12.04.2011

DIY Christmas Ornament

I saw an example of this ornament on Miss Mustard Seed a couple of weeks ago, and when I was thinking of the little gift that I'd be giving to my piano students after the recital, I thought this might be cute. I hope it's something they will keep and put on their tree year after year. I have a couple of special ornaments that I've had since I was a child, and I hope this one becomes special to the students as they get older.
I got some antiqued music scrapbooking paper and shredded it into 1/4-inch strips (or so--I started out cutting it on my paper trimmer, and it doesn't much matter how exact the strips are). Then I curled them on a dowel and slipped them inside the glass ornament until it looked pretty full. I wrote on the ornament with black glitter glue, put a music note sticker on the back, and tied a bow to the top. I'm pleased with the prototype, although I may try something different with the lettering.

12.03.2011

My Creativity Cycle

So apparently all my creativity stops when school starts in the fall.  I have just done nothing since we started back to school, oh, three months ago.  That's not totally true--my creativity just goes in a different directions--focusing on lessons for the kids.  When I realized this and talked to one of our library volunteers about it, she said it's exactly the opposite for her: she does nothing all summer while she's home with the kids, but when they go back to school in the fall, she has the time to be creative again. 
Today, I cut out bunting.  Tons and tons of bunting.  Check out this pile (don't mind the wine glass):

I went through my Christmas fabric (of which I obviously have a LOT) and just cut of 7-inch strips.  Then I cut and cut until I had fabulous little triangles ready for sewing.  Here's what I ended up with:

 With the fall bunting, I didn't match up patterns, but I am going to do that with the Christmas fabric--I have so many different designs that it might get a bit crazy if I don't try to make the same design on front and back.
This stack looks totally out of control. I mean, really, how much bunting does one household need?!?! I know that I'll be making some for my sister, and I plan to make some for our library volunteers, but I know there's quite a bit here.  Maybe I'll give it as hostess gifts when we go Christmas partying this month.  I guess I'd better get sewing.  That's the next step.