Monday, November 30, 2009

Our Christmas Tree Shrub

For the past few years we have used an artificial Christmas tree. Earlier this fall I was complaining about this shrub/tree that has outgrown its space. I almost cut it down, but decided to save it to use for greenery for the winter decorating. Sam decided that we should get a real tree this year and save money while doing it...yup, we cut that tree down and it is now our Christmas tree!
It is shaped kinda funny, but we like it very much!

I like the traditional tree with the sentimental ornaments...this one is vintage--my grandma gave me about a dozen of them.

These are for present pets and past pets...
A few years ago Sam had a sock monkey thing, so we have sock monkeys, I couldn't get rid of those!

This is the ornament Mom gave me when I was expecting Sam.

and Sam's first Christmas ornament.

And his third grade ornament....

And a Precious Moments ornament a dear friend gave me when I was in nursing school years ago...

I made the festive quilted tree skirt--Santa faces all around!


I am posting this at Red Writing's Twelve Weeks of Christmas...come see me there!

Pre Thanksgiving Shopping at The Schaefer House

The Saturday before Thanksgiving Ruth, my mom, Carol and Jane and I went to Jefferson City to The Schaefer House. Let me tell you, if you have never been there, you should definitely go!

The store is an actual house and it is chock full of lots of home decorating items, Christmas decorations and ornaments, gifts, plaques, candles, and I could go on her for days!

Jane and Ruth

Even the restroom door is elegantly done!

Dishes
and bedrooms...


Lots of inspirational plaques...I bought the one above about family.

I think part of what makes this store so appealing is that the store rambles all through the house...upstairs and downstairs. Lots of things to see and touch and smell. And very helpful staff who are always close by to help you find something or answer questions.

Linens and more linens....




This whole tree was covered with knitted ornaments...


There's no man like a snowman!So much to look at...


We were so tired after all the shopping that we HAD to go to Arris Pizza Palace across from the Capitol in Jeff City. We dined on Spinach pie and gyros.
Jane admiring Ruth's iPhone

Corkboard Makeover Just in Time for Christmas!

This is the embarrassing before picture. I couldn't find anything I needed on this cork board above my desk. And there was a lot of stuff I didn't need there any longer. Like the Cub Scouts phone number list from six years ago and all sorts of jumbled notes and sayings...

I had this white board on the right inside a frame that my grandfather made probably 40 years ago. My mom had given it to me and since it was so big I put the white board in it. We eventually outgrew the white board so it has been hanging up in the garage for many moons. I bought a large cork board at the local thrift store for $4 to cut up and use for my new cork board.
After painting the frame a nice satin black, cutting the cork to fit the "new" old frame, and covering the cork board with this lovely Thimbleberries fabric (like vintage barkcloth in texture and appearance), here is the finished product. I will now have a smaller calendar and just put it on the board so I don't keep making holes in the wall with the thumbtacks.

I made these cute contrasting fabric thumbtacks (fabric covered buttons hot-glued to a regular flat thumbtack) to pin things up with...it looks a lot more serene and more "my style" in my bedroom which is slowly getting a makeover.


I have to keep my favorite sayings close to my visual field...like this one

and this one...

and this one....
Well this one is my favorite one of all times....

Don't the thumbtacks look good?

And the finished product!!

I am participating in DIY Day with Kimba at A Soft Place to Land and Metamorphasis Monday..come check it out!

Christmas Etsy and Artfire Debuts!!

I am happy to announce my new shops...On Etsy.com my shop name is WoolenWondersByEllen and on Artfire.com my shop name is WoolenWonders. Both are great sites with lots of unique gift ideas.
Take a look!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Recycled Wool Pincushions

OK, sorry it is another wool project...
but aren't they so cute? They are made from recycled felted wool sweaters. All it takes is two rectangles that are circled together like a cinnamon roll and then the bottom of the sweater sleeve around the outside of the roll. I stick a felted ball for the cherry on top and the leaf I flat felted to create a multi colored look.
Lots of different color combinations....

make for really interesting looks. I think these would make great Christmas gifts for any sewing/quilting/crafting friends and family.

They are about 3-4 inches tall and 3 1/2-4 1/2 inches wide.
I think it is my duty to come up with more things to do with felted wool!
I found the directions to make these in the book Warm Fuzzies by Betz White.