Sock Monkeys

Now that they have been giving as gifts, I can show you my first sock monkeys!  I didn't take pictures along the way, but here is the inspiration.

 

I was surprised that they were fairly easy to make.  I like the blue one better than the pink.  The pink looks more like a cow to me in the face.  I got the eyes too far apart or something.  Also, the blue argyle pattern had extra stitching that seemed to not allow the sock fabric to stretch out so much.  It seemed as if the pink just kept stretching.  Also, I won't use pink thread to attach eyes again.  I should have just redone the eyes on the pink one.

 

 

 

 

Hopefully they bring joy to the nephew & niece that got these for Christmas.  At least I know my nephew loved on his blue monkey for a bit.

 

Christmas Card Wreath

Over the years I have had several ways of displaying Christmas cards.  But a few of those ways were purchased before everyone went to the photocards.  Now, I want to see all those faces.  Especially of the friends that are far away. 

 

I found this inspiration a while back. And then got bored one day in November, knowing that there is always at least one or two cards I can expect either right before Thanksgiving or right after.  You know who you are.  I had everything I needed in my closet. 

 

A ring of some sort, ribbon, clothes pins, paint, and a hot glue gun.

 

 

I had bought this chipboard circle many, many years ago.  And I can't remember why.  I tried to do a fall wreath with it and it was a failure.  But I had already cut the circle (if you look closely you can see it at the bottom of the ring in this picture.)

 

I painted it green and also hot glued the split back together.

 

This is the fun part.  You don't want your ribbon to ravel.  So after cutting a lot of ribbons to lengths just a hair larger than the length of the clothes pins, I melted the ends near a flame.  And without causing any damage to my fingers!  Or catching any on fire.

 

See that purple mat?  It is awesome.  I bought it on clearance at a craft store (I can't say which one because it isn't the one my wonderful sis-in-law works at) and it is awesome.  Hot glue just peels right off.  You need one if you don't have one already.

 

Now the tedious task of hot-gluing all the ribbon to the clothespins before the hot glue isn't hot anymore.  I won't say my fingers didn't get really, really hot at least once or twice.

 

Then comes hot-gluing them to the circle and figuring out pattern and spacing.  I laid them all out once or twice to determine how many I wanted and the spacing that looked right.  Oh, and be sure to make a few point toward the inside of the circle.  Most of them clothespins opened to the outside, but every 4th pin I pointed to the inside. This allows for more cards to be displayed.

 

I covered the split with a bow.  I found a tutorial on how to do the bow, but I didn't save the link anywhere.  I think it was something like a six-loop bow.  It actually said to use 4 things of ribbon, but I was fine with just three.

 

I used another piece of ribbon to make and loop and hang it on a very barren wall with a 3M Command hook.  Those things are awesome.

 

Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture with it full.  Next year.

 

So while I don't think it is an entire post worthy, but to show I did do a few other pins from Pinterest I pinned some time ago.  You must try these cookies. 

 

 

I obviously didn't swirl the dough as prettily, but they were good.  And oh so buttery tasting.  Just be warned they aren't cooking you can do in under an hour.  Lots of chilling hours involved.  But worth it.