Sunday Greetings dear friends & readers 💜
Welcome to the last of my "Catch Up Posts"
This half made Santa fell down recently from the very top of my craft room wardrobe
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| Even Blackie was none too impressed !!! |
It had been acquired by me quite some time ago, when I happened to turn up at one of my friend Gails clean outs!
It seems she had begun to make this Santa, gone no further & lost interest ... so home it came with
Steptoe Yours truly 😉
There was no pattern for the Santa ... he had been made over a Coca Cola bottle filled with gravel to weight him.
Now I knew from past experience, once I dressed him & put something in his arms - he would topple forward.
So some surgery was performed on my ironing board - I removed some of the wadding & put in more fine gravel
to make him really upright
Now I knew from past experience, once I dressed him & put something in his arms - he would topple forward.
So some surgery was performed on my ironing board - I removed some of the wadding & put in more fine gravel
to make him really upright
I wanted to make him a long coat from some dark red fleece I had & trim it with fur.
I found an old op shop cardigan & used the last remaining sleeve to make him a long pom pom hat
I found an old op shop cardigan & used the last remaining sleeve to make him a long pom pom hat
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The ribbing from the cardigan sleeve fitted nicely around his head & I made a large pom pom using the fur.
I removed all the hair & beard that Gail had used & replaced it with some beautiful soft hand-dyed mohair fur ... he begun to take on his Olde World Santa appearance
I tucked a bundle of greenery & pip berries into his arms but I felt he needed a sack or a stocking ......
I tucked a bundle of greenery & pip berries into his arms but I felt he needed a sack or a stocking ......
I found some lovely old Christmas panels in my stash so I went about making him a large Santa sack ...I keep a good selection of small toys & decoration bits & bobs on hand for filling my Sacks & Stockings
I boxed the base of the sack but then decided to weight the bottom with fine gravel as well ... I am pleased I did this as it sits nice & sturdy
I filled the rest with wadding & then covered a thick piece of cardboard with calico to sit inside the lip of the sack ... then I hot glued all my toys & decorations to this.
I filled the rest with wadding & then covered a thick piece of cardboard with calico to sit inside the lip of the sack ... then I hot glued all my toys & decorations to this.
I love him 💗& he sits so sturdily he could even be used as a doorstop.
Olde World Santa is going on my craft stall.
Olde World Santa is going on my craft stall.
Last week I came across a box of vintage Agee Jars in the sleepout, so thought I would whip up some
string jars for my stall.
I haven't made these for several years now but they came together nicely with all the bits & bobs already in my stash.
string jars for my stall.
I haven't made these for several years now but they came together nicely with all the bits & bobs already in my stash.
I had homespun fabrics in green, red & blue so made one Jar in each colourway.
I was still putting my string jars together on Thursday when I had Sid for the day so he spent a happy half hour playing with my bag of ring seals & lids ... just goes to show you don't need expensive toys to keep them amused!
When I wrote in my last post about the shelf I had painted/upcycled for St Johns Op Shop I also came home
with this large wooden mirror.
with this large wooden mirror.
A clean + two coats of the same grey chalkpaint (Half Absolute) & it totally transformed it!
I just scuffed the edges lightly with my fine sandpaper.
I just scuffed the edges lightly with my fine sandpaper.
(these items are not mine but are for the St Johns shop to sell)
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| As you can see, one has not even budded yet & I don't think it is going to. |
This year has been my first ever attempt at growing hyacinth bulbs in "bulb forcing jars". I must confess they are not flowering yet & it seems to have been a long, slow & painful process to get them this far. If anyone has ever had success with this & can offer any tips I would greatly appreciate it?
Though the sun is shining today dear friends, there is a bitterly cold wind blowing,
But this is typical spring weather for us here!
Wishing you all a lovely week ahead ... be kind to yourselves & to each other,
Thanks so much for coming back to visit me here again today,
With much love & friendship to you all,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0
But this is typical spring weather for us here!
Wishing you all a lovely week ahead ... be kind to yourselves & to each other,
Thanks so much for coming back to visit me here again today,
With much love & friendship to you all,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0
You have created a wonderful Santa Julie, he looks fantastic, the Santa sack is amazing too, you are so clever. Great idea for the string jars, how happy is Sid playing there! The mirror looks wonderful, I am afraid I have had no luck with hyacinths, so can be no help there! Hope the weather picks up for you, we are having a cold day here too. xx
ReplyDeleteLove your Santa Julie, especially his little brooch on his hat. I remember your string jars, such a cool idea.
ReplyDeleteHyacinths, now I remember my mum having a vase full of them, but alas they were of the plastic variety, so no help from me.
