When Life Gives You Ripped Jeans...

...make Christmas stockings!

So... the other day I took Bailey the Basset to get his photo made with Santa at the mall. I was expecting there to be a line, so I asked my friend Misty to come with me. Well, no line. In fact, we walked right up to Santa. There was a spot next to Santa on his chair for dogs, and after Bailey thoroughly inspected Santa's set (as Bassets are prone to do), I squatted down to lift my 60 pound dog onto the chair. As I did so, I heard the unmistakable sound of the seat of my jeans ripping! I remained  calm and while trying to get Bailey to look cute as the photographer clicked away, I worked out a plan. Even though it was 70 degrees out, Misty (thankfully) wore a jacket. Since my bag was next to her, I asked her to bring it over and then I told her what happened and to give me that jacket to wear around my waist. I haven't laughed that hard in a while! Seriously, epically funny. You could say that Misty saved my ass!

I am sad about the loss of my jeans. I am only 5'2, and it's very difficult to find jeans that fit in the length. These jeans were perfect. I could wear any shoes with them and they were never too long. Plus, they fit great. I literally wore them to death. Here they are, in all their booty-ripped glory:

 

Let's just all be grateful I don't wear thongs! A tore up pair of jeans was worth it to get this shot of Bailey with Santa:

Seriously - epic cuteness!

I decided that since my jeans were wasted, I might as well make them useful. I decided to cut them up and use them to make stockings. I had some extra red burlap and black and white houndstooth. I grabbed Bailey's stocking and cut around it onto the fabric. They aren't perfect, but I am not a perfect sewer. Still, they're cool in a "we were made from ripped jeans and fabric scraps" kinda way. 

This is the first one I did. I originally wanted the whole stocking to be all jean, but that didn't work out so I sewed two pieces of burlap together and sewed the jean piece on top with a zigzag stitch. I didn't think this through and sewed the jean part on after I had sewn the two pieces of burlap together, so now you can't access the toe. Duh. I worked that out later. 

I wanted to use one of the front pockets for the next one. I again cut two pieces of burlap, but before sewing them together I sewed the jean piece to one of the burlap pieces. Then, with the jean piece facing what would be the inside of the stocking, I sewed around the edge of the stocking, turned it inside out, and sewed a ribbon loop on the upper left inside. I like this one better, but the burlap doesn't lay flat. Oh, well. I like the burlap toe poking out!

The last one I made I really like, although I wish it had a more pronounced toe. That's what happens when you are just winging it and not trying too hard. I put the pocket upside down on purpose just because, and the back is houndstooth. I first sewed the jean and houndstooth with right sides together and then turned it right side out. With a scrap piece of fabric, I sewed a cuff, put it inside the stocking with the raw edge of the cuff lined up with the raw top edge of the stocking. Between the cuff and the back piece I stuck a looped piece of burlap (facing down). I sewed around the top of the stocking and then folded the cuff out. Voila! (Just follow this tutorial - it's basically what I did without the precision :)

And one more time, for emphasis:

I've been on a stocking kick lately, and once I finish the other ones I have sewed - they need a little embellishment - I'll share. Anybody need a stocking?

Does anyone else get on kicks where you either learn how to do something - or are trying to teach yourself - and so you make a million and one of the same thing, even though you only need one? I have a drawer full of tote bags and drawstring bags that I don't need! Now I have lots of stockings. I guess we're having a homemade Christmas after all.

Thanks for stopping by!

I am linking to Centsational Girl's Holiday Home Craft Party.

Christmas Time!

Hello! It's FINALLY my favorite time of year - Christmas!

I am very excited to share what I have worked on so far with you. First of all, a little vignette. Is there a more appropriate vignette at Christmas than a nativity scene?

 

I bought this at my neighbor's yard sale for $2, and it looked like this:

It's amazing what a little white gloss spray paint can do! Here are some of my favorite features:

Doesn't the nativity look like white ceramic now? I painted the base in a gloss red for contrast. Here's another shot of it all put together:

Since the TV is no longer in the Stupid Hole, I could go all out on the fireplace. Instead of one main tree, I did three!

One of my favorite features is the "joy" figures that I got at a thrift store. They were looking pretty tired:

But with some red gloss spray paint, they now look pretty snazzy:

I made a couple of red burlap stockings to hang from the stocking hangers I got as a present a few years ago:

I put a few small ornaments in some mason jars:

On each side of the fireplace I hung the wreaths I made years ago:

I wrapped ribbon around the garland to tie everything together. I have gotten a ton of mileage out of this ribbon!

Everything has red and white lights, and it's difficult to take a good photo of red lights. They just look hot pink. But, here's one anyway:

I already have a completely different idea for next year!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am linking this to Southern Savvy Style and The Lettered Cottage.

Back in the Saddle

Hello, everyone! I know, I know... I've been kind of MIA for the last few weeks. Well, I've not been at home, as my second job took me out-of-state for a couple of weeks. I just finished going through almost three weeks of emails in three of my four email accounts. I missed so much great stuff! Hopefully on the next trip I will have more personal time so that I don't miss what the blogging world has been up to.

First, thanks to everyone who peeked at my yellow dresser back in September (I can't believe it has been almost two months since I finished it). I have to send out a special, heartfelt thanks to Lauren at West Furniture Revival. She featured me, and I think that's just awesome! My first feature (and hopefully not my last).

 

To see the feature, click here. Unfortunately, the yellow dresser is the last crafty thing I have finished. However, my hubby had a very busy Sunday last week. While I was enjoying a day in New Orleans, he uncharacteristically took it upon himself to complete a little switch-a-roo we had discussed. To refresh your memory, the TV was located in the Stupid Hole above the fireplace. We hate the Stupid Hole, and we were not overly thrilled with the TV being located there. We didn't want to have to get a new cable plug installed in the wall, but we wanted to move the TV to the dresser.

   

With the dresser in a primo viewing location, Hubby got a conduit to run the cable and internet cords down around the left side of the fireplace. 

He moved the TV, DVD player, the cable box, and the modem to the dresser, and put the lamps and photos in the Stupid Hole. I was kind of surprised that he arranged them and didn't just set them up there.

You can see the conduit on the left side, but it's really not that noticeable in person. My plan is to get some weathered shutters to cover the Stupid Hole, and the sconces are going to be moved to the guest bath. Here is the dresser/entertainment center:

We like it sooooo much better. In fact, the picture seems clearer and the sound is better. We had our first major viewing session with the new arrangement last night during the Bama/LSU game. Approved. 

I know, I know, I need to move the White Lady somewhere else, and re-arrange all our entertainment-related accoutrements. With the holidays coming all of this will get taken care of. This dresser has turned into one amazing workhorse. She is safely and conveniently storing all my crafty/sewing stuff, and now she's providing a stylish and sturdy place for said accoutrements. The best part of all is that I can FINALLY decorate the mantel for Christmas and not worry about covering the TV or the sensors for the remotes. Yippee Skippy. I am hoping life will settle a little and I will be able to do something crafty here in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for stopping by!