Easy Batting Snow Angel

     Here's another fast and fun snow angel ornament.  I made this little guy using leftover 80/20 quilt batting.  I stained it using a solution of strong, dark tea in a spray bottle which I let sit and dry after I got it the desired antique looking color I wanted.  Just draw a snowman shape on paper, pin to batting, cut out shape, and sew all the way around your snow angel, stitching closed.  I then cut a small line into the back of the neck and stuff carefully with a pencil eraser through there.  Once stuffed, I sew a few loose stitches to close hole and cover the hole with a drop of hot glue and a 1" wide by 5" long homespun scarf.  I dot acrylic paint on the back of a small paint brush for the charcoal eyes,mouth and buttons.  Real buttons would look great too.  His nose was made by painting a toothpick tip orange.  I make a halo with inexpensive hardware store wire and hot glue it to the back of the snow angel.  I make wings out of what I have available, this one has corrugated card stock wings.  I have used wire ribbon bows, spoons, silk leaves, and feathers before. They all look great.  Use your imagination. Embellish and enjoy.

I am linking up this post to our Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap HERE!

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Puzzle Piece Wreath Ornaments

     My son made this when he was in primary school.  As you can see, he glued old puzzle pieces together to form a wreath.  His teacher painted them green and he added the little sprig of foliage, a bell, and bow.  Other kids added small red pom poms, gold stars, etc.  The sky is the limit.  Bottom line, this is a FUN and EASY family ornament that you and your kids or grandkids can make from that old puzzle that's missing pieces.

I am linking this post to my Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap!  

Please check it out for more ornament ideas.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you stop by again. I like comments.

Frosty the Snowman Ornament

     My favorite handmade Frosty ornament is a product of a crafting session between me and my Mom, many years ago and he's one of the easiest ornaments to make.  He's real fast and simple too.  Trace a circle about 3&1/2 inches wide onto felted wool or some other fuzzy fabric, perhaps fleece or an 80/20 batting.  Sew, leaving an opening on top to turn and stuff, then stitch closed.  Make the hat from two pieces of black felt.  Ours includes a folded brim.  Hand-sew it together using a wide decorative stitch with a high contrast pearl cotton around it. Hot glue or sew in place, covering the hand-sewn top of circle.  We use snaps for his mouth and eyes and a machine sewn, tightly stuffed orange cotton triangle for his carrot nose.  We hot glue button embellishments and the plaid scarf at his neck comes from on old flannel shirt we strip cut and frayed a bit. Embellish with buttons, bows, ribbons, bells, and greenery to you liking.

I have a free, simple pattern for his head and hat that I made using Microsoft Word.  I do not know how or IF I can attach it to this post, so if you'd like me to send you a copy of the file to print, please e-mail me at hgonzales8@bak.rr.com (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS) and I'll send it out to you.  Happy crafting!

I am linking this post up to my favorite blog Deborah Jean's Dandelion House and her Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop!

A Chilly Snowman

     I am going to be posting a series of my favorite handmade Christmas ornaments to my two blogs, White Wolf Summit Farmgirl & My Simple Country Living.  Today, I am sharing one of my favorites, my Chilly Snowman.  I have made dozens of this little guy over the years, he's always a great gift for a teacher or for a friend's Christmas Tree.  I sew using 1/4 inch seam allowances.

BODY- Make his body by drawing a triangle with a 3 1/2" base and a height of 4 1/2" from an 80/20 quilt batting. You can either sew the entire triangle closed and cut the top off to turn and open, OR- cut the top off before sewing and just sewing the two sides and base, leaving the top open for the head to go through.  Either way, you will need to have an opening at the top that's wide enough for the head to fit into.
   
HEAD- Make his head by drawing a rectangle about 1 1/2 " wide by 2 1/2" long.  Round the corners to shape him a bit.  Sew. Turn. Stuff firmly with Polyfil.  I pin and machine sew bases. I insert head into body and add a few beads of hot glue or whipstitch head to body to secure.  If I am making WIRE ARMS, I attach the head AFTER I have inserted and secured the wire arms.

STOCKINGS- I draw stockings about 2 1/2" long with a high contrast fabric and sew.  I leave top open and stuff.  Leave top edge raw, do not turn under.  Attach to body with a few hand stitches.  Loo at my examples below and you'll see I have attached a few to the front of the bodies with cute buttons for fun and I sometimes attach them to the back with no adornment.

