Monday, February 25, 2008

Popsicle ornament

It's February 25th - 10 months from today is Christmas!! It's never too early to start on 2008 Christmas ornaments! This was a very easy ornament and took just a few minutes to make. It is made from buttons, popsicle sticks and a little ribbon.


Supplies:
4 popsicle sticks
hot glue
buttons (or gems)
ribbon

Instructions: Take 2 popsicle sticks and form an x and glue where the two sticks connect. Take other 2 and form a + and glue where two sticks connect. Now take the x and the + and place on top of each other and glue where they connect. Take buttons or gems, poms poms whatever you like and glue to popsicle sticks. If you wanted to you can paint the popsicle sticks before you begin. Take ribbon and glue a hoop and viola!, you have a cute ornament for the tree.
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I think this would have been cuter if all the buttons would have matched. However, in my quest to be frugal, I decided to make do with what I had. Stay tuned for more popsicle ornaments since I have a box of 1000 popsicle sticks that I found!

Friday, February 22, 2008

Friday Show & Tell

Tonight I would like to share with you a framed piece of art - 3 tatted Christmas ornaments. These are well over 100 years old. They were tatted by my uncle's great aunts. Now my uncle, who if he were alive would be 90 something, gave these to me when I was a very young child. He had bought them from his aunts for a quarter a piece when he was a young man. The "aunts" made their living by tatting, lace making, and other handmade crafts which they would sale. These ornaments had been in his family for many years. My mother had the wisdom to have them framed.


I leave this art up all year long for I love it! It is in my study and I can look at it every day. It always brings a smile to my face since I appreciate the workmanship used in these pieces.


I believe the art of tatting is being lost in today's fast, automated society. I wish I knew how to do this lovely art form. I have several framed tatted pieces that I will share with everyone over the next year.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Show and Tell

My friend Tammy has a Show and Tell Friday on her blog and I thought that was very clever. So, I thought I would share with you a beaded coin purse I recently found in my mother's dresser drawer. I had never seen it before and would love to know the history behind such a lovely item. I don't remember her ever using it. I am finding many things of hers that I don't remember. The purse is small, measuring 4.5 inches wide and 3 inches tall. It's in perfect condition. It's hard for me to imagine my no nonsense, practical, no frills mother having such a delicate, fancy item!