Scraping Christmas

Scraping Christmas?  Oh heaven's no.  I didn't at all mean that I wasn't going to celebrate the Christmas holiday and its many events.  What I did mean was something totally different.  So what do I mean by "scraping?"   Look closely at the cute four foot tree in our guest bedroom.  This sweet tree lit with white lights is made up with scrap fabric quilt ball ornaments that were previously used as decorative filler balls.  The tree also incorporates scrap fabric ornaments that are made up of strips of fabric tied to cinnamon sticks and cut into the shape of a tree and embellished with a decorative button. The tree is finished off with a dot of white cotton batting for snow disbursed throughout the tree.  And lastly, perched on the tip of the tree is an off white crocheted lace bird tree topper.

About three years ago, my sister gave me a box of quilting fabric with coordinated patterns which she used to make clothing for her soft-sculptured Mrs. Santa Claus dolls.  As her terminal illness progressed, she gave up her work and asked if I would take all of the fabric to use as I wished.  I was not sure of what to do with the many yards of fabric, but came across instructions to make some simple, but beautiful ornaments for a Christmas tree.  I am sure my sister who loved the Christmas holiday would have been thrilled to learn of how this fabric was turned into these easy to make and inexpensive ornaments.  And, most importantly, these ornaments were made from smaller scrap pieces from the yards of fabric.  The quilted balls were given an eyelet and ribbon and were transformed from once being decorative filler balls into ornaments for the Christmas tree.  

You might even recognize the quilt balls from some of my previous posts.  (I also made them with other various fabric scraps, which included scraps from the baby blanket which I sewed for my first grandson.  They became filler balls.  See them by visiting this link:  Obsession Over Ice Cream).   

With other scrap pieces, the strips of fabric were tied to a cinnamon stick and cut into the shape of a tree.  Embellished with a button and some green and white striped baker string for hanging, these lovely scented ornaments add the same homespun design to the tree like the quilted balls.  

It just seemed like a perfect fit to top the tree with this beautifully crocheted lace love bird.  This bird is just as charming and heart-warming as snuggling under grandma's homemade quilt, don't you think?

As another project to use up the scrap pieces of fabric from my creation of the Northwoods Thanksgiving tableware design, I tied strips of the leftover red and black buffalo checkered fabric and solid red strips onto a long piece of twine to create a garland intertwined with another garland of pine needles, grapevine stars and white lights.  (If you happened to have missed my post on the tablescape, just visit: A Northwoods Thanksgiving.) 

Unfortunately, I was so excited and carried away with the idea of using this matching garland on our fireplace mantel that I forgot to take photos of the finished piece before putting it up.  I was just swept away in creative thought of how it was going to come together and how it would coordinate with the rustic look of my Northwoods Thanksgiving tablescape that before I realized it, the mantel was finished and ready for the holiday.  

As you can barely see from the following photos,  the mantel uses similar decor elements like the tablescape, which include the other engraved faux wood deer from the pair, greenery, pinecones, antlers, grapevine balls, snowballs, ice branches and, in this case, white poinsettias.    However, you are left with glimpses of the garland in the photos and you must use your imagination to envision how the finalized red and black buffalo checkered garland might have looked by itself.  

The standing deer surrounded with white poinsettias was added as the central focal point of the mantel.  You can see the red and black buffalo checkered scrap fabric garland twisted with the lights and greenery in this photo.

His twin is in a laying position and is used as the centerpiece in my Northwoods Thanksgiving tablescape.  ( Again, in case you missed this post, feel free to take a look at:  A Northwoods Thanksgiving.)  

What a wonderful way to use all of your scrap pieces of fabric, don't you think?  Create something charming and beautiful for the Christmas holiday for gift-giving and make a homemade (and low-cost) ornament(s) that convey a gift of love and from the heart.  

Happy Scraping!