Re-Gifting Made Nice (8 Reusable Gift Bags)

I started with an idea from a friend. Then I moved onto this sketch:

From there, it was just pretty fabric, and some sewing. The bags virtually made themselves!**

These are the first three I made. I really love how they turned out.

These five are a different pattern. I don't think the bags are as elegant as the ones in the first few pictures. The sewing did go much faster, and I was happy to get through all these bags in a relatively short amount of time!

Another friend asked for a rush job on Christmas Eve Eve, making 10 wine bags (from the green, orange and red polka dot fabric above) for their annual Christmas party. It was a challenge to fit it in (and get all my own presents finished in time), but it was worth it. Everyone apparently love their bags!

What did you use to wrap your presents this year? (Check out this lady's awesome little touches to her gifts - maybe next year....)

I guess in the same way that the cobbler's kids had no shoes, the reusable giftbag maker's Christmas presents were wrapped in paper this year. Next year, hopefully I can do projects for myself, too!

**This is not true. While it is a pretty simple project, unfortunately the bags DID NOT make themselves.

December Calling - Shall I Put You Through?

As many of you know, our December was a tad bit difficult, so as the saying goes, Sebastien and I made lemon curd from the lemons (isn't that it?).

Short story long - after moving back to Portland in the beginning of November, I miraculously got a job with a great office within a month. That is very good. Then my job got a little sidetracked (distant past - I LOVE my office now!). Basically though, for December we landed in a new apartment, with lots of time and very little money. We started S'ope's Creations, and were off to the races! It turned out to be a GREAT time to start a little side business, and it kept us very happy, healthy (we would have gone a little crazy, me thinks!), and slightly more flush. Here is one of the fun projects we worked on in December (this particular project was making 17 bags of granola and 2 jars of lemon curd for a friend to give to family and work clients):

counting up each type of granola and lemon curd

We had a choice of Apricot-Ginger Pecan, Blueberry Almond, or Cranberry Walnut Granolas.

Secret / Not-so-Secret Getaway

Sebastien and I are going away for a getaway, just the two of us, this weekend. I am super excited.

This is a trip I thought about a lot when he went to California to work at Saintsbury winery for three months, three weeks after our wedding. If this is the first you are hearing of him working in the Napa Valley, my apologies. Let's just say that it was a great learning experience for him. For me - well, let's just say that I am happy he is back, and we aren't going to do that long of a stint again (at least not right after the high, high emotions of getting married!).

While he was gone, I thought a bit about the two of us going away to reconnect a bit, and have some relaxation time together. As it often goes, though, we put off the weekend because there were so many things to catch up on, around the house, with our friends, and in our lives.

So suddenly it is Christmas, and so I give Sebastien a weekend away voucher.


And so this weekend, as a "Welcome Back from California"/"Merry Christmas" present, I am taking him on a secret (not so secret) weekend vacation. He knows we are going away but doesn't know where. He did figure out we will be in Canada, though.... He was nervous about me leaving the country (I am waiting for renewal work-papers right now), and I didn't want him to worry about it, so I told him that yes; it was a lie when I said we needed passports.

I will tell you though - I think it is going to be nice and relaxing. I am very excited for the down time. Life around here has been hectic lately, to say the least!

I will be sure to upload pictures when we get back!