A Home for the Holidays

Head on over to the Bad Girls blog today to check out some more holiday crafting inspiration that in have in store for you! A fabulous vintagey waterless snowglobe project...



Full instructions for this project can be found here.

Also, I have entered my American Crafts paper flower wreath into the Michael's "Handmade Holiday" contest. The grand prize is a trip to NYC, and tickets to the Martha Stewart Show. So, if you could please, take a moment to head on over to the contest gallery and vote for my wreath. I would REALLY appreciate it. :0) Just click on the snowmen under the photo of the wreath to cast your vote. It won't look like it's actually registering your vote... nothing will happen when you click on the snowmen. But, rest assured, it IS actually working. Again, thank you so much for taking the time... and a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has already voted!

Happy holiday crafting to you! Enjoy!

We've Got Spirit!!!

Yes we do! Some of you might be wondering what I have been scrapping as of late. The answer? Not much. I have taken a little scrapbooking hiatus for the last week or so to work on some spirit goodies for Hazel's competitive cheerleading squad. Now that we are part of the Cheer Extreme family of gyms, Hazel and her team have really started to blossom on their skill level. Here she is modeling her new uniform...



I must admit... I'm a total sucker for the new team colors. Teal is my favorite, and I loved having a chance to create with it! I've been making cowbells for the team moms to bring to competitions with us. Us cheer moms... the noisier, the better!



And, then I started on a project that harkened back to my days in high school football-crazed Texas. For those of you that have never lived there, went to high school there, or had a child that went to high school there, let me introduce you to the mum...



Now, let me just tell you... this is a VERY scaled-down version of the "everything's bigger in Texas" mums that the high school girls sport during the annual homecoming football game/dance. In fact, this is more of what you would consider a "garter," and would be worn by... get this... THE GUYS. Yes, guys wear these frilly, sparkly things as a garter around their upper arms. Manly, is it not?

The girls? Well, let me tell you... I stand at about 5'5", and my homecoming mums in high school nearly reached my ankles. Don't believe me? Check these ladiesout! No, I don't know the crafty lady whose blog I pulled this from. She just had the best photos (actually ON a person) that I found when I Googled photos of homecoming mums.

Mind you, I graduated from high school over 13 years ago... but, these things seem to have only GROWN in size since then. At least we used to be able to pin them to our shirts. Sure, it might have taken 5 safety pins... but, we weren't wearing them around our necks like they do now. I get it, though... the bigger, the more sparkly the mum... the cooler you thought you were. Well, at least until you looked back 13 years later. LOL! They even make ones that light up and play music... I kid you not.

So, back to my little mum. This guy only measures 12", and is a great way to show support of your cheerleader. There were moms that wore them back in high school to support their football-playing sons, cheerleader daughters, etc. So, I thought I'd bring a little of that good old Texas tradition right here to North Carolina. We'll see how this catches on... or not. It sure was FUN to make, though. And, you all know how much I LOVE anything that sparkles! Lights up and plays music? Not so much. We'll save that for those Texas gals.



If you're a Cheer Extreme mom, find yourself reading this, and are interested in your very own mum to support your little cheerleader... please feel free to contact me.

Speaking of cheerleading... it's about time for practice. We have our first competition this weekend, and need to get ready. I'll leave you with a photo (and a video) from their recent Showcase performance...

Gettin' spooky...

I am so lucky to be able to participate in this year's Sweet & Sinister Halloween swap hosted yearly by the queen of Halloween, Kari Ramstrom aka Artsy Mama. (Who coincidentally also happens to be my swap partner!)

One of the swap items is to be something that we handmade especially for the recipient. So, here are some little trinkets that I made for Kari and her two kiddos.



If you've been paying any attention around the vintage/home decor circles lately, you'll know that collecting old prize ribbons (especially of the equestrian variety) is all the rage. Who would have thought all those ribbons I won way back when I showed hunter jumpers would actually be considered a hot commodity in the circles of home decorating someday? Good thing my mom saved plastic tub upon plastic tub filled with them. I really should ask her to send them to me...

Anyhow, if you aren't fortunate enough to have your own collection of dust-collecting rosettes sitting up in your attic, you can always make your own. And, they're quite simple at that. All of these prize ribbons are made from the new "Twilight" line by Pink Paislee, some bits of vintage trim from my stash, and a little bit of Stickles (because we all know I can't create something without a little sparkle).

