How to work a felted lady's boot into a Christmas stocking!

The finished ladies boots representing something
that may have looked quite similar to the real
thing during the Victorian era.

       To sew this small Victorian inspired, felt stocking you will need just a few scraps of fabric in felted wool or cotton. I chose to use a woven plaid and/or tweedy looking primary wool combined with a contrasting solid color in each of the examples you see in the photographs; the possibilities for both color and pattern combinations are obviously endless.

       Each stocking is sewn together with an embroidery needle and floss using a blanket stitch and the pattern is included below for visitors to download and print off on their own home computers.

       Crafters may finish trimming each boot with three or more buttons each. For the boot on the left, I chose very pale pink buttons with rhinestones at their centers and for the boot on the right I used classic shell, pearl buttons to give each of them that vintage look.

       In these small stockings, a cash gift or tiny candies may be hidden from view while hanging from the branches of a tree or chimney mantle. Tiny stockings like these may keep your gift exchanges both modest yet stylish at the same time. 

       I think small stocking like these would also look so charming hanging from a ''charitable contributions tree'' as the primary decoration in an agency or church. Give a little gift to the givers and include a message in each to describe the whether the recipient of your chosen present should be male or female of a particular age, while inviting the person to keep the stocking as a small token for their contribution.

• See the angel tags and read about Angel trees during the holidays at The Salvation Army here.
• Read about how the Arc Giving Tree Works in the City of St. Louis
  

Left, is the plaid version of the boot stocking in classic colors, Right is a brown tweed version.

A vintage felt pattern of a ladies boot. Victorian looking design.

How to Decoupage a Nativity Inside of A Tree Topper

Figures include: Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherd boy, and three Magi.

       This unusual tree topper is easy to make once you have constructed the star shaped box and attached it's tube. The top-most branch of a Christmas tree will need to fit snugly inside of the tube, so test this out as you make it. It may be fitted exactly if your tree is artificial.
       If you intend to use it on a live tree in the future, the tree branches will need to be adjusted for every unique tree in the future and this should be done at that time by the person pruning branches prior to trimming the tree. 

       I recycled a wrapping paper tube for this project instead of the standard toilet roll. You can observe the pictures at the bottom to see that it was taped onto the star box and then masked completely. The masking tape not only makes the surfaces look uniform but also strengthen the cardboard before applying the decoupage.
       The star was originally a decorative box that had a lid at one time. It is deep, measuring at least 3 or 4 inches. The depth is what gives the star it's unique qualities. It is easier to nestle among branches without toppling and also roomy enough to assemble a small nativity scene with multiple characters.
       I chose to use a sticker set for my nativity here. The stickers are mounted to light weight cardboard like the kind used to package breakfast cereal. Every year there seems to be stickers like these in local hobby shops so I don't believe that visitors here will have difficulty duplicating something similar to this example here. It is entirely possible for a crafter to choose an alternative material to stickers. However, remember to keep that choice on the lighter side of things. Too much weight could make for a disaster if you are not careful. You don't want a nice display to come crashing down in the future!

Left, the side paper is a metallic diamond pattern. Center, a close-up of the stickers. Right, gold
 wrapping paper covers the tube and backside of the star. I used white school glue, with even
  application to cover the entire tree topper with paper before mounting the
  sticker nativity figures inside of the space.

       Choice of colors on a tree-topper are often dictated by the selected theme and/or colors already predominant among other ornaments in a person's collection. I like to combine silver and gold on many of my trees so that is why metallic gold was chosen here. However, I think this would have turned out just as lovely in blue.

See the assembled star shaped tree topper before it is decoupaged. I found the star shaped box
at a discount shop but this could be built by hand in advance if you need to do that instead.
Cut a star shape from sturdy cardboard and then attach the wide walls around it with tape.

How to fold a German star for hanging on the tree...

Woven fabric stars make lovely gifts for the tree.

       These old-fashioned stars from Germany may be woven from all kinds of materials: ribbons, paper, straw and fabric. My older daughter chose to use fabric 3/4 by 24 inches long; shown in the photograph just right. Choose two contrasting prints for the best results.

