11.30.2010

2010 Holiday Ornament Swap

Because I figured I didn't have enough on my plate this holiday season, I decided to sign up for Freshly Blended's 2010 Holiday Ornament Swap.  I'm always seeing people do these swaps on blogs all over the internets, and this one seemed non-threatening enough, so I thought, "What the heck!  I'll spread the holiday crafting cheer!"

I whipped up 9 little hand-embroidered, hand-sewn, hand-stuffed stocking ornaments while I was home for Thanksgiving.  I even worked on them in the car on the way home...
2010 Holiday Ornament Swap (2)

Don't be mad at me, but I really don't like traditional holiday colors.  That's a lie.  I don't like traditional Christmas colors.  I actually really, really love blue and silver, but anyway, my point here is that I avoided traditional Christmas colors and went with bright, cheerful non-holiday-specific colors.  And nothing says joy like mini pom-pom trim!
2010 Holiday Ornament Swap (5)
2010 Holiday Ornament Swap (4)
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My favorite part of this project may have been the wrapping.  I've always loved wrapping, but never invest that much in it because I don't really come from a family that appreciates that sort of thing.  In fact, growing up, we'd joke that my mom "rolled" presents.  Eventually, I just started wrapping my own (I was that kind of kid.).  Yeah, yeah, that sounds sad, but I liked it better that way.  Once I knew the dirty truth about Santa, my mom would just put my gifts in plain white boxes, tape them up, and have me wrap them.  But I digress...

Anyway, there seems to be this new appreciation all over the blogosphere, Etsy, and whatnot for packaging, and I'm all about it.  I live like 5 blocks from a Container Store (for which Michael holds a special disdain because, as he explains, it symbolizes just how badly consumerism has taken hold of America that we need a specialized store for people to buy a bunch of stuff to store all the other stuff they buy), so it's a little dangerous.  $11.99 for a roll of wrapping paper?!  Yeah, I paid it, but I like to think I offset that expense slightly by using super cheap felt pom-poms and embroidery thread that I already had on hand in place of a bow.
2010 Holiday Ornament Swap (8)
2010 Holiday Ornament Swap (11)
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I mailed these suckers out yesterday, and now, I sit anxiously awaiting the 9 little gems that I will receive in return.

8 comments:

  1. I recognize the trim on those little guys! Love them. I wish I would've known about the swap, please remind me also. And for the record, I am 27 and my brother is 22, and Santa still comes every Christmas Eve, and we awake to presents galore.

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  2. cute! I cant wait to see what you get- be sure to share! and how is the etsy store going??

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  4. I will be sure to post about the ornaments I receive. I'm pretty excited to see what I get.

    As for the burgeoning business, I've sold 5 so far, and I am working on a custom order of 11 for a bride-to-be. So about as much work as I have time for. Pretty exciting!

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  5. Those are adorable!! Can't wait to see what you get either!

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  6. I found your blog while browsing thru flickr and I love it! You stockings are wonderful and I really like how you wrapped everything up!
    I LOLEd when you said you wrapped your own gifts, I have an aunt who used to pay me 5 bucks when I was a kid to wrap all her presents because I LOVED doing it so much =)

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  7. Mandy, those stockings are ADORBS. Holy cow. Keep us posted on what you receive!
    *Jocelyn

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  8. adorable! I'm going to have to whip some up for next year!

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