Jewelry Art

Day 9 to the Countdown to Christmas is about jewelry art. A few of those showed up on my fav shopping site. 

What I am listening to - Fred Waring Christmas Magic and the Pennsylvanians (2000)

Mailing out Christmas Cards

Day 8 to the Countdown to Christmas highlights the Made-Over Mirror, the lead-off image from the 2015 magazine Country Sampler's Christmas. Let's just say I had good intentions to attempt this craft. I didn't have those types of decorated boughs on hand and the goal was to buy at thrift, if possible. I will keep this project in mind for the 2025 craft sessions. 

I still mail out Christmas cards. This batch of cards I bought at the recent estate sale. I always like the glittery ones. 

Since I send out around 25 cards each year, I keep an eye out for the singles/partials holiday cards at thrift. I bought this other set at thrift, glittery snowman Greetings of the Season. 

What I am listening to - Gloria Estafan Christmas Through Your Eyes (1993)

Knitting and Crafting

Countdown to Christmas Day 7. Lead-off image is from the 1963 Spinnerin magazine. 

Happy Holidays to all of the crafters, knitters, weavers, a Tribute.

The Twelve Days of Crafting
Selected text from Jessie Whitby's tribute

Crafts Magazine, November 2001

On the twelfth day of crafting, these things were made by me:

12 new tree trimmings. Admittedly, I have been buying thrifted decorations for this year's celebration.

11 fancy wrappings. Now, I mainly use wrapping as a background for images. 

10 cards a-stamping. I'm not a stamper, for those who love it, have at it. 

9 dozen cookies. My go-to homemade cookie is chocolate chip. 

8 candles dripping. Hand-dipped ones wow. 

7 chocolates dipping. Looks like homemade fudge is in my future. 

6 wreaths a-hanging. I have a couple of thrifted ones.

5 new stockings. I hang the same old ones year after year. 

3 glazed hams. One is enough for us. 

2 silver bells. A thrift shop holy grail. 

And a doily angel on the tree.

 

I finally ran into an estate sale in my town. The lady of the house had been a sewist/quilter. I could not be more delighted to release the vintage books I bought back in to circulation. Early Christmas present to myself was a blue project box, 3 sewing patterns, a few fabric remnants, a spool of dark blue Gutermann thread, scissors, and a way cool seam ripper. 

What I am listening to - Casey Kasem Presents All-Time Christmas Favorites (2004)

Dressed-Up Dress Form

Welcome to Countdown to Christmas Day 6! 🎄

The lead-off image was a craft project featured in Country Sampler's Christmas (2015). The article referred to these antique dress forms as The Bettys, gussied up for Christmas. 

My dress form is Sally Stand-In. Both the apron and the wooden tree necklace were thrifted. 

Pattern of the Day is this Simplicity Crafts from 1993. 

What I am listening to - Kente Claus

Christmas Tree Pin Forest

These two Christmas tree pins are this year's new ones to join the forest. 

Here is the thrifted Christmas tree quilt that houses all of the holiday pins. 

Close-ups of the pins. 

The candy cane pin is the one I most likely would wear at holiday parties. 

This pin is actually worn as a necklace. 

The green frosted pin is the one that started it all, I have had that one since childhood. The blue pin is one of the few bought retail. 

Starfish pin on the tree star. Deer head pin was a fellow eBay purchase. 

Day 5 recipe is from Norman Rockwell's Christmas Book (1977). 

FROZEN PUDDING

2-1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup rum
1 cup candied fruit, cherries, pineapples, pears, and apricots

Cut fruit in pieces, and soak several hours in brandy to cover, which prevents fruit freezing; make custard of first four ingredients; strain, cool, add cream and rum, then freeze. Fill a brick mould with alternative layers of the cream and fruit; pack in salt and ice and let stand 2 hours.

What I am listening to - Christmas with Pavarotti Carreras (1999)

Candy Cane Lane

Welcome to Day 4 to the Countdown to Christmas for the Candy Cane Lane project. 

The goal for these decorations was to utilize what I already had in stock and items purchased at thrift. The bulbs and metal sign totaled $7.50 at thrift.

I passed up the red Christmas tree at thrift ($4.99) but bought it the next day. While the lights did not work, I am simply delighted with this purchase, the tree is in great shape. 

This view shows the plastic ornament bulbs hanging from the bottle brush plant. 

This is the long view of Candy Cane Lane. 

After

Before

The painted cuties were from an estate sale. 

 

I will keep adding to Candy Cane Lane with thrifted lights and bulbs.  

Snowmenskis

Day 3 of this Countdown to Christmas is about Snowmen. 

Button button whose got the button? 

Pattern of the Day is the Snowflake Family. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186774347296

Popcorn yum yums

What I am listening to: A Tejano Country Christmas (1994)

Snowman crafts from various holiday magazines.