Christmas, children, is not a date.

Monday, December 3, 2012

It is a state of mind.

Mary Ellen Chase

Needle-felted snowmen, 2009

For the past 6 years or so, I have made ornaments for teachers, family and friends. It makes them feel special and loved, and serves as a little something to remind them of us every year when they decorate their tree. I've had several moments of greatness, and trying outdoing myself year after year can become a little anxiety-inducing. My OCD kicks in at the weirdest times.

String "snowballs", 2011

This year, I was feeling a little uninspired. Martha's usual ideas felt a little "been there, done that." Thank goodness for bloggers. There are some amazing crafters out there who are kind enough to share their ideas with us mere mortals.

My first inspiration came in the form of this Waterless Snow Globe tutorial:


How simple and lovely is this little ornament?! I was so excited to get started. Unfortunately, my local craft stores were sorely lacking in terms of supplies. After an evening spent scouring stores and the internet for bottles and the correct size trees, I had to admit defeat. But this beauty is getting reserved for another year, as I'm far from ready to give up on it.

While looking at trees for the above project, I kept encountering whimsically-colored bottle brush varieties:


But I resisted the urge to use them, as I wasn't sure how they'd look in an otherwise elegant ornament. But boy did I love them! A bit defeated, but undeterred, I enlisted the help of Google in my search for the perfect project. Lo and behold, I found my dream ornament! It's unlike anything I've done to date. And better yet, my new friend, the bottle brush tree, is a key player. Yay!


How cute are these little vintage-inspired bell jar globes? Swoon. I have always been infatuated with Candy Land and other retro whimsy, so these are right up my alley.

Since it's already December and I need to get moving, I ordered all the supplies online. They were super affordable and SO fun to shop for. I can't wait to get started and put my own spin on these cuties. I even found a great tutorial for the trees, should I decide to make them for myself in the future.

I am looking forward to flexing my crafting muscles! It's been so long since I've read a good (fictional) book or done something crafty. I always feel like a slacker student if I do. But with finals next week, I have Gone Girl and these ornaments to prevent that weird hangover that occurs between finals and Kiddo's Christmas break. I don't know what to do with myself after months of intense studying. 

A post chronicling my ornament-making adventures will be coming soon...the good, the bad, and the ugly. Hopefully it's all rainbows and butterflies like I imagine it will be.

Any great ideas this year? Share!

2 comments :

  1. Such darling Christmas ornaments. I love decorating for the holidays.
    http://shannonhearts.blogspot.com/

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  2. The ornaments are beautiful! :)

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