Christmas Ornaments...

Last weekend I set up a little Christmas tree in our kitchen, and started to unwrap some ornaments.  I only a put a few on the tree this year, mostly swedish straw ornaments and my little painted Santa Lucia.  Most favorite this year are the Raggedy Ann and Andy that used to hang on my Grandma's tree.  I remember searching for them every year as I helped decorate her tree, and finding them again on Christmas morning.  When we sorted through her things, I was excited to get them, even though one of them needed a bit of repair.  I fixed it up last week.   It's bittersweet to have them with me here in Brooklyn.  

I have such great memories of my Grandma, and especially great memories of being with her  around the holidays.  I helped her get her house ready every year, and helped right before the big day to bake breads and make huge bowls full of chex mix.  A few years ago I designed this ornament project for a Creativebug class, and used her house as the example.

I've gone on to make a few other house ornaments for friends and relatives over the years.  The last one I made was for my brothers' in law, and since I didn't have a picture of their house, I used google street view, which worked out really well!   Unless your recipient lives in a very small town, it's a great way to get a full frontal view of the house you're trying to replicate without ruining the surprise by asking them for a photo.

I am happy to announce that in the spirit of giving, one lucky commenter from today's post will receive a one-month subscription to Creativebug.  With it, you can take this class in addition to hundreds of others.   I promise that it's not too late to start this one.  It uses simple materials that you probably have already (save for a 4" hoop).   Simply leave a comment sometime between now and next Tuesday, December 16th, bonus points if you share your other favorite handmade gifts.  I'll choose one lucky winner then and put you in touch with Creativebug to get you started.  

* Bonus! You can up your chances of winning by entering a second time with a pinterest pin! Just leave a link to your pin in the comments section.  Thanks!