Nifty Christmas Storage Idea

I have a friend who spends $20+ for special boxes to store her vintage Christmas balls in.  There is no way on God's green Earth that I was going to pay that much. So I found this idea via Pinterest and thought I'd give it a try.

I bought myself some new boots right before Christmas and they cam in a nice tall box that wasn't too deep.  I went to the dollar store and bought a package of cups  and hot glued them to the bottom.  They fit perfectly!  Voila!  Ornament storage box for a dollar!

I was able to fit at least two ornaments in each cup.  So...this baby holds at least 56 ornaments.  I just put a nice thick layer of bubble wrap and tissue paper on top and stored them away til next year.

With Bells On

True to the Kenny and Dolly tune I am home for Christmas and have my proverbial bells on.  I couldn't be happier to spend a full Christmas in the 'burg after a few years doing it kind of half assed.  Last night my mom and I had our tradtional lobster dinner and then I headed into town for some QT with some of my faves(the Parks and Miller clans).  This afternoon brings a cramped holiday dinner with the fam jam and me spending a lot of time curled up with a good book...ahhhhhh relaxation.  I am looking forward to lots more festivities and laughs with friends and family throughout the duration of 2011.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Ornament Exchange~2011

Although it didn't go exactly according to plan I am so excited about the ornament exchange I did with a few friends this year.  Originally the plan was to exchange them at a little gathering at my place but alas, life gets in the way sometimes and plans have to change.  I love, love, love the ornaments I received and it was all I could do to wait until I got them all to share them.  I have such crafty, talented friends:)

My contribution to the exchange!  I have been obsessing over these little darlings for weeks :)

Here are some of the others I've made and am working on:

Some pretty girls waiting to be varnished and attached to their bodies.

Pretty much ready to go, except for the two poor arm-less darlings!

Nothing makes a Christmas tree like homemade ornaments.  I am so happy that mine is chock-full of them!

Christmas Crafty Love

My craft supplies are taking over my house.  I have card making supplies all over my kitchen table.  I have wooden bits, wire, embroidery floss, tole paints, glue, and fabric all over my living room.  I am doing a Christmas ornament exchange with a few friends and have moved this particular craft project to my living room, since my nook is already exploding.  It also allows me to watch "Parenthood" as I craft, which makes me extremely happy.  I am keeping this project under wraps until the exchange takes place.  Then I will be sure to post some pics.

In the meantime I will show you a few pics of some of the cards I have been making:)

Now I just have to update my address book and pop these suckers in the mail:)

Felt Ornament Pattern Making~ A Tutorial

I know it's still October but I am trying to get myself ready for Christmas (I know...insert groan here).  Although it's early I am planning on doing a mostly homemade Christmas.  I am trying again to do lot of homemade treats and gifts for the people I love.  I am also debating doing some craft shows/markets again.  I did the market last year for most of November and December but it was a lot work for little payoff (financially anyways).  Right now I am busy making cards and ornaments and last night I made a new felt ornament.  Making these ornaments is fairly straight forward but I thought I'd do a little tutorial to show how my ornaments go from a sketch, to a pattern and to a 3D object.

1.  Sketch out what you want your ornament to look like, keeping in mind that you will be cutting each piece out felt.  Unless you are skilled at cutting or have great little scissors you will want to keep each piece a reasonable size.

Jolly Santa sketch

2.  Outline your sketch with a black pen or marker.

3.  Trace each individual piece on a new piece of paper (I just used loose-leaf, I have about 10,000 pieces of paper but somehow no plain white computer paper).

It's not perfect, but it'll work.

4.  Cut out each piece and pin to the appropriate colour of felt.  Once pinned cut out around each piece.

5.  Put all the pieces together and stitch together.  I have no pics of this.  You have to be strategic about this, but I basically just wing it.  I also stitched on some eyes.

6.  Leave a small gap, add stuffing and stitch up.

Voila!  Jolly Santa!

So that's it!  That's the highly technical method I use to make my simple little patterns.

