I can't think of a title for this post.

This year, Christmas gifts need to be simple, because we've got our hands full with two little ones. But I still don't like to show up to someone's house empty-handed, so I have made a few things to gift when we go visiting.

A bottle of wine is an easy gift, but it's nice to dress it up a little. These were once the sleeves of a sweater I no longer wear...after a little embroidery, they're much more festive!

I'm linking up at

Amazing Baby Gifts

I have mentioned before that my family is full of crafty people. Keith's family is full of talented people as well - so I wanted to share some of the amazing handmade gifts we were given to help us prepare for the arrival of our little ones.

Our families worked together to throw us an amazing baby shower. They went with a book theme, and asked guests to bring their favorite baby and kids' books. We now have quite a little library!

Kim and Michelle made the cake.

 The tables were decorated with books, covered in coordinating paper.

 The room was just beautiful!

Our friend Jody tie-dyed some adorable baby clothes for us. The result is totally unique - and we will definitely think of her every time we put them on the girls!

My grandmother made these beautiful receiving blankets for us, and hand-knitted the beautiful sweaters below. There are adorable little bonnets to go with them. The stitches are so tiny, and the yarn is so soft - they must have taken forever to make! They are really incredible.

 Keith's Aunt Carol and his cousin Erin made this beautiful activity book for the girls. I remember having one like this when I was little - it teaches them to tie, and zip, and button, and learn about numbers and letters. It is really incredible.

 Keith's mom knitted these beautiful blankets for the girls. They are incredible soft and the pattern is so pretty!

These ones aren't handmade - but they are hilarious. The bib is from Keith's brother Thomas- it says "My Uncle Is Hot - and Single!!!" The onesies say "I was planned (she wasn't!)", which is perfect for our surprise twins!

 Keith's sister Michelle painted this beautiful plaque for the girls. It reads "Twice the Joy, Twice the Love, Twice the Blessings from Above".

And finally, Keith's cousin Kelley made this diaper cakes. They are so cute it seems a shame to take them apart! They are decorated with little toys, bibs, and other tiny baby necessities.

My cousin Aimee, who is quite a photographer, took all the pictures of the shower for us. She takes some really incredible photos. I can't wait to have her do a photo shoot with the girls once they are home.

So, to sum it up...we are incredibly lucky to be supported by such wonderful people. Having preemies and leaving them at the hospital has been really hard, but it is made easier through the love and support of our families and friends!

Another Wedding Gift and Some Big News!

I have been terrible about updating! I have lots of projects to share, but I simply haven't had time...because my girls are here!

Fiona and Riley were born September 8th at 33 weeks 4 days. Because they were so early, they are still in the hospital, but doing great - they are breathing on their own, regulating their own temperature, and working on getting enough food to grow big and strong so we can bring them home. Keith and I are spending lots of time at the hospital. I might be biased, but I am pretty sure these are the most beautiful babies in the entire world :)

So, that's my excuse for not updating. I think it's a pretty good one. However, I will share a little project I worked on over the summer for some wonderful friends who got married at the beginning of September.

I found this embroidery pattern here, and there are lots more to choose from - I thought this one was perfect for a wedding!

Congratulations, Andrew and Mairead!

More baby...

But this time, not for mine. This is a terrible photo, but the blanket is so soft and snuggly :)

The pattern is a free one from Red Heart - simple and quick.

So many babies, so little time! It seems like everyone is having babies these days!

Christmas Recap, Part 2

Another Christmas project I enjoyed was this simple scarf. You need a TON of stitches on the needle, but they work up pretty quickly and they are pretty! I have already gotten requests for the pattern, which is a free one from Lion brand yarn! 

With this blue one (for my Nana, she loves this color), I followed the directions exactly, and used just a little bit more than one ball of yarn. That annoyed me, since it meant I had to buy two! I made a second one, in red, and just reduced the number of stitches (I think by 20 or so) and then it took exactly one ball. I think a little bit shorter looked fine - maybe better, since it was a little less bulky.

Not the best picture I've ever had taken of me...but I was in a hurry to get things photographed and wrapped!

Christmas Recap, Part 1

My brother is in the process of becoming an adult. This year, he bought his first condo...and the first time I visited, I felt like it was missing something. It was lacking a certain sophistication. And people were drinking wine out of coffee mugs.

So, of course, I bought him wine glasses for Christmas. But I felt like he needed something to go with them - cocktail napkins!

But of course, plain white wouldn't do. So I sought out this tutorial for a basic napkin, and then looked for some embroidery patterns to spice them up. I found the perfect patterns here.

And, voila!

Grownup (because they are cloth napkins) and still ridiculous. Perfect for my brother.

I love the way these turned out. I will definitely make more!

Christmas Inspiration...

I like giving gifts, but I don't like the pressure to come up with the perfect gift for everyone I love all at the same time (that's why birthday gifting is easier). However, I've been cruising pinterest for inspiration...here are some great Christmas gift ideas!

For the chef in your life...

For the ladies...

For the home...

Source: ayumills.blogspot.com via Erica on Pinterest

For readers...

Source: hisforhandmade.blogspot.com via Erica on Pinterest

Source: skiptomylou.org via Erica on Pinterest

Of course, I won't have time to even attempt most of these...*sigh*...but it's fun to look! I always think I'll get started on Christmas earlier next year...

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Today I am linking up to the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side. She has an amazing collection of quilts on display, submitted by hundreds of bloggers. Stop by and be inspired!

For my contribution to the festival, I want to talk about my favorite quilt I've made so far. I originally blogged about it here.

First of all, I love scrappy quilts. I love how the randomness of a million different fabrics comes together to create something that, amazingly, looks planned.

From a distance, they look like simple colored blocks. When you look close up, though, you see something new every time.

This was one of the first quilts I ever made, so I learned a lot from the process! It was the first time I had ever tried paper piecing, which was really fun. Thinking about this project makes me want to try it again!

 This quilt is also special to me because I made it as a gift for a very special lady. Growing up, she was like my second mom, and I gave her this quilt as a thank-you gift because last year, when I got married, she hosted a beautiful bridal shower for me. 

So, that's the story of my favorite quilt. Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check out the other quilts showcased at the quilt festival!