Well, it’s the day after Christmas. Crazy last minute crocheting and wrapping complete. Last minute cooking and baking over. But I’m left with the euphoric feeling I always have after spending some very much needed ultra quality time with family and friends. I certainly wish my whole family could have been together, but my oldest sister Lauren lives in Oregon and wasn’t able to fly in. We did get to Skype with her and Amanda though so they were here in spirit!

I become a big dork when the holidays come around because of all of the little activities that come along with Christmas: wrapping presents, making cookies, more baking, celebrating with family and friends. Since I started crocheting in 2009 I’ve made little gifts for everyone. Last year it was headbands, and this year was coffee mug cozies! I snuck in a picture of my coffee mug wearing a cozy in my Thanksgiving post, but I’ve been working on making a bunch of them in the last few weeks to give as gifts this year. I stuck big awesome vintage buttons on them and they turned out great =) My friend Jess R is a big DIY fiend so I attempted my very first amigurumi and made her some peas in a pod, and she made me a mustache pillow! It also had a bird on the other side of the pillow.. Put a bird on it! Finally, I pulled out my antique apron for a night of baking cookies with my two bestest friends, Jessica and Karli.

Friday was the 10th annual grab bag party with friends I’ve had since forever ago. I must be notorious for loving moustachios.. in addition to the mustache pillow I got an amazing coffee mug with a mustache on it and inside it was stuffed with Godiva chocolate and a gift card for Michaels craft store! I’m in love =)

This year I tried to incorporate as much DIY as I could. I made the cozies for gifts, used this idea from Sarah’s Never-Ending Projects to make canvas photos for my friend who had a baby back in October, I also spent an evening making salt dough and punching out shapes for tags on my gifts, and for making ornaments (J K L is for my sisters and me.. Jenna, Krystle, Lauren). That was a lot of fun and they turned out pretty cute! I crocheted little scarves for the gingerbread men shapes.

Wrapping presents is easily one of my favorite parts of Christmas. So many people hate it and find it tedious but I find myself getting overly excited about putting pretty bows and decorations on boxes and seeing those receiving it light up when they get a box they can’t bare to rip apart. I get nerdy about decorating as well. I spent the day before Christmas Eve decorating my Aunt’s boyfriend’s house where my mom’s whole side of the family would meet on Christmas Eve. Garland and twinkling lights galore!

As much fun as it is giving gifts, receiving them is pretty awesome too..! I got so many great gifts from my family and friends! From my parents I got the Spinner 360 lomography camera which I can NOT wait to start using! My sister Krystle got me a Yeti Blimpus created by my friend Mike Serafin (you should check them out because they’re more than awesome!). I also got lots of gift cards for Michael’s craft store so I can finally buy some fancy yarn and make something nice for myself, and all of the other little goodies that made Christmas great this year like all of the delicious smelling soaps by Amanda and apple pie shots made my my cousin Andy and wife Angie. Mmm!

Was Santa good to you?? Or did the Krampus come and beat you with sticks for being naughty? I certainly hope it wasn’t the latter.. Now that Christmas is over it’s time to start getting excited for one fantastic year to end, and another to begin!