Happy New Year

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and all the best of all things good for 2010.

See you in the new year.
Paola

Oh Christmas Tree.

Hi

Just some of pictures of my tree with various ornaments I have made over the years, paper, fabric, wood and beads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking.

Happy Crafting.

Paola

Christmas Tree Topiary- (with a tutorial)

Hi

A little project I worked on with my boys for the Christmas table this year.

Very simple to do and they loved that they got to help.

Here is what we did for the "blue" topiary:

The materials needed:

Polystyrene Trees
Polystyrene Balls
Craft pins
Bamboo Skewers
Various beads
Metal bucket
Tinsel
Ribbon

1. Paint the polystyrene trees, I inserted the skewer into the tree to aid with the painting. Set aside to dry.

2. Once dry embellish as desired, I used craft pins to attach blue beads to the tree (aka baubles) and wound tinsel around the tree.

3. Once embellished remove skewer and set tree aside.

4. Take the skewer and cut it to the desired length. I tied a bow around the skewer at this point as I find it difficult to make a good bow at the end. Insert the blunt end of the skewer into the polystyrene ball.

 

5. Place some sticky tack into the bottom of the bucket (this just secures the ball in the bucket), you could also hot glue the ball in place.

6. Insert the tree onto the skewer.

7. Add the angel to the top of the tree- insert the angel using the end of the pin used to put the angel together.

8.  Fill the bottom of the bucket with polyester fiber fill.

9. Take a strand of tinsel and wind it around the base of the tree.

 

Viola you have your Christmas tree topiary!

Happy crafting.

Paola

"Hugger" with a tutorial (of sorts!) and 2 freebies

Hi

Another gift idea I put together today for my DHs cousin, which has to be given tomorrow, as we will not be seeing them on Christmas day.

 

Now for the how to - I barely sew so this is a real novice attempt at a tutorial and pattern (LOL) so apologies up front.

Grab the pattern by right clicking on the image below and save image as. Once saved open the file and print. Seam allowance has been included and as I used felt I sewed as close as possible to the edge to avoid bulkiness.

Materials needed:

Felt                - white, red, orange  and black

Fibre filling  - to stuff the head and the body

Elastic          - for the arms and legs

Velcro          - to keep huggers hands together

Red Wire     - for earmuffs

Glue            - for eyes

Embroidery floss - mouth

Sewing machine

FREEBIE:

Here is how I made up his huggers aka springy arms and legs:
1. Cut the elastic into 4, 41/2" pieces.
2. Cut the arms and legs from white felt
3. Take the arm and leg pieces and attach the velcro to each piece.

4. Take the arms and legs and folding the piece of felt in half, attach the elastic to the top and bottom of the felt (see pics below)

 

Sew along the length of the arm and leg pieces pulling the elastic as you sew. This is what you should end up with.

 

5. Attach the arms and legs to the body where indicated on the pattern by the marks ---, ensure the legs are on the inside of the 2 body pieces before sewing so that when the body is turned inside out the legs and arms with be on the outside of the body.

6. Turn body the right way, stuff the body. Run a gathering stitch around the "neck" of the body and pull tight, sew it closed.

6. Take the head pattern piece and run a basting sick around the head, fill with fiber, and pull stitching shut, sew it closed.

7. Sew the carrot/nose piece (should cut one piece only for the nose) together and stuff with fibre fill - attach the carrot/nose to the snowman's face.

8. Cut the eyes and mouth out and place them on the snowman's face. Embroider the mouth using black embroidery floss. Highlight the checks (I used a pink Copic maker).

9. Take the ear muff circles and again run a basting stitch around the circle, filling it with fibre fill and creating small circles. attach a piece of wire or a pipe cleaner to hold the muffs together( I sewed my ear muffs onto the wire I used).

10. Cut the scarf out and make fringes in the bottom of the strip.
      Place the scarf on the snowman, embellish as desired.

'

FREEBIE: Right click on image below- it is the template (created by me) to the tag I attached, I actually used my Copics to color the tree after I printed it.

TFL

Happy Crafting

Paola

http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmprodaily/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pinit.jpg”

Have you seen all the tutu tutorials around the web!

Hi

I have seen some really great tuts for tutus (here is a good one), and I just HAD to give one a try to give as a gift. While I was making the child sized one, it dawned on me to make a matching one for a teddy to be added to the gift which could also be used on the recipients other smaller dolls- so they can play dress up together (LOL).

I also couldn't stop at the tutu so I purchased a cheap t-shirt and added some sparkle and made a wand to go with too.

 Not clear from images but I added strands of

ribbon at intervals around the tutu and added

a double bow to the front of the tutu.

 

Close up of top and tutu:

    Used glitter applique glue to make the "glitter" beads

    around the neckline.

And the wand: I used a length of place that is hollow and inserted a ribbon through trying a large bead to the top and bottom, I pulled it tight so that the top bead doesn't flop around, added some ribbons around the top and viola- super easy.

And she needs something to carry this outfit in now!

So I made this, you can find instructions for the tote/purse here (Note: scroll down the page to get to the tutorial on this link).

Here is the little teddy with its own "itty bitty" tutu (can be used on other dolls as well).

Added a ballet shoe charm to the tutu and

free cut a felt crown to turn the ted into a

ballerina princess.

 

 

Thanks for looking.

Happy Crafting

Paola

 

 

Ballet Stocking Gift Card Holder

Hi

My niece graduated from high school this year and as her school career comes to an end so too has her ballet dancing tuition so I thought it would be fitting as I want to give her a gift card for her Christmas gift, to create a card holder/tree ornament that would remind her of her ballet dancing (she has been attending ballet lessons since she was 3 and she is now 17).

I found a template on the Family Fun site- get it HERE (they have some other fun stocking variations too).

 

Close up of the ballet slipper.

Using the guidleines in the following challenges I turned the Ballet Stocking into a Winter Wonderland with a caroling theme:

SCS Ways to use it challenge: Let's go Carolling- Let It Snow

Pile it On: Tinsel Town - glitter

Cupcake Craft Challenges: Sing a Christmas Carol- Let it Snow

The Cuttlebug Spot: Gift packaging- Ballet Stocking

Crafty Card Makers: Alternative Christmas- Colors and Ballet Stocking

I used Cosmo Crickets new Christmas line Jolly by Golly and bazzill card. I embossed the white card with my Cuttlebug swirl embossing folder and added glitter to the snowflakes and houses. I constructed the snowman by cutting out of the patterned patter and piecing him together.

I have other ballet related gifts I have made to share later today so be sure to check back.

Happy Crafting
Paola