Crescent Santa

This is probably my best seller each year.  I always sell as many as I make....and always wished that I had made more.  They are pretty easy to make but the beard takes a really long time.  I sell these for  $34.99 each.  If you want one, please order early! 

This guy is pretty large.  Approximately 16" wide and nearly 20" high. It uses four pieces of fabric, sew together and stuff. 

His face is heavily blushed, and his button eyes are covered by cool glasses!

 He has a small furniture button for a nose.

 

The beard is made of one entire skein of yarn.  For this particular Santa, I used rug yarn.  To get the loopy effect, loop the yarn back and forth, over and over, and run through your sewing machine.  Then glue into place.  Embellish and you have a great Santa door or wall hanging!

Well, I am dog-sitting this week for my son's two dogs.  I have two of my own as well.  It is especially trying since we are having thunderstorms and two of them are frightened of the thunder. 

More tomorrow, bloggie friends.  Until then....

Grape Jelly

I don't know what possessed me on a very hot day to do this, but yesterday I decided to try my hand at making grape jelly.  It was so much easier than I thought it would be.  The recipe I used is as follows:  3 cups of grape juice, 1 pkg of pectin, and 4 cups of sugar.  You mix the juice and pectin together in a pan and heat until it begins to boil and then slowly add your sugar.  I tripled the recipe and here is the results:

 Cost-wise, I spent 3.28 for the juice minus $1 off with a coupon.  The pectin was 3.99 each and I had a $1.50 off coupon and a four pound bag of sugar was 2.30.  Grand total is $15.05. I got 9 pints so the cost per pint is $1.67.  An 18oz jar of Smuckers sells for $2.99 so there are some savings.  And aside from making a horrible mess on the stove, it was great fun.  There is some great satisfaction in making something from your own two hands. 

Speaking of handmade, it was so hot yesterday afternoon, that the puppies and I spent the afternoon in the basement.  I decided to finish up some ornaments that I had in my stash.  Though they are really nothing too special, I wanted to give you all a hint when applying sealer to these:  Hang them on a clothes line!

That way, you can spray both sides and you don't have to turn or worry about them sticking to something when you wait for them to dry. 

Happy day, bloggie friends.  More to come....