Etsy Finds: Christmas ornaments

Yes, I know that it isn’t quite Thanksgiving yet, but I have to admit I started decorating for Christmas on Monday. We plan on going to a U-Pick place for our Christmas tree, since the BF didn’t even know people chopped down their own trees until this year! (He blames his So-Cal upbringing for this). I’ve been busy crafting some ornaments for our tree, right now I’m at a grand total of FOUR so I either need to get crafting or we will have to get a tiny 1-foot tall tree to make up for my lack of ornaments! I don’t particularly like the plain glass ball ornaments (unless they are vintage mercury glass ones in muted tones) so I’m going to resist getting a big pack of those from a big-box store and aim for a mostly handmade tree (bonus: less $$$ spent on decorations = more $$$ for gifts).

Meanwhile, I’ve been checking out Etsy for some inspiration:

I’m definitely drawn to kitschy plastic Christmas decor, and I love how this little gal appears so grumpy.

I love this glittery disco Santa.

I need to look around my house for some match boxes, because these little mini wrapped gifts would be so easy to make.

This tuba boy is super cute.

Well, it’s back to Christmas crafting for me!

How to sew a stuffed log

This year I decided I wanted to be the Log Lady from Twin Peaks for Halloween. The first order of business was sewing a log so I didn’t have to carry around a real log!

Supplies

• 3 sheets brown felt
• 2 sheets tan felt
• Brown embroidery thread
• Needle (obviously)
• Scissors
• Compass
• Fabric marker
• Fiberfill stuffing
• Optional: Cat

Directions

I just used the precut sheets of felt that you can get at any craft store. First, using the embroidery thread, simply sew together two of the brown sheets so that you have a rectangle about 12 by 18 inches. I used a blanket stitch for this, but do whatever stitch you are most comfortable with. Cut the other brown felt into a piece 10.25 by 4 inches (this will be for the little stump).  Fold that little rectangle in half and cut from about 2.5 inches in to the edge of the fold, formin a sort of bridge shape.

Make 3 circles from the tan felt. You can use a compass, I used my handy-dandy Martha Stewart Circle Cutter which makes cutting perfect circles so easy. Make 2 larger circles with a diameter of 5.5 inches, and one smaller with a diameter of 3.25 inches for the stump.

Next just draw on your felt with a fabric marker (I used black, you could probably just use a Sharpie) to make it appear like wood…get a nice faux bois look going. Remember that it doesn’t have to look perfect at all, just sketch it on. Don’t forget to add little circles or a spiral on the tan pieces.

Sew together one of the large tan circles and your large brown felt rectangle with a blanket stitch, turning as you go. Next, sew up the rectangle to form a tube.

Stuff with your fiberfill (I really packed it in to make it usable as a firm pillow for under the neck) and sew on the other end of your log with a blanket stitch again. Ta-da! You could leave it like this if you wanted a simple log, but I like the added little stump for some whimsy.

Follow the same steps to sew up the little stump, stuff it with more fiberfill and then just whipstitch it onto your log wherever you see fit.

That’s it! You could make your log out of other colors, embroider the faux bois lines on if you’re really brave, or add a few leaves or mushrooms onto your log.

p.s. I swear one day I’ll actually take real photos for blog posts, not just iPhone photos, heehee….one day.

Twin Peaks Log Lady Halloween Costume

One thing I truly believe in with Halloween is that it’s so much more fun to create your own costume then to buy some pre-made version of a “sexy-_____”. This year I went the polar opposite of Girl Halloween (Lindsay Lohan as Cady in Mean Girls: “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.”) and went for the frumpiest, most Pacific Northwest costume ever: the Log Lady from Twin Peaks. Tomorrow I will be back with a quick post on how I made her psychic log.