Day 20 of Handmade Gifts to Give

After day 19's post about cookies I figure in order to do all that amazing baking that happens at the Holidays, one must have a cute apron to go with it, so that's the ideas for today.

I love the oven mitt pockets. From Delaney's Closet.

How cute is that?!! From Pig and Company
She has an adorable owl apron.

How cute would that be for a little baker in your life? From GranmaShirley


Back tomorrow with more gift ideas.

Day 19 of 25 Handmade Gifts to Give

So for the last few days of the gifts to give posts I'm going to feature things I find that I love.

I don't know how I came across this shop, but OMG! her stuff is AMAZING. Yes I know that's a lot of caps in one sentence, but look at her stuff. Batches is the name of the shop.

I love that she has pink owl cookies.

More cute cookies. This time from KindredSpiritSweets

How cute are those doggies?

I love these cookies from TSCookies

There are some really cute school bus ones in the same shop.

Being a former tennis player I would have loved these when I was playing(well I'd still love them). From Ruthie's Cookies

She has some that I know my brother would love to have. She has some running shoes and running jersey's.

Didn't mean for this idea list to be all about cookies, but once I found one they just kept appearing.

Just listed

Just listed this item in my Etsy store. Snow Banner/Garland

Listed these a couple of days ago and working on more.

Gift Card Matchbook holder

Gift Card Matchbook Holder

If you are interested in anything in my etsy store, but need a larger amount than listed or would like it in different colors or words please do not hesitate to contact me and we can work out the details.

Back later with the Handmade Gift ideas posts.

This Blog

I know I've posted before about not being sure what I want this blog to be and where I want to go with it. I think for now at least I've figured it out. It may be an ongoing thing, but I know part of my problem was my own analness(I'm sure I made up that word). I decided that in order to go in the direction I want to with this blog I needed to change the title of the blog. I decided to change it to Living a Passionate Life, because by doing that I can blog about whatever I want, as long as I'm passionate about it and probably even a few things I'm not, but hey sometimes laundry and vacuum have to be done even if you are NOT passionate about it.

I'm going to open up and be me, because you know what it's something I have always struggled with. I'm determined to make my 34th year the best ever. I have big goals and plans and I'm not going to let my insecurities and worry about not being myself because someone or someones may not like that. I have those kinds of people in my life, some I can get rid of, but some I can't. And maybe with some of them it is me thinking I can't be my true self around them, not really them.  And I'd like to think that with some of them it's because they wish they could feel more comfortable being themselves around people and not what they think they need to be.

Self Confidence has always been an issue for me(I know I've blogged about that before). I have always wished I was one of those people who believed in themselves so much that they really didn't care what others think. I think a small part of most people care on some level what others think of them, we all want people to love us and care about us. I want to be proud of who I am and not get so hung up on being who I think others want me to be. I want to be proud that I'm creative. I get so tired of people thinking it's a bad thing. I have someone very close to me in my life, that I can't really easily get rid of that at times thinks it's a great thing, but others loves and brags about it. It's hard to be around that person because I never know what mood they are going to be in and what side of them I will encounter. You know what I'm tired of it. I accept them for who they are and they need to learn to do the same and not just when it strikes their fancy or when it will benefit them.

So with this blog I'm going to blog about whatever strikes my fancy. I will blog about what I'm working on, what the kids are up to, when I'm upset, when I'm happy when I'm sick of the floor looking like it does from all the leaves that come in our house and so much more. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Some of my problem was also coming from having another blog for my Pink Owl stuff. I was having a hard time deciding what I wanted to post here and what I wanted to leave for there. So I think I have that figured out as well. My plan is to use that for finished items only. Maybe once in a while I'll throw in other posts, like right now that is where I'm posting all my Handmade Gifts to Give ideas. It will be more for the "business" type stuff. I will show projects here as well.

There has been a lot of this going on in our house lately. Lots of Littlest Pet Shop and drawing and puzzle putting together.

Day 18 of 25 Handmade Gifts to Give

First of all I want to say Happy Birthday to my mom. She is the best grandma to my kids and an amazing mom and friend to me. For a long time it was just the 2 of us after my dad died and I know I wasn't always the easiest child, but she has always stuck by me and been there for me.

Today's idea is one of the things at the holiday's that really seems to stress people out more than even shopping...cards. I love getting handmade cards, but I also really love photo cards, so I'm going to feature both. I know photo cards aren't technically "handmade", but the ones featured on etsy are at least designed by individuals instead of mass produced. I will feature both don't worry.

First up digitally designed cards:

Found in the shop Starlite

I love the trees on this card. Found in LNZart

I love the non-traditional feel to this card. Found in Announcing In Style

Now for non-digital cards.

I love polkadots and these cards are simply adorable. I love the polka dots and the simplicity of these cards. Found in of course Polkadot Shop

Love the owl couple. Found in 1313 Designs

Sorry for the bad picture here, but this is a set of Christmas cards I made for a friend. I love the simplicity of them. Have an order for 25 more. MUST GET BUSY!

If you have anything you'd like me to feature please leave me a comment. Only 6 more days left, I can't believe it.

Day 17 of 25 Handmade Gifts to Give

Day 17 brings one of my absolute favorite things about the Holidays...Nativity Scenes. I don't know what it is about them, but I have a major love for different Nativity scenes and I seem to like the non traditional looking ones. The only one I really own right now is the Fisher Price Nativity Scene and I LOVE it. It is traditional looking, but there is something so sweet about it. I think part of it is the look on my kids' faces each year when we get it out. Even Dart who is getting older still has that little shimmer in his eyes every year when we pull it out.

Some of my favorites on Etsy:

From Meadow Tea

How adorable is that? So many ways you could display it.

This is so different and can't be displayed in the house really, but still so cute for a little girl. Sweetstitchedthings

So simple and sweet from inbeccascloset

There are so many more that I LOVE!! My favorite though is one that my mom has that I remember using growing up. I remember everyday adding more "straw" to the manager so Baby Jesus would have a soft bed come Christmas morning when he would be added. My kids also love that one.

Day 16 of 25 Handmade Gifts to Give

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday...busy day and then crazy computer issues last night. Computer seems to be fine now after some major cleaning up. It was in bad shape, taking 20 minutes to type one word. I'm not a patient person as it is, so I was really not a happy girl last night.

Today's gift(home decor item) is stockings. Stockings come in all shapes, sizes and designs, but are one of the staples at the Holidays. I LOVE going through my stocking come Christmas morning. I even had 3 stockings as a little girl. One was the traditional red with white trim and my name embroidered on it, another that was made by my grandma, it was a pink ballet shoe and the final looked like a doll with a dress and apron on and the apron was the stocking.

Etsy is full of cute handmade stockings.

One of my favorites comes from Mr. Button

Should have known there was an owl on one of my favorites.

Another favorite from Little B Nursery

I love the simplicity of this stocking from Mondernality

Are you a stocking stuffer lover like me? What is the best thing you ever got in your stocking?