Merry Christmas everyone!
 
It is so fun to give a gift that makes everyone happy!and being totally blown away when gifted with the "most perfect gift ever!" 
Everyone wearing their best Christmas sweaters....

Pictures with Santa...

 Holiday parties one right after another....

 are just a dry run for what lies ahead for New Years Eve!

 There is always one at every party though isn't there? If you can't think of that "one".... you know what that means? Its you.

What am I getting for Christmas? It is the same gift I give myself every single year...

 Merry-Merry Christmas!
big hugs,

Candy Cane Elves

I whipped up some Candy cane elves for my two grand kids to take to school for their Christmas parties. I have made the candy cane mice and candy cane cats and some Poinsettia flower candy canes in the past. I was going to make some penguin candy canes until I spotted some candy cane elves..... I thought they were so cute! So I whipped up a pattern and got busy making them.

I ended up making sixty of the candy cane elves. SIXTY. eiy-eiy-eiy... but oh so cute *wink*

Here is how I made them if your wanting some elves for yourselves~

Here is a printable pattern that you'll need to have to get you going.

 For each elf you'll need to cut out two green boots, one tunic, one face, one hair piece, and two hat pieces. For the collar cut one piece using some glittered paper. You will also use the glittered paper for thin strips for the tunic (front and back) and hats (front and back) trim. Keep the glittered paper scraps so you can cut out some small punched circles using your hole punch for the buttons and the boots pom-poms. Lastly you will need a small pom-pom and a red bow for the finishing touches.

For each elf you'll need two candy canes. I used a spot of hot glue to adhere the two candy canes together, then I went over that with some painters tape.  Your going to be putting a lot of work into these elves, so make sure they don't fall apart by just taping them, use the hot glue too.

Next, I added green boots to the legs of the elf.  I used double sided sticky tape to hold them in place on the actual candy cane. I then used hot glue to seal the boots together. I punched out glittery small circles using a hole punch and hot glued them to both sides of the tip of each boot for a cute finishing touch. For the tunic I put a spot of hot glue on the painters tape and and a dot on each bottom edge of the top to keep it closed and in place.

Once the tunic and the boots were in place it was just a matter of  attaching the face. I used red chalk for the cheeks and a sharpie for the eyes and mouth. On the pattern sheet is a printable for the cheek and eye placement along with a pattern for the mouth too. This way every elf is uniform in appearance.
After the features are put on the face I attached the hair and the hat. I made a neck piece out of a piece of pipe cleaner about 1 1/2 inches long which I wrapped with red paper. This is made to basically attach the head to the body.
I then used some hot glue to close the two head pieces together sandwiching the pipe cleaner neck in between.

 With a dab of hot glue on the front and back of the pipe cleaner I simply inserted the neck piece into the top of the opening of the tunic.

I added a red bow at the neck and a small white pom-pom at the top of the hat. Looks just like an "Elf on the shelf" doesn't it? 

 I decided not to add any mittens to the little elves as they just looked to big.  Did I mention I made SIXTY.... sixty... six-0.... 60.... #bestNanaever

I think my two grand kids will be happy passing these out to their classmates~
big hugs,
 

Cold Weather Craftin'

With the onset of cold weather I am spending a lot more time inside.... so much so that I've just recently completed crocheting eight hats. That darn cold cuts right through me... and although its only in the 60's... I'm suffering! *wink*

 The first two hats I made I using my grand kids school colors of blue and yellow. I think the hats with the ear flaps are the cutest things ever--- so that is the style of hat I made.

 After whipping up the two hats for my grand kids, I decided to make some more. So, I whipped up six more ear flap hats in the colors of my old Alma mater. Purple and Gold baby... purple and gold~

My old school hosts a monthly vintage flea market that I take part in... and there is a lot of old and current students attending each month so I thought these would be a welcomed addition to the event.

I also crocheted a bottle cozy for my soda bottle. I am going to be attending a few Christmas parties and I prefer to drink diet Pepsi over Coke or punch... so I normally just bring my own. Might as well do it in sTyLe~

 I'll type up my pattern I used to create the hats and post it to my blog... hopefully in the next post. The ear flap hats crocheted together pretty fast and the pattern is very easy to follow.

Stay warm my friends~
big hugs,

Recent Treasures...