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Fold four pieces of ribbon, paper or fabric, two light and two dark, in half. (Make each 3/4 by 24 inches long) Interlock to form  basket weave and pull ends tightly.
2. Lift top ribbons; fold one across the other to form second basket weave.
3. Pull ends firmly.
4. Bring one loose end up and slip it through one open side. Turn loop inside out with thumb and forefinger.
5. Pull end through until loop forms point or triangle when creased (see diagram). Repeat with remaining three loose ends. Now you have four star points.
6. Turn star over and repeat steps 4 and 5. Now three are eight star points.
7. To make center standing points, lift and fold back one of the top light-colored strips (A). Take dark strip (B); keeping the right side up, loop the strip counterclockwise and slip it into slot (C) under raised ribbon. Pull through to form a point at (C).
8. Repeat procedure with remaining top strips to make four standing points. Turn star over and repeat steps 7 and 8.
9. Trim extending ribbons.

Step-by-Step Illustrated Process.

 See how to weave stars at YouTube:

• German paper star tutorial by madincrafts here
• Christmas tree farmer shares her own version of the German woven star ornament
  

DIY A 90s Jumping-Jack Skier

The finished skier with permanently attached skies, no poles though.

       I acquired this adorable jumping-jack in a resale shop somewhere; it's been sometime since I've purchased it so I'm not quite sure of where that was. It is signed and dated and this is why I know that it was painted in the 90s. I suppose you could draw similar details on a ski sweater yourself using permanent ink markers instead of paint and thus making the prospects of duplicating the details better.
       My version does not have ski poles and if I were to make it myself I would attach something made from chenille stems to the hands only.
      I am also certain that you could make this skier in a smaller size, if you have the patience to do so. Just remember to keep the parts in proportion to each other and I'm sure a smaller version would be quite charming...
       To make this 1990s jumping jack skier you will need the following supplies: large brass fasteners (4), acrylic paints, a large wooden bead for the head, a smaller wooden bead for the pull string, one chenille stem, a thick strand of gold twine for that same pull and stronger thinner twine for the stringing of the arms and legs, a hand held drill to make neat, clean holes into the Popsicle stick arms and legs and a variety of very large wooden Popsicle sticks to smaller ones. See the photos for design choices. Cutting tools for the shortening of the sticks are also necessary.

• How to cut Popsicle without breaking or splitting them...
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Carefully study the  photos here to see how many cuts and parts you will need for the jumping-jack skier. 
2. You will first need to use a small hand drill to make clean, neat holes at the shoulders and hips of the doll. after these three pieces have been glued and assembled to make the torso of the doll.
3. These four holes must correspond exactly to a pair of arms and a pair of legs. It is at these corresponding connections that you will insert brass fasteners to attach the arms and legs. These fasteners will allow motion of the dolls parts.
4. The same movement can be said of the doll's head because it is loosely strung on a chenille stem wire and glued down only at one end behind the torso, between the doll's shoulder blades.
5. You can and should paint these parts all separately in order to ensure that the paint will not be smeared onto other parts and thus call for more cleaning  and odd positioning until the paints dry. In other words, paint the head separately, then the torso, then the arm and legs before assembling it all together.
6. Bend the chenille stem to insert inside of the head bead with a hoop at it's top for the hook
   and a straight piece for the neck. This unbent piece is glued at the back of the jumping-jack barely extending it's head just above the wooden neck and shoulders of the doll. It is carefully hidden from the front side of the doll. 
7. Make the twine jumping mechanism next. Use a sharp needle and the finer twine to thread through the wooden shoulders and thighs. See photographs for placement. 
8. Then use the thicker gold twine to knot around each threaded set of  arms and legs. Extending a pull cord down between the legs to pull and make  the little doll "jump." Attach a smaller bead to to the end of the cord for marking the place where a child might "pull'' to animate the doll.
9. Thread a hook through the hoop at the top of the jumping-jack's head to hang it on the Christmas tree.

