I took my final stitches in the last handmade gift yesterday, and it has already been delivered. This is the Whirligig Shawl from Cascade yarns, made with ILTY. Color is River Ripple. The picture does not do it justice. It is full of lovely flecks of color.

I also finished this lovely this week. I am really very happy with this one. The drape is soft and lovely. It looks like flecks of gold in the black, but it is actually an ivory. This is Bernat Lattice. I have high hopes that the recipient will adore this one as much as I do. Same pattern as above. I made 3 of them this year and am very pleased. May have to make the pattern for myself.

This lovely has gone to a young woman who lives in a much warmer climate. It is made from a caron cake that is 60% cotton with acrylic. I am hoping she will be able to use it in the evenings at least. This is the Baker Island Shawl from the Lion Brand Yarn website.

I am rather confident that none of these recipients follow my blog, so it is safe to post these already.

I had already posted this finish which was for a dear friend’s birthday a few weeks ago. It is the same pattern as the first two above. Those are all the crocheted gifts this year. They were all done since just around Thanksgiving, so I am feeling rather accomplished. I will not be getting my own Christmas cowl finished in time to wear tomorrow as I had hoped but that is okay. I will put it on the list for next year.

I also decided, last week that I needed to create this lovely for a special gift for a family member. This is a pattern from SweetPea Machine embroidery. It took me about 6 days to get it all together.

Here is the full view. There are a few mistakes, but I am very pleased. This is the second of these lovelies I have made, the first adorns my own door for a few years now. I might have to consider making a few of these throughout the year so that I have them for gifts next year. Sweet Pea also has a tropical Santa that I want to create as well, since my family is basically Hawaiian at heart with my husband having lived there for many years of his childhood, my son having lived there recently and thinking of returning in the new year with a company transfer. And, having lived in the mountains and high desert of the SW US my entire life, I am a beach lover!!!! I get waves and sand as often as I can!

This creation is another design by SweetPea. I had to have it as soon as I saw it! This one is for my own walls. The top kitty is my Gracie and that second one down is my daughter’s Grendel. The others are kitties I only wish I had to love. My Gracie would not appreciate another cat in the house. It’s all she can do to put up with those nasty dogs. She is not usually as mischievous as the representation implies. We have never even seen her up on a counter and she gently nudges the ornaments on the tree, only in rare moments.

I don’t often get pictures of my Gracie. She is very antisocial and camera shy. I had to go back almost 2 years to find this one. Here she is at the vet and thought she had managed to hide herself in a cupboard.

This is her usual locale, in my bedroom, close to the window where she can get the warmth of the sun.