It’s been a while since I shared new projects for you to make easily at home.  I have two, today that I’m just going to tease you with, until I can get the full “how-to” tutorials posted and one that is so simple you won’t need a tutorial.

Concentration and diligence! That's my girl!

1. This adorable apron I made for our cutie-patootie eight-year-old.  She is an aspiring baker and making her dad’s favorite chocolate mint cookies in this picture.  She loves wearing this apron and it was so easy with some odds and ends remnants from my sewing room.  I spent a lot of time online searching for vintage apron patterns (I just love the look of vintage aprons!) and I found these three on Ebay.  I also made two smaller aprons for our granddaughters, at the same time.  They use them at home in their play kitchen.  They also make good “bibs” to cover pretty church dresses or nice clothes at family gatherings.  Luckily, I have tracked down some great online versions to share with all of you, later.  Who do you know with a birthday coming and who on your Christmas list would LOVE a beautiful vintage apron?  Plan ahead, be frugal and make something fabulous that will be a treasure and be useful for years to come.  I can’t wait to show you the online patterns I’ve found and we can make them together in a step-by-step tutorial!
   
   

   A happy baker in her handmade apron.

2. Projects made with my Cricut.  These are a handful of items I made as I received it just before Christmas, last year.  I literally pulled it out of the box and made these gifts, first thing.  You guys are seriously going to be able to have the best Christmas gifts, for less money, when we are done with the new series that’s coming.  (Ooops!  What new series?)    These sweet little handbag money holders were so much more fun than just putting money in a card at Christmas time.  For our older daughters, last Christmas, their gift was money for a shopping day out with just mom and the girls.  I wanted to do something more than just throw money in a card.  The handbags turned out adorable and we hung them right on the Christmas tree.  I also used the Cricut to cut adhesive vinyl, attached the vinyl to glassware and then used glass etching gel to personalize some other fun Christmas gifts.  Can’t wait to show you how simple it is!
   

   Handbag Money Holders for Christmas

   

   Sometimes we all need a Happy Place like this.

   

   Pie Plate I etched using my Cricut.

   

   Cake pan Cricut etching project.

   

   I etched a salad bowl for my niece.

   

   Bottom of the bowl pictured above.

3. For her eighth birthday, last year, our daughter had two friends over and their activity was to decorate pillowcases.  This was at our daughter’s request and at first all I could think of was “mess”, when she asked.  But, as I wandered through the fabric and craft department I came across these wonderful fabric markers.  I am in heaven!  And so is she.  Without the mess and without a lot of “let me help you” or “let me do that for you”, the girls were able to complete sweet little personalized pillowcases that went home as their party favors.  Our daughter has made several since which she has given as gifts and she is so proud to be able to do something on her own to give to people she loves.  We did sneak a little “puff” paint onto the clouds and such, with a little help from Mom, but it really wasn’t difficult or messy.  This is a great project to do with kids and you could use t-shirts, bibs, aprons, banners — let your imagination go crazy!
   

   Pillowcase made at the birthday party.

   

   Beginning a new pillowcase project for a gift.

   

   Close-up of the handiwork in progress. See the markers? (Right-click your mouse on any picture and select VIEW IMAGE to see it full-sized.

Hope you’re getting inspired for some great holiday projects, because I have some exciting news to share!  October 19 will be Busy-at-Home’s one-year anniversary.  I’ll be kicking off a brand new series called A Homemade Holiday.  We’ll be making Thanksgiving and Christmas projects to decorate your home and holiday tables, gifts you can make simply and frugally that will be received with excitement and accolades, delicious recipes to make your meals, celebrations and entertaining a smashing success and so many more fabulous things.  I’m working on finding some great sponsors who may be able to offer products to help us out with a few giveaways and discounts, so stay tuned to see what I come up with.  A Homemade Holiday will run from October 19 through the end of 2010.  You won’t want to miss a single, money-saving project; so be sure to save the date for our big anniversary kick-off!