Bee Creative Stocking Swap: What Lily Received

My partner, Julie, for the Bee Creative Stocking Swap, Emily and I hosted, was really on her game. She was the first to ship her stocking swap package from all the gals that signed up. Lily received her package in early October. I signed up for one stocking meant for Lily. It felt like Christmas had arrived early at our doorstop the day we received the package.

This is what Lily received. I really enjoyed watching Lily open her stocking. It felt wonderful watching Lily open a gift from a complete stranger who put so much love and creativity into making a stocking and the stuffings just for her. Obviously, crocheting is Julie's thing and she's damn good at it! She crochet the stocking, the fox headband, and the purple teddy bear or what Lily calls, "Baby Bear."

Lily loved everything, absolutely everything, she received. She kept kissing her Baby Bear, which was crochet in her favorite color and her squirrel. The fox headband was a huge hit with my husband and I because foxes and woodland critters are our thing for Lily. 

Julie really outdid herself! I was so happy I got paired up with her and was looking forward to finishing up my family's themed Halloween costumes so I could continue to work on her son's stocking and stuffings and spoil him like she did Lily. 

If you're interested in seeing the other awesome stocking swap packages received, check out the Stocking Swap Album on the Bee Creative Facebook page here!

Halloween Swap: What I Received

Yes, I know I should probably be posting holiday themed posts but if I don't post what I received for my Halloween Swap I might never get to it. Pictured below is all the awesome goodies I received from my swap partner Tanya.

Tanya made everything herself. I got a Halloween themed tree, a skull head candle holder, a beautiful skull bracelet, and a haunted house that lights up.

For the Halloween themed tree, Tanya repurposed an old door knob. It's a great addition to my Halloween cemetery decorations.

I love all the detail Tanya put into this awesome candle holder. Details include the book she chose, "The Book of Shadows," roughing up of the book, the spiderweb stamping on the sides, the pearls in the eyes, etc. It makes me feel special that all this work was done for me.

This bracelet has become one of my favorite accessories. I love the colors used, the different shades of purple and the grey. Even with the skulls, which are my favorite part, it still has a girlie feel to it. It is totally my type of jewelry.

Here's another awesome repurposed goody I received. Tanya found this haunted house that light ups and painted it black, added glitter, and the little skull beads on top. Another great addition for the cemetery scene I put up for Halloween.

Isn't everything I received just awesome!?!? Thank you again Tanya! Okay, okay. I'll let you guys return to your holiday posts; however, I hope you enjoyed this post.

Halloween Swap: What I Gave

I did a private Halloween swap with my friend Tanya, whom I meet through a Christmas swap last year. She actually lived on my street as teenager and now lives in San Diego. Our paths were meant to cross. Tanya has become a part of my family now and we absolutely love her! Unlike other swaps were packages are mailed, we exchanged our gifts in person.

This is what I gave Tanya. Below are some pictures I took while making her goodies.

Spider Printed Kitchen Towel

I made an easy stamp out of craft foam. 

I glued the foam stamp onto a thick piece of plastic and stamped it onto a white kitchen towel. I made two towels and had to make one stamp for each. This type of stamp isn't for continual use but it works for this busy mama and it got the job done.

Spider printed kitchen towels completed. These towels were inspired by a DIY on Pinterest.

Blessed Canvas by Little L

Tanya loves fall and Lily loves to paint, so I had Lily use fall colors to paint a fall inspired canvas for Tanya. 

Here is Lily's complete part of this project. She used her fingerprints, footprints, paintbrushes, and q-tips to paint on the canvas.

I ruined the surprise and told Tanya this canvas was for her and I asked her what word she would like painted on it. She chose, "blessed."

Pumpkin Stained Glass Kit

I purchased this pumpkin stained glass kit at Joann's. I had to keep adding more beads while baking it. It wasn't my favorite project but I loved the outcome. 

Huge Fly Magnets

I made fly magnets just like these a few years ago for a Halloween party I through. Since I was going for a kitchen themed type swap for Tanya, I thought the magnets would look awesome on her refrigerator. I was glad I saw something like these magnets pinned on her Pinterest after I had made them. 

Halloween Scene on Wooden Spoon

 I saw some Halloween scene pins on Tanya's Pinterest and I started pinning more myself to inspire me to create my own scene for this wooden spoon. I purchased a regular spoon and had my husband sand off the logo. I loved making this. I'm going to start painting on spoons more often. The cookies are pumpkin sugar cookies; I got the recipe from her Pinterest too.

Here's a closer look the painted Halloween scene.

I painted little dots around the spoon's handle to make it look like stars. The stars are my favorite thing about the spoon because it leads your eyes towards the Halloween scene.

It's A Wrap!

 On my last swap, I added pins onto each wrapped package. I liked the way it looked so I did the same here. I plan to do this whenever possible, making it my "thing."

I hope you had a fun and safe Halloween yesterday. I plan to share all the goodies Tanya gave me for our Halloween swap soon. 

