GRINCH CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

I think I started this project 2 years ago.  I've wanted Dr. Suess Grinch Christmas stockings but I could never find the ones I wanted.  I started collecting bright fabric snippets here and there and I finally decided it was just time to do it!

My tree is Grinch-themed and a Grinch is our tree topper so it seemed necessary for our stockings to match!  

(very loose inspiration)

Now if we could only get around to building a mantle...

Ahhhh...well.  

Supplies:

5/8 yard of minky, random cuts of Christmas fabric, pom-poms, rick-rack, Grinch ribbon, and quilt batting.

I had some leftover quilt batting that worked out perfect.  You could also use thick interfacing or really any sturdy fabric.  I wanted the stockings to have a bit of a quilted look to them.

I cut them first into squares.  For some reason, this works for me as a beginning to carve from.

I then cut them into stockings of random shapes and widths-no two the same.

I laid out my minky and cut backing for each, being careful to keep them facing upright.  I cut minky now so that I have scraps to use for the front.

I then laid out my scraps on top of the stockings, as randomly as possible.  You want some overlap for the seams.

I hadn't realized how many of my patterns were polka-dot until I laid it all out!!  I guess I'm really into polka dots...

I then carefully laid out the scraps in their same order on the floor next to the stocking and selected the center piece.  It doesn't have to be perfectly center-just closeish.  I then laid the center peice in the center of the batting stocking.

If you want to, you can actually spray glue that piece to the middle so there's no chance of it moving.  I didn't bother since it wasn't uber important AND these really are so flexible.  I then pinned the next pieces up and down to the red piece, pretty sides together.

Pinned and pinned.

I went and stitched those seams, directly to the batting.

I then pinned on the next up and down pieces and sewed those seams.  If you've ever made a strip quilt, that is the inspiration for this.

I continued to work my way out until all of the strips are sewed together and to the batting.

I then pinned and sewed my embellishments.  I'm so in love with these pom-poms!!

And then laid out it's minky backing twin, pinning and sewing them pretty sides together.  I flipped them right side out after trimming the inner seams and this is what the inside looks like:

I like that instead of having all those seams on the inside they are all on the other side of the batting-giving the inside a smooth feel and protecting your seams year to year as cute little hands dig candy out of these.

I folded in the top and finished it off.  Binding the top would totally be an option as well.  I also played with the idea of lining the entire thing and then using the lining as a top binding BUT it just seemed excessive with all these seams tucked in so nicely.

I then folded my Grinch ribbon in half and added the hanger!

Voila!  And it only took me 2 years!

Grinch Stockings!!  What are your fun Holiday crafts this year??  Share with me below! (especially if they're Suess-themed!)

HALLOWEEN & DISNEYLAND

On the Tuesday before Halloween these two people showed up on our doorstep and demanded that we accompany them to Disneyland.

We had a long list of reasons we couldn't go.  It was Halloween on Friday!  I had a photoshoot the next day!  I was supposed to help with the Halloween party in kindergarten!  We absolutely shouldn't spend the money!

Somehow...we ended up in Disneyland on Thursday.

They appealed to so many things-first and foremost, Bob and Lyndi offered an extra set of adult hands to help with the children.  They love going to Disneyland and know how to work the system.  They've been a few times in the last year and don't mind wandering around with us.  I am currently not pregnant, breastfeeding and my baby is big enough to walk and young enough to justify a stroller.

And most importantly...Haunted Mansion and Nightmare Before Christmas...a dream of mine since my childhood.

Maybe just a little bit excited.

We also had to swallow the fact that we've sworn for years now that we will NEVER EVER take young children to Disneyland.  "What a huge waste of money!"  We said.   "They'll never remember it!"  "It will be AWFUL."

Did I mention it's only 5 1/2 hours away...

So yeah.  We went to Disneyland.

Food was a priority.  It was imperative that we spend a very little amount of money AND still enjoy some of the key treats in the park.  Pumpkin flavored beignets were #1 on the list of yummies we needed to try since they're a special treat only offered in the autumn months.

For the rest of our food we packed in lots of snacks, including easy cheese and crackers.  My children were absolutely amazing and surprisingly well behaved.  By the afternoon Stella was very happy to crash in her stroller for an hour.

Rockships and turkey legs!

Dole whips at the tiki room!  As I'm looking at these I'm seeing that a lot of our pictures are centered around food...hmmmm.

We made it to the last Halloween carnival of the day and got to meet several of the characters in costume!  It was absolutely darling!

Bob and Lyndi knew how to work it-we picked out which rides were most important and got fast passes for those right away.  One couple would ride with the fast passes while the other took the littles on a different ride.  Then we would switch and use stroller passes for the other couple.  We rode space mountain and splash mountain this way and it was so awesome!  The longest we ever waited in line was 20 minutes!

Matching outfits were a must.  I was so SO happy to find these mickey shirts at Target the day before!

Awww.  The Benson/Davis Family 2014.

Nightmare Before Christmas was 100% worth the trip.  It was AMAZING.  I'm very afraid this may become a Halloween tradition.

The next day (Halloween) we spent at the beach.  Also awesome!  This was the girls first time to the ocean and they loved it!  Stella promptly removed her swimsuit and refused to put it back on.  The beach was so empty I just really didn't care.

Both Jon and I have never surfed before and it's a dream we've both had for a very long time.  We've skated, snowboarded, wakeboarded and done a little longboarding so surfing was really just necessary at this point.  Jon managed to get up to his feet a few times and I only made it to my knees.

Which really means that there must be a next time.

I could have photoshopped myself...but instead this is all of me for your viewing pleasure.

The seagulls were both lonely and abundant.  We were all playing in the ocean when we noticed a crowd of them forming and closing in on the children.  They wanted our food.  It's all we could do to keep them from carrying off Stella.

Naked surfer.

That night we took a ferry to Balboa Island.  We heard rumors that Balboa was the place for trick-or-treating.

They were correct.

The girls costumes were a hit!  Everyone loved both of them!  Paisley insisted that she be a spider so a spider she was!  If she would have fully had it her way she would have been a wolf spider and covered in fur.

Spider DIY:  We stuffed 4 socks and sewed them to a shirt and then used yarn to tie those to her sock covered arms.  Done and done.

All in all the trip was amazing and way too short!  We came home that night and I wish we could have stayed just a little longer.

It may become a yearly tradition.