handmade by stefanie

A few years ago, I spotted some cute needle felted ornaments on Pinterest that were made using cookie cutters to create the shapes. How clever is that?! Ever since, I have been thinking about giving it a try myself, and finally decided to take a stab at it for my Christmas in July theme. Pun very much intended - please feel free to roll your eyes accordingly! It had been so long since I last attempted a needle felting project that I couldn't find any of my supplies, so I ended up buying this affordable little kit on Amazon that has everything I need and then some! Then I dug out my cookie cutter collection (make sure they are the kind that are open on the top and bottom) and grabbed some wool roving from Kraemer Yarns for an afternoon of stabby fun. First, if you are new to needle felting, here are the basics: you are using a special kind of needle that has bumps on it to repeatedly stab the wool fiber, causing the scales on the wool fibers to begin fusing together. So, ...

Knitting or crocheting ornaments is a fun way to use up leftover yarn while adding a handmade touch to your holiday decorations. They also make great gifts and look adorable on top of a prettily wrapped package in place of a bow. Here are some of my favorite knit and crochet patterns I've used over the years, plus a few new ones to try out! Images via sources below. Knitted Ornaments Top Left:   Holiday Cheer Ornaments (free) by Kate Gagnon Osborn - these fun ornaments are designed for fingering weight yarn, perfect for mini skeins ! Top Right: Knit Candy Cane Ornament (free) by Heidi Gustad - you can't have Christmas without candy canes!! Middle:   Snowball Buddies ($6) by Susan Claudino - a few years ago, I made several of these and they were so darn cute! Most of them were given away as gifts, so I might dig out this pattern and knit a few more for 2018. Bottom: Mochimochi Snowmen and Teeny Tiny Santas ($3) by Anna Hrachovec - I've always been a fan...

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends,  so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with  this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks).  The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a...

Happy Fourth of July! Since it's a holiday here in the states, I'll make today's entry short and sweet: for the entire month of July, I will be sharing some fun holiday craft projects that ANYONE can do (seriously!). They will be fun, easy, and affordable ways to make holiday decor for yourself or to give as gifts. Here's a little sneak peek: Don't worry, there will also be some fiber-related projects, although I have to say that working with beads was incredibly fun, I might have a new obsession! You can subscribe to my blog via Bloglovin using the link in the sidebar (it's free!) so that you don't miss each weekly post.