Christmas crafts...beware!

[Miss Mary]

I picked up a Christmas magazine the other day. Pouring over all the neat pictures, thinking oh how clever, I could make a centerpiece like that, etc. I saw a lovely mantle display with cross-stitched squares, in red, with white stitching, hanging by a narrow piece of ribbon. They were actually ornament but when displayed hanging below a FP mantle, it was a unique and clever idea. I almost, almost ordered them - 12 for $24. Not a bad price, at all. They honestly looked worth the $24 price, something you'd see at say, Target.

Then I read the fine-fine print - it's a kit! LOL

So glad I didn't order them - I don't have time to cross-stitch 12 squares/ornaments! he he

Just beware of these craft orders. Since my sewing time is almost gone now, just a word of caution from me. LOL!

Mary

[streetsoldier]

We're going to try using some little plush doggie toys to perk up the "Black Forest" (our oversize tree) this year....every last one of them will look like a miniature Annabelle (she be a ho').

[angelwing]

You would have to start a Christmas Craft thread Mary, lol. DIY is going to satrt sending out 30 days of holiday crafts via e-mail that will start coming in November, I signed up as I love Christmas crafts (time to do them is a different issue!)

Great idea streetsoldier for the tree! I should ask the hubby if he wants to put some raspberries on the tree for Digger, thought I think Digger will just give the tree a beady eye and snuggle on one of us instead, lol

[Miss Mary]

I'm all for crafts, it they are easy to make! I've started a few already. One about a Christmas Card Display. I made a wall hanging quilt of sorts last year and tied our cards to it, it turned out nice. This year I want to make a new one. I just purchased quilted fabric and sewed on edging fold over bias tape, with 2 rings on back for hanging up on a wall. Last year I machined stitched small brass drapery rings and tied ribbon that was inserted into a hole on each card I punched. But you couldn't easily remove the cards to read them or move them around. This year I want the quilt larger and I'm going with buttons. That way I can loop the ribbon around each button. I wanted to find matching buttons but now I'm just going to go with bargain bin buttons. The huge bags you see at Wal-Mart or Hancock's. Cheaper that way! Buttons can be expensive.

I used to just put them in a basket but this way they were out on display. And people liked seeing their cards hanging up.

I'm sure we have other craft type threads......we're quite the crafty bunch here! LOL

Did you ever see the cakes sunny makes? Try finding her thread - they are bakery quality!

Mary

[alicia-w]

have you tried the ornament kids that use beads? they make heirloom quality ornaments and are quite beautiful. i try to make 5 or 6 a year to give as gifts for my Christmas-observing friends and family.

http://www.beadornaments.com/Merchant2/ ... IvoryT.jpg

http://www.beadornaments.com/Merchant2/ ... _Code=3SOK

[JenBayles]

I really like that quilt idea Mary! Think I may have to give that a try this year. There's so many pre-quilted holiday fabrics available, and I have a large wall just screaming for something festive during the holidays. Do you have any pics of your finished product?

[Miss Mary]

Jen - I can't remember if we took one or not. It was very easy to make. I bought several yards of already quilted fabric at Hancock Fabrics. At first I wanted to find a holiday print but decided to go with a darker red. Not bright red but not maroon either. I edged it in 1 inch wide off white bias tape. The overall shape was rectangle but with the 4 edges rounded (thinking the bias tape would easily go around these areas and it did). You could also choose a holiday print fabric and cover the back with it, and enclose your raw edges that way, not even needing bias tape. I keep old xmas cards and use them for gifts tags the next year so before I cut up the previous year's worth, I began placing various sizes on this quilt. This helped me decide how many to put in 1 row. I sewed 7 rings across and 6 rows of rings, so the quilt would hold 42 cards. We ended up receiving more so if I get my act together and make a new one, I'll make these changes - off white quilted batting/fabric (the red did take away from the cards I thought), bias tape possibly in red or green, buttons instead of rings and I might stagger each row. First row would hold 7 cards, next 6, and then back to 7. Hoping that makes sense. When I began hanging them up, I chose longer and more larger cards to go under shorter ones. If I make a new one, it will be very easy with buttons. I'll just loop the piece of narrow ribbon tied to each card via small hole punch in the corner, around each button. People did want to take cards down and read them. Now watch me go to all this trouble and make a new one and we won't have a party. LOL We're thinking of skipping one this year (a ton of work!).

I think you could adapt this quilt to many types of fabric (Hancock's clerk wanted me to use the flannel and trim the edges with pinking shears) and other ways to attach them to the quilt.

The reason this works so well is I just take down an Amish quilt I have hanging on a hollowed out wall for a pocket door and just hang this quilt up. I don't have furniture there so it's a good place to see all the cards.

Watch people send me iCards this year too. LOL

Mary

[JenBayles]

Now wouldn't that figure? Go to all that work and nobody sends snail mail cards!


Thanks for the extra instructions. Think I'll actually give this one a try!

[streetsoldier]

<----------------<<< Everyone should have one of THESE in their window...

[Stephanie]

<----------------<<< Everyone should have one of THESE in their window...

F-R-A-G-I-L-E....

[JenBayles]

Must be Italian!!

[breeze]

<----------------<<< Everyone should have one of THESE in their window...

LOL, the Old Man busting that out of the crate was a classic!

It's the Miss Mary Holiday Craft thread - I LOVE it! Go, gals!

~Annette~

[Miss Mary]

Miss Mary Holiday Craft thread? LOL!!!

I did hang up my xmas card quilt but I've yet to pull of any xmas crafty attempt....yet. I did create a Martha Stewart type centerpiece for Thanksgiving! That's long gone packed away. Faux gourds, dried fall leaves, small pinecones and a 3 candlestick stand, that's rustic looking. Does that count? LOL

Mary

[Miss Mary]

Hey all - I finally found a neat way to hang my cards on the xmas card quilt I made last year. Instead of tediously tying each one with ribbon or twine, to the small brass O ring I machine stitched on last year, I found modern looking circular paper clips at Target. In 3 shades - brass, dull silver and bronze. All I do is hook the paper clip in the hole I punched on the card and then hook the very edge of this clip onto the O ring. I can easily take it off, instead of untying a ribbon.

Finally!

And I know how you all lost sleep over this dilemma, but it's funny how these solutions come to you a year later! I almost went with shiny brass finish paper clips from Staples. Then I saw the circle ones, which look pretty cool, in that Target kind of way.

Best part - 50 were only $2.99!

Mary