My Ornament Swap Tree

Here's my ornament swap tree. I've been swapping handmade Christmas ornaments since 2008. I'm always amazed at how creative people are. I also love that I get to exchange ornaments with people around the world. When you think about it, something I made is sitting in someone's home in Australia, UK, Germany, Iceland, Czech Republic, Spain, and the list goes on. Yes, I've been flaked on a couple of times but I've never let that dim my pure enjoyment of receiving these little packages in the mail every year. I look forward to it for years to come.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to need a bigger tree!

This year's mantel

Trees!

As I was going through all my Christmas decorations, I realized that I have a fondness for trees so I thought I would gather them all together and place them on the mantel this year. I love the way it looks! My dark secret...it's not all of them. I probably have twenty more that I just couldn't fit on the mantel. What does this mean?? I need a bigger mantel! (only joking)

So, here is this year's Christmas mantel. The stockings were all made by my husband's mother and I adore them.

Now, these pics show the mantel during the day. Scroll down to see what it looks like at night.

It's really beautiful and peaceful to look at when it's lit up.

Holiday stitching

I was stitching during the month of November so I would have some Christmas cross stitch. Except for the red Santa, all of them came from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2009, 2010 and 2011. Santa came from the British magazine, Cross Stitcher.

As always, here are the fronts...

and the backs...

Happy Holidays!

Everybody's a Winner!

That's right! I had five comments and I can definitely fold five origami wreaths (which seem to be the most popular - I love them too). So, Chris, JoAnn (I have your address), gill, Wagapapa, and Jennifer @ Woodley Cottage, just shoot be an email with your name and address to heidistitcheswhenshecan@gmail.com and I'll send it right out to you. Patterns will vary, but all wlll be beautiful.

Thanks for visiting my blog and for leaving a comment. I really appreciate it.

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Origami tree stills

 

 

I was trying to figure out how to add these pictures to one of my boards on Pinterest and all I could figure out was that they seemed to have to be on my blog to get them there. I don't spend enough time on the computer to figure this stuff out (I'd rather be crafting!).

Anyway...the giveaway is still going on. Leave a comment on my previous post about my tree or on this one. I'll pick two winners on December 1!

My Origami Tree and a Giveaway

Here's a little video of my Origami Tree. I folded all these ornaments over a three month period. I love all the color! This is a real goose feather tree. I bought it over 15 years ago and I think it will be my "official origami tree" for every future Christmas.


Now the good part...if you would like to have your very own origami ornament for your tree, just leave a comment about which ornament you like. You can even tell me which colors you like best as well. On December 1, I'll pick TWO winners and send an ornament especially made for you! Don't you just love this time of year??!! The giveaway is open to everyone (that means international friends can play too).

I really have been stitching...

but I'm finding out that I do much better with small motifs. These are all from Just CrossStitch Halloween Collection. Simple, simple, simple to stitch. Just the type of projects that fit into my life right now. I'm still using fabric that I have, so most of these are on aida cloth. It works well with framing them in the hoops. One day I'll take a photo of the wall that all of these are hung on. It's getting quite crowded.

And the backs...

I've already started on some Christmas cross stitch.