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Tuesday, December 24, 2019

My Little SnowMan ...


Hello my dear friends,

many years ago whilst being stationed in Alberta with the military, I decided to teach crafting classes just before Christmastime to army wives at the MFRC and one of the things I taught was how to make a neat fabric snowman.

Unfortunately back then I was very uncomfortable taking photos of what I made, so there is none to share of the actual one I made. Since some time now I wanted to recreate that little cold man just they way I like to do things these days. It has taken a while but I did it. I am normally not happy with the word "cute" for some reason when it comes to my creations. But with this one it is the perfect word to use when it comes to describing my little fabric frosty man. I finished him a little while ago but again never got to the publishing part of him here but today is the day ... finally ... to share him with all of you.

And here he is, my little SnowMan ...






I hope you have enjoyed my newest making as much as I have enjoyed creating it.

I am planning on making him one of my creations that I will be selling in my Etsy shop for Christmas 2020. I am planning on giving him a few different looks that will compliment each other. I might even think about creating a tutorial on how to make him but I am not set on that just yet. I am also hoping to come up with one or two new ideas to join him in my shop. As you see I have a lot planned for nest Christmas, I just hope I will be able to get it all done. So stayed tuned at Christmas time next year and see what I have come up with.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Friday, December 20, 2019

My Gift Has Arrived ...


Hello my dear friends,

I can finally share what I had chosen as my this year's give away gift with all of you.

For a short moment it got a little scary because it took the post office somewhat longer to get it to it's destination but a has finally arrived with Sue K. and I am so happy it did. When it came to what I would send her my only thought was that I wanted to put a smile in her heart and I think I have done so.

And is what I chose to send her ...

... my Stocking Advent Calender.





Thank you to all that took part again in my "Christmas to Come" giveaway.

Don't forget that there will be a new one in 2020!

I hope you are well and life is treating you.

Have a peaceful and creative day.



Thursday, December 19, 2019

Once An Old Cigar Box ...


Hello my dear friends,

it is mid December so it is the perfect time to share today's creation with all of you. I should have done so almost a year ago because that is when I actually made it, I just never got around to telling you about.

I recently had re-shared my first altered art cigar boxes. After making them, I still had several more old wooden cigar boxes in one of my cupboards now since a few years, sitting there just begging me to work with them again. In that same cupboard was also a bag of coarse bottle brush trees, again just sitting there. They were really hard and the kind that you can't bleach. I was on the verge of donating the boxes and trees when suddenly an idea came to my mind. I was perfect because I could use both pieces for it. As so often I had almost everything I needed at hand and I "found" a small Christmas house ornament in one of my supply boxes. It looked so festive and I knew it was right for what I was planning on making. And last but not least I had bought a kit to make your own 'lit up' Christmas cards from Michaels. The cards you could make were lovely but I wanted to use the tiny Christmas light chains for something special and this project was that something! Oh yes ... and brown paper! I always wrap my parcels with brown paper and one of my drawers is full of the cut offs, so that would become a part of this project too. And of course glitter and snow were just a "must use" for me.

Once I gathered everything together, I was excited to start to work on my newest creation. Like before, it felt almost like I was putting things into a mixing bowl and stirring them around, adding a little here and a bit there and in the end a creation came to be from all the ingredients. OK, it wasn't that easy really to tell you the truth. It took me many hours to make this and I messed up a few times too but in the end my newest Christmas making turned out exactly the way I hoped it would and I couldn't be happier with it.

And now, without further ado, here is my newest Christmas creation.

I named it ...

"Christmas In The Old North".


This reminds me of some of the older beautiful houses that can find in our city.


And this is how the box looks like now on the outside!


The large snow flakes glisten so lovely but unfortunately it doesn't show in the pictures.


And this is my favorite part ... 


... it lights up!



And this is what it looks like in the dark ...


Like I said, I couldn't be happier with the way this piece has turned out.
It is now being wrapped up and soon it will be on it's way to it's new home.

Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting me here at Todolwen. It is always so nice when you do and I hope you will return sometime again.

I hope you are well and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Sari Silk Summer Hydrangeas ...


Hello my dear friends,

do you remember my sari silk hydrangeas that I embroidered onto needle books? I had so much fun making them that I wanted to make something else with them and I did.



I had two little tarnished silver plate baskets that were perfect for the job and once I had gathered what I needed it didn't take too long for my idea to come to life. I had shared them on my Instagram page a while ago but didn't get around to sharing with all of you here, so that is what I am doing today!

Two of my newest pincushions ... "Summer Hydrangeas"

Each pincushion has over 35 small double layered flowers made from sari silk ribbon. The leaves are also made from sari silk ribbon in a lovely shade of green.

The first one is my lilac hydrangea basket ...




... and my second one is my pink hydrangea basket.




These two pincushions are now also listed in my Etsy shop.

Thank you for taking the time to visit me here at Todolwen, it is always so nice when you do.

I hope you are well and life is treating you kind

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Jingle Bells Are A Must ...


Hello my dear friends,

 at Christmas time and Wintertime jingle bells are just a must.
 They look lovely and festive and make beautiful "music" too.

Right now I am into making tassels as Christmas ornaments or to be used to embellish presents. They are made from sari silk ribbon and other pretty things, like textured yarns and seam binding and jingle bells are just a must in my eyes because they just make it that little bit more Christmassy.

I have just finished a few new sets of my Christmas tassels and that is what I am sharing with all of you today.

Here is the set with silver accents ...





... and here is the gold set.





Both festive and very pretty and both now available in my Etsy shop.

I am busy working on my next set and it will be traditional Christmassy ... red, gold and green.
So if you have a few spare moments, do come back in a day or two and see what I have made.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Monday, December 2, 2019

A Little Something Wintry ...


Hello my dear friends,

it's cold outside and snow is on the ground, Winter is for sure on it's way.
Inside it is toasty and warm and I am doing my best to be busy and especially when it comes to being creative. I haven't made a new pincushion in a while now, so it was time again. My thoughts went with knitted sweaters, glistening snowflakes and pine cones and this is what I turned my thoughts into. 

I named it ... 

"Winter Weather".
(Not sure why I picked that name, it just popped into my mind when I looked at it and I like it.)







I hope you like my newest creation, it is now listed in my Etsy shop.

Thank you for taking the time today to stop by and visit me and I hope you have enjoyed your short stay.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.