Bella Dia

Happy New Year!

Words can't express my thanks and appreciation for each and
everyone of you who take the time from your busy days and stop by
my blog and make a comment. It means so much to me and has given
me the motivational boost to keep on keeping on when the keeping on i
s hard to do. I'm going to take a short break to finish some projects,
clean house, organize some neglected spaces, and sleep. I hope you all
have a wonderful new year and it is full of good health, good luck, and
dreams come true - you deserve it!

Advent Day 24: The Night Before Christmas

Book: The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
and illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa

There are many beautifully illustrated versions of this poem, and we
have several, but my favorite this year is the one illustrated by Gyo
Fujikawa. Look at this Google image search here and I'm sure you'll
recognize her work. I thought it was interesting that she designed the the
little Eskimo child for the Eskimo Pie company and she also
designed six U.S.P.S. stamps. Read her obituary in the New York Times
if you'd like to know a little more about her. You can read the The
Night Before Christmas in full here and find your favorite parody of the
poem here. I'm sorry I don't have a craft for you today. I am running
around like a crazy person trying to get everything done and the craft I
had intended would take too long. Thank you all so much for your kind
comments regarding my book and activity advent! I really appreciated
the encouragement and I found it so rewarding that you were using
some of these projects as gifts for your special people.
Happy Happy Holidays to all!

*This post includes affiliate links for your reference. If you make a 
purchase through the links I will receive a small commission without it 
costing you any more. Win win! I only recommend products that I like 
and think that you will like too. Thank you for your support!

Advent Day 23: Buying Mittens and felted wool mitten ornaments

Book: Buying Mittens by Nankichi Niimi (scroll down)
and illustrated by Ken Kuroi
Activity: Felted Wool Mitten Ornaments

Buying Mittens is such a precious story with gorgeous detailed
illustrations by Ken Kuroi that you will fall in love with it as soon as you
open it up. A mother fox sends her child into a town to buy mittens but
warns him to be aware of the humans. The author, Nankichi Niimi, is
considered the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan and has many stories
to his name; it's a tragedy that he died at only 29 years old.



Felted Wool Mitten Ornaments DIY

Supplies:
• felted wool sweaters: 3 coordinating prints
• cardstock if you want to print a pattern to trace, otherwise
print on regular copy paper
• pattern
• embroidery floss to accent the felt
• embroidery needle
• scissors
• air soluble marker if you want to trace the cardstock pattern
• button that coordinates with felted wools



Step 1: Print the pattern. Print on cardstock if you want to trace the
pattern onto the felted wool or print on copy paper if you want
to pin the pattern onto the wool. 

Step 2: Using your pattern, cut out 2 mitten pieces from your
main felt and 2 circle pieces - one from each coordinating wool.



Step 3: Stack the circle pieces on top of each other and put the button
in the center; stitch to the wrist area of one of the mitten pieces. 

Step 4: Using a running, whip, or blanket stitch, stitch the
pair of mittens together. 

Step 5: Make a loop with your embroidery floss in one of the upper
corners of the mitten to use as a hanging loop.



Simple, cute, and fun! these make great package decorations too!

*This post includes affiliate links for your reference. If you make a 
purchase through the links I will receive a small commission without it 
costing you any more. Win win! I only recommend products that I like 
and think that you will like too. Thank you for your support!

Advent Day 22: The Shortest Day and miniature felted wool wreaths

Book: The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfeffer
Activity: Miniature Felted Wool Wreaths

Happy Solstice everyone! It's so nice to think that this is the shortest
day and from here on into summer our daylight hours will get longer.
Yea for the sun! Yea for light conquering darkness! Go here for some
ideas on how to celebrate the Solstice. The Shortest Day explains all
about the winter solstice, its history and astronomical information, in a
pleasing kid friendly tone. It also has some solstice activities that kids
can do in the last few pages.


 
Today's activity is a miniature wool wreath using felted wool sweaters.
If you don't have any felted wool sweaters on hand then try regular felt
but you will need more squares to fill the wreath up. I used 53 squares
but how many you use will depend heavily on the thickness of the
sweaters and how tightly you pack them onto the wreath. I made a
little flower for mine using three circles of felt in different sizes and
finished with a button in the center. I think they look great with or
without a flower but I'll leave that up to you. The finished wreath
is about 4 1/2" in diameter.

Miniature Felted Wool Wreaths Tutorial


Supplies:

• felted wool sweaters cut into 1" squares
• sharp scissors
• floral wire gauge 18", plain or cloth-covered
• wire snips
• nneedle nose pliers
• ruler to cut 1" squares
• optional rotary cutter makes cutting the wool easier
• a round object about 2 1/2" in diameter to form the wire around


Step 1: Take your wire and starting in the center, wrap it around
your round object; create a hook like the one pictured above.


Step 2: Snip off the long ends of the wire. 


Step 3: Make a hook with the other end of the wire; first hook
should be vertical to be used for hanging later, the second hook
should be perpendicular to the first one. 


Step 4: Open up the hook you just made and begin stringing
on wool squares; pierce the center of the square with sharp
scissors to make a hole for the wire to go through. 


Step 5: String wool squares onto the wire until it is
full then hook closed. 

Optional Step 6: Get creative and make a decoration for
your wreath if you would like

 

*This post includes affiliate links for your reference. If you make a 
purchase through the links I will receive a small commission without it 
costing you any more. Win win! I only recommend products that I like 
and think that you will like too. Thank you for your support!