I tried a couple of different techniques for the centers of the rosettes. The most simple is to start off with a couple of the circular designs from the Twilight Punchouts. I used a 2" circle punch to trim them down, and then punched out 2 circles for each rosette from a piece of thin chipboard (like you'd find on the back of a slab of patterned paper). Mount the punch-outs on top of the punched chipboard. This just gives it a little more of a sturdy background. Ink the edges of the rounds with some black dye ink. You'll end up with something that looks like this:



You'll notice a different method used for the piece on the bottom left. For that, I cut a 3" circle from one of the Twilight Patches. Then, I only inked the edge of the circular tree stamp from this set, and stamped it onto the fabric (using some black Fabrico ink). Then, I secured it to another 2" punched circle of chipboard. Secure the edges of the fabric to the back of the chipboard using hot glue. You'll have something like this:



Next, we'll be working with some of this fabulous fringed crepe paper from Bethany Lowe. I cut a strip of it, and then cut it in half length-wise to get a thinner strip with a straight edge. Use hot glue to run it around the back edge of the chipboard:



Then, we'll add an edge of pleated black satin ribbon. I buy pre-pleated ribbon, but if you're a whiz with a sewing machine... go ahead and pleat your own. But, as I said... I buy mine (to save both time AND sanity). Affix it to the back of the chipboard using hot glue:



The back will look like this:



Now for the ribbon tails. I cut 3 lengths of black satin ribbon to about 6" long. Attach them to the back of the chipboard like so:



This is all beginning to look a bit messy, isn't it? Not to worry! Remember those extra circles we punched from the chipboard? We'll just cover that mess up with one of those (and some more hot glue):



I know, I should really buy stock in whatever company manufacturers hot glue. It is my best sticky friend. Again, with the hot glue... adhere a pin back to the back of the chipboard:



Now, it's time to get those rosettes prettied up in the holiday finest! I added names to the ribbons using some Expressions Whimsies Alhpas in "Pumpkin," and added a little sparkle atop them with my trusty Stickles. I also edged some elments in the centers of the rosettes with a bit more sparkle. Add some bling... make it purdy!



To the center of the fabric covered rosette, I used the bat image from the Twilight Rub-ons, applied it to a piece of smooth white cardstock, cut it out, and adhered it to the middle of the fabric circle. You can see it in the bottom right of this next image... all gussied up with some sparkle of its own:



"Now, what the heck am I actually supposed to USE these for?" you're asking. Well, I used them to label little goodies bags filled with Halloween treats. Simply punch two small holes at the top of a folded-over goodie bag, and run the pin back through them:





Something else that might be fun... make actual prize ribbons out of them! We host an annual Halloween costume party at our house every year. Well, every year that B isn't deployed. So, instead of names on the ribbon, wouldn't it be cool to write "1st Place, "2nd Place," etc., and hand them out as awards for the best costumes at your party? I'm definitely adding that to my to-do list for next year's party. *wink*

*spare change*

Some people save it in a jar. Some people collect it in coin holders. And, SOME people skip the spare change all together, and make pretty things out of the coin holders!







Bazzill used to make these coin holders a few years back. Unfortunately, I think they discontinued them. Not to worry! You can get the silver dollar coin holders from Michael's for next to nothing, and they're similar in size and shape to the Bazzill version. Then, you can paint them up or cover them in patterned paper or cardstock.

I *really* dipped into my stash to make this. I used some old Foof-a-La rub-ons (so pretty), Making Memories metal words, and various odds 'n ends from my embellishment drawers. It's a great way to use up stray, small embellishments that you have lying about.



As for the photos, I wanted to keep the look of the Bazzill texture cohesive throughout so I printed my photos on some white Bazzill cardstock. It gives a beautiful painted canvas look to your photographs. Bust out some of your trusty circle punches, and punch a couple of the smaller photos out to go inside a few of the coin slots.

These make great gifts... especially for those people in your life that sit behind a desk for 8 hours a day. It's a great way to display photos of your loved ones inside your cookie-cutter cubicles. This is one that I made for my husband to take with him on this deployment. All the photos were taken right after Luka was born in 2007... the last time Bryan was deployed.



Totally simple, and fun... you definitely need to give one of these a go!

something simple

Everybody likes simple projects that use up our extra scraps, right? Well, I have a quick little project to share today that anybody can do, and has so many possibilities!



Hazel has this on the nightstand in her room. It keeps all of her little earring safe inside. But, you could always use it to house other things... spare keys on a table near the front door, cotton balls in the bathroom, you wedding ring (if you take yours off while doing dishes like I do).

