"Occupy your sewing room" - the results

Well, I didn't get to spend a whole day sewing, but I did make some significant progress on making Christmas gifts.  However, since some of the recipients may read this, I can't give away too much!!  But I can show you the kids' gifts, and a sneak peak at one of the other gifts I'm working on.

I finished up the tutu for Annika.  I bet you couldn't guess from my first picture of it that it wasn't done yet. I used a creative camera angle on purpose - I had run out of tulle before finishing!  But it's all done now, just waiting for its first dance. :)

Another gift for the kids is a hooded towel for each of them.  I found the tutorial on Pinterest - they're made from a regular bath towel and a hand towel.  I'm not completely satisfied with how they turned out, but I'm going to wait and see how the look on the kids before I do any fixing.  I love how big they are, though - nothing like being wrapped up in a great, big warm towel after a bath!

This is one present that I can't give too many details about, because the recipient may be reading.  It's a bit of a bigger project, and it's not quite done yet, but I think it will turn out well.  I'll post pictures of the finished product after Christmas!

So that's what I've been up to lately.  I've also been busy in the kitchen and on the computer, making other Christmas gifts (not all "handmade" gifts require the sewing machine!). 

I've been wanting to simplify Christmas this year (at least the gift-giving aspect of it), however, it seems like the list of potential gift recipients is growing longer and longer, and I'm not sure what to do about it.  Sunday school teachers, preschool teachers - even last week at Annika's last swimming lesson, one little girl brought a present for the swimming instructor!  Seriously, it was a 10 week class!!  I'm all for showing love and appreciation to the people around us, but sometimes it seems like it's going too far.  I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to do presents for Annika's preschool teachers.  Does everyone give gifts to their kids' teachers these days??  I don't remember that being a big thing when I was in school.  Will she be the only one without a gift for the teacher?  Or rather, teachers - there are 2, so that would mean 2 gifts.  If anyone has any advice or thoughts on this, please share them.