Holiday Rewind

So the place is getting decked, slowly but surely. The tree is up, the kitchen tree is up (yes, I am now that person) and I just have the buffet scenes to set up. I'll take pictures but it's going to be the same story as last year. I've been striving for this my whole life, a set of Christmas decorations that you use every year and that go in the same spot every year. Little traditions. So I'm not messing with them. I am working on a few new holiday craft projects to add to the mix but they're far from done so I thought I'd show one of my favorites from last year.

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did you know you can unroll cotton balls
originally posted 12/7/06

these awesome old pipe cleaners I found at the resale shop + theresa's post on cody foster and wondering how spun cotton ornaments are made + my current obsession with crazy vintage handmade ornaments = an oscar-free afternoon turning into a whirlwind of crazy ornament making activity! I unrolled cotton balls and used the strips of cotton to wrap up spools, wooden wheels, plastic eggs, anything I could find really and then glue gunned on little heads and buttons and birds, etc. so much fun! I could do this and only this for weeks and weeks but I have to force myself to put away the glue gun and get back to my christmas to-do's.

sheep spool

deer magnet (the little deer is glued to his side)

jingle face

santa button hat

glitter button face

cross bird lady with snowball head

red bird girl

button full of snowballs

sledding

Comments

[Anna]

Ahhh, those snowballs in a button are too cute! Love that first little sheep guy too.

[Melissa]

I'm loving the button snowball girl, that one is awesome!

[Jenn]

Oh on any day I love this site! But today...I happened to stop by Thrifty Craft and saw that you have FASHION PLATES!!!! I lived and breathed Fashion Plates for a better part of the '80s! The price on EBAY is terribly high- I have seen them go for close to $80. I did find a mini fake version at the $ section of Michaels that was really decent, but my kind hearted ways got the better of me and I gave it away to a student of mine. Grr I hate when I do that! :)

[lucy]

ooo these are lovely...
cant wait to get my robot booklet. wonderful things once again xxx

[kristin]

all are really adorable...i'm especially fond of cross bird lady :)

[Michele Annette]

They are so cute!

[Nancy]

so sweet
i too am making a lot of my ornaments
those wooden faces are very funny
which craft store did you fing them at?

[Sasha]

Ahh, unbearable cuteness! Sweet!

[Anne]

where did you find such cute birds?

[carol]

these are just too cute! I remember them from last year. My only problem is that I can not stand the feeling of cotton and couldn't bear unrolling it! Oh well, I guess I know where to go and enjoy these cuties.

[stephanie]

well, one of my christmas decorating traditions is now getting out my little "red bird girl".

love them all!

[michelle]

so great!

[iheartnewyork]

I love these! I own a vintage version of these ornaments -- a pipe cleaner figure skater that was once my grandmother's. The ornament's very sweet -- and delicate. She gets a special spot on the Christmas tree every year.

Kirsten

[Mama Urchin]

I also like to be able to put the decorations in the same place every year. It's what my mom did. This year we have some new furniture though so I'm going to have to rethink things.

[k8tykat]

as usual hillary, you are the bestest ever. i've been thinkin' and thinkin about what to do for the gifts my kiddos will give to the grandmas & grandpas this year and these seem like the perfect little idea to do.

[Michelle]

Very cute and expressive.

[laurie]

ahh... an oldie but a goodie! one of your most memorable posts from last christmas. the bird lady and sledding dude are my favorites this year. ;)

[amy k.]

yeah-thanks for this, I was just about to dig it out of your archives. . it's golden.

[Heather]

I love the little cotton ball kids!
I just picked up a copy of Cutting Edge and your article is fantastic. I can't wait to make the ornaments.

[Mae]

Jingle head! Thanks for a good laugh.

[--erica]

yay! I still have the faces I bought to try making those little guys last year..perhaps I should this year? ;)

[Snowbear]

Hey, sorry about that lost link! I've posted a new one for anybody who's interested in Cody Foster. Hopefully my posts are staying put this time around.

[molly]

unrolling cotton balls? this could get fun! they look fantastic....now, how to get a child-free afternoon? maybe they can be my official "un-rollers".
Oh, and I LOVE that sheep ornament hiding in the background of the last picture!

[Elisabeth]

Where did you find the little sheep and birds? I love tiny stuff!
E

[aj]

Great decorations!

[Julia]

These little guys are one of my favorite projects that you've done! Love, love the little cuties.

[Jennifer]

love, love, love, love, love!

[cara]

Those birds are SO fantastic! I must know where you got them - I think I'm in love!