Finally got photos taken of SOME of the holiday crafts made up and Mom and Dad's this Christmas. I didn't get photos of everything, though.
This year we focused on felt projects. Some we made with shapes cut out using metal dies, and others we made with free-hand cut shapes using hand-drawn patterns or ideas from books and magazines. Usually we take over Mom's dining room table with our project mess, but this year we got to enjoy the new quilt room Dad built for Mom. We spread out our supplies along the counter, and pulled in the old (retro-old) kitchen table as our work surface. There was a large stack of felt on the counter, as well as boxes of felt from Mom and Aunt Patty's stash, too! I brought cutting dies from my house to use for our projects (why pack clothes when I can bring craft supplies instead!), and we used Mom's die cutting machine. There were beads in every color imaginable, buttons galore, and every embroidery floss color, all right at our fingertips.
One of the projects we made was made with the Gift Card Envie die from The Cat's Pajamas. We made needle keepers that we decorated with various cut flowers, beads, and embroidery. On my needle case, I used the Sunflower Rosette die from The Cat's Pajamas to create the large flowers for the front of the case.
The backside is embellished with two buttons that also act as the closure for the case.
Inside, yellow felt "pages" work perfectly for keeping my needles safe and secure.
We also made cookies! I remembered seeing this idea on Linda's Catered Crop blog last year. Her project turned out so cute, I knew I needed to bake up my own batch of cookies! If you do a Google image search for "felt cookies" you'll find all KINDS of great ideas! It's amazing how long a project like this takes... it might actually be faster to bake real cookies! *grin* But using metal dies to cut the felt into shapes works great! We used Spellbinder dies for our cookies and frosting.
I made a gingerbread girl using the Sizzix gingerbread die, and various other dies for embellishment. My favorite is the Icing die, by The Cat's Pajamas! It's the perfect size for these little woolies! To create her dress, I sandwich'd her between two pieces of red felt and carefully cut out the shape of her dress. Once cut, I hand stitched the side seams of the dress together, as well as the arms and shoulders. The white scalloped collar was added last.
And of course I had to make a gingerbread boy, too. Dressed in tidy overalls, he's ready to hang on our tree. A quick way to create clothes for the boy is to cut out a second gingerbread body using the color you want to use for the clothing; for my project I used blue. Then just chop off the extra parts on the colored cut-out, like the feet, the arms, and a little area to create the neckline. Easy peasy, you've got overalls shaped perfectly for your fella!
By FAR, the funniest project completed during the week was this hula gingerbread girl that Mom made. Quietly working away, Mom used the small Sizzix gingerbread die to cut out two body shapes from brown felt. She did a short row of blanket stitching for hair, and embellished the body with two mother of pearl buttons, green embroidery floss for the skirt, and two beads for eyes. It's perfect in every way! We laughed and laughed when she showed us what she had been secretly working on!
Aunt Patty made pretty red felt cardinals and attached lapel pins to the backside. Here, mine is pinned to my sweatshirt, all festive and cheery!
Using a project from one of her many books as inspiration, Mom made this cute little partridge ornament. Won't she be a cutie on the tree!
Using a Spellbinders flower die I made this snowman face ornament.
On the backside, I used the beautiful Snowflake die from The Cat's Pajamas to quickly and easily embellish the back. I love the stark contrast between the black and white wool felt.
And finally, using an idea from a magazine article Aunt Patty brought with her, I made this snowman face mug rug. The mug is one that I hand painted years ago at a paint-your-own-pottery shop, and just happened to be the mug I used this morning for my coffee!
Each scallop on the mug rug has a simple snowman face -- two knot eyes, and a quickly stitched carrot for a nose. The sample in the magazine article was so perfect, I didn't change a thing!
We sure had a ball creating our projects this year! Wonder what we'll dream up for Christmas 2012!
Okay, the little needle holder is FANTASTIC!! What a great use for that die!
Posted by: Karrie Baker | January 08, 2012 at 03:52 PM
Wow, do they all look wonderful & that hula girle & your Dad's comment is so much fun! What a treat it must be to do this with your Mom and Aunt. I sure miss my very creative Mom at this time of year. Thanks for the fun ideas. Hugs.
Posted by: Troy Louise | January 06, 2012 at 04:50 PM
Christmas is the perfect time for crafting, isn't it? I envy that your family is so crafty and that you get to spent such wonderful "together" time.
Posted by: alma de la rosa | January 06, 2012 at 10:11 AM
OMG CUTENESS OVERLOAD! Every single project is amazing. Your die cuts came out perfectly with that cozy felt and your stitching is a dream!