These box come in all shapes and sizes, and are available at Michael's starting at about 99 cents. Just like the uses for the box, the embellishing has endless possibilities. The above box is made using all products from Pink Paislee's "Enchanting" line. To start, you'll want to cover the box in patterned paper (or you could even paint it). I used super-strong double-stick tape from Magenta to adhere the paper to the box, but you could use any strong, dry adhesive. Heck, you could even Mod Podge it!

Once you cover the box, you can start adding the extra special touches. For the top box, I used one of Pink Paislee's Petals topped by a wee brad. The edge along the box top is trimmed with some pretty ribbon from last year's holiday collection. I finished it off with some glass pebbles glued to the bottom for "feet." You don't have to do that, but I like to keep the paper of the box off the surface it sits on... just in case something gets spilled near it. ;0)

And, to give you some different decorating ideas, here's the box I have in my room for my earrings...



These little boxes are great ways to use up odds and ends from your stash. And, if your little girl is is anything like mine, she'll have plenty of treasures to stow away inside. I'm thinking about making another one to hold her collection of holiday pins that seem to be breeding atop the vanity in her room.

Of course, you could always make a few of these at Christmas time, and stash a gift card inside. Then, the recipient would have a lovely box to keep, and a gift card to spend! See? Endless possibilities...

*in a pickle*

We're gonna' kick of the blogiversary with a foodie post of sorts (which also, coincidentally, has a little craft project to accompany it). Perfect, right?



It's safe to say that I am officially addicted to this whole pickling/canning/jelly-making thing. Not only is it delicious, but it's so rewarding to be able to provide food stuffs for your family. AND, *bonus*... a basket full of home-canned goods with some accompaniments makes for a lovely gift! Please, please, please... don't let yourself be intimidated by canning your own goods. Seriously. I was for years. But, it is SURPRISINGLY easy once you get than hang of it. Even jellies are pretty simple (we'll save that for another post, though.) Anyhow...

I have finally (after much trial and error) perfected a dil pickle recipe that I wanted to share with you. The last pickle recipe I shared was for a bread and butter pickle (a little on the sweeter side). But, this one is for those tried and true dill pickles we all love. And, they're pretty delicious if I do say so myself. I found the recipe in the Ball canning guide to be a tad on the salty side with a little too much of a pungent flavor, so I've tinkered and tweaked it a bit to get it just the way I like it. Plus, their recipes always call for huge quantities of produce that my garden doesn't, well... produce. So these quantities are adjusted to suit the more average gardener like myself. This recipe makes about 3 wide-mouthed pint jars full of pickles. Ready? Here we go...

"Grandma's Dill Pickles"
For the pre-soak (Yes, folks, this is a 2-day project)...
4 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced to about 1/4" thick rounds
Lots of ice (like clean out the bucket of your ice machine "lots")
1/2 C pickling salt
4 C water

In a lg. stainless steel or glass mixing bowl, alternate between layers of ice and cucumbers (ending with a layer of ice on top). In a lg. pitcher, dissolve pickling salt into 4 C water. Pour over the cucmbers/ice. The cucumbers should be entirely covered with water, so keep adding plain cold water until they are covered. You'll end up with something that looks like this...



Invert a plate over the top of it, and weigh it down with a couple of jars filled with water. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, but no more than 18 hours.

For the actual canning process...
4 C water
1 Tbs. pickling spice
3 C white vinegar (Once you get into canning, you'll be wanting to buy those HUGE jugs of vinegar - both the white and apple cider variety. I always looked at those in the store and wondered who in the H-E-double hockey sticks would need that much vinegar. The answer? You will... if you want to do a lot of canning!)
1/2 C pickling salt
1/8 C granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp mustard seeds(this will be divided later)
1 1/2 Tbs, plus 1 1/2 tsp. dill seed (this will be divided later)
3 cloves of garlic (I use the minced variety that comes in a jar. This will also be divided later.)

Prepare your canner jars and lids. If you need some hints on how to do this, I provided a pretty easy step-by-step in this previous post. Meanwhile, tie your pickling spice into a spice bag or a square of cheese cloth. In a lg. saucepan, combine 4 C water, pickling salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Reduce heat, cover and boil softly for 15 min. Meanwhile, transfer cucumbers to a colander placed over a sink and drain them. Rinse with cool running water, and drain thoroughly. Pack cucumbers into prepared jars, filling to within 1/2 from top of jar. Add 3/4 tsp. mustard seeds, 1/2 Tbs. plus 1/2 tsp dill seed, and one clove of garlic to each jar. Ladle hot pickling liquid into hot jar to cover cucumbers, leaving 1/2" head space. Wipe rim. Center lids on jars. Screw band on until fingertip-tight.

