Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A Crafty Christmas in Review


Christmas was wonderful! But I'm so glad that I have no plans with friends or family tonight. Not that I haven't enjoyed my time with them very much, but I have some catch-up to do, like telling you how I feel about my partially handmade Christmas now that it's over (finally).

The handmade Christmas started because I was learning how to sew, I didn't suck at it too much, it would be tons of fun, and a great way to save money on holiday gifts. My budget numbers aren't super accurate because this year I would occasionally buy craft supplies for non-holiday projects with holiday money (oops ;) ) and I can only find last year's planned budget, not what I actually spent. So I think I saved....

drum roll, please...

$60

Which is six months of Netflix. Three rounds of Applebee's 2 for $20. Twelve tickets to $5 Tuesday at the movie theatre. Not a terribly exciting amount, but better than nothing.

Oh, I forgot that I a couple less gifts this year in general, but let's still live with the assumption that I saved $60. Go me!

Making Lee a UofL snuggie (super easy pattern here) makes up for years of UofL smack talk, right? Both in the past and the future. As I was telling some friends this morning, with everything that's gone on with their basketball program in the past eight months THE JOKES WRITE THEMSELVES!

Were the stress and long nights worth the savings? Yes and no. If I can start early again next year, I think I'll do it again. If I procrastinate and realize that it's December 10 and I two purses, one snuggie, four notecards, and a year of happy to finish, then I'm just going to Etsy. (Should I remind everyone that I started planning my homemade holiday on September 3?! What went wrong?!) I would rather spend the holidays baking and watching Christmas episodes of Friends than cussing at Laura the sewing machine, swearing every ten minutes that if I ever get a machine with a serger stitch I will never iron open another seam again, and pouting about being the one-woman holiday sweatshop. (This is not meant to diminish the joy or heartfelt-ness of the handmade gifts I gave to my friends and family, because you are wonderful and totally worth it, but maybe next year, I won't procrastinate and you'll also get Christmas cards, cookies and a saner wife/daughter/sister/friend.)

I already have some ideas for next year, which I plan to start on in July at the latest. I promise.
magnetic calendar
argyle ornaments
typographic coasters

10 comments:

HanPlans said...

The snuggie looks soooo warm lol.

thegamerswife said...

The snuggie was such a great idea!! I need to learn how to make one for my husband's team :)

Katie said...

The pattern is super simple! Don't forget to lay it so the pattern is going the right way though. I almost forgot and that would've been tragic! Sports fleece is not cheap! In fact, I really just saved about $3 making it (when the fleece was 50% off) than if I had bought an official UofL snuggie.

Erin said...

The picture in front of the tree looks like it was torn straight out of magazine. It's beautiful!

And congrats on all the homeade gifts! I'm sure people totally appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears you put into them!

Katie said...

Haha...Thanks Erin! Credits for the beauty of the tree and holiday decor in the first photo goes to the in-laws!

amy said...

There's a blog award waiting for you over at Ha ha. Wait. What.

http://hahahahawaitwhat.blogspot.com/

steph anne said...

I'm glad you had a good Christmas and saved some money! Even $5 would have been great, haha. I think I spent too much money this year on gifts, oops.

That snuggie looks awesome!! You seriously should make some and sell them. I mean, where else am I going to find a polka dot snuggie? ;) Just kidding!

Katie said...

Amy -- Thanks for the award!

Pin said...

Oops, I missed this the first time around, but can I just say there's too much red in this post? :) {But I love that Lee is so excited about his snuggie.}

Katie said...

There is too much red Pinju! My skin almost fell off in the construction of it! ;)