Posted by: Kelly Schirmer | January 05, 2012 at 08:41 PM
Y'all are sooo talented--sounds like there was much fun and creatin' going on :) Thanks for sharing all the cuteness!
Posted by: Renee M. | January 05, 2012 at 07:27 PM
Every one of these projects is SO adorable! It's amazing what the three of you come up with utilizing just a few supplies. Love them all!
Posted by: Shellie Daniel | January 05, 2012 at 01:14 PM
Head over heels over all the felt creations. I particularly like the needle holder pouch and the gift card "envelope". Truly sensational!
Posted by: Gabriela Divine | January 05, 2012 at 08:03 AM
Oh, I am into making felt things right now....these are wonderful! Thanks for more inspiration!
Posted by: LeAnne | January 05, 2012 at 05:39 AM
Great great crafts, Anna. Oh how I wish my mom was into crafts - we'd have such fun! I think my favorite is the mug rug -- how clever! That painted mug is gorgeous too!! And of course I had a good giggle when I read the post about your dad's comment :)
Happy New Year to you, my friend!
Posted by: Michelle | January 05, 2012 at 05:11 AM
You three had quite the craft fest together ... great memories for all of you. I laughed at your Dad's comment about the moose from the wrong side of the table and of course I had to try to see it upside down (now I have a kink in my neck!). Your creations are so cute and so well done ... very obvious that creativity definitely runs in your family.
Posted by: bonnie weiss | January 05, 2012 at 04:05 AM
I am a-gog at these adorable projects. Obviously you come by your crafting talent honestly...your mom and aunt are wonderful crafters too. I particularly love your mug rug. So very cute, Anna. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: gailanne | January 05, 2012 at 12:15 AM
Cute felties! The hula girl is great, but my favorite is the mug rug. I wish I knew how to sew! Happy New Year!!
Posted by: Jennifer | January 04, 2012 at 11:41 PM
Great pictures and Memories, during one particularly loud giggle session I walked in to see what got them going and saw things from the "wrong side" of the table. For fun go back up through the pictures and check out the Hula girl upside down or stand on your heads....I thought she was a freaked out Moose.....and the "coconuts" were the eyeballs....so I said "what's with the moose" Ma?.... What moose? was the reply. So I picked her up and turned her upside down and promptly got laughed out of the shop! We see lots of confused meeses around here in the spring..... I went back to my ham samich and my fishin show.... Love, Dad
Posted by: D K Wight | January 04, 2012 at 11:21 PM
Oh, I'm so envious of your wonderful crafting with your Mom & aunt! That would be SO much fun, and I'm truly happy that you have that in your life. How awesome! I love the things you all made, and tell your Mom her little hula girl is hysterical! :D I have a friend that just moved to Maui last summer, and that made me think of her. :) She is so cute! All the different ornaments and projects are just wonderfully creative and fun!
Hope you have a great weekend soon!
Posted by: diane mcvey | January 04, 2012 at 11:02 PM
Oh my goodness . . . I love all your felty goodness. Aren't those cookies fun to make. I'm so flattered you found me and my cookies. Yours turned out delicious!
Posted by: Linda McClain | January 04, 2012 at 10:27 PM
OMG!!! All your felt projects look fabulous, Anna!!!!! How wonderful to be able to craft with your mom and aunt!!!
Posted by: Joan Ervin | January 04, 2012 at 09:29 PM
Loved all the cute things but especially the last one! It is perfect for you because of your snowman fetish :) I bet you guys had a wonderful time of nonstop fun and laughing! I'm sure there was some eating and drinking in with it too. That room looks amazing to work in.
Posted by: VivLyn | January 04, 2012 at 07:14 PM
I love it ALL ... especially the hula girl and the mug rug, oh and the scallop snowman face blk/wht ornament! OKay I love it ALL :) I will let you know if I see something felty and fun you can try next time. Hugs...
Posted by: Carol Dee | January 04, 2012 at 05:04 PM
What fun it must have been! I have to say my favorite is your Mom's hula girl! What a hoot!
Posted by: Dee in N.H. | January 04, 2012 at 05:00 PM
As with everything you do, your felt creations are amazing and fabulous!!! Can't wait to see what you dream up in 2012 Anna!! Happy New Year!!
Posted by: Cindy | January 04, 2012 at 04:42 PM
Love everything. What fun you must have had.
Posted by: SueB | January 04, 2012 at 03:56 PM