Left, here you can see that the head and torso are made prior to the arms and legs. If you were
planning to make many of this design, you could process through the steps in stages: heads
 painted, torsos assembled, then legs and arms etc... Right, eyes and facial features
on this doll are highly stylized.

Left at top, see the chenille stem that is glue inside of the bead with a hoop at it's top for the hook
and it's bottom is left straight. This piece is glued at the back of the jumping-jack barely extending
 it's head just above the wooden neck and shoulders of the doll. It is carefully hidden from the front
 side of the doll. Right, A detailed photograph of the parts unassembled. The twine jumping mechan-
ism is simple and easy enough for older children to attach successfully. The smaller holes made for
the thin twine  attachments are difficult to see here. These are made with a sharp needle and the twine
 is threaded through. Then the thicker gold twine is knotted around each threaded set of  arms and
legs and a pull cord is extended down between the legs to pull and make  the little doll "jump."

Left is the "jump" position of the doll when the cord is pulled down. Right, is how the doll looks
assembled from the back.

More Christmas ornament skiers to make:

• More adorable skiers for the tree - these are made using clothespins
• Paper doll skiers from our family doll crafting blog

A place for baby mice to sleep inside the Christmas tree!

        There is nothing sweeter than tiny vintage mice for the Christmas tree, that is if they are not living. This traditional craft is one in particular that little ones love during the holidays and it has been crafted by hundreds of thousands of children across the United States for over 100 years! It is a craft that may be as simple or detailed as the maker of it wishes. I have seen some mice that are crafted from felt, some from pom-poms, others from wool and still more made from cotton balls. My example below is made from the former although a bit more manipulated. In any case, I'm certain that any young person will enjoy making these so much that he or she will happily make too many! Give them away in stockings if you need to.

Black mouse sleeping in nut shell; his fur colored with lint.

Supplies Needed:

• fine wire for tail and arms, hanger
  
• a few cotton balls 
• a bit of dryer lint (for fur color)
• acrylic paint (flesh to pink, white
• permanent black ink pen
• bits of fabric for blanket
• walnut shell half 
• white school glue
• pink felt for ears
• hot glue gun and hot glue (optional)
• hammer, chopping block and one sided razor blade for preparing the walnut shells (Preparing the shells must be done by an adult only in advance of completing the remainder of the craft activity,)
  

Left, the cotton bodies and heads are glued inside of the walnut shells. Right, painting on eyes.

This baby mouse is wearing an acorn shell night cap.

All of these mice have curly long tails too.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. First you will need to prepare the walnut shell. Break it in a perfect half and clean out the nut contents. I have shown folks how to do this in detail here.
2.  Next, make the baby mouse's head by rolling cotton batting fluff (one cotton ball's worth) between the palms of your hands with a squeeze of white school glue. Set this tiny ball aside to dry.
3. Add more cotton fluff and glue if you think the head of the baby mouse is not yet big enough. 
4. Attach a delicately cut pair of paper or felt ears with glue to the head. Let dry.
5. Stuff the walnut shell with glue and white cotton; this will be the baby mouse's body. 
6. Glue the mouse head on the edge of the nut shell, touching the body on one side. 
7. Roll a bit of cotton batting over fine wire to make the mouse arms and a long loopy tail. Glue these inside the shell around the edges to the positions you think look best.
8. Cut a tiny blanket for the mouse baby and glue this on top of it's belly in the middle of the walnut shell.
9. Now add the tiniest features to the sleeping baby mouse like: a tiny pink nose, tiny eyes using the permanent in marker, coloring the the mouse fur made from dryer lint.
10. Tuck and glue in a wire hanger behind the mouse baby's head to hang this old-fashioned ornament on your Christmas tree. You can also include as many baby mice in walnut shells as you like inside of a mouse house for play! 
    

External Links
More Mice in Walnut Shells:

• Walnut shell mouse making workshop
• DIY Walnut Mouse Ornaments by kelsey malie
  

How to sew old-fashioned paperclip skates...

