Do It Yourself: Empty Spool Candy/Cracker Ornaments

This ornament was made by Sylvia (I helped her with the hot glue). She decided to make hers a piece of sour candy by gluing a paper label to the front.


This ornament was made by Beatrice (with the hot glue assist). Beatrice's is Sweet Sour Candy (?).

If you sew as much as I do, you probably have a giant bin full of empty thread spools. They are too good to throw away, but yet hard to use (especially the modern plastic ones). I designed this little project to do on a rainy (yes RAINY) December afternoon with the kiddos. My girls are 4 and 7, this project uses hot glue, so I needed to help them with the gluing and cutting the pieces to the right size. This project would be perfect for kids just a little bit older (8+).

Materials:
floral wire (medium gage)
wide ribbon
felt
empty spool
thin ribbon
hot glue
scissors



Prepare your pieces by cutting the felt into a rectangle that is large enough to roll entirely around the circumference of the spool with a little bit of an overlap. Leave the ends at least 1 1/2 " longer than the spool on each side.


Thread the wire through the center of the spool and bend a hook at the end. Secure this into the spokes of the spool with a small dab of hot glue.



Next, secure one edge of the felt with hot glue to the spool. lay the ribbon over it and secure the ribbon with hot glue to the spool as well.


Roll the felt and the ribbon around the spool. Fold the edge of the ribbon over the edge of the felt and secure with hot glue.


Finish rolling the felt and ribbon around the spool and secure with hot glue.


Using the thin ribbon, gather the ends and tie with a decorative bow.

To hang the ornament, either leave the wire long and bend a hook, OR clip the wire short, and bend over to create a loop to which you will tie a hanging ribbon.

Add a paper label if desired with glue.

To create a dish of candies, omit the center wire and continue with the rest of the steps.


Santa Cop means to show the new ornament who is the boss...

Around Our House: Christmas Favorites

Over the years, I have amassed a fairly large collection of ornaments. My own tree started my second year of college when I purchased a 3' tree on clearance. That year I made all of my own decorations using copper (wire and sheets that had come from an estate sale) and metallic raffia. I also made a long strand of Fimo beads that has long since disappeared. This is also the same year I made the first two stockings.



This is the whole set. The first two belong to Scott and I (the two in the middle).



Beatrice's stocking won Best of Show at the Iowa State Fair in 2008. I couldn't have been happier. I saved fabrics for over ten years so our family stockings would match.

Through college I collected unique or weird ornaments whenever I found them. I like to catch end of season clearance sales, but have been know to pay full price.



Is it a dog? Is it a flocked dog with plastic tree branches coming out of its head? No. It is a reindeer. Obviously. Found at Calipso in Valley West Mall 2009



Last year's addition to our creepy snowman collection. While this one isn't particularly creepy, it is covered in glitter and fabulous. Found at Porch Light 2008



This one was so weird it had to come home with me. And if I remember correctly, it came from Target in 2007.



Santa Cop. Nothing says Christmas like getting busted by a billy club wielding Santa. Found at Hobby Lobby 2007

When I was in college, my grandma Louise started the tradition of allowing each of us to select one ornament from the tree each year. I have such strong memories of the ornaments from her tree. A few of my favorites were the little plastic horns (that made noise), the tiny fairy tale books, and all of the ornaments made by my grandma and her friends for the church craft bazaar over the years.



This set of bells came from grandma's tree.



When I was in Los Angeles, Grandma sent me this old ceramic bell that used to be on her tree when she was a little girl.

Since I spend quite a bit of time at craft shows during the holiday season, I have found a number of spectacular handmade ornaments to add to my collection.



This one is made by Skirt. A couple of crafty gals out of Iowa City.



This sweet pinecone was made by Danelle of Monster Fashion

My greatest resource for ornaments has come from my children. I like to spend time each year making ornaments with them. The first year, we used self sticking laminating paper to cover images that we hole punched and hung from strings. Last year, we painted a lot of pre-made ornaments from craft stores. But this year, we made the most fabulous pipe cleaner ornaments. I had the girls both draw faces on circles that we cut out and glued on as heads. The girls then chose doodads for each person to hold. As you can see they turned out amazing!



Made with Sylvia in 2008. I helped to sew the chunk of serger scraps she found on top.



Made with Beatrice 2009. She is just starting to draw faces, for this project, she enjoyed gluing plastic eyes to her colored faces.



Made with Sylvia 2009. Sylvia did such an amazing job drawing faces. This snowman is one of my favorites. I particularly love the carrot he is holding.



Another of Sylvia's. This one is an angel. The idea for this project came from a fun shop on etsy (from whom I purchased three sets of ornaments) Old World Primatives She uses great vintage images atop her lovely ornaments.

In a few days, we will pack up the tree. Each ornament will be carefully packed away so that someday they might grace the trees of my own children and grandchildren. Another great pretty Christmas gone by...