Christmas Crafting

Today, I took a little break from doing this...


...and this...


...to make some Christmas ornaments. It's nearly killing me that I can't decorate or put up a tree yet, so I had to ring in December somehow. Before Thanksgiving, I bought The Nester's tassel e-book. I think I'd read it within half an hour of the download completing and started hunting for something to turn into a tassel. This cardinal was sitting on my mantel. I got him at Joann after Christmas for $2. I decided he'd work. So the next day I hoofed it to Hobby Lobby for some fringe. (And if you've read the e-book, don't chastise me for going to Hobby Lobby. I only got the filler stuff there.) I got him about halfway done before we went out of town. I went to Best Fabrics today - my kids' favorite place to run away from me and hide - and got the last few things I needed to finish it. Ta-da!


My first tassel. Not too shabby, I don't think. Here's the problem, though. My original intent was to take it and give it away at our spouses group's yearly ornament exchange. If I do that, I don't get to keep it, and I really like it. I also risk someone ending up with it that really hates it, or doesn't know what to do with it. And I risk getting my feelings hurt, because I made him and I love him, but at these swaps, you definitely know which ornaments are liked and which are not. I'm not sure what I'll do. We'll see. Oh, here's the cute little red bow on his booty. :)


Last night, I remembered this paper ornament kit that I bought at Michael's after Christmas several years ago and never got around to using. I started working on them while we were watching TV. It took me two hours to finish just five, but I really like them.


And finally, the pearls. Just this morning, I saw this post on Decor to Adore and knew I had to make these. I have a bag of retired costume jewelry that Andrea gave me the last time I was in Tennessee. I painted some stars gold, disassembled a couple of necklaces, glued the pearls to the stars, and voila! Recycled jewelry ornaments. (Annie, I will send one with your Christmas gift, so now you can hang your old jewelry on your tree.)