Christmas Stocking Gift Packaging

It’s almost that time of year again, sewing friends
Do you have your gift packaging ready?

If you’re a machine embroiderer, 
here’s a great DIY gift card holder
The design is by Missy B Stitchin
and this is the smallest size
The stocking is completely done in the hoop
It ends up about 4 1/2″ wide by 6 1/2″ tall
That’s a great size for gift cards, candy, or jewelry
For comparison purposes,
here it is next to a full-size candy bar
The zipper opening is about 3″ wide
and the stocking is fully lined
Your special someone will be thrilled with the packaging as much as with what is inside
Okay, you have plenty of time to get some of these stitched up for your gifts
Go – fire up that embroidery machine
What’s that?  No time to make these yourself?
They’re available for purchase in my shop
Have a merry last weekend of October, my friends

Stampin’ and Stitchin’: Elf Shoes

Hey Sewers!
there’s lots of Christmas preparation and decoration going on around here
these cute, cute elf shoes were stitched using my Bernina 750 embroidery module
 the design is from Kimberbell
it is an in-the-hoop project
I used leftover fabric scraps from my stash
the base of the shoe is felt
the fabric is then appliqued onto the felt
all the embellishments (twine, button, etc.)
are Stampin’ Up products

 
a number of fun items will fit into the opening
I chose these yummy Reese’s peanut butter cup canes
I’m not in love with the look of the label, however,
so I chose some Stampin’ Up envelope paper (it is a little lighter weight than the DSP)
in cucumber crush to cover those tubes
plus, the stripe looks like elf socks, don’t you think?
I cut each piece 4 1/2 inches by 9 inches
added some tear and tape to the front and back of one side of the paper
and rolled it around the cane
there, that looks better

and here’s a decorating idea that I came across in my 
Better Homes and Gardens Christmas from the Heart book (2015)
they used silver egg cups
I used my vintage silver bowl that I found last year at a local consignment shop
the greenery is from my shrubs that I finally got around to trimming
and I picked up the pine cones that dropped from the pine trees at the grade school across the street
are you preparing for the upcoming holidays, friends?
whether it be Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Christmas
I would love to see your handmade goodness
Happy Decorating,