O’ Christmas Tree

I am getting my final preparations done for Christmas.  I send most of my gifts so I have to be done super early in order to get the packages to their destinations prior to Christmas celebrations.  One of the things I did this week was decorate blank Christmas cards with fabric. 

Fabric Cards:

I was inspired by this post on Instagram by @stitcherydickory – otherwise known as Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock.  She had embellished blank cards by sewing fabric scraps on them.  I took that same idea but created Christmas trees.  I lightly glued the pieces on the card stock one at a time, from the bottom up, and stitched the sides leaving the bottom as a raw edge.  I had those star pieces in my sewing box, which I found when the cats got in the closet and knocked it over and spilt all its contents on the ground.  They were so perfect for this project and I had to drag out the fancy tools and use the hot glue gun to secure them to the card.  It was a lot of fun and I will have to do that again next year!

Ornament Table Runner:

I wanted to make something else for my mother and wanted it to be Christmas themed.  There is a free tutorial that Kelly from My Quilt Infatuation posted on the Benartex blog that was based on an Ornament theme.  I checked out her tutorial and then did a Christmas fabric pull for a smaller version to make into a table runner.

It went together so fast that I did not get a chance to take pictures before I was done.  Even though I wrote the cutting dimensions down properly, I cut the bottom squares at 5″ instead of 5.5″.  I do kind of like the blunt bottom just as well as the pointed bottom that it was supposed to be.  I was too far into the process before I realized the error so I just went with it.  I made four blocks and placed them in opposite directions so that it would not matter what side of the table you sat on.  Either way you would get a good view of the runner.  Some wavy organic quilted lines gives this piece some great texture.  I backed it in a happy snowman print that coordinates well with the front.  I then bound it with the accent fabric that I used on the back.     As I was quilting it I had made the decision that the colors and swirls were more suited to my step-mother.  And when it was finished, and I was photographing it, I thought that it looked so dang awesome on my table that I might just keep it for myself.  I spend Christmas Day with my Mom so there is still time for me to decide on gifting it to her or to me.😊

Speaking of gifts for myself – I ordered this storage unit to hold all the ArtBin boxes that I have.    I have gotten tired of moving everything to get to the box on the bottom and this unit puts the boxes on sliders. I have now ordered 2 more so I can really get all these project boxes organized.  It’s going to be fabulous!