Day 30- Shores of Galilee Ornament

Can you believe this is the last day of this series? 30 days has gone by so quickly! I have had so much fun doing this and have so enjoyed that so many of you have followed along with me. What in the world are we going to do next month? {Kidding, I'm good for a few days at least...} I started this with a simple list of 15 ornaments and hoped that as I went along inspiration would strike and I'd some how come up with 15 more. Now, I have more ideas than days but I always new I would have this ornament on the last day. Not because it is amazingly dazzling, or hip and trendy but because it ends this series where it should, focused on Christ.  

My sister introduced this to me a few years ago, and I made them for the sweet gals I visit teach last year. They are super fast, super easy, and you can make a lot of them with the supplies you get. {can you say neighbor gifts???}
Place about 1/4 cup of clean sand into a clear glass/plastic ornament Add a small handful of tiny seashells Glue the lid on so your sand doesn't spill out Tie on a tag with the following poem: Remember, remembertry always to beas the man who walkedthe shores of Galilee Easy and beautiful! Happy Holidays to you all and Happy Crafting!

And the WINNERS are...

Congratulations go out to these 3 fantastic followers! Winners of the play sets from my new Itty Bitty Bakers Line  Baker's Delight Set Winner:Brooke Anna Wood Cookie Set Winner:Amy Snell Wood Sandwich Set Winner:Bobbie Mackey*Ladies, will you please email me your contact info sometime in the next 3 days! Otherwise I have to pass on the goodies to someone else!* Congrats to you and a BIG THANK YOU to all of you for your kind words and for helping me to spread the word! These items are available for purchase any time on the Itty Bitty Page as well as in my etsy shop! And remember today is the last day to enter the Ornament a Day give away-another WINNNER will be announced tomorrow!

Day 29-Photo Memory Block Ornament

 I love the idea of making our trees about our families.The holidays are such a fantastic time to just remember. To remember fun times shared and loved ones we've spent time with, exciting things that have happened, and the "BIG" moments in life.  I think this may be my favorite ornament I've made in the past month because it will help me to remember this past year. Beautiful pictures of my beautiful girls. 

 I used 3 square blocks. I cut a 2x2 to square {my blocks are 1.5x1.5}You can buy pre-cut squares in the wood crafts section of your local craft store. Drill a hole through the center of each block. Sand and Paint your blocks. Prep your pictures.You have 12 squares to fill, I used 11 pictures and one text box with my girl's names and the year. I jumped onto Picnik and uploaded and edited my pictures.Pictures need to be between 1 and 1.5 inches square. Print and cut them out.  Mod Podge your picture to the sides of the blocks only. Double a long length of ribbon {I used two ribbons about 25 inches long each} and thread it through the bottom block. Tie a knot above and below that block. Be sure to leave enough ribbon hanging from the bottom to form a tassel of sorts.Add the middle block and tie another knot above it, add the top block and tie one final knot. Cut the remaining top loop to make to tails. With additional ribbon make a 5 loop bow. Center the bow on the top knot. Tie it down with the two long tails. Tie a knot into the tails to form a hanger and you're done. Beautiful, and personal. Wouldn't this make a great gift for grandparents or far away family?I'm going to have to make a few more... Happy Crafting!*As I believe my kiddos are amazing and can't wait to add this to my tree, I won't make you add them to yours! The give away winner will receive this ornament in kit form to add your own photos to.**

Give Away Deadlines!

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the last day to enter my new line give away! You could win 1 of 3 new play sets-that's a free Christmas present! Check out this post for entry details.  And there are only 3 days left to enter the Ornament A Day Give Away. Remember the winner gets one of every ornament featured here this month! The box is overflowing with fun, and it is not a small box either. All told there are almost 40 ornaments in there, just waiting for a new home...will it  be yours? Not if you don't enter! Have a great day-

Day 28- Paint Stick Toy Soldier

My sister put in a request for a few "boy themed" ornaments. As boys are completely foreign to me-I have 5 girls!-this was hard. So I'm starting by asking if any of you have any ideas to share PLEASE leave a comment and a link. I {and my sister} would love to see what you've come up with.

Here is my best attempt at "BOY"-

{sorry for the dark pics, it was really late when I did this}

Want to make one too? Here's what you'll need:

A small paint stick (the freebie ones at the paint counter)

3 jumbo craft sticks

scissors

paint (red, blue, white, black, and flesh)

white ribbon
and a few extras: I used a feather, yellow fabric paint,
 holiday themed buttons, a small piece of red polymer clay, floss,
and holly garland

{look around and use what you have! It makes it more your own.}

First use your scissors to cut the sticks.

