Don't Think of These as Late Gifts, Because They're NOT

In addition to that pesky nesting instinct forcing me to feverishly wash grubby walls that haven't been scrubbed for a couple of years when I should have been leaving for a doctor's appointment, it's also knocked a few gifts off my to-do list.

Several of these gifts were ready for mailing by December 25th, but since they were all going to the same family, I compulsively waited to mail them until I'd finished them all in...May.  Even though these were technically Christmas gifts and one could view them as shamefully late, I choose to think of them as early.  I'm actually giving "Christmas in July" gifts to recipients a few months early.  Hurrah for me!  Way to be on top of things, Abby!  Hip, hip!  (That's me cheering myself on.  Someone has to do it.)  They're all for my brother Andy and his family, which explains the animal theme.  They live right next to a bay in Alaska and often see seals and beluga whales.

Bathmat #1.   You knew I had to decorate a bathmat, right? (Yes, I think my habit of bathmat and potholder decorating is comical, too.)  Harbor seals under  the midnight sun.

Bathmat #2.  Beluga whale.

 



(with hasty hand-embroidery)

I made more of these little, zippered pouches using the same helpful tutorial.

And, yes, I'm still completely enamored with the zipper tabs.

I made these funny-looking Star Wars bowls back when I made the mugs,

as well as this mug for Andy.

And, just because this is a stitchery post, here are the potholders onto which I appliqued fowl for my mom-in-law for Mother's Day.  What's a stitchery post without bathmats and potholders?