12 Projects of Christmas

On Tuesday I posted the results of my Autumn Bucket List. I think I did pretty well considering that I knew I put way too much on that list:) Today I have another list that will bring me into the Christmas/Holiday season.

1. Crochet Stars: I started these stars several years ago and I still love them, just haven't found the time to get more finished. I really like the colors of this yarn and it is sooo soft. If you haven't noticed already, I use this particular yarn quite a bit. I haven't decided if these will become ornaments or a garland.

2. Project Peace: This is a KAL hosted by Christina Campbell of The Healthy Knitter. This is a free cowl KAL designed to promote peace around the world. Lots of fun, the Ravelry Group can be found HERE. Also, Christina will be blogging daily tips for making your life just a little more peaceful.

The very beginnings of my Project Peace cowl

3. Make a hat for me: I started this one a couple weeks ago. I'm not a hat wearing person, mostly because I have a LOT of hair and always have it pulled back in a ponytail or messy bun. Since this is a slouchy hat, I'm thinking that my messy bun might fit in it so I don't have to wear my hair down. We will see. It is the Sockhead Slouch hat.

4. Spruce up wreath: I made this wreath maybe 15 years ago or so. It's made by shaping 3 wire hangers in circles, each just a bit smaller than the next and then my hubby took short pieces of the wire and soldered them together. Then take short strips of any color fabric and tie in knots. In years past I have just left the berries on it and called it good, but I think I want to add to it this year and make it a bit more festive. This will hang on my front door. 

5. Make a cowl for me: This one I also started a couple weeks ago. I'm really loving the yarn and the pattern is just started to show for me. It is the Tidal Sands cowl. 

6. Crochet Lap Blanket: I started this one a few weeks ago as well. There is no way I could get all this done if I hadn't started a bit early. As it is, I'm going to be lucky to get half of it done:) This one doesn't really have a pattern. Just a basic bobble stitch, going in groups of 3 stitches. I didn't even count how many stitches I 'cast on', I just counted by 3's. This one is going to take some time to finish!!

7. Christmas Decor 'JOY': I don't have a picture for this one. Basically this will be taking the paper/cardboard letters you can find at craft stores and painting and/or decoupaging with decorative papers and setting them up. I found this idea in an old magazine.

8. Stitch/Finish Ornaments: Also no picture for this one either. I haven't picked out what I want to stitch yet, but will be going through stitching stash soon to get it started:) FUN!! I also want to 'finish' off a couple of stitched pieces I already have done into ornaments. I will need to be selective with this as we down-sized our Christmas tree this year and so only favorite ornaments are allowed on it now:)

9. Make knitted hat for daughter: I found this 'cat' hat a couple weeks ago and just knew my daughter would love it - yes, she's 17. yes, she is a bit silly!! :) She just loves cats and she has a kitten right now that is black, so the hat will match the kitty. It's is a super simple - and FREE, pattern. I've only worked on it for a couple days and it is just about done already. This will be a Christmas gift for her.

10. Make a crochet hat for daughter: Above I spoke of how I am not a hat person. Well, my daughter on the other hand, is. This is In Bloom Beret and I have already made her one in another colorway. I will make this one just a little bigger as the last one needed just a bit more body to it to hide all her hair:) This will also be a Christmas gift for her.

11. Finish stitching 'She Feeds Them Well' by The Scarlette House and 'finish' into a wall hanging: This is the piece I've been working on FOREVER now that will be a Christmas present for my mother in law. She is a crazy bird lady - well, not really crazy, but she sure loves her birds, and flowers too:) This is the most recent photo I have of this...

12. Wall Decor to be changed out with the seasons: Not sure how to explain this one. Really it's just a concept in my head for now. It started out as wanting a way to hang our stockings - our 2 stockings as we lost one years ago;) I had thought a box that I could paint and decorate with hangers on it. Something like THIS. But we really don't have a good place to put it. SO I thought maybe a wall hanging of some sort. Then I remembered a project my daughter did for 4-H fair this summer. It was a rustic board that she attached a wire basket and hangers to. PERFECT. Except it is all the wrong colors for Christmas and it is a little too 'rustic' for my hubby's taste. ***Note: my hubby works in tooling and has worked in the wood shop for years and years. Their wood tooling has to be exact to within 3/100ths of an inch, so he is REALLY picky when it comes to wood projects:)

So then I decided that yes, I want something very similar to what dd had made, but I want to be able to also hang a stitched piece to the top of it so it can be changed out with each season. I really do have a pretty good idea of what I want it to look like and have shared these ideas with hubby since he will likely be the one to build a good part of it. Of all the projects on this list that I personally want, this one is a favorite, but it will depend on if hubby has time/patience to work on it:)

That is it for the 12 Projects of Christmas. There are a few that I'm pretty sure won't get completely done by the end of the month, but even if I can just get the Christmas gift items done and make a good dent in the rest, I will be happy.

On a side note... My daughter was looking over the things I didn't get done for my Autumn Bucket list and she remembered that I *promised* to watch a scary movie. UGG!!! She says I'm not going to get away with not watching one with her. 😖 I should have hid the list from her!!! :)