Places jars back into canner, cover completely with water, cover and bring to a boil. Process for 10 minutes at a boil. Then, remove canner lid; wait 5 minutes. Remove jars, cool and store. Voila! Delicious pickles! Be sure to wait 24 hours before ravenously diving into your pickles.

But, wait! Don't want to eat all of those pickles yourself? How about sharing some with your friends and neighbors? You'll want to pretty those jars up first, though! This is a great way to use up your fabric remnants and assorted scrapbooking supplies.

First, find a circular object that is a couple of inches larger in diameter than the top of your jar. I used this roll of tape... a plate would also work well. Use a fabric marker to trace the circle onto your fabric.



Use pinking shears to cut out the circle of fabric.



Secure the fabric around the top of the jar using a rubber band.



Use a dot of hot glue to secure some ribbon to cover the rubber band.



Then, adorn away with tags, stickers, rub-ons... whatever your heart's desire. And, there you have it... a lovely homemade treat in pretty packaging!



Thanks for joining me today! I haven't quite decided on tomorrow's project yet, but I'm thinking I might share some peeks of my Christmas ornaments I'm making to swap this year (we'll see how much I get done between now and then)! See you tomorrow!

*productivity*

For once, I'm ahead of the game. Maybe I should pretend that every month, on the 20th, I am going to leave for an out of town trip for 2 weeks. Then, I might not find myself procrastinating until the last minute. It feels really good to have almost everything deadline-related complete... only one more project to go. Then, I can concentrate on the last-minute details of a fabulous vacation. I have lots of things to share before I leave, so we'll try to space them out over a couple of days.

Today, the last 3 of my Label Tulip sneaks...







Trust me, June's kits are AMAZING! You'll want to snag all 3 of them! And, tomorrow night at 6pm PST, you'll get your chance! In the meantime, don't forget to upload your projects to the LT gallery for May's challenge: Scrap something nobody knows about you. You have until the 18th, and then I'll select the winner for this month's RAK.

Not only the challenge projects, but anything you upload to the Label Tulip gallery will have the opportunity to be selected for our monthly member lift challenge. Each month, one of our Tulip Girls selects an outstanding layout from our member gallery for each of our designers to "lift." You'll have your name, photo and project featured in the monthly Label Tulip newsletter and the monthly gallery. In addition to seeing all of the fun interpretations of your layout from our Tulip Girls, you will also receive a $10 gift certificate for a future Label Tulip purchase. So, get those pages uploaded! You might just see your creation front and center next month!

I'll be back tomorrow with more eye candy! But, if you need something else to tide you over, today was my turn on the Pink Paislee blog. I did a fun little shrink plastic tutorial, which you can read here. And, once you've mastered your shrinking skills, you can put it to use by creating this altered frame project:



You can download a PDF project tutorial here. Enjoy!

Springing along...

***EDITED TO INCLUDE THE PINK PAISLEE BLOG HOP WINNER**
First, I want to announce my winner from the Pink Paislee blog hop! By total random selection, my winner is Shaina Longstreet! Shaina, please e-mail me you mailing address at charmedgirlnc@gmail.com so that we can get your prize pack in the mail to you!

Now, I have another Pink Paislee project for spring to share with you!



I had been wanting a nice spring/Easter centerpiece for my dining room table, and the last project I shared wasn't quite big enough to fill the space. But, this little flower box does the job perfectly! The box itself is a wooden CD holder from Michael's. I painted it up with some antique white acrylic paint, and filled the inside with blocks of floral foam. Cover the floral foam with some Spanish moss, and then it's time to work on your flowers and the "bloom & grow" plaque. For the flowers...



I took several of the tulip chipboard shapes, and removed the top patterned layer. You'll want to paint the chipboard with some antique white to get the most color pop once you apply the glitters. After the paint has dried, apply a layer of Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents and sprinkle on a layer of glitter. I worked with Pink Paislee's Pixee Stix in Bubblegum, Berry Blue, and Lemonade. You'll want to apply at least 2 coats of glitter for the most color, so keep repeating with layers of Diamond Glaze and glitter until you're satisfied. While those tulips are drying, go ahead and paint a wooden dowel (available at Michael's or your local hardware store) a light green; set aside to dry. Next, you'll need to make your leaves. Take one of the long multi-leaf shapes from the chipboard sets; remove the top layer of patterned paper. Use the same glittering technique as the tulips, working with Green Apple colored glitter. Once everything has dried, assemble the flowers with a hot glue gun; poke them into the floral foam until you're happy with the arrangement. Now, for the plaque...