Finished paperclip ice skate ornament.

      To sew these vintage paperclip skates you will need the following supplies: two large (2'') paperclips, one sheet of craft felt, thread to match, contrasting rick-rack, 16 silver or gold beads (for buttons), contrasting embroidery floss, ten cotton balls, wire or twine for hanging.
       Ordinarily these ornaments are hung in pairs as are mittens; but this is a choice of course. You could just make a single skate ornament.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Upload the pattern included here and print it out for this craft. The pattern is superimposed on a piece of graph paper quarter inch scale.
   
2. Cut out the pattern pieces and trace around these on top of cardboard to make your own templates. The seam allowance for my version is 1/8 inch.
3. With right sides together, sew the boot seams from point A to point B with a straight stitch. (toe to heel and then up behind the calf. You should do this twice, using four cut pieces of felt for two boots. 
4. Sew the tongue in place between the felt boot parts where the laces will be. Use tiny straight stitches to sew this in place.
5. Now turn each boot inside-out and stuff each boot.
6. Take the outside point of each paperclip and poke these through the sole at the toe of each boot. Sew the paper clip in place by working your needle through the stuffed felt sole inside and out and around the paperclip over and over until you have firmly attached it down it's length under the felt boot.
7. Sew on the beads spaced-out evenly on either side of each boot in the positions that would be eyelets on a real ice-skate boot.
8. Now "lace'' each boot with embroidery floss.
9. trim the boot with additional fancy stitching if you prefer. I used rick-rack along the tops, sewed on an additional boot 'grab' at the top and also used a blanket stitch for emphasizing edges. 

Left, the back of the paperclip ice skates with heal details. Center the front of the ornament with
 laces and bead work. Right, the paperclips poked through the toes and sewn in place.

Boot, tongue and heal patterns to be cut from felt.

More Ice Skate Crafts:

• Make a Frosty Ice Skate Paper Wreath
• Print and assemble Victorian paper ice skates

Recycled Sugar-Plums for The Tree

       This has been too lean a year for any new Christmas decor. But sometimes I find the leanest years to be full of old-fashioned charm and that is the way we like it at our house! No fuss, no muss, just using our imaginations and a few supplies to turn a tiny table-top tree into something only a very hungry five year old would dream up . . .
        The supplies I used to make these small sweets or "sugar-plums" for our family Christmas tree included: recycled, vintage peppermint Styrofoam balls, a paper egg carton, gold foil mini cup-cake liners, gold foil holly petals, wire, hot glue, masking tape, red glitter glue pen and tacky craft glue.

I didn't have the heart to toss these vintage peppermint, foam balls. I kept them in our family
 Christmas craft stash until our daughters decided to craft a candy themed tree this year.

Step-by-Step Instructions: 

1. Remove any old wire from the Styrofoam balls; mine where formerly attached to old picks.
2. Cut shallow cups apart from a egg carton molded from paper pulp. Make sure that the sides of these cups have been cleaned up and are relatively uniform in height all around their edges. 
3. Hot glue each of the peppermint foam balls down inside of the egg cups, keeping the nicer halves facing up.
4. Take the gold foil mini cup-cake liners and smooth a small piece of masking tape onto the inside of the liner at the bottom. This will help the surfaces attach better using the tacky glue. 
5. Squeeze the tacky glue into the mini liner and then smooth and press it around the egg carton cup to cover the bottom and side surfaces.
6. Now bend a wire for hooks and poke as many as you need into the very tops of each recycled sugar-plum so that a wire may be twisted through these to make hangers for each ornament.
7. Hot glue the gold foil holly leaves to each sugar-plum and then apply a tiny bit of red glitter glue to the center of each sugar plum tip. See photos above.

More Peppermint Candy Crafts for The Christmas Tree:

• Craft cross candy canes from chenille stems
• How to make mini cotton batting candy canes 
• Make wool lollipops for the Candy Christmas tree 
• Sew penny peppermints using a blanket stitch or two