Advent Day 21: Ollie's Ski Trip and glittery foil icicles

Book: Ollie's Ski Trip by Elsa Beskow
Activity: Glittery Foil Icicles

I know many of you are fans of Elsa Beskow's so I am sure you
will enjoy this story and her charming illustrations. Ollie gets skis
for his birthday and has adventures with Jack Frost and other winter-
time characters. To get an idea of Elsa Beskow's talent do an image
search for her on google (or click here) with your feet up and
a cup of tea; you won't regret it.


Glittery Foil Icicles Tutorial

Supplies:

• clear glue preferred or glue
• aluminum foil
• fine glitter preferred or regular glitter in silvers, golds, and pale blues
• ornament hook
• scissors for cutting foil


Step 1: Cut a piece of foil that is about 6" long and 4 1/2" wide
at the top narrowing to 3" wide at the bottom (don't worry too
much about measurements, this can be eyeballed). 


Step 2: Squish the foil lengthwise, then roll between your palms
(like making a snake with play-doh). One end should be sharpish
and the other end flatten between your fingers. 


Step 3: Apply glue all over the icicle. 

Step 4: Cover icicle with fine glitter and tap it off.


Step 5: Pierce flattened end of icicle with sharp scissors and
attach the ornament hook; fold over the foil and squish
foil and hook end together. 


These look so beautiful in clusters so make a lot!

*This post includes affiliate links for your reference. If you make a 
purchase through the links I will receive a small commission without it 
costing you any more. Win win! I only recommend products that I like 
and think that you will like too. Thank you for your support!

Loving Warm Fuzzies

Yea! I received Betz' new book, Warm Fuzzies: 30 Sweet Felted
Projects, and it is wonderful! If you have been intrigued by felting wool
sweaters but didn't really know where to start then this book is for
you. If you know all about felting but need some inspiration to get
going on a project then this book is for you too! There are a perfect
mix of projects from blankets to bags, jumpers and ponchos for little
ones, stockings, pincushions and puppets, and my favorite, the bomber
hat! Betz really knows her stuff and is able to communicate that
information so clearly that even a real beginner would have no trouble
completing the projects. And the best thing of all? Your recycling!
What's old is new again, and cute!

Advent Day 20: Carl's Christmas and fancy felt dog collar

Book: Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day
Activity: Fancy Felt Dog Collar

Carl's Christmas is a wordless book but the illustrations speak
volumes. Carl, the rottweiller, is the guardian of a little baby and
they have many wonderful adventures together but always under
Carl's watchful eyes. Check out Carl's website for some coloring
pages and activities. Today's activity is for the dog in your life.
It is an easy to make collar cover and can be decorated any way
you wish. I hope you have fun with it.


Fancy Felt Dog Collar Tutorial

Supplies:

• wool felt (for durability) 
• embroidery floss
• fabric glue
• embroidery needle
• scissors
• ruler



Step 1: The pattern size will depend on your dog's collar. Make a
rectangle that is the length of the collar up until where it buckles.
The width should be about 3/4" wider than the collar on each side. 

Step 2: Using your pattern, cut out two pieces from the felt. 



Step 3: Embellish one side of one collar piece by sewing
or glueing on your designs. If you want it really fancy try
adding sequins and jingle bells!

Step 4: Lay your two felt pieces on top of each other, embellished
side facing out, and stitch together on each long side about 1/4" from
the edge. I used a running stitch but feel free to do what you like.



Step 5: Slide your dog's collar through your felt sleeve.



Step 6: Put the collar on your dog and tell them how 
gorgeous they are!

*This post includes affiliate links for your reference. If you make a 
purchase through the links I will receive a small commission without it 
costing you any more. Win win! I only recommend products that I like 
and think that you will like too. Thank you for your support!

Advent Day 19: The Christmas Humbugs and festive fairy light votives

Book: The Christmas Humbugs by Colleen Monroe
Activity: Festive Fairy Light Votives

Is the stress of the season getting to you? Feeling like a humbug?
Read this book with your kids and you'll feel the grumpies drain
right out of you. The humbugs do everything they can to test a
family's Christmas spirit by tearing packages, breaking candy canes,
and pushing the star from the top of the tree. But, the humbugs
know that, "True spirit isn't bothered by their tricks." For the original
humbug, be sure to add A Christmas Carol to your movie viewing
list. My favorite version is the one with George C. Scott.


No one can be a humbug with these colorful votives around!

Festive Fairy Light Votive DIY


Supplies:

• small glass jar, drinking glass, etc. with smooth sides
- try the thrift shop for a nice selection
• Gloss Lustre Mod Podge
• different colors of tissue paper
• paint brush
• dish of water
• wax paper to cover work surface
• scissors

Step 1: Tear the tissue paper into a variety of small pieces. 



Step 2: Working one small area at a time, brush a thin coat of
Mod Podge on your glass (you can thin the Mod Podge with water
if you'd like or dip your paintbrush back and forth between
the Mod Podge and the water). 

Step 3: Apply one layer of tissue at a time then cover with a thin
layer of Mod Podge. 



Step 4: Keep applying tissue then Mod Podge until your glass is
covered - you will need a total of about 4 layers of tissue to cover well. 

Step 5: There is no need to cover the bottom of the votive; tissue can
come up above the edge of the glass but don't glue it over the edge.



Step 6: When the tissue is still very slightly tacky, trim the edges
with scissors and press with your fingers to smooth it out.



Step 7: When the votive is completely dry, place a tea light
inside and enjoy!

Remember to always keep an eye on an open flame! 

*This post includes affiliate links for your reference. If you make a 
purchase through the links I will receive a small commission without it 
costing you any more. Win win! I only recommend products that I like 
and think that you will like too. Thank you for your support!