Wrappin' Them Up & Shippin' Them Off

Sadly, we don't live near our extended family, so holiday gifts have to be mailed to anyone who isn't coming to visit, which is nearly everyone. So I have to be on my game and get these little packages in the mail already or they'll end up being New Year's gifts.

Among other goodies, we're sending homemade hot cocoa mix (which I basically made up: equal parts really good cocoa and organic sugar, with a dash of vanilla powder) and homemade peppermint marshmallows (Martha Stewart's recipe). Both were super easy to make, so that was good. And they're mostly sugar, so we know they'll be popular.

{That yarn-ribbon thing around the neck of the jar actually looks cooler in real life than it does here. Since I'm hoping that Santa will bring me a new camera this year, I'll blame the poor old, busted up thing I use now.}

So here's the best part: the sewing. I made a whole bunch of gift bags, kinda like this one, in various sizes and various combinations of fabrics (all of them drawstring, except this one) in the hopes that they'll be reused (yay eco-Christmas!). You know what's funny, I made a lot of bags because every time I finished one I'd think, oooh, I like that one. Maybe I'll keep it... So like 40 bags later, I found a few I could part with. {Ahem.}

Ok, so here's to getting those holiday gifts in the mail to your far-flung relatives!
Happy sewing!