Christmas feels like craft overload

I am thankful for my ability to sew bake and craft but sometimes it feels like I do so much that I can't get anything else done. And Christmas seems the time of year where I need to be extra resourceful to make sure I have enough to give a little something to a lot of different people.
I really enjoy trying to find a thoughtful creative gift for others, this year has been a little tougher due to a layoff, unemployment for 3 months (and I am grateful it was only 3 months) but the transition to the new job has been a little rough. But I'm sure things will continue to get easier and I am grateful I have been able to put in a littler more work and a little less money to create gifts. Still I would like a rest from the craft overload I have been feeling lately. I don't know about you but since I no longer have a craft room my house feels like a bomb went off in it and it is driving me crazy!

The gift we put together for friends

 I totally got these ideas from Pinterest. The large snowman is a mini popcorn bag with a printable wrapper from the interest and a glove as a hat. (the gloves were in a 2 pack at old navy for $1)

These are double stuff oreos dipped in white melting chocolate then decorated by the littles with an orange tic tac and mini chocolate chips (in hindsight I know now why the pinterest version used flat Popsicle sticks, the round popped the cookie making the crack but I can't seem to find flat popsicle sticks lately)

Logan's Primary teacher just had her 1st baby last week and is moving to Canada right after Christmas so I made a matching car seat cover, changing pad, burp clothes, and a handy bag for diapers, wipes and a spare outfit. I just love the little birdies on this flannel.
I still have another thing to sew and 3 Jingles 3 Believes and 1 HoHoHo in the wood blocks from a few posts ago for teacher gifts. (Goose has 5 teachers this year and Bug has1) so even if I did a $10 gift card for each that would be $60 and that is not an option this year so instead I spent probably $10 total.

And to all better sight

Many years ago I received this poem as a neighbor gift and I loved it soo much I tucked it away and kept it safe knowing some day I would use it. This is the year! I found a few snow scrapers at target in their dollar spot (yeah they were a $1.00) and then did a little designed paper to put the poem on and ta-da.
An inexpensive neighbor gift that every could use.

I have it in a document file with 2 on a page it you would like one let me know.

Tricks and Treats

This is what my littles were for Halloween this year... our Lil Dude was a Dragon

 Goose a gorgeous flapper

 Bug was Little Red riding hood
And while my mom visited we went to work on the Christmas Party she is in charge of. I felt sooo bad I can't come to it that I wanted to make it easier for her so I sewed some fabric table centers and we made these as centerpieces. She will then give them away as a gift at the end

We purchased 2- 2x6  (less than $2 each) and 1- 2x4 (just over $1) boards at home depot
the I had The Man cut the 2x6 in 5 inch increments  and a few 3 inch and all the 2x4 blocks in 3 inch  increments. Then a little paint (3-4 coats), paper, modge podge, and some vinyl letters and you have some cute block words.

Size does not matter

Normally I try hard to not pay listen to what others say around me while standing in line at the grocery store but tonight while on a quick trip for milk and cheese I heard this.....(in a young girls voice)
I have to lose weight, if I could just be skinny then he would want me, Look I grew out my hair now it long, now all I have to do is get skinny, then he would see.) I just couldn't resist it despite my inner voice saying "mind your own business" something  said louder..."Speak Up" so I did. I turned to that group of high school students and said. "I'm sorry but your body will always change, and if he can only like you if you are skinny he is not the one for you." She said well no I just want to make him see what he could have had, and I replied "if he couldn't see it already he never will no matter what you weigh."

Now let me tell why this conversation was so hard for me to hear....
As a high school student I joined to Drill team only to be told every day at weigh in that 115 was fat and that I had to lose 10 lbs, so I tried I cut out all sweets, watched what I ate and worked out everyday, I lost 2 lbs, that wasn't enough so I quit.
Later as a 21 year old I over heard a young man say to another young man that "Heidi might get more dates if she hit the gym and lost a few pounds." Now I was a size 6 just so you know I wasn't morbidly obese constrained to a bed.
I have struggled with my weight ever since Jr high, especially in my legs, I HATE it. I wish more than anything I could be a size 2 but alas I am not. So every day I tell myself I am great even if I should lose a few. So to hear a young girl saying her worth to some guy is dependent on her weight I want to scream.

My wish is that we show support for all that these girls are doing right and teach them to love themselves and someday they will see the right boy will love them even if they have a few to lose too.
P.s. I am all for healthy eating and exercise but let's face it we all can't fit into a supermodel mold (yes I am totally going to bring that up when I meet our creator)