Crazy Quilt Stockings and Ornaments For 2017

2017 is not a type-0 -- these really are prepped and ready for unearthing in November 2017.  Laying sleepless in bed recently, I started thinking about a needy third grade class that has nine sweet children.  Maybe I should make Christmas stockings for them.  Maybe I should do it NOW.  You'll be glad to know that I (mostly) waited until the next morning.

After I cut out nine Christmas stockings (front and back) I decided that third graders might not be that keen on vintage crazy quilt stockings.  Sigh.  You'll be glad to know that I went a different direction for them and they will be well taken care of.  So the stockings are packed away for a head start on Christmas 2017.

But there were a bunch of scraps that I really wanted to use somehow.  I had a friend over and we used vintage Christmas cookie cutters as a pattern and cut out about six different ornaments.  I did the cutting, stuffing and putting them together with hot glue while she did some rustic stitching around the edges.  Sorry, no picts -- I sent them home with her.  I wasn't keen on doing a bunch of handstitching this time of year.

There were still more scraps to deal with....so I whacked out a bunch of very primitive Christmas trees and really liked the look.  No sewing allowed.  I used double sided tape to attach some to a white trim piece.  I think they would also look cute on a table runner or Christmas tree skirt.

Just to see what it would look like, I tried just throwing the trees on a window (or cabinet door?) that I got for $5 in the "as is" area of Ikea.  I just rolled some paintable textured wallpaper behind it to see how I liked it.  Nice winter wonderland.  Maybe a good project for 2017, but for now I am all about taking it easy and enjoying the holidays.

Flannel & Feed Sack Christmas Pillows

It all goes back a couple of years ago when I bought a plethora of feedsacks at auction.  I went home with some awesome animal, western and heart graphic feedsacks (click here to view the feedsacks I put on ebay.)  I also took home some newer or smaller Christmas feedsacks for which I could not figure out a use.

So I gave those to my friend Katie who actually sews,

and she turned out a bunch of pillows to sell last year. 

I snagged a couple of the pillows last year.

Sadly, she is no longer selling at my vintage mall.

But she had a couple of pillow covers left over which

she was kind enough to give me.  Yeah for me.

They mix and match perfectly and look great on my new Ikea couch.

 

Three Friends Holiday Sale

I have a couple of friends that had an overflow of personal Christmas décor.  They approached me about doing a little sale over one afternoon in December -- sure!  I always have an abundance of Christmas stuff to sell.

 

Of course, the problem is trying not to buy all of

each others Christmas excess.

So much fun holiday bling.

Theirs was a mix of new and old.

And mine was predominately old.

This gorgeous white stole sold.

The plateau mirror sold.

The etched mirror on the left sold

I have a pair of these awesome antique wire

flower baskets.  This one didn't sell, but will be going to

the antique show with me in February.

This was my favorite (first time out) piece that I took,

a vintage (funky) ceramic tree.

  

Spool Christmas Ornament Craft

When I get together with my niece, we always do a "craft".  Prior to spending time with her, I did not associate good things with the word "craft".  Tacky plastic cross-stitching kind of things. 

I admit, with an art degree, I might be a bit of an art vs craft snob.  But then my niece decided she was into "crafts" and the word took on a whole different feeling.  Fun.  Messy.  Glittery.

She and I went to a "Holiday Craft Show" (I barely even grimaced as I typed this) last weekend.  We spied some cute little spool ornaments on a tree, and I whispered to her that that would be our next "craft". 

I had the spools, vintage beads, Christmas music and glitter that we needed.

Christmas Tree Farm Trunk With Old Hinge Decor

The whole project began with the unearthing of these great green hinges.

With a little help from spraypaint I thought they would look like

Christmas trees.

I taped off the areas that I wanted to stay green,

and used a nice brown spraypaint for the rest.

Then what to do with them?

 

I dug this trunk out of my "antiques shed".

It was already green and had the license plate attached.

I added the handle (which had such great chippy paint!)

My husband painted the Kringles name.

I stenciled "TREE FARM".

I added the chain to keep it open,

and attached the hinge "trees".

So, for the holidays it can be left open for trees,

birch logs, etc. ...

and after the holidays it could be closed and

used for decorative storage.

Had about $10 in it, sold for $40 in 2017.