Thought I would share a cute little idea I had while my granddaughter was staying with me.  She got this little bear at McDonalds and told me that she had a couple already.  I asked her if she wanted me to make it into a Christmas ornament and she said "yes".   So I decided to share the process.  Many things can be made into ornaments.  Some things would need to have a hanger glued to it but since this was cloth it was easy enough to sew a hanger to it.
So... let's turn this...                             into this..............

First , I removed the tag.   No one wants a tag hanging off their ornament.

Then we need to sew a hanger to the top of the bears head.   I made a knot in my thread and stuck the needle into the back of the bear head.  It doesn't matter where you stick it.... the knot is getting cut off before we are done and you won't see the entry point.

So you can see that I entered at the back of the head and came out at the top.

Then I make a couple of small stitches one on top of the other.  This sets the stitch so that I can cut the knot in the back without the thread pulling loose later.

Then find something you woud like to use as the hanger.  I like this little gold cord.

So I made a knot in it to form a loop.  And I sewed this to the top of the bear head.

I made a few stitches to hold the cord on securely and then I was ready to sink the thread and hide the "tail" of the thread.   

Just like in the beginning when I made a couple of small stitches to secure the thread so I could cut the starter knot, I did the same so I could then run the needle in at the stitches and then out farther away where I will cut it close to the head and you will no longer see the 'tail' of thread.

And now it hangs securely and can go on the tree.

Then I found a little bead wreath that looked good with the bear and I stitched it to the arm of the bear.  But even without the wreath it was cute enough for the tree.  

I have a bunch of those little Alexander dolls that McDonalds gave out years ago.... I think I will try those next.  Let me know what new (old) things you find to turn into ornaments

Fair Weather

I had posted some of the pictures of last years State Fair entries.  Now for some pictures of this years fair entries. I submitted 29 entries and got 19 ribbons.  These are just a few that I could find pictures for easily.

A gourd birdhouse.  Got 1st place.

Three little felt Christmas ornaments.  Got honorable mention or something like that.

 This is an owl on a pumpkin made from one gourd.

I used paper clay to make the additions and pine cone petals for the tail.  It was entered into a "painted gourd" category.  It got 1st place.

This is another birdhouse that got 2nd place.

I really enjoyed making this card.  It did not get any ribbon. But I had fun. And someone will get a sweet card for Christmas.

This was my favorite piece.  It is made from gourds and cloth.

I made the bird's nest from the inside of a gourd and the bird from a nut thing.  Added paper clay and feathers.

Her head is an egg gourd.  Her arms and legs are cloth ona wire armature.

I had been wanting to paint a picture of a doll.  This got a fourth place.  I did not expect it to get anything so I was ok with that.

Catching UP

I can't believe I have not posted anything in two years.  I guess I have been really busy. I have had a wonderful year.  I"ve lost 35lbs and feel like I've gotten my life back. (If you are interested in finding out more about that I have another blog.  www.journeyisa.blogspot.com )
I have been crafting, singing, playing music and clogging.  WOW!
I took 29 items to the fair this year for competition.  I got ribbons on a number of things and was truly surprised to get blue ribbons on plants that I took.  I thought the plants were nice but really had no idea that they were that great.  I have intentions of putting lots of photos up.  I also need to post photos from last year's fair items.
     Some people don't understand why I like putting things in the fair.  I really love being motivated to get some projects finished and do projects that have been in my mind.  Sometimes other things just come first and being creative comes last.  So having a good reason to finally make these things gets me going.  Yes, the house gets a little neglected.  Yes, my husband feels a little neglected.  But it is only for a short time and then life gets back to normal.  And I end up with some finished projects that turn into Christmas gifts or get sold or sit around my house for me to look at and be satisfied. So, coming up are items that I have made over the past two years.
These pictures are from the fair last year.

V

This is a doll that had been waiting for years to be finished.  I turned her into a Victorian Fashion doll.  She got a third place at the State Fair.  They posted some reasons.  They were a little trivial considering the complexity of the doll.  But I'm just happy she is done and hope to someday make her more clothes. 

This cute little snowman (which is actually around 12" tall) is a gourd.  He got a second place... I think.

I thourght for sure that this gourd creation would get a first place but it did not.  It got second.  The first place was a wonderful gourd dragon on a giant dark crystal ball.  I gave this away. I need to make another.. maybe two for gifts.

This is the back of the cat gourd.  There is a spider in the front and a mouse in the back.

This was done with Sharpie Markers on a glass ball.

This little doll is a Vintage Horsman doll.  I made the outfit and it got a blue ribbon.

This was a gourd bowl entry. I think it got a red ribbon.  I am always happy when I get gourd things done.

This was a special item for me.  I really liked the finished project.  It got a read ribbon.  And someone wrote that they really liked the suggestions in the picture.  That was the idea.

This little elf was much fun to make.  It did not go into the fair but I did put another set of three similar items in the fair.  They did not win anything.

I was so excited to finish this granny square blanket.  I had a lot of the squares in a bag I had purchased at a thrift store years ago.  I had to make more in order to make a pink one.  But I finally got it finished and gave it to one of my granddaughters.

This sweet doll did not go to the fair.  She was in a doll swap.  She is a pattern by Edith Flack Ackley (EFA).  Her dress is made of vintage fabrics.  I got a sweet doll back.

These are two little felt ornaments I gave to my grandchildren.  They like them.

This is a My Child doll. She went to fair to model the little outfit.  She got a blue ribbon but I could not believe that someone took points off for her color combination and neatness.  I even made her socks, shoes and bows.