Northwoods Santas

"Northwoods Santa" Embroidered Artwork Home Decor Wall Hanging

Includes:
Woodland Santa - A Fisherman with a fox.
Nordic Santa - Friends with deer and carries a pine tree
Arctic Santa - Friends with penguin and polar bear

This was originally a kit from Astor Place Heirloom Santas Entitled: Northwoods Santas published by Willmaur Crafts Corp. It is embroidery floss stitched on Perforated paper which is a card stock or heavier weight paper with a counted cross stitch grid of wholes. I've never used this type of foundation before. It takes longer than fabric as it uses a stab or stick method of stitching. You can't pull it through two wholes at once.

Each Santa is carefully trimmed out, mounted on Stampin' Up Black cardstock and inserted into a 4" x 6" opening in an 11" x 22" frame. The frame is black and each opening is bordered by a metal copper lace trim that was painted brown to antique it. The frame has two openings on the back to hang it on the wall.

Nordic Santa

 Trimming the Artic Santa: I found it easier to use an exacto knife. (Yes, I know mine is a little rusted, but the blade is still super sharp.)

Woodsland Santa

 Framed:

~Sarah

Baby Doll Quilts

For Christmas, I refinished the Cradle and made a Crib for Emmah. I loved the little quilt so much, that I decided to make a bunch more to add to my Etsy site for sale. Here are the results:

They fit a traditional doll bed or cradle. I took pictures with my daughter's American Girl Doll, Felicity. She has the beds for her American Girl Dolls, but this little bed I used doesn't have the posters or top on it, so it was easier to photograph with. Besides...it reminds me of the bed I had that was my grandfather's bed when he was a boy.

Here are some close ups:

Baby Doll Crib Quilt, Doll Cradle Quilt, in the Jelly Roll Style with a Flannel Back and wrapped Flannel Binding. Quilts are machine embroidered. Each Baby Doll Quilt is made with a matching flannel pillow. These quilts measure approximately 12" wide and 20" tall. They vary slightly in size as they are all handmade.

If you don't know what a Jelly Roll is, it is a roll of 2.5 inch strips of various patterned fabrics. I stitched the Jelly Rolls together and washed them. I also pre-washed the flannel fabric for the quilts. Flannel shrinks horribly, so I don't use it until it is washed.

I machine stitched the binding on the quilt and machine embroidered the quilt as well. Each Baby Doll quilt fits an 18 inch doll bed or cradle. The jelly roll doll quilts each have a matching Real Baby Size Quilt that can be found in my shop. (https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThisNThatHodgePodge?page=2#save)

~Sarah

Hand Crafted Paper Bead Earrings

I hand crafted the paper to make the beads for these earrings. 

To color the paper: I used water, enamel paint, and Borax. It sort of Tye Dyed the paper. After it dried,  I cut and rolled the paper around square toothpicks to make the beads and sealed them with modpodge (not sure on spelling). The post earrings are hypoallergenic and there are plastic black and metal silver beads to accentuate and fill the earrings. Each pair is one of a kind and won’t be duplicated.

Mother Shirley's Jewelry Display Case

For Christmas, Tom and I decided his mom should have a Jewelry Display cabinet for her Craft Show Jewelry Sales. Tom worked on the box, I stained it a pretty Red Mahogany color and added a velvety pink backing in it. We used Plexi instead of glass as it is lighter to carry and less chance of breaking. I have a feeling we might be making more soon!

~Sarah and Tom