Pillowcases for Smiling Faces

I went on a pillowcase-making rampage this week to get some late Christmas presents in the mail for the friends and family that I love.  I finished them on Tuesday night and they came out pretty amazingly, if I do say so myself!  Here's the silly story of how it happened!

I cut everything on Sunday and I just love how everything looks all together!  New fabric always makes me giggle with anticipation!

 To make these pillow cases, you roll the body of the pillowcase in the pillowcase's stripe and pin it.  Here they are:  all rolled up and nowhere to go!

  Here they are, unrolled after being sewed, but not done yet!  Now they are starting to look like pillowcases, though!  Goodnight Sunday!

 Monday and Tuesday I sewed the rest of the pillow cases.  Here they are all folded... I loved them so much I was tempted to just put them in my own linen closet!

  Then I thought... maybe they would look even better on my bed!  But alas, they are meant for people I love, so time to send them off into the world.  Be loved, little pillowcases.

Life is good.  God is good.  Little lingonberries are everywhere!

I've Been Off Looking for Lingonberries...

Sorry I haven't written in a bit, but Christmas has been craziness.  Because I work in the gift industry, Christmas starts in late October and then it is Christmas everyday all throughout November and December. It's also kind of like the Superbowl everyday, because the entire year has led to this and the company either makes money or it doesn't... and for a while there, it was touch and go.

My husband and I traveled home for the holidays to see my parents and entire extended family, which is always wonderful and stressful at the same time.  This year, I chose to see the wonderful.  We took a family picture and had a fun night out at the mall the night before Christmas Eve.  On Christmas Eve, we gathered with my mom's family, and I marveled at the 4 generations gathered in one house.  My mother's side of the family is the Swedish side, so also, there were actual lingonberries on the table, which reminded me of my little abandoned blog.  On Christmas Day, its little cousins and lasagna, truly the best, most relaxed way to spend the holiday.

On New Year's Eve, we started a new tradition by going to my husband's friend's house.  I am getting to know his wife and she is such a sweetheart!  They have three little ones, a little girl who is still in a crib, and a little girl and a little boy who are officially both in big-kid beds.

I thought these pillowcases would be snuggly for such grown-up kinds.  When Gus Lizard and Coconut Monkey heard they could snuggle up with new pillowcases, they said that they should be presents, too!

These pillowcases come out great every time I make them!  So easy and fun!  Find the pattern here! In fact, I have some more pillows to make for friends and family, so I think I am off for a night of self-care and pillowcase sewing.  Sounds just fabulous. ;)

Despite having a rough week, I have to remember:  Life is good, God is good, and little lingonberries are everywhere!