My selfish DIY xmas

In November I bought aaaaaaall this felt. Two very big bags full. I would make Xmas tree decorations as gifts this year, I said. Yes. And I made one. One felt xmas tree gift. Why? Maybe I got freaked out by what happened to it/her (see Seasons of love post) and lost my present making drive. Or maybe I just got selfish.

So I love sugar skulls and all the Day of the Dead decorations. I love the idea that once a year you celebrate those who have passed, with food and parties. So I took a piece of felt and stitched this sugar skull onto it. And I liked it so much I wanted to wear it, somehow. So at the advice of the very talented Loukia Richards (check out her work at http://www.myprecious.gr/designers/loukia-richards-2/ ) I made this bracelet. It being my first time making something like this it took me ages. And it totally devoured my present making time. But it gave me something to focus on through a month which brought the loss of three loved ones. The writing reads Those who live deeply have no fear of death- Anais Nin. For me that means be true to your heart and your dreams and be in the moment. I finished it on Xmas morning. So here it is, my Xmas present to myself and the reason that handmade gifts to others by moi didn't happen this year. I don't regret it coz...I like my new bracelet!

And a Happy New Year!

Well she made it to the tree! And not just our tree but a really big tree in another house altogether, and her new owners think she's fabulous. So wishing all of you a sensational continuation of Chrismas holidays and thanking you lots and lots for visiting my little blog. XXXXX

Seasons of Love

I made this felt matryoshka to hang on the Christmas tree this year. She was pretty simple. Just simple stitches. Split stitch and back stitch for the face and body and blanket stitch all the way round.

Still I managed to screw up big time! I had run out of fabric glue when it came to sticking on the white felt face. So I thought 'hey, big deal, whatever I'll just use a teeeeny bit of super glue'. Then suddenly my fingers were stuck together and I was shouting and running around aimlessly, madly washing and blowdrying the face until large parts of it had turned into felt cement. Shit.

Somehow I managed to save her. There were parts of her face that the needle could go through, and I added red pom poms to hide the glue. She still looks kind of like she's been thumped, with a blotchy eye that thankfully you can't see very well in the photo. But her destination is the tree, and she's going ahead with it.

Its been quite a rough spell. But I've seen all the riches of the world in love. I guess its kind of like how you see the most beautiful colours at sunset. Kind of like how we decorate our houses to celebrate on one of the darkest days of the year. So slightly battered I too am going ahead, dressing up my house and wishing you all happy holidays! :)