For this, I butted two of the scalloped chipboard pieces together from two of these sets, and covered them with the woodgrain patterned paper. I used a chipboard label topped with a sticker label for the middle of the plaque, and applied it with some Pop Dots. Spell out "bloom & grow" with some chipboard letters, add some glitter and jewels to the plaque and you're done! Enjoy your gorgeous tulips that will never wilt in a flower box that stays full year-round!

Here comes Peter Cottontail!

As part of the Pink Paislee design team, I am excited to bring you a nifty little Easter project as part of their rockin' blog hop this weekend!



I covered a little papier mache basket from Michael's with some of the new "Enchanted" papers. Then, I spruces it up with some handmade flowers and a little "Happy Easter" label. And, if you know anything about me and my craftin'... you know I love glitter. All glitter. Anything sparkly. So, I had a blast painting up these papier mache eggs and coating them with LOTS of Pixee Stix glitter in Coconut.



It makes for a nice little table top decoration for Easter... simple and adorable!

We also thought it would be fun for you to get to know the designers a little bit better...

1.) Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Texas, but finished up high school in Alaska. Do you still live there? Nope. Neither place. I live wherever the army sends the hubs... currently: North Carolina.
2.) What is a typical day like for you? Crazy! Just plain crazy. LOL! I'm a SAHM to a 2 and 5 year old with a husband that is RARELY home. You never know what to expect around here, but I try to keep the basic routine schedule the same (i.e. lunch time, bed time, etc.)
3.) What is your favorite fashion accessory? Well, before I cut my hair, it would have been my collection of head scarves and headbands. My hair's a little too short now to put it up, and I miss using them terribly. Must. grow. it. back. Why? I just love how much changing your hairstyle can change your whole look. I love to dry different things with my hair. I'm forever changing the color, the cut, the accessories...
4.) What is playing on your ipod right now? "If It Kills Me" by Jason Mraz... totally diggin' on that song lately.
5.) Name one television show that you MUST TIVO each week? Well, I still haven't come head-on into the 21st century... I don't have TIVO. But, if I did, I would have to say The Hills or The City. I can't ever stay up late enough to watch them, and I always miss the re-runs. So, inevitably, I end up watching them in poor quality on my computer later in the week.
6.) What is your favorite movie of all time? Across The Universe.
7.) What is your favorite Pink Paislee product? That's a tough one... I love 'em all! I guess it would have to come down to a toss-up between the Pixee Stix and their whole variety of alpha stickers.
8.) If you could only keep 1 scrapbooking tool what would it be? My 9" Xyron machine. I can't scrap without it, and I use it all the time for other crafting and DD's school/cheerleading projects. Totally worth every penny!
9.) If you didn't scrapbook what other activity would you spend time on? Gardening. I spend quite a bit of time doing it anyway. It relaxes me, and I love the whole idea of planting something from seed, and watching it grow. Nothing beats the smell of fresh earth and flowers in the spring time.
10.) What advice would you give to someone who wants to start scrapbooking? Don't go out in the beginning and just start buying everything you see. Start with a few basic supplies and tools. Figure out your style before you invest a lot of money in a ton of product. I have so much stuff from when I first started that I've never even used. I just bought, bought, bought. Now that I know how I like my pages to look and what I use most, I am able to make wiser decisions and limit my spending.
11.) What would you say your scrapbook style is today? I never know what to say to this question. You let me know if you figure it out. ;0)

Now that you've made it through a little me-me, and I've shown you a quick little Easter project, I have a surprise for you. As part of this weekend's blog hop, Pink Paislee has been generous enough to allow each of us designers to give away a little prize pack on our blog! Here's a snap of the goods:



All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog, and you have through the end of the day on Sunday. I'll be drawing a winner on Monday, so be sure to check back! Hoppy weekend!

Jingle Dogs!

Okay, so I must admit, I got off to a bit of a bad start on my 12 months of Christmas. But, never fear! I am totally caught up. Not only do I have January's project completed (finally), but I have February's project done as well. I'll wait to share the 2nd project for a couple of days so that we can parcel the creativity out a bit. But, here is January's project in all it's stuffed cuteness...



