabric – I decided to make some and send them to friends during this time of existential dread.

I sent those off to my friend Jenna, along with a matching Sleeping Beauty quilted coaster. I was pretty pleased. I made a couple others last night to send as Valentine’s treats for some friends and will make a few more this week. I made a cute card and who doesn’t like a fun surprise in the mail?!

I’ve also resurrected some knitting projects and continue to teach myself new crochet stitches. Anything to keep my hands busy and avoid the doomscroll.