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Happy weekend!
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How to make pom pom elves
As you know, I love a pom pom or three. I am using pom poms as my advent calendar, making a pom pom a day and hanging it on. This idea soon turned into pom pom elves!
This is how the elves are looking so far, with a few snowballs thrown in.
Want to make your very own elf or pack of elves? They can adorn your tree or hang anywhere you want. I have been making the elves in different sizes and the hats turn out as big or long as the fabric allows and I decide.
So, grab a pom pom maker (I use cut out circles for mine), some yarn, some felt, embroidery thread and a nice big needle and off we go.
Make a nice pom pom using some fab yarn.
Leave a nice long length for hanging your cute elf up.
Cut out a triangle of felt with the bottom edge long enough to go around your pom pom, make it as tall or short as you want.
With some pretty embroidery thread, sew up the hat from the top down, you might need to pin it together before you sew. Finish sewing just before the bottom edge, don’t finish off here, you will need the thread to sew the hat to the pom pom.
Trim the bottom edge to make it even, or of course you can leave it with a little pointy back.
Thread the yarn from the pom pom up through the top of the hat (I use a giant needle for this). Use the embroidery thread on the hat to sew the hat to the pom pom, pulling the hat down as far as you want.
Finish off the ends and make a hoop from the wool to hang your new helper on the tree or on your calendar. They are going to look super cute when I have 24 elves and snowballs!
Special thanks goes to my nephew in the UK who designed this gorgeous Christmas card!
Ten books on the 10th
Yesterday was ten on the 10th, so I decided to photo ten books I like.
The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread by Amy Scherber and Toy Lee Dupree
The Family Dinner by Laurie David
My Grandma’s recipe book.
The daily diary I keep for the boys.
Obsessive Consumption by Kate Bingaman-Burt
The Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori
Instant Love by Jenifer Altman, Susannah Conway and Amanda Gillighan
Perfect by Rachel Joyce
Let’s Draw Cute Animals by Sachiko Umoto
Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads by Stephanie Sersich
I love books, don’t you?!
Weekly Photos
32/365 While I was spraying a branch gold for my pom pom advent calendar, I also accidentally sprayed these leaves. They turned out quite pretty!
33/365 It is amazing to think that only a week ago, the temperatures were in the 60’s and 70’s. Now we have a layer of snow and icy sidewalks. I took advantage of the warm days and planted my garlic.
34/365 On Wednesday I was the mystery reader at school, the kids had to guess who was reading by listening to five clues. I read ‘Little Santa’ by Jon Agee. As I was waiting, I snapped this cute decoration.
35/365 Then we got snow! I did spot this little heart as I walked to the gym though.
36/365 Mr.Y’s birthday was today, so I made him an Army guy cake!
37/365 Christmas decorations are starting to emerge in our house. This little tree usually gets decorated by the boys and goes in their room.
38/365 Birthday boy wanted to go the the Transport Museum, so off we went in the snow! It was pretty cool seeing all of the trains outside covered in snow and icicles. I was super happy I caught some snow as I snapped this proud train.
Six word Saturday
Got the decorations out today, tree up tomorrow. Are you all decorated for Christmas?
Birthday cake
I made an Army birthday cake for Mr.Y.
I had the best time making it! I used a chocolate cake recipe I like, but you could use a bought plain cake and it would still work fine.
I made the cakes in two 8inch round pans, let them cool and made a chocolate ganache for the ‘icing’
When the cakes had cooled, I broke them up and mixed them up with a couple of tablespoons of jam, then piled the whole lot on a big plate and arranged it into a cake hill. I did feel a bit decadent making perfectly nice cakes then tearing them up!
The ganache got poured over the top and left to do it’s thing as it dripped and pooled on the cake pile. Hey, I think I just invented a new thing-‘cake pile’!
I added toy soldiers, green sanding sugar, crushed Maltesters, Ripple bars and chocolate twigs (like Matchmakers in the UK).
Slicing this cake might be a problem! Maybe best just to grab a handful.
Do you make cakes for special occasions? Mine don’t always turn out, but I am happy with this one.
My Instagram shots as cards
I have ordered teeny tiny cards and stickers from Prinstagram in the past, so when they said they made proper cards for sending in the mail, old school, with a stamp and writing, I needed some! You can print a different Instagram picture (from your account) on each, so I decided to make a mix of regular cards and Christmas cards.
You just choose from your Instagram stash, which is a dilemma in itself. Which to use?!
I printed a few of Bodhi on his skateboard so that he has birthday thank-you cards. Yes, I make my kids send out thank you cards for presents received, and it helps if the card has one of your own photos on it I think.
The cards arrived today and they are fab! If you are expecting a Christmas or a thank you card from me, you may need to prise it await from me, I like all of the cards so much!
Do you send real cards made from paper with a stamp? Or do you prefer cyber cards?
Project 365 photos 25-31
Into the second month of Project 365 now and I haven’t missed a day yet. Let’s hope I can keep it up. This week has seen my birthday, Thanksgiving and lots of sunshine! As usual, these photos are a mix of iPhone 4 and Canon Rebel cameras, and one from the Polaroid Construction Camera.
25/365
One of my new necklaces for CatsEatDogs, taken on the Canon.
26/365
A sign in a local antiques shop. Taken on the phone.
27/365
We made Christmas cake today and tradition states that everyone who stirs the batter gets to make a wish. Taken with Oggl on the phone.
28/365
Instant photo from one of my new (old) cameras. This is me with some Thanksgiving veg!
29/365
Squashed seedpod on the bridge this morning. Taken with the phone and no filters added.
30/365
Missouri Botanical Gardens all set up for the Garden Glow. We haven’t seen the garden all lit up, but even in the daytime, it is pretty cool. Taken with the Canon.
31/365
Oranges about to be made into marmalade. Taken with the phone, no filters.
Six word Saturday
Hurrah, I made it and I managed to write a post every day in November! Did you do NaBloPoMo? How did it go?
Advent calendar
I remember when we first moved to the States ten years ago from the UK, we had to get chocolate Advent calendars sent over from home as they didn’t have them here. They are still not very prolific, but now we usually grab one from Trader Joes and use our home made edition for little chocs and gifts. That way both boys get a little something every day of December leading up to Christmas.
This year I have left it all a little late, the end of November is nigh and I have just put up our ‘fill it yourself’ calendar, but I still don’t have a regular calendar (with chocolate of course). We have a chalk board wall which we draw a Christmassy thing on (snowman this year) and I pin the ‘calendar’ across it.
Do you buy an Advent Calendar? Or do you have one you use every year? I think I will make a new one next year as this one is looking a little shabby. All of the boxes are still intact, so for this year, I just need to get some sweeties and treats to fill it with.
This is the calendar I saw which inspired me to make ours. I usually fill it with chocs, sweets, mini cars, Lego figures, squinkies to name a few. Most days it is chocolates or sweets, and maybe once a week each kid will get a bigger treat. I have also put notes in the boxes like ‘let’s go and get hot chocolate’, ‘trip to the zoo’.
Can you believe it is almost December! Yikes, are you ready for Christmas yet? I have a few presents, so I am feeling a little organised.
Clare Davis Etheridge 