Chris xoxo
Hi Julie wow i love your santa you made the most amazing things Julie ,you are so very clever my friend,and lovely to see Sid's smiling face xx
ReplyDeleteLove Santa, he's gorgeous. Always love to see what you create, everything looks wonderful. Hugs, xx
ReplyDeleteHasn’t SId grown quickly. and into such a happy wee soul. Looking at Santa made me want to sing 🎵 it’s starting to look a lot like Christmas 🎄
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas so much and every year it does seem to come around more quickly.
That is an adorable Santa! I can't believe the way you know just what "bits and bobs" to bring together to make something turn out just right.
ReplyDeleteThe string jars are very cute, too.
I have only ever grown hyacinth outdoors, so I am no help on the indoor method. :)
I know l've mentioned it before...But over here we
ReplyDeletehave a program on BBC2 Mon~Frid called 'The Repair
Shop'..it's on for three weeks, at the moment after
a a new series, there repeating series one, love
it, and at times get quite emotional over it, because
things that are brought in for repair, have a history
to them, and mostly things are 100yrs old or more!
And basically only thing to put them in, is the bin! :(.
Your Father Christmas, all opened up and looking a bit
sorry! Reminded me, just last week a lady on the program,
brought in a 140yr old toy lamb..four legs a head and no
body, just a bit of woolly cloth holding it together....
The two ladies who repair such things, started working on
it..you have to see it..to believe it..by the time they
finished it..well, it was amazing, the lady who's lamb it
was, the two ladies who repaired him, AND me..were ALL in
tears..Bless! :).
P.S. If anyone would like to watch The Repair Shop..l see
it is now on BBC iPlayer...Well worth a look..! :).
Oh! Hope you had enough material left Julie, for a Santa
hat for Blackie...! =^._.^=
I see you've put little Sid on the floor then..Can't see
any scrambled egg..he must have eaten it all up..HeHe! :).
AND..The mirror looks great..though, knowing me l would
prefer a 'pink' frame.."Mirror! Mirror! on the wall....."
We've just said hello to Autumn over here, getting a
little chilly to, but still nice and dry, the leaves on
the Virginia Creeper are starting to turn, always feel
a bit sad, but the colours are nice! :).
Just gone 7:30..time for another lemon tea, Sunday is
supermarket day, open at 10:00 on a Sunday, don't need
a lot, but l do enjoy shopping...! Ya all take care now! :o).
Ha..ha....I have this vision in my mind of Santa seeing you coming and being tired of sitting half completed for so long - just ran and jumped over the edge and you caught him!! And now he is so happy! All fixed up! Looking so handsome and ready for the season. Sid is looking so grown up - what fun he is having.
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea your santa is for doorstops - I think they will sell like hotcakes! Door stops in the UK are a limited choice - I just bought one that is a squirrel (being by the woods it seemed appropriate) but there's nothing like your santa on offer around here! Sid looks delightful with rosy cheeks.
ReplyDeleteThere truly is no limit to your cleverness and ingenuity, dear Julie. Why, ol' Santa fell off because he just wanted to be tarted up by you. He is gorgeous. Love all the bits and bobs you added to him. Those old jars are fabulous. Love the little peek through the frame looking at the lovely cushion resting on your sofa. How cute Sid is sitting there playing with those bottle lids and seals. Children always seem to prefer the most inconsequential things to play with, don't they. Your Hyacinths will grow soon, I am sure. =) Ours are blooming out in the garden. The fragrance is divine! Have a beautiful week, beautiful Julie. Xx
ReplyDeleteYou have worked magic on Santa. He looks wonderful. Another wonderful post xx
ReplyDeletewow!! Santa is awesome.. enjoyed all the pictures a lot..
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Thanks so much Krishna. I loved making him & am so pleased he is all finished now. Xxx
DeleteHi Julie, so good reading your adventures. Love your Santa, you are so talented. I also enjoyed looking at your pics. Having high tea with Sarah ( I also have a a DIL Sarah) what a beautiful day you had. Take care Julie & have a wonderful creative week xxx
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness that Santa is stunning. I really love the little red robin pin on his hat. But I'm a little concerned to see Christmas stuff already.....It cant be close yet can it?! LOL Your Grandson is such a cutie.
ReplyDeletexx
Thanks for your lovely comment Emma. I am only making Christmas creations as I am doing a market stall in early November & am making stock for this stall. I think I would cringe if I saw the Christmas stuff in shops already .... as it is, it seems to come out way too soon! I think a friend told me that Spotlight has theirs out already.
DeleteYou are making great progress with items for your craft stall, they all look great! The string jars bought back some memories of a nice time spent with you & someone else dear to me.
ReplyDeleteOh the bulbs will be wonderful, are they in your sewing room?
Isn't it wonderful how simple things can amuse kids. hugs for the winterless north, where it is feeling wintery! :-)
Hi Julie, Our internet was down from Thursday night till yesterday and I don't think I commented on this yet. Your Old World Santa turned out wonderful. Your will have so much to sell at your craft show that you will have to set up two stalls! I hope you do well! Nancy
ReplyDelete