The Oliver Doll & Grandma Hazel's Tree

The Oliver doll is done! I used the Weewonderfuls pattern again. You can find this pattern at http://www.weewonderfuls.com/! I think he bears a striking resemblance to his name sake! What do you think? I have very few completed projects to show this week but I continue to craft away preparing Christmas gifts. I also decorated my home for Christmas this past weekend. Yes, I know we have not even had Thanksgiving but it is my favorite season and I could not wait to deck the halls!

My grandmother Hazel's tree holds a place of importance in our home. It is a vintage, silver tree that I love! It makes me smile and reminds me of grandma. On the tree are some of my favorite ornaments that make an appearance every year. I have also hung the silhouette ornaments of the children that I featured in an earlier post. I just need to make my first batch of gingerbread cookies and it will really feel like Christmas around here!

Silhouettes for Christmas

I have begun to do silhouettes of the children for various Christmas projects. The image above will be on our Christmas cards this year. The silhouettes, though time consuming, are pretty easy to create. I took photos of the children's profiles. I used the photo as a template and cut out the image on black scrapbook paper using an exacto knife. I scanned the resulting silhouettes into the computer in order to do some of the projects (card, ornament....) Instead of mounting the black cutout onto white paper and framing it I decided to make decorative plates. I went to the flea market and found old plates that I thought would work. I used modge podge to adhere the cutout to the center of the plate and I coated the plate. When it was dry I added a coat of non-yellowing, glass-like epoxy. If you would rather mount the cutout onto paper you do not have to use plain paper. It would be a nice effect to mount the cutout in the center of sheet music or a page of type from an old book. The ornaments are made with a plain, cardboard ornament from the craft store. I made a copy of the silhouette on my computer. I adhered it to one side of the ornament and some scrapbook paper to the other side using modge podge. I also used epoxy to coat the ornament and create a glass like appearance. the silhouettes are a lot of fun to create and the possibilities they present are numerous. I plan on doing more with silhouettes this season!