Gift Exchange at Craftaholics Anonymous! :)

I signed up for a Christmas gift exchange through craftaholics anonymous :) Basically this is what you do .
You sign up on her website ( although it is closed now. Sorry!)
Then once you sign up she will send you an email with your craft partners information :)
You have until November 30th to mail out your package and it has to be something homemade :) ( ugh huge problem for me. just kidding :) You can do as much or as little as you like.

I already started on mine tonite, my person is going to LOVE me :) haha. At least their package will be smelling like Christmas .

*update*
when I originally posted this ( as in a draft ) I hadn't started my project yet. Now that it is past the deadline I have posted and mailed my package and included what is in the package :) I loved doing this exhange because it let me communicate with somebody new and let me craft whatever I wanted to , without keeping it :)

For Ashlee ( who btw makes these AWESOME bows- check her out her website is ( Insert WEbSTIEEEFCEFWFEWF)

We both share a love in the Nightmare Before Christmas- so naturally I made everything with a nightmare theme!

I made A Skeleton Sock Monkey ( To see directions how to make one yourself search sock monkey on blog )
Polymer clay Jack Skellington's with Hotpink and Black Candy Canes
Jack Skellington on spiral hill figurine
Zombie Mermaid

I also included a christmas card and a note

What are some things that excite you?

You're Hot then You're Cold :)

Cute Title Right! Its for my Hot/Cold Packs/ Sachets ( Multifunctional- LOVE IT)

It was super easy to make these and they took 30 minutes total!

What you will need:
Rice Stuffing Mix- which you can find here
Pretty Fabric ( I used an old sweater of mine from forever 21 ...sad day I loved that sweater :( Brown velvet fabric and an old white t-shirt)
Hot Glue Gun
Needle
Invisible Thread ( this does actually exist :)

Step 1) Cut your main fabric ( in my case it was my sweater) into 4 Equal squares 4 inches by 6 inches ( You can make it smaller or bigger depending on your need :) Trim these squares into coffe cup shapes ( do not do a handle yet) set aside.
Step 2- Take your "coffee" material ( In my case it was a brown velvet material) and cut it into a rectangle the width of your coffee cup at the top ( I then cut mine into an oval that measure the width of my coffee cup.)
Step 3 Stitch together the 2 Coffee cup sides from to pack ( or if you are like me and hate sewing and don't have a sewing machine ghot glue gun it !)
Step 4 Fill the sachet with the rice mixture and stitch top shut. add your brown fabric on top and sew it to the cup.

Step 5- Take scrap fabric and create your handle, Add your marshmallows or steam and voila! you are done! :)

To use as Hot Pack - Microwave for 20-30 seconds
To use as cold pack- Simply Throw in Refrigerator or Freezer :)

What do you like to create ?

Im gonna Sock Ya in the Mouth!

Ok not really, I'm a pacifist and very passive aggressive ( So I'm told) But I recently learned how amazingly EASY it is to create a sock monkey. It took me an hour to make 1 sock monkey ( which is good considering I hand Sewed it! )Here is what you will need :)

Socks ( I like the crew length or longer- it gives you more to work with.) ( I got mine in a 2 pack at walmart - the super soft fuzzy chenille socks)
Buttons for eyes
Hot Glue Gun& Glue
Felt
Accessories ( knitted scarf, hat etc)
invisible thread
needle
stuffing/batting

First you need to cut out your pattern ( I used these patterns

http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/images/sock-monkey-main-pattern.jpg



I got my directions from

I only modified the First Direction :
To make the body of the sock monkey you take the end that is the toes and cut a straight line up the middle until you are 1/2 inch from the heel. The sock must be turned inside out . :)

2. Stuffing - cut up old nylon stockings, cotton batting, kapok, shredded foam rubber or polyester fiber. (do not use yams or other vegitables) <-- haha

CAP:
Cut off toe of the sock, leaving 1/2 inch of brown to roll for a brim. ( they used these old brown/white.red socks I used some chenille holiday socks :)

TAIL:
Cut a one inch strip, taper to end of cuff on length of front of sock. Seam and stuff.

MOUTH:
Cut the heel from the sock, leaving a brown edge around the white. Fasten on lower part of the face, whipping around the bottom; stuff and finish sewing around top. The mouth can be improved by a running stitch of either black or white across the middle.

These are the original instructions from the 1920's, once you obtain a pattern it is prety self explanatory on what you need to do :)

Here is my first attempt at a sock monkey! I made mine from Halloweentown- Nightmare before Christmas style ( and I must say I loved the outcome! I hand knitted the little scarf with my Wonderknitter- It works SO well!