ARMS- I have tried many things for arms. I have used tea-stained muslin and black floral wire (I like it because it ages and rusts a bit over the years). Both look great.  To make muslin arms just draw 2 1/4" long arms and cut and sew them from the muslin, turn and stuff.  I keep the top edges raw again and sew to body. To make the wire arms, I just try to shape them like branches and then run the wire through the side into body and twist a small circle inside to hold it tight.

SCARF- I use homespun plaids for the scarf.  I cut them 1" wide by 5 1/2" long and I fray an 1/8" edges by pulling out a few long threads.  I wrap the scarf over the raw edged arms, dabbing as bead of hot glue over each arm to be sure the scarf does not slide away from covering raw edges.

HEAD COVER- For earmuffs- Hot glue a thin ribbon and small pom poms to either side of your snowman's head for these cute earmuffs.  For hat- cut small wool or acrylic circle and sew it to his head. Attach button or foliage for embellishment.

FACE- Micron Pigment ink pen, a dot of white acrylic paint inside eyes, and blush on a Q-tip for cheeks.

NOSE- I paint a toothpick bright pumpkin orange, cut the tip off, and hot glue nose to face.

Other EMBELLISHMENTS- I sometimes tea-stain the cotton batting and muslin.  I stain them by soaking for a few hours in hot tea steeped on my stove, and hand drying and pressing the fabric. I don't press the batting, just try to flatten it before it dries.  I also sometimes add a few small square "patches" to the snowman's body using a cure plaid and a heat n' bond or wonder under.

     I look forward to seeing what YOU can do to spruce him up!

Fast & Fun Christmas Ornaments from Nature

      I was inspired yesterday by a post from my friend Kateri of Dandelion Haven.  She made cute twig star Christmas ornaments from remnants of a morning stroll.  What a lovely idea.  I will be sharing many of my own homemade Christmas ornaments on our Virtual Christmas Ornament SWAP Blog Hop over the next few weeks, and I  hope you share a few of yours too so we can all have a tree full of fun, new, handmade ornaments and maybe even make some extras to share with loved ones and friends.

      Here is an old family favorite that's EASY and fast.  My Mom's friend Cheryl made these from tree branches my hubby cut to her specifications, on an angle, you want them to be atleast 1/4 inch thick.   

 She drilled a small hole through the top and ran a pretty satin ribbon through as a hanger and bow. 

 She used red, green and black permanent markers to draw the greenery and names

 and an old ink stamp pad to transfer your thumbprint image onto the ornament.   Then, she cleverly turned your thumbprint into a cute little Christmas mouse.  

     I can imagine some of the artists that read my blog could paint entire winter scenes on these little gems.  Wouldn't that be nice too.  Branches with nice bark look great, and they can be sprayed with a sealant, though we never did and they've hung around a long time.  Ours are a sort of time capsule.  You see, my son Jonathan was 3 years old when his thumbprint touched this image and today he's 6' 5" tall, married and on his own.  I am going to give him his ornament this year for his family tree and we will make more for our grandkids someday, when we get them... hehe.

 I wish you a Very, Merry Christmas!

This ornament is linked to Deborah Jean's Dandelion House 

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

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the Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap

Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap

     Just like the button above says, we're having a VIRTUAL Christmas ornament SWAP!  It's a BLOG HOP designed to allow you to show off your creative side by sharing an image and tutorial or story about a Christmas ornament you like to make and swap OR have received at Christmas.  

     I am a Christmas ornament junkie.  Over the years, I have made and given away literally hundreds of angels, snowmen, santas, and the like.  I LOVE making and giving them away so I will be sharing quite a few of my own ornaments.  I encourage  you to share your favorites too.  

Rules-

1. Any medium, any style- sewn, quilted, glued, painted, WHATEVER! So long as it's a Christmas ornament.

2. Please grab the button and post it to your wall so more folks can see it and be inspired to participate too.

3. Link as many ornaments as you like, the more the merrier.  I love new ideas!

4. Have FUN and get your workshop hopping!

I have linked this post to Deborah Jean's Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

& Homestead Revival's Barn Hop