Disney Pixar Short Film Swap Part 2: Feast Magnets & Brooch

I had as much fun making the Feast inspired brooch and magnets as I did making the Winston hoop, for the #disneypixarshortfilmswap I participated in.

Here are a few photos I took while making the Winston brooch.

                                                                        My sketch. 

Coloring Winston on the shrink paper with Sharpies. 

Winston and dog bowl colored and ready to be baked.

Assembly time. I made three Boston Terriers and two bowls because I keep messing up. My first Winston rolled onto itself and got stuck while in the oven because I didn't put parchment paper over it. My husband unstuck it. Now I have an extra Winston to make myself a brooch, whenever I get around to it.

Brooch completed and so adorable!

Winston and his favorite food:

I actually didn't plan on making pearler bead magnets until I saw a Fast Food Perler Bead Kit at Michael's and realized they would go perfect with the Winston theme. Those little beads can become quite addicting. They remind me of cross stitching. A week later, I went back for more pearler beads to make the dog. 

This is what the package looked like when I shipped it. This is one of my favorite swap packages I have made and shipped. 

I'm currently signed up for three swaps, a Halloween swap with an previous swap partner, a Bee Creative Stocking Swap through Instagram, and an ornament swap. I have no idea were I find the time to be creative but it forces me to try new things and I enjoy brightening someone else's day.

I hope you enjoyed taking a look at my swap gift making process for the Disney Pixar short film swap.  If you want me to continue sharing progress pictures of future craft swap, let me know.

Disney Pixar Short Film Swap Part 1: Winson Hoop

Lately, I have been of participating in a few craft swaps, outside the ones from Bee Creative Swaps that I co-host. #disneypixarshortfilmswap, through Instagram, is the most current swap I completed. In this swap, I had to make a medium and small craft and include some extra goodies based on my partner's favorite Pixar shorts. Her favorite short and character is the adorable Boston Terrier dog named Winston in short Feast. As you can see from the picture below I based my whole swap package on it. I really enjoyed making the hoop, pearler bead magnets, and shrinky dink brooch all inspired by Feast. My partner got her package a few days ago and she absolutely loved everything she received and so did her dogs. I honestly wanted to keep everything for myself, but I knew they would be loved and treasured at their new home.

Here are my progress pictures of the Winston hoop I created:

My inspiration came from the Pixar short film Feast, but also from these pictures.

I always start with a sketch. 

Using my sketch as a pattern and cutting out my felt pieces. 

Embroidery work on felt dog.

Gluing the pieces together.

Working on the collar.

Gluing felt dog and collar onto hoop. 

Finished attaching dog tag to hoop. 

Sewed snack buttons (I got the buttons on BitsyNest, a shop on Etsy. Michael's use to have them but they don't stock them anymore) and glued background fabric to hoop.

Covered the back of the hoop with felt and embroidered my initials and date, which I always do, and the hashtag for the swap. 

The completed hoop!

Keep an eye out for Disney Pixar Short Film Swap Part 2 post, where I will share progress pictures of the snack food magnets and Winston brooch. 

Sunday Stocking Special: DIY Non-traditional Stockings

Welcome to another serving of Sunday Stocking Special. Last Sunday, I shared some great no sew and traditional (sew) do it yourself tutorials. Today, I’m going to spice things up and share five fun non-traditional stocking tutorials.

Alright, let's get cooking!

These fruity stockings make me think of the saying, "Christmas in July". The pineapple stocking would be perfect for the fashionista in your life. Pineapples were very trendy in fashion this summer. 

The grinch that hates Christmas and misses the summer, this is the stocking for them!
DIY Fruity Christmas Stockings With Free Pattern by My Poppet 

What little girl wouldn’t love one of these cute Frozen inspired stockings.

DIY Frozen Christmas Stocking by My Sister’s Suitcase

This cactus, yes I said cactus, tutorial is brought to you by the same maker of the fruity stockings. This stocking would be hilarious for any garden lover! 

Cintia, the author of this tutorial, almost makes me want to ditch the traditional Christmas decor and spice things up with her festive Christmas summer decorations. But I don’t think my husband would go for it. 
DIY Cactus Christmas Stocking With Free Pattern by My Poppet 

You know we all have that favorite old shirt that doesn’t fit anymore and we’re not sure what to do with it. Well, here’s a solution and there’s no sewing involved. For those doing the Bee Creative Stocking Swap, you can always hit the local thrift store for gently used band shirts or printed tees. 
T-Shirt Christmas Stocking by Crafty Chica

Of course I wouldn't forget to included a stocking tutorial for man’s best friend. Woof! Woof! 
Paw-some Stocking by Hallmark 

I hope you guys enjoyed these fun and some fruity stocking tutorials. Some are really outside the box when it comes to non-traditional stockings. 

If you’re a visual learner like myself and do better with detailed tutorials with lots of pictures, head over to The Morose Bee. Emily has the perfect dish, I mean stocking tutorial, to satisfy your creative itch. Don’t forget to sign up for Bee Creative Stocking Swap HERE, before it's gone!

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