Sweater stocking

I've seen stockings made from sweaters all over blogland and on pinterest.  Since I needed a new stocking for little miss Elle, I decided to upcycle an old sweater of my husband's.  It was just plain red, so to give a little detail, I did my pretend embroidering (as seen here and here) and added some snow flakes.  Here it is!

{It's not lined, the cuff is just a bit of fleece that I sewed on.  I'd explain how, but I didn't take pictures and I don't think I can do it with just words.}

{I used a yard darner and a fuzzy off white yarn to add the snow flakes.  The yarn was left over from this project.}

{Here it is with the rest of our mismatched stocking collection.  Mike's is his from when he was a kid, mine is one I picked up at Target two or three years ago, Mim's is my old one from when I was a kid.}

 It still kind of makes me do a double take when I see four stockings up there.  I kind of love that they don't match, too.  Maybe I won't ever end up making the matching set I've been planning for three years.

Also featured on the mantle: my old school paper chain advent calendar.  I was going to use those paper maché boxes from craft stores to make a fancy one this year, but I just won't have time.  This one is good for us for now, anyway- Mim totally gets a kick out of tearing the links off everyday.  And since we made it, she hasn't asked every day if Santa is coming.

I'm more excited for Christmas this year than I have been since I was a kid.

Happy holidays to all!

Thanks for reading.

Embroidery hoop ornaments

I made some pseudo ornaments with embroidery hoops the other day.  For now they're hanging on our mantel hooks, but they'll be distributed elsewhere once I break out the Christmas decorations for reals and I make new stockings. 

Super easy and I really like them.  I spray painted the hoops, put some fabric in them and gussied it up, then twisted some wire wrapped some wire around the top and bent it into a hook.  Maybe this will get me back in my crafting grove.

I could make pillows all day

As long as they all had envelope backs.

Also, I tried some embroidery (see above).  It was really fun, actually.  I think there will be more of it in my future.  I don't know technical terms or anything, but I think I used a backstitch.  I think.
Here it is with its other fall buddy:

I love pillows.  Maybe I'll get winter/Christmas ones done before the season is actually upon us, now that I know how awesome it is.