Updated… A New Look for an Old Snowman

December 1, 2014December 9, 20194 Comments

Last year at my Holiday Workshop we made cute little snowmen out of socks.

They were a big hit.

But… one thing, I noticed when I pulled mine out again this year,

was that they looked a little misshapen. More like a kidney bean than a snowman.

That was because I used rice for the entire body. (the rice settled)

My updated snowmen still uses rice in the bottom, it now has fiberfill in the top

so that it doesn’t loose its shape.

I also decided my Snowman was cold, so I re-purposed an old sock for his sweater.

For more Making More Sock Snowmen Ideas you can find them here.

Here’s how I made my Snowman:

Tea dye a new white sock, crew length or bigger. Or if you have boys you could use one of their dingy ones. (It’s better not to use a sock with the grey toe and heel.)
Cut the top of the sock off, right around the heel. (save that for the hat.)
Turn the sock inside out and attach a rubber-band tightly around the top of the sock. Because rubber bands wear out with time, I added a good squirt of Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive* (*affiliate link) in and around the rubber band. (I left the rubber band on)
Turn the sock right side out and fill sock about 1/2 way with rice.
Fill the remaining portion of the sock with Fairfield Poly-Fil Premium Polyester Fiber*
Use an additional rubber-band to close the sock. Again, I re-enforced the rubber band with glue.
Tie a piece of twine around sock to create the head.
I used mini black square brads for his eyes, the tip of a bamboo skewer colored orange for his nose and a simple sewn black thread for his mouth.
I used some paper craft sprays to add color to the toe of the sock. I tied the tip with a piece of red and white twine and finished with a bow. Roll the edge to create a cuff. I glued my hat to the top of my snowman with Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive*(*affiliate link)
Dress with Snowman with part of an old sock. Add a couple of buttons for added detail. A fringed piece of fabric works great for the scarf.

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a little Holiday Stenciling

November 29, 2014October 9, 20152 Comments

One of my new found obsessions this Holiday Season is stenciling on Linen.

This stenciled linen bag is one of the projects that we made in my Holiday Workshop.

We used Clear Scraps 6″ Word Xmas Tree stencil, acrylic paint and a stencil brush.

Tip: I like to use removable tape to keep the stencil from moving and to mask off

any areas where I may go over the stencil with my paint.

The linen bag measures 6″ x 10″ and is available through Nashville Wraps.

I loved using this stencil so much that I also bought the 12″ Word Xmas Tree.

These are Quick and easy Holiday projects to make.

They would also make a great Christmas gifts.

Tip: I stenciled on a 13″ x 13″ piece of linen. The next pillow I make would be a little larger so that the entire image shows. My pillow measures 12″ x 12″.

This project was created for and sponsored by Clear Scraps.

Pictures from Sue’s Holiday Workshop

November 20, 2014November 20, 20142 Comments

As promised here are the pictures from this years Holidays Workshop.

I must say that I liked all three of the group’s pictures. (not one eye closed)

Thank you, to all the wonderful ladies that came this year to my Holiday Workshop,

I had so much fun. O.K., I have fun every year.

But…I think this year’s group which included 9 new people was even more fun and enthusiastic

than ever. I loved spending my Saturday creating with you all.

I was on such an adrenaline high after it was all over that I didn’t fall asleep until well after midnight.

For those of you that couldn’t come this year, we missed you, I hope to see you next year.

I love the chalk board frames that I received from my Deflecto Design Team box this month.

They worked wonderfully with my theme.

I made the Candy Cane Suckers with the help of my adorable grandson, Nick, who got sprinkles

everywhere and my lovely daughter-in-law, Bonnie.

I wouldn’t have been able to pull this all off with out her help. Thank You, Bonnie!

(The Candy Cane idea is from Pinterest, you can see the pin here)

Thank You Again to everyone who came and helped. (I kind of wish it wasn’t all over.)

Sue’s Holiday Workshop Recipes

November 18, 2014November 18, 20141 Comment

I promised the ladies last Saturday at my Holiday Workshop that I would post my Sugar Cookie Recipe and Cheese Soup Recipe today. (So Ladies, here it is) Tomorrow, I’ll be posting the rest of the pictures from the workshop.

For the rest of you:

I know I’ve shared my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe here on my blog before.

But, I think the meaning this recipe holds for me bears repeating.

When I was a new bride (32 years ago) I asked my mother for her Sugar Cookie Recipe.

