Craft-Along Hoops...2 out of 3

Two down....one more to go!  

I can't leave anything alone, either - I needed snow for my snowman and Cute Verlynne suggested jingle bells and I {gasped} because, YES, these needed jingle bells.  Naturally.  I love putting 3-dimensional elements onto stitchery, so this is exciting for me.

Below is an illustration of the stitches I used.  Everything is mostly done in a backstitch, using 3 strands of DMC floss in a dark charcoal gray.  (#3799)

If you need a stitch guide, I made one a while back with the birth of my beloved advent tree!

Um...so that snowdrift...looks like a blind, drunk person did that in the dark, but the reality is that it WAS done in the dark, though I'm not very blind and I don't drink.  :/   However, I kind of like that it looks imperfect, so I'm going to leave it alone.  Sometimes imperfection is perfect!  :)

I also don't LOVE my snowman nose...I got a little artsy with turning it into a carrot and it doesn't look like I want it to...but I'm leaving it alone, as well.  

Christmas Craft-Along - Hoops

Okay, so since we're all crafting along together, here is what you have to do to start the hoops:

1.)  Measure your linen fabric & cut it to size, giving yourself plenty of space around the hoop.  My hoops are 8" around and I did the whole eyeball measure, snip, and tear technique.

If you're going to make a set of these, you might as well make two sets and give one away!  :)

2.)  Gather bits, pieces, and scraps of fabrics that you want to use.  I found all of mine at Wal-Mart, so my options were limited, but I ended up with colors that will work.

3.)  Iron-on Heat & Bond - DOUBLE SIDED.  You're going to want a paper lining on one side so you can iron one part onto your colored fabric and be able to iron the pieces onto your linen to secure them before stitching.

 4.)  Making my pattern pieces.  (Links to downloadable PDFs below)

If you don't like my pattern pieces, feel free to freehand your own - it's super easy.  Trace your hoop to get your dimensions and draw away, leaving yourself 2-3 inches on the edges to secure underneath the hoop when you're done.

 Now I'm going to trace my pieces onto the paper side of my Heat & Bond, cut them out, and iron them onto my linen.  Then I'll be ready to stitch them down and they'll be pretty much done!  

Make sure to print these on cardstock so they're easy to cut out and trace with.  

Hoops Pattern Page 1
Hoops Pattern Page 2

Make sure to trace your patterns IN REVERSE (right sides together).  If not, no worries, your images will just be mirrored to what mine are, which is totally fine.

When you're done tracing and cutting, make sure to remove the paper backing before you place them onto the linen.

So this is how I configured my pieces onto the fabric.  I set the ring down in the center and built inside of it, ensuring I have enough on the outer edges like I need.

Once I got the pieces exactly where I needed them to be, I moved the hoop and pressed everything down.  

Here is how the cutout images should be positioned: {sorry--didn't have time to edit these pics}

Notice that there is enough extra applique fabric beyond the borders of the hoop.

Have a Happy Day!!  And Happy Crafting! 

Let me know if you have any problems with the PDF patterns!!

-Abby

Craft-Along Gathering Process

Okay!!!  We have some interest, so let's make some cute stuff together!!  For now, I think that the hoops, trees, and Photo Challenge will be plenty of work!  : )  You can pick one, two, or all three - and we will have a  new Flickr page to share our work together!!

START DATE:  November 1st

This will allow everybody to gather the needed supplies.  

I'm moving a little slow this week…it's crazy busy and I've got some nasty cold virus that has knocked me down, but so far I've been able to gather a few supplies:

I have:  six 8-inch wooden hoops

cream-colored fabric - from Wal-Mart.  It was only about $3.00/yard and each is a little different.  The lighter color is super sturdy, canvas-like, and would hold up well.  The speckly fabric is a lightweight linen-type fabric, which is probably what I'll use for my project.  

Felt from Sweet Emma Jean

I ordered a multi-pack, as well as 5 Moss, and 5 Grassy Meadows.  I love this felt - it's good quality wool felt and will stitch up beautifully!!  For my trees, I want to try a two-tone look, so I will experiment with both of these green colors.

The rest should be pretty easy.  Some cute quilting cotton fabric for the figures on the hoops, some wood for our trees, foam cones for trees, and embroidery thread for both projects.  

Also, I just ordered some wood slices from Placecard Holder Shop

I submitted a "custom request" for three disks, 1.5 inches tall by 3 inches around

I have no idea what this will cost, but I will let you know when I hear back from them.  Shouldn't be too pricey.  If  you have a way of cutting your own, feel free to do that.  

Go ahead and gather supplies, I will keep working on organizing this fun Craft-Along, and we will all get started!! 

Have a happy day!!  

--Abby

Christmas Craft-Along?!

I miss doing things together…..remember the Apron Swap?  The Fitness Challenge?  Good times. 

 Let's do something together again!  Anybody with me?!  

Sometimes I need a little nudge….sometimes a push...and mostly a SHOVE.  

Let's make something adorable to add to our homemade collection for our future generations to enjoy.  That's one of my favorite things about the things we make - our future generations will treasure it…usually.  

