Friday, December 4, 2015

My great Christmas elf caper!

I love to do crafts!

Yes, I earn my living as a cross stitch designer so I do tons of needle crafts (I still stitch all of my L*K models myself). But sometimes, I just have to try something different and put my hands to work on something new.

And that's where Pinterest...and my crafty co-conspirator, Glenna...take over! Glenna and I get together several times a year - not often enough - and attempt new craft projects. We decide on something we like (usually from Pinterest), gather supplies, and meet in her awesome little "Girls Only" creative haven.


Next to her house, Glenna has a darling little "shed" where creative things happen. Glenna creates beautiful quilts, and all sorts of other lovely, handcrafted things. But when I visit, we usually bust out the glue guns, scissors, and all that. I have limited sewing machine skills, but Glenna has a couple machines in there that make sewing (almost) easy. And sometimes she helps me with pesky sewing tasks.


Here's a pic from INSIDE the little shed. Isn't it darling??? Glenna has been busy collecting lots of things from the past (read: our childhood).Check out the Formica/chrome kitchen table and shiny red vinyl chairs. Everywhere you look there are fun little retro details. I try not to get distracted by all the charm and get to work when I'm invited. You can see the beginnings of our recent caper on the table above.


Our Christmas 2015 mission was to make these "Felt and Pinecone Elves" from Pinterest. We downloaded the free templates, bought beautiful felt (Etsy) and wooden "heads" (Hobby Lobby), rounded up pinecones and lots of glue sticks and we were ready. And then we started to wonder...will our elves be as cute as these guys?

***Note: at the time we started our elves, the pattern download was free. Now they seem to be charging $5. We ordered felt from an Etsy vendor that the pattern maker recommended. Fast and friendly service...and gorgeous colors of felt.


After lots of cutting, sewing (the little pointy hats), and gluing, heads rolling on the floor, eye and mouth markering and scarf tying...here's our elf swarm we made that night (below).


And then I got in a sort of elf overdrive mode, and made a bunch more at home!


Yikes...here's a bunch of headless elves waiting on head transplants. Sometimes it was a little tricky to get those pesky elves to stand up straight on their felt-covered cereal box feet. Once the heads were in place, it was surprisingly fun to "get them dressed". I had to choose colors for their mittens and hats, and then tie a little scarf around each neck. I may/may not have obsessed over the elf accessorizing. Everyone loves a properly accessorized elf!


Here's my finished elf army...ready to visit my friends' homes...and help them navigate the busy holiday season. I'm packaging them in groups of 3 so they don't get lonely for elf companionship. These guys are ready to go to work, spreading Christmas cheer and getting to work after the lights go out.

Everyone needs a few elves this time of year...right?