I cut about 4" off of the paint stick to make the body, the rounded ends of 1 stick for the boots about 1/2 an inch , cut 1 stick in half {on a 45 degree angle} for the arms, and the rounded end of the third stick for the hat brim-round the cut just a bit.

 BE CAREFUL when you cut the sticks, they have a tendency to split if you don't hang on to them. It's a good idea to have a few spares around.

Painting comes next. I inked all my edges black once the paint was dry and added my rosy cheeks. Once the cheeks were dry, I dotted the eyes and highlighted the cheeks, boots, and hat brim. 

Add the ribbon detail next. I had thin 1/8 inch ribbon so it wrapped it twice.

Wrap a sleeve around each arm. A hat band at the base of the hat, and the stripes on his dress coat.

Glue the pieces together next.

 Add the soldiers embellishments. I gave his hat a feather

and used yellow fabric paint to make buttons.

I tied a small bundle of embroidery thread for a mustache

and added a red polymer clay ball for his nose.

Last comes the fun stuff he's hanging on to:

I glues the garland to his hands and then glues on the buttons.

I also gave him an official snowflake badge{to cover a misplaced blob of ink!} 

Add a hanger to the back of his hat and he's ready for duty!

Happy Crafting...

Day {26} and Day 27- Yarn Snowman and Flood light Angel

{I've linked this post up to the Poppies at Play Christmas Crafts Contest. Go checkout the other fun entries...after you read this one of course!} Okay, as promised a two-for-one special! So fitting for this weekend don't you think?{Sorry there aren't more pictures, I was busy being so happy with how these came out on the first try that I didn't take any! So please, comment if you need clarification of anything.} First up, this super cutie...

 I love it when it comes out better than you hoped for!!! I am in LOVE with his hat,it makes me giggle with happiness. A crazy emotion for some wire but I really like it!This first came about from a Jo-Anns ad. Tucked up on a branch in a picture selling something else was a little snowman head made from a ball of yarn-wanted to try it.Then while blog surfing Thanksgiving night I came across this wonderful series of posts at Under The Table and DreamingOne of her guest bloggers had done an entire snowman made from styrofoam balls wrapped in yarn. So thee it was, that's what I wanted to try.Mine is a bit different, I omitted the styrofoam and just made 3 balls of yarn {about a 4", 3", and 2" diameter}.Hot glued them all together so they made a snowman body.I used black furniture tacks for the buttons-just glued in as well, and burlap ribbon that I found at Wal-martfor the scarf.Then I twisted some black 20 gauge wire together to make the arms. I made one arm then threaded the wire through the body and shaped the other. Just bend, pinch, and twist. A little glue at the base to keep it from  twisting.And then that awesome hat! I found two of my kids blocks that I liked the size of. I wrapped the wire several times around the larger block and then switched blocks and continued wrapping up the smaller one.I found the end of the wire on the big loops and twisted it around the big loops only to keep them together.Next I took the pile of smaller loops and pushed them back  through the big loops so they were now on the opposite side of where they started, this helped to sturdy them up a bit.Then I took a separate piece of wire about 4 inches long and pinched it in half. Slid it over the smaller loops with the pinch at the top of the hat. I pulled it down on the loops until I got the height I wanted on my hat and then gave it a twist to hold them there. I snipped off one tail and slid the other down into the snowman's head. Tacked it in place with a little glue and tied on a thread hanger.I really am in LOVE with this snowman! Gonna be hard to give him up...   So I moved on to today's ornament to help with the separation. Take one old flood light add some felt, feathers, and spray paint and get this... 

Again, better than I hoped. This went together faster than it might look, and all done with glue!

First I spray painted the bulb all white.

Second glued on a 2" wooden doll head to the screw in end of the bulb.

You can't really see this but she does have arms! I cut a white felt square in half ending with a piece 4.5x12 inches long. I folded the long ends in on themselves and glued them together making a long tube.

I then glued the center of the tube to the back of the bulb. Under the head, on the metal threading of the bulb.

I added a little bit of poly-fill and then cut the tube to the length I liked for the arms. Glued the ends of the tube closed and then glued the arms down onto the bulb.

I cut a bumpy circle out of the felt, snipped out a circle in the center of that, and then placed it around the "neck" for a dress collar.

Next I cut a piece of embroidery thread and wrapped it from front to back, under the head, tied it in a knot and then tied another knot about 3 inches up to make a hanger. Glued on a ribbon to cover that up.

I decorated my little wreath next, and then glued it on.

Made the halo out of holly ribbon and glued that on, and then inked the cheeks.