(It was a Tupperware Recipe.) She wrote it out on a piece of notebook paper.

(I have always loved my mom’s… handwriting)

It is now yellowed, stained with vanilla, brittle, ripped and creased.

But it is priceless.

Several years back after my mom was diagnosed with Dementia and she could no longer write

her name, I realized how important that piece of paper really is. I now keep it in a protective sleeve.

I can help thinking of my mom every time I make them.

Sue’s Sugar Cookies

1- 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter or margarine
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2- 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda

Cream sugar & butter, add egg & flavoring, mix thoroughly.
Sift dry ingredients together and stir in. (I dump)
Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
Heat oven to 375°.
Divide dough in half & roll out on lightly floured Tupperware pastry sheet.
Roll thin, but thick enough to pick up the design with the Tupperware cookie cutters.
Dip cookie cutter into flour before each cutting. Cut as many cookies from each rolling as possible. The least amount of working with the dough gives the best cookie.
Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 min. or until delicately golden.

Cheese Soup

1 Qt. Water
2 Cups Diced Potatoes
1/2 Cup of chopped onions (optional: I don’t add onions to mine)
4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Bag of Frozen California Mix Vegetables
1 lb. Velvetta Cheese loaf (also good with a little extra)

Boil potatoes, onions in water & cook.
Add frozen vegetables & cook.
Add mushroom soup and cheese.
Heat & Serve

Do not allow soup to boil.

* I make this soup every Christmas Night. After a long day of eating heavy foods it’s nice to have something warm and light to eat.

Frosty Winter Wonderland

November 13, 2014April 20, 20152 Comments

Create your own Frosty Winter Wonderland using Smoothfoam’s Snowman and Tree Shapes and a 6″ Smoothfoam Disc.

Supplies Used:

Snowman Body
2″ x 3 1/2″ Tree
6″ x 1″ Disc
Textured Embossing Paste
Acrylic Paints: White, Green and Brown
Paintbrush
Stickles Glitter Glues: Frosted Lace, Diamond
Micro Brads: Black, Red
Bamboo Skewer
Orange Marker
Brown Ink-pad
Ribbon, Buttons and Christmas Embellishments
Small Red Doll Sock
Craft Glue
Old Toothbrush

Directions:

Cover the Snowman, Tree and Disc with the textured embossing paste using your finger. Allow to thoroughly dry.
Gently dust the Snowman and Disc with brown ink using the paintbrush to accent the texture of the paste.
Paint the Snowman with Frosted Lace Glitter Glue.
Paint the Tree with Green Acrylic Paint, speckle white paint onto tree using an old toothbrush.
Paint the Tree and Disc with Diamond Glitter Glue.
Decorate the Snowman with Small Micro Brads for the eyes, the tip of a bamboo skewer colored orange for the nose, small red doll sock with the tip tied with twine for his hat, teeny tiny red buttons and a red and cream gingham bow.
Insert Red Micro Brads into the tree for the Christmas Lights.
Assemble onto 6″ base and glue into place.

Handmade Holiday: Sew Simple Snowflake Pillow

November 7, 2014August 6, 20211 Comment

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays (besides eating Christmas cookies)

is to make things to decorate my home. My snowflake pillow is a simple sewing project

that makes a warm and cozy winter accent.

You can leave this pillow out long after the holidays are over.

For my Snowflake Pillow I used: (*affiliate link)

Two 13″ x 13″ pieces of Premium Grey Felt
9″ x 12″ Cream Felt
Red Buttons
Fairfield Poly-Fil Premium Polyester Fiber, White, 1 Bag, 12-Ounce*
Felt Snowflakes
Beacon Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive, 4-Ounce*
Sewing Machine

Directions:

Cut a 4″ x 12″ wavy piece from the cream felt.
Add a small amount of Fabri Tac Glue on the back of the cream felt to keep it in place before sewing. Place that piece 1/2″ up from the bottom of the grey 13″ piece of felt.
Glue Snowflakes in place. Hand sew the red buttons in the center.
Machine sew around outer edges of the large cream piece.
Machine sew between each of the snowflake arms.
Turn felt pieces right sides together and sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance.
Leave a 3″ opening at the bottom to add fiberfill.
Turn pillow back around and stuff with fiberfill.
Hand sew the pillow closed.

FYI…You can find die cut snowflakes in my Etsy Shop.

Thanks to the generous folks at Fairfield World for supplying the Poly-Fil.

*Disclaimer: This post uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!