 Here are some recent treasures that I'm going to be adding to my pirate backyard.... I've been keeping an eye out for a small old looking heater and found this beauty at an antique street fair in a nearby town. The gal I bought it from is the same gal I purchase my tiki's and my pony from. *waves to Jennifer*

I also scored some more pots and lobsters. Pots always makes good filler for the yard.

I also bought an antique photo album. It was only $4.00... Along with the larger photos inside the album there were some smaller ones... I imagine for lockets? The photo in the upper right hand corner with the young girl with her hands behind her head cracks me up. She has a mouth full of crooked/missing teeth and you can just tell she must have been a real pistol!

I've also been wanting a large Buddha Statue for my pirate yard.... I did find one this past summer but they wanted $100 bucks for it. This past weekend I spotted this happy-chubby guy. The price started at $30-- but I ended up paying only $23.00. He is holding two small balls in his hands--- so I am calling him "Doughnut hole guy" I probably resemble this pose when I get a hold of doughnut holes too *wink*

The area where the statue is now has totally been transformed. I had to make this area eight feet smaller to make room for my new 8' x 8' pirate store we are going to be building in this spot. Here you can see the yard panning left of the statue...

and panning right of the statue is the newly made floor for the newest pirate store that we are going to be starting sometime in the coming weeks.

We had to get a big ol' miter saw so we can do the special cuts for the new store. I'm hoping it comes together fast as its starting to get cold outside!
big hugs,

Backyard Shooting Gallery

I have been keeping an eye out on the trash piles recently for a solid wood hutch to be transformed into a shooting gallery for some rubber band guns I have. The stars were all aligned and I saw this beaut laying atop a huge rubbish pile. Score.

 The two doors with the flower painted glass below the hutch were removed as was the large flower painted mirror that was in the center.... I replaced the mirror with pieces of old fence boards for safety reasons.
Here is the hutch in the first stages of repurposing. I painted the slats red & white and then distressed them to give it an old grungy look. I also added some aged small slats to the piece as well... This is still a work in progress... I've got so much left to do~
 I'm going to build a stand for the hutch to set on to make it taller and of course add some things to shoot at since this is going to be a shooting gallery. I'm still debating on making a shooting gallery sign for the top of this hutch. Since the weather is starting to get colder, I find myself more and more inside with a blanket on my lap and something to crochet in my hands!
big hugs,

Neptune

I recently bought this large statue of Neptune while poking around the swap meet. Handsome devil isn't he? The rod he is holding was missing the trident part (the three-pronged spear) so I decided to add a seashell instead of recreating a spear.

Of course, I had to paint him gold to fit in better with the pirate themed backyard I have. After spray painting the statue gold, I added some black to give the statue an aged appearance. I think it looks much better gold than the stark white~

I used a product called Fix-it-All Patch to attach the seashell to the metal rod.
It is a white powder that you simply mix with water to use. I added just enough water to turn the powder into a clay like material and used that to squish the seashell onto the rod.

Last year, I covered a bottle with the Fix-it-All Patch product, and left the bottle out in the elements all year long. It has held up pretty good. I mixed water into the powder and created a frosting like consistency and used a spatula to cover the bottle....  Once the bottle was dry, I spray painted it brown and added the burlap lid.

Since this statue is by the bar area, I am going to be making a bar sign with the word "Neptune" in it.... eventually.

 We have begun the daunting task of starting on the newest pirate store. I am anxious to get it completed before the rainy weather hits us full force.
big hugs,
 

Fancy Flea Market

I'm going to be a vendor at another Artist's Market this weekend.

I always bring more items then my tables will hold--- yet that doesn't stop me from cranking out some more things!

 While tidying up my studio a little bit, I came across the handles of some souvenir spoons  I had previously cut the bowls off of.

 I had already turned the ends back to make little loops for hanging on a chain... and then I put them aside. Something bright and shiny must have caught my eye *wink*

 I went through my ever growing stash of vintage do-dads and pulled out some fun pieces and simply glued them in place.

The atmosphere at this venue is fabulous and they have people who help you unload and load up your vehicles...  and they even pop up your canopies and set up your tables! Well, with this event on Saturday, I think I'll go make something else. I've got time~ *wink*
big hugs,