I found this cute little sock dog project in one of Martha Stewart's Christmas issues a few years back, and had been wanting to try to make one ever since. There are several different adjustments that you can make to the original pattern to customize the dog's features. I made this little guy as a stocking stuffer for my mom. She loves schnauzers, so this is my stuffed version of the breed. Here's what you'll need before you get started...

* A pair of socks - neutral colored if you want a traditional looking dog, or you can funk it up with something more colorful (*new* clean ones, please... nobody wants to receive an adorable stuffie that stinks of toe jam)

* Poly fill or some other sort of stuffing

* Needle, thread, scissors.

* To give you pup some personality, you might want some buttons for eyes, pipe cleaners if you want to make the ears stand up, a pom-pom or button for the nose, ribbons for a collar, another patterned sock to make a sweater for your doggie, or anything else to doll your stuffed pal up.

Step 1: Cut the elastic top edge off of one sock.



Step 2: Turn the sock inside-out, and lie it flat with the heel facing up. Cut the top portion of the sock up the middle, to the heel. This will create the back legs of your dog.



Step 3: Trim the legs to the desired length for the breed of dog you are trying to create.



Step 4: Stitch the legs together, but leave a gap between the legs so that the dog can be stuffed. Here's where I would do something a little different than the article suggested. Go ahead and stitch the feet closed too. Turn the sock back to right-side-out. They have you stitching the feet closed after you turn the sock right-side-out, and it looks kind of funny. So, just do it before. Then, stuff your dog.



Step 5: After you're done stuffing, stitch the hole in the middle of the legs together.



Step 6: Bend the front of the sock "body" upwards to create a neck. Stitch in place.



Step 7: Now, it's time to start working with the 2nd sock. Cut it up to match the pieces pictured below. The toe of the sock will be the ears. The heel will be the head. The ankle will be the front legs. And, the top elastic band will be the tail.



Step 8: Start by working with the heel portion of the sock to form the head. Pull the shorter end of the sock over the neck of the stuffed dog; stitch in place.



Step 9: Stuff the head, and stitch it closed. Here's where you start to build the personality of your dog. To create the look of a schnauzer, I sewed the head together vertically. To create a dog with a longer "muzzle" and more rounded features, stitch it together horizontally.



Step 10: Now for the ears! Cut the toe portion of the sock in half vertically. Then, trim each half to the desired look of the ears... long and floppy, short and pointy. I opted for short and pointy since most schnauzers have docked ears. Turn each ear inside-out; stitch together leaving the bottom of the ear open.



Step 11: Turn the ears back right-side-out. If you want your dogs ears to stick up, like mine, insert a pipe cleaner into the unsewn opening. Trim it to just inside the ear. If you want floppy ears, skip to step 12.



Step 12: Sew ears to the head of the dog.



Step 13: Onto the legs... turn each leg piece inside-out. Stitch together, leaving the top open for stuffing.



Step 14: Turn the legs back right-side-out. Stuff each leg; stitch on the front of the dog body.



Step 15: To create the tail, use the same procedure from steps 10 & 11 with the top elastic band piece from the sock. First, cut the sock to resemble the type of tail you want. Again, if you want it to stick up like mine, insert a pipe cleaner. Attach tail to dog's body.



Step 16: Now you're done sewing the dog together, and it's time to add some personality. To give it a little sweater to wear, cut the top portion off a patterned sock.



Step 17: Cut tiny little holes for the legs. Be careful not to cut them too big because they do stretch.



Step 18: Add all the little touches that give your dog some personality. I used black buttons for the eyes, and a black pom-pom for the nose. Then, to create a Christmasy collar, I used some ribbon, a paper poinsettia, and button. And, I wanted my dog in a sitting position, so I carefully stitched the lower legs to the body.



Some other things you might try...

* Add some beans or pellets to weight the feet down. Or, if you want it to sit, add some beans to the bottom. I didn't do this. But, looking back, I wish that I had.

* Add some dried lavender to the stuffing to make the pup all pretty-smelling.

* Use children's socks to make these smaller. That would make a great Christmas ornament!

The possibilities are endless. Just use your imagination! Thanks for joining me on this project. I will post February's project in a couple of days along with a little RAK to go with it. In the meantime, check out the Label Tulip blog to see how you can win this nice little set of BRAND NEW goodies just off the showroom floor at CHA!