Holiday Ornaments and Giveaway in Progress

The holiday season is in full swing at the shopping centers but what I liked about one of my sewing group gatherings today is that we exchange handmade gifts.  We put a limit of $15 value and it doesn't have to be hand made by you but we do want it to be a handcraft.  

In addition to several jars of jam and jelly (apple caramel butter, made by Mr. Lucky this year, blueberry jam and red pepper jelly) my donation included this holiday pine cone ornament.  Thanks to two youtube videos and the generosity of people who know how to film and post instructions, one of these took less than an hour to complete and I would probably get faster with practice.

Fabric pine cone ornament

Supplies are quite easy to find:

 And the tutorials I used:

fabric pine cones:

and for the wire ribbon leaves:

I've said before that Mr.Lucky and I are reducing the stuff in our house for a future move so I won't be making these for our tree but they are a nice giveaway and for quilters they are a cute way to use up tiny 2 inch scraps.

My church is having an ornament and cookie auction this weekend and as one of the "crafty, artsy" people I was asked to donate an ornament or two.  Hmmm.  The fabric pine cone was a little too time consuming to make in any quantity for the deadline so I used a Pinterest idea and made these.  The only supplies were a bag of 100 scrabble tiles ....unlike the blogger who made the ones I copied who de-constructed an original Scrabble game for hers.  The challenge of course was to make holiday related words and I think they turned out nicely.

Thanks for your interest in the pattern giveaway that is going on.  You have until 10pm EST (too late for me to be up until midnight;-) Sunday, Dec. 4.  Comment on that blog post  Pattern Giveaway Week 1  or email me with the name of pattern that interests you.  Thanks for giving me the kick start to really look at my pattern collection with more realistic eyes.  You, dear readers, my local sewing friends and then the local college school of design will be the recipients of my over-buying.  Let the giveaways begin....