The Missed Mish-Mash Crafts of CHRISTmas 2014...

                                                  This is my chance to catch up on missed items I wanted to get posted before we left for Florida this last trip in December. I still have summer items yet to blog and hope to get those posted next.

     I had taken quite a few photos of Older Son Brian and his girl, Ashley, when they took one of our Florida trips with us in April 2014. Since I hadn't done much else with the photos, and I really wanted to try making something nice out of Tim Holtz's Clockworks (and empty clock with a glass front and removable back that allows you to fill with your own items)... I not only made one for my kids, but I was able to get one just like it done for the ChiefHubby and I, too! I shared some of the same photos inside on a die cut from the TH Alterations Stripdie Filmstrip (I have both the smaller Filmstrip/Mini Ticket die and the larger original, but the larger cut fit perfectly in this case) and used Glossy Accents to attach it to the inside all around foremost to the glass front. Then set seashells I found from that trip (and EVERY trip, of course, I am gathering more along the shoreline during our walks) also using GA. If you look closely at the following 2 photos, you can see how I allowed the tiny pics inside to go around clockwise in direction- that's why some look 'upside down'. I thought it was fitting to the theme of it. I added some rope with an anchor charm at the end of it. Ashley is in school through the NAVY, and she is Brian's anchor.   ;)   I tied that rope around both of them and onto an IdeaOlogy Hitch Post. The photo was printed out in triplicate and each was trimmed and edged with Pumice Stone Distress Ink with a Blending Tool. I then pieced each photo in layers, along with a die cut of  TH Alterations Weathered Clock from black with white cored scoreboard to give it a 3-dimensional look. Some lace ribbon, Word Key and boatswheel charm on an IdeaOlogy KeyChain completed the look.  I think they were surprised to open this for CHRISTmas. 

          

                                             

       I did the second Clockworks using the same technique, but added a few different items, and personalized the photos to match the ChiefHubby and myself.

As time got nearer for gift-making for each of my Besties, I actually had half-way finished these earlier in the summer when I was busy picking wild Black Raspberries for about 4 weeks in June. We kept leaving on several trips out of state and out of the US, so my picking times were shorter than usual. Nevertheless, I managed to get 10 gallon bags into the freezer and when December got here, the Chief went out and got 5 bags of sugar, and enough Sure Jell to get 36 pints of jelly and jam put up for everyone. The reason I call it "Indiana2Florida" is because one of my long-time Besties (the one living on the Panhandle) spent time during our April visit to teach me how to can jams and jellies. I'd lugged a couple of bags down to her that were frozen from 2013 picking season, and we had a fun time making jelly...and eating it!

N ext up; the ornaments I made. I used my TH Alterations Movers & Shapers Carved Ornaments die and the coordinating M&S Mini Hearts to cut colors from scoreboard layered using Glossy Accents to give these ornies a heavier feel for tree-hanging.  I made two Auburn University for my Bestie and MawMaw Dixon; PURDUE University for the Younger Nuke Engineer Son and Honors Edu Daughter, as well as the same PURDUE for the ChiefHubby (who attended his Frosh Yr there) and myself. I used blue and gold for the Older FF Capt Son (who loves NotreDame) and NAVY Daughter (those are also same NAVY colors)...and I personalized each with photos from FaceBook pages.



Shown above are the BACK sides of the ornaments.




Shown above are the FRONT SIDES of the ornaments.



Lastly, are a couple of things for the FFCaptSon's girl, Ashley. This was her first CHRISTmas with Brian and our family as they met at the first of 2014. So she needed a stocking and she was the only one I had not crocheted a blanket for. Since she is a NAVY Gurl (and I always have Americana colors on hand since I really LOVE those colors and use them throughout our home), The Red White and Blue was chosen for her stocking, which took my sewing machine just a little time to stitch up and then handsew her name.

Each blanket I crochet, I want to make as unique as possible for that person. I think I picked a dilly of a hard way to make this blanket as I usually draw out my own patterns from left to right and from bottom to top. This blanket was planned to match up with the NAVY's Official Flag both in color and in shape. The gold yarn I chose was alot thicker than the blue yarn, so I ended up going from left to right completely on up-and-down. That made the counting harder, but the overall LOOK was REALLY COOL...



I added in this little stitch-charm that has a USA Flag attached to it. When she needs to wash the blanket, she can detach the Flag charm so it won't get lost or damaged in the washer or dryer.  ;)

   
       Once again; I want to shoutout "THANK YOU!" for all the WONDERFUL comments you have left me on various projects I've posted. It really gives a person that much more inspiration and I am SO HUMBLED AND HONORED to be included as a fellow crafter among so many TALENTED, KIND, and CARING people in this world!
          Thanks -as always- for checking back in for this late, latest post. ;) Happy Blogging!