I cut out a pair of wings from cardstock and glued on white feathers, then glued them onto the back of the bulb. Last, I painted on the word "Peace" to the bottom side.

And done! 2 ornaments in about 2 hours...

not a bad days work!

Happy Crafting!

What a day!!!

Okay, so today I'm learning that over the holidays you should schedule all your posts! Between shopping, playing, and getting this wonderful new design up running{do you just LOVE it?},the day has slipped away. I do have an ornament for today-it is just still in the unmade stages! Uhhggg! So I promise 2 for 1 tomorrow, and a link to this super fantastic posting I ran across last night while watching Dora at 2am with my very un-sleepy 3 yr old. Until then, be sure to check out  the new giveaway in the previous post! It's a good one, if I do say so myself.... Happy Crafting!

New Line Give away & Etsy Shop Coupon! {CLOSED}

I am so thrilled to have my new line ready to go, I've been working on perfecting it for a while. I am in fact, so excited about it, I want to share it with as many people as I can.

I am going to give away...

 
1

Baker's Delight set,

{in the color of MY choice}

1 Wood Cookie set,
and 1 Wood Sandwich set!

Want to win one, here's what I need you to do...

Entry 1: Be sure you're a follower of my blog,

leave me a comment to tell me if your new here. Leave me a comment if you've been getting the goodies for a while. But you have to be a follower!

Entry 2: Share this post, share my blog,

share my Esty store, just share, share, share! Then leave me a comment on this post to let me know where you shared.

Entry 3: Place an order from me any time this weekend {11/25-11/29}

either through my Etsy Shop or here through my blog and

get an extra chance at FREE GOODIES!
{Use coupon code GREATGOODIES during Etsy checkout for 15% off your ENTIRE order! That's on top of the BUY 3 Get one kit FREE promo!}
 *Free item is lowest costing product and does not apply to group priced items*

I'll announce the winners on Tuesday!

Itty Bitty Baker's Line is here!!!

I am so excited to introduce to you my

Itty Bitty Baker!

line of children’s wood and fabric toys.  As a mom, I want the best for my kids. I want to give them an opportunity to learn and grow in any situation-even when they’re playing. And, I want them to learn about everyday experiences in a fun and safe manner.

My girls love to “help out” in the kitchen. They were always helping themselves to my cooking utensils and aprons. After one too many times of ruining my shirt-I decided they needed some of their own. That’s where this all started, the need for a cute and fun child-size apron.

It’s only grown from there. I decided that the play food my girls had, wasn’t fun. Plastic molded forms that were easily misshapen and well, plastic. I wanted something more durable, more interactive, but still easy to keep clean. I found cute sets at the store, but didn’t like the price. And, I wanted something more personal, something more me, and now, I want to share it with you…

Itty Bitty Fabric Line

This line features finished fabric play toys and aprons.

Aprons are made of a soft, cotton flannel bodice and ruffle, grosgrain ribbon waist and neck ties, and a sweet cupcake pocket!

Aprons are available in two sizes, small {2T-3T} and large {4T-6}. You choose the fabric combo from options shown HERE.

Apron price: $15

Cookie and Sweet Roll sets are sewn from felt with hand stitched details and bead work. Cookies arrive bagged in a set of 6, you choose rainbow or pink sprinkles! Sweet Rolls come boxed and tied in a set of 4.

Each set is available for $7.50

Save yourself some money and get a Baker’s Delight set! This set includes an apron of your choosing, 1 set of cookies and 1 set of sweet rolls for $25.

{all products require additional shipping}

Itty Bitty Wood Line

This line features wood and velcro play sets similar to those you’d find at Land of Nod or from Doug and Melissa.

So, what’s the difference? My sets come unfinished, ready to give your own special touch to. Paper cover or paint, the choice is yours. And, you get more pieces in each play set for less money!

 Sugar Cookie set includes:

6 cookie cutouts

6 frosting toppers

1 frosting container

1 sprinkles container

Frosting spreader

  Serving tray

Labels and Velcro pieces

Sandwich Set includes:

4 bread slices

2 lettuce cutouts

2 cheese cutouts

2 tomato cutouts

2 meat cutouts

1 mustard container

1 mayo container

1 butter knife

1 cutting board

Labels and Velcro pieces

Each set sells for $15

  {shipping is $10 for 1-3 sets} 

These sets would make wonderful, personal holiday and  birthday gifts!

**Add size and color choices in the message box during checkout**

Itty Bitty Baker's Line

Apron $15.00 Sugar Cookie set $7.50 Sweet Roll set $7.50 Baker's Delight $25.00 Wood Cookie kit $15.00 Wood Sandwich kit $15.00