Blog Challenge Day 7

Today's Topic: Holiday DYI Crafts.  I've been looking forward to this one because I'm pretty handy with my sewing machine and trusty hot glue gun! ;-)

I've seen the deco mesh wreaths everywhere recently: blogs, craft shows, boutiques....  They are lovely, but I'm just not willing to pay $100+ for a wreath.  So, I decided to try and make them myself. 

This is one that I made for my mom.  I used an articifical pine wreath as the base and attached my mesh and other embellishments to it.  Easy peasy!

This is the one I made for myself.  I used a wired wreath form for this one.  I think I should have used more mesh or wrapped the wreath form in ribbon because it shows through a little. 

A close-up of the cute sign I found at Michael's.  It was meant to go on a banner,  but I thought it would look perfect on my wreath.



Another craft I've made recently is a glittered styrofoam ball tree topper.  I saw this idea from a Martha Stewart show.  Here's the LINK with step-by-step instructions.

I had trouble getting a clear picture of this one.  I added a few more things so it looks better in real life.  I did mine a little differently than the Martha Stewart version.  I put my balls and ornaments on bamboo skewers and wired them together. 

One more!  This isn't really a craft, it's clothing.  But I made it myself and it's Christmas themed, so I thought I would include it.

Applique Shirt and Double Ruffle Jeans (modeled by my sweet Abby).

I made my own applique by tracing & cutting out a tree shape on different fabrics and adhering them to a paper-backed fusible web.  Then I ironed it onto the shirt, stitched around with a think zigzag stitch, and embellished with fabric covered buttons and a bow. 

The ruffle jeans are simple to do.  I just made my ruffles out of fabric and sewed them on.  I topstitched around each ruffle to make sure that they laid right. 

These are a few crafts I've done recently.  I can't wait to see what everyone else is making!