Mix and Mingle: Kate Spade

I just came across this just now and am totally loving it!  It is all just so me.  I love the bright colours and the fun and whimsical nature of it all.  I am probably waaaaaay lame for just finding this now but I love it and had to post a few pics!

Courtesy of the Kate Spade Holiday 2010 Campaign: Mix and Mingle

Christmas Concert Success:)

I am struggling to come up with the ambition to do a proper post.  I am trying to get a tonne of last minute Christmas stuff done, here's what I am trying to check of my to do list...

___ wrap gifts
___ get 2 gingerbread ornaments made
___ make table runner
___ make felt stocking
___ make cupcake ornaments
___ make Sweet and Hot Spiced Pecans
___ make more owls
___ put finishing touches on sweet treat packaging
___ make a doll for Jude
___ put up outside lights on balcony

I also want to let everyone know that by some miracle I pulled off three successful Christmas Concerts.  Not too bad considering from start to finish I had just under three weeks to get it all done.  I was sweating it a little bit when the dress rehearsals had more than a few glitches but all in all it went off quite well.  I got lots of nice compliments from the parents, staff at both school and was made privy to a few voicemails and emails sent to the principals by parents and the response was quite positive.  Now if they want to truly show me their appreciation they will give me a full time job:)

Christkindlmarket

I haven't had too much to blog  as of late.  I have just been busy trying to adjust to my new teaching position and planning like crazy for the Christmas concerts...all three that I am responsible for, yikes!  I have managed to find the time to make a few new things this week.  Some new fancy feathered headbands, which I forgot to photograph before I sold them this weekend and some really cute rosebuds which I fastened on to hairclips and Christmas-y plaid headbands.

I've also taken quite a few custom orders which is really nice!  This week I am going to be spending every spare moment that I have preparing for the Christkrindlmarket being held at Alderney Landing.  It should be really fun and hopefully really busy.  It's a German themed market and there is going to be all kinds of special events and entertaining.  They are bringing in a skating rink and a carousel and of course Santa.  There will also be performances by Terry Kelly (who always inspires me), Charlie A' Court, as well as school choirs and more.  This will be my first all weekend market/craft show.  I hope there is a good turn out and that I get some more stuff made in time!

You may be right, I may be crazy...

After about a year and a half of not being in the classroom full time I finally have a full time long term substitute postion teaching music at two schools.  It is only until Christmas for sure but at least I know for five weeks or so that I will be getting steady work and I can ease up on some of my Hamachi shifts.  That's the good news.  Here is where things get tricky...I am also going to be responsible for planning not one but two Christmas concerts.  This is a stressful thing for a fully trained, piano playing music teacher, let alone a tone deaf, non-instrument playing one!  Oh well I am a resourceful and creative teacher and I did teach music about five years ago.  Back then I did  a pre-packaged Christmas Concert that had CD's with instrument accompaniement, but of course that is nowhere to be found!  I do have some other CD's I can use that come with a music program that is in all Nova Scotia classrooms...now I just have to write a script and get all the songs transfered from about eight CD's to one by Monday at the latest.  I may be crazy for taking this on...oh well a girl's gotta eat...and shop...let's not forget about shopping (It also may a good career move...I may make some good connections and all that other good job stuff)! 

Sew Much to Do...

I am frantically trying to get ready for my debut at the market but wanted to share a few things that I have made in the past week or so.  Between teaching, my serving job and hockey I have no clue how I am going to get this all together by 5am-ish on Saturday morning but I am sure I will succeed.  I may not have everything perfect (which will kill me) but I am sure it will be just fine.

Snow Babies(should have photgraphed them against a coloured background).

My first boy doll!

I tried a new method to make the hair for this one.  I found it here.

Bibs made using some of the fabric sent to me by Alana in Japan.

I am off to job number two in a few...wish me luck...I'll need it to get everything done and organized in time:)

Holly Jolly Days 2009

I am not doing so well at posting lately. I just thought that for now I'd post a bunch of my holiday pics. They are pretty self explanatory so no lengthy description is required. Take a look and see what I was up to over the holly jolly days of 2009.





Happy 2010!!! The year of all things that are good!