I wish I had something beautiful made by my grandmother, but I don't because she had, like, a bazillion grandkids.  I do have a beautiful crochet dress made by a great-grandmother and it's a TREASURE!

So…with that in mind…let's make some Christmas decor!  I will jump ahead and walk you through it step-by-step and it will be something that ANYBODY can do.  We can all post our pictures on a Flickr page that I'll set up later.  

Here's what has inspired me lately…thinking about doing a craft-along with one or two of these:

Embroidery Hoop Christmas Applique from Coutrykitty.  These are adorable and would be cute up on the wall all together.  I'll make up some templates and post it for everybody to use.  This one looks fun!! 

 

Felt trees from Pottery Barn Kids.  To buy a set of these, you're looking at $136 before tax & shipping. We can make these for MUCH less!! (and probably a little more detailed, too)  Sometimes it's just easier to just spend the money on something really beautiful, but this time, I am thinking that this is a project I want to undertake.  

(Photo came from Pinterest, via Flickr.)

I LOVE this idea of creating a little felt tree for little ones to decorate.  I've got a LOT of little people in my life that would love this!  Trying to decide if it's something I want to undertake or not, but if I did, I'd probably do a bunch - which could get a little crazy!  Not sure if I want to get TOTALLY crazy or not….but being that it comes naturally for me, I'm seriously contemplating it.  …..???  

And…finally….best for last….DEFINITELY a Photo Challenge!  

You don't have to own a fancy camera - you just have to join the fun and get creative!  I'll come up with a Holiday Photo Challenge list and we can all share together.  

So get ready, get out your glue guns, embroidery needles, your cameras, and get ready to MAKE SOME MAGIC with me!! {scream!}  Sorry…screaming is sometimes unnecessary.

Have a Happy Day!!

-Abby

Christmas Garland

Finally finished it - just in time to put it away.  yesssssss.  Hey, at least I'll have something new to hang up next year.  That's my goal - at least one new Christmas project each year.  By the end of Thanksgiving, I'm usually ready to work on something festivy & fun, which is when I started this.

It's Christmas cookies with sprinkles!  The original and amazingly adorable inspiration {found here} came from Nana & Co., whom I absolutely adore.  {I liked her candy canes, too, but I didn't have the patience to make any}  Everything this Goddess of Creativity does makes me swoon. Page, after page, after page of her blog is loaded with the most beautiful creations.  I don't think she and I could ever be BFF's because she's just in a realm of creative awesomeness all her own.  I would probably giggle too loud, play with my hair too much, pass some nervous gas, let out an awkward snort or something....it would be bad.

But anyhooo...

I love this happy, cheery, cookiefull garland.  

I thought I saved a template...can't find it at the moment...I should have one somewhere...but it was created with Photoshop and, GET THIS, the cookie cutter tool. {funny, right?!}  There's a shape in the cookie cutter tool box that is a scallop circle.  So I just sized my circle & scallop circle on my piece of paper, printed it off on cardstock, cut them out, and traced my shapes on felt.  So easy it's disgusting.

I'll go find my template so I can share it...  

Homemade Gift Tags

 Hello Blog-land!!  I hope you're enjoying the Holiday season, kicking it off with Halloween (it all starts from there for me...), and then The Big Feast of Thanksgiving, and how we're moving on to the December festivities!!  {wahoo!!}  It's not that I don't love the Fall festivities, but December is just so much more fun for me.  I do have to say, though, that it is waaaaaaay different celebrating the Holiday Season in the Arizona desert.  It's marvelous, a dream-come-true, warm, sunny, bright, and oh so delightful.  However, it's hard to feel all festivy without some winter around me.  {don't get me wrong...I don't want anything to do with snow...}  It's just a little different, I guess.

Along with a bazillion things I'm loving on Pinterest right now, I've currently got a thing for homemade gift tags.  They can be the perfect touch to a thoughtful gift.  Plus, they're cheap, easy, and they give everything a little hand-made flair.  {and we love flair, don't we?!}  So I've been on the hunt for some fun tags, and I'm passing on my findings to you!!  {you're welcome}  

I'm going to put my tags in a little box with some twine, and when I need a random tag at a random time, I'll have a huge assortment of something darling.  LOVE it!  For someone who is never prepared (me), this kind of thing makes giddy.  Not pee giddy...just giddy.  (or P. Diddy.  whatever.)

 {a project wouldn't be complete without something to munch on.  Laughing Cow light swiss cheese wedge & rice sesame crackers.  OY it's good.}

These tags are my creation - you can download  them here.  Print on any color of cardstock. {I prefer earthy neutrals}

 These tags are here.

--All images used were purchased through Designer Digitals

Lots of tags on this page by Creature Comforts

More tags from Creature Comforts

{thanks, Creature Comforts! I love you!}

LOVING these hand-drawn tags by Hey Look

And if you have Photoshop and want to make your own, here is a tag template by Armommie.  (they also have a bunch of fun freebie downloads!)

Enjoy!!!  Love ya!!