Jingle Belles - Not a Creature Was Stirring

I had so many ideas for the Jingle Belles creature challenge.  I just couldn't pull them all together before the deadline and that is sad given we have had 2 whole weeks.  You may not see all of them here in time to post to the challenge blog, but I am going to make sure that I get them done to add to my Christmas Card stash.  

Try as I might, I couldn't get those glittery snowflakes to sparkle for the picture. The crinkled blue paper on the bottom (meant to be ice) also has a sheen to it.  Not much better in the close up - sorry!

 

So I'm mulling about a swan with a wreath on a pond and a deer in a circle of snowflakes.  They're all laid out on my work table as soon as I can get to it.

But in the meantime, speaking of creatures.......... we've been doing a major purge (as I've mentioned in several posts I'm sure) and I keep coming across unfinished projects and project ingredients that I had forgotten about.  Some of them are appropriate for this time of the year.  So as a kind of reward for time spent in "the room of surprises", in between sorting and dumping, I'm going to put some of them together (hopefully).  And the creature involved in this one is little felt bears.

When our kids were little, I supplemented our income by making crafts and doing craft shows - mainly selling holiday ornaments and I do think I did quite well.  I still have people telling me they still put out my ornaments every year.  I'll give you a sneak peak at what I'm currently working on from long ago with a little tip.

Here's what I found......

Camel colored felt, embroidery floss, little flowers, pearls, candy cane, netting, and a tiny top hat.  Oh, and a pattern for a little bear.

Here is my tip for working with cutting patterns from felt.

First, you will need to have some freezer paper.  The kind with the wax on one side.  You iron the felt to the waxed side leaving the unwaxed side face up.

On the unwaxed side you can easily use a pen or pencil to trace around your pattern and, since the paper stays attached to the felt, it is easy to cut out.

Once your shapes are cut out, you just peel the paper off.  No pinning is required.  This works particularly well with small shapes.  (Top to bottom these bears are 2 1/4")  You just have to make sure that your paper is firmly melted onto the felt.  There is no residue left behind when you remove the paper.

So with some blanket stitching these little creatures are ready to be dressed.  But you'll have to come back to see that. 

In the meantime, let me get over to the Jingle Belles blog and see what other holiday creatures are to be found!  Click here to join me.