Merry Chris'Mouse'!

Merry Chris'Mouse'!!

Just like my spiders during Halloween, I've been making these cute little Chris'Mice'---for a long time now. And I thought I'd share the crafty love with you!! They make an adorable gift for a teacher or classmates...you could attach it as a gift...they can even sit on your Christmas tree branches. yeah! I know.

So, how to get started, you wonder?  Take a trip to your favorite crafty place and pick up some white, red and green felt squares. Also get some teeny tiny red pom-poms for the noses.  You can either use the google eyes or dots of black paint--just depends on how crafty you feel. Oh! And you need some candy canes, of course. And some hot glue. And a diet Coke too...really you do. Oh, and grab some scissors.

Now, here comes the very un-tricky part. The patterns to trace the ears and the body. Listen to this--for the ears: use one of those wooden spoony sticks.  The kind you get from a second-hand store--no, wait, sorry about that. That was my crazy radio in my head playing Prince. Nevermind him.  Okay, the sticks--they're the kind that you get with single serving ice creams--kind of looks like a flat hourglass-ish shape (about 2 1/2 inch long). I know, I'm very technical with the terms. Stay with me. For the body: use an enlarged pattern of a tear/rain drop from your scrapbook cache. Enlarge the drop to be as long as your index finger.

I know what you're thinking. Is she serious? Is that how she measures things? The answer: Yep! I am and do.

So, trace the body on the white felt and the ears on red/green felt. Cut them out. Now, a slight bump in the road: fold the tip of the white body (where the nose would go) in on itself about 1 inch. Did you make a triangle? Excellent. Cut 2 small (1/4in) slits on the fold of the triangle. That's where you are going to stick in the ears.

 Now, fold the ears in half lengthwise and pull them up through the slits in the white felt.

Oh, you're almost there. Isn't he a clever little fellow. So merry and bright!

Look at my mad camera skills!  There's the loop at the bottom and the ears on the top.  At this point, you can dot the eyes and glue the nose.  All you have left to do is put a candy cane through the loop and presto! Oh so cute little mouse!! ♥

These are just a few (alright, maybe 100) of the mice. I know, I tend to get carried away with my cute-ness. I made them for the teachers at the kids school for a December Teacher Appreciation gift. Can you see the little blue mouse? He's a Hanakuh mouse for a great teacher!!  I attached a small tag to the cane that read "Merry Chris'Mouse from your little elves in the PTSO"  I love the kids school and feel really blessed to have my kids be a part of something special everyday--so my making of the gifts is my way of saying thanks to all the great people and teachers.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Oh Candy Tree....

I've been working on some little Christmas gifts over the past few weeks.  I  have to start early because I make them for the guys at hubby's station, my Mom's people at the IRS and my Dad's people at his job (I still don't know exactly what he does everyday...but that's another story).  I can finally show my little craft on my blog--mainly because I've decided on a different gift for the teacher's at my kids school. So I wouldn't be spoiling any surprises by showing you how I make these. ♥ (and I do need to add a disclaimer: I re-crafted this adorable gift from a friend of a friend--who in her own right is SUPER talented!)

I suggesting hunting for the materials at the Dollar Store and/or the WalMart-shay. They are the best!! For true!  And if you're a really great hunter, these gifts are only about $2.50 each. Of course, once you know how the basics work--you can go high dollar for the ones you love the most. ♥

So, you will need the following materials:

1. styrofoam cone (medium size--you just have to make sure the cone and container jive like turkey and stuffing)

2. Christmas-y container with open top (make sure that the cone and the container you get fit together snuggly.  It can be cermanic, metal, plastic, whatever...)

3. package of Straight Pins--don't confuse these with Safety Pins--entirely different bird

4. assorted hard candies in LOTS of pretty colors (you will need approx. 50-75 pieces per tree depending on the size of your cone and candies)

5. Christmasy Ribbon (1-1 1/2 in thick) Cut into about 18-24 inch lengths

6. Floral Pins (they're also called Greening Pins--in the Floral Dept.)

How to Put Everything Together:

Okay, once you have all the pieces and parts assembled--here's how to get going:   1)  Fit the cone snuggly into the top of the christmas-y container. Make sure it doesn't move around--nice and tight like. 2) Using the straight pins and the candy--start sticking the candy, with the pins--to the bottom of the cone. Continue sticking candies on the cone from the bottom up until you reach the top. You can totally rock your style on this tree! Varying colors and sizes, using patterns and specific colors--whatever your ♥ dreams!!  3) When you get to the top of the cone Stop.  Leave the top flat-y part free of candies.  4) Using one of the Floral pins and the cut ribbon--stick the pin in the center of the ribbon into the top of the cone. Make a pretty-ness bow and let the ribbon hang down. Trim up the ribbons pretty-like. :o)

 

Now you can sing: O Candy tree...how yummy are you looking...eh. Maybe not. But they are super-duper adorkable little gifts to give friends and families--and everyone in between.  I found everything except the pins at the Dollar Store. I bought those at the Wal-mart-shay and craft stores.  Check Costco/Sams for the candies if you are thinking of doing lots of this guys.

And that's an Oh So Pretty Gift, I think. ♥  Happy Crafting!!