A merry Crafting to all ...

Things have been buzzing around here since my parents arrived to celebrate the holidays with us. Mom arrived with a pattern and bag of notions in hand, ready to work on a "dress up" doll for my daughter - you know, the ones with zippers and snaps and velcro and all that good stuff. It's supposed to be a Christmas present, but due to some unplanned sewing machine maintenance (and procrastination), it's what we've spent pretty much every free moment on since she got here.

So here's the view I've had of my mother this holiday:

And here's how far we had gotten as of my daughter's bedtime last night:

They're still mostly naked (except for the fiendishly difficult but really cute shoes), and in need of haircuts and hats, so we've got a ways to go.

And here's how we kept my daughter entertained for part of the time we've been sewing:

In case you were wondering, that's remnants of yarn, hot-glued to styrofoam craft balls so that it looks like a ball of yarn but will only unwind about two or three feet. Much preferable to her playing with real yarn balls (and getting them all tangled and forcing me to untangle them while cursing like a dockworker).

I'll be spending the next day and a half sewing clothes for the dolls ... yes, dollS, because my mother decided that making two was just as easy as one, so we might as well make an extra for the daughter of the infamous Sybil (who gave me the handprint tracing idea). We'll also be baking cookies, making a big Christmas Eve dinner, and delivering crocheted Christmas ornaments to the neighbors.

I wish all of you a very merry, and very crafty, Christmas (or winter holiday of your choice)!

- Lazy Mama