The Workshop

Welcome to Santa's Workshop. A room chock-full of toys with lots of busy elves pottering about.

Doesn't he look like the sort of little old elf who keeps Werther's Originals in his pockets?

This reminds me of  one of those toys Nellie Oleson would have had that she would have told Laura Ingalls not to touch.

I don't know why, but Spiderman on the ladder atop the Tellytubby is cracking me up...

The focus of this room, however (at least for me), was not the stuffed animals and tin cars. It was this. Behold.

Before I show you--focus for a minute on the 19,000 one-inch patches part. I was stuck on that for a while. I still am, actually. 

Look at that. It's quite pixellated this close. So let's pull away a little bit more.



OK, are you ready to see the whole thing?

Can you imagine???? Again--19,000 one-inch pieces!!!! I can't even imagine doing this as a cross-stitched piece. I used to do a bit of counted cross-stitch in my pre-blog days (and pre-sewing, actually), and I did a few pieces that made me dizzy with their intricacy. This fella took that, modified it to be a quilt, and then selected just the right colors and shapes to make this beautiful quilt. That is awesome and amazing.

I decided to try and find out a little more about this quilt's creator. And I came across this. And that's it. Isn't it funny--this beautiful quilt in a little museum in rural Pennsylvania, and thirty words to encapsulate its creator before someone dug a little deeper...

Quick Gifts to Make

Ok, just so I don't feel like I'm entirely crazy here--am I the only one who feels like December is hurtling past at lightning speed? How does that happen? December took forever to get here when I was ten years old, but now it's almost like "Oops, I blinked! Where'd it go?"

Anyway... I'm not sure how you're all fixed for time, or if you still might need a few gifts for those on your lists, but I thought I'd share a few tutorials for quick and easy projects.

Quick and easy lanyards--great for teacher gifts. Using just a wee bit of fabric and a hook, you can make one super quick.

Zipper pouches are always useful, and this inset zipper pouch is a handy size for lots of things.

Frame purses are adorable for not much fabric real estate. I've got a glue-in version here.

And a sew-in version here.

Check out my tutorials page for more ideas--I've got easy totes, assorted zippered pouches and bags, and a few more involved projects on the sew-alongs page. 

Happy stitching!

How Baubles are Blown

Next up we're going to take a look at quite a small exhibit, but one whose inspiration had a tremendous impact on Christmas past and present (and helped the decoration industry become second to gifts at Christmas time). 

Glass blowing. A technique that has been modernized and so sees glass ornaments spit out of mold-blowing machinery at quite a fast rate, has its origins in cozy cottages and workrooms with regular artisans plying their trade by hand. Invented in the small east-German town of Lauscha in the mid-nineteenth century, the popular Christmas bauble has become one of the most enduring symbols of the holiday.

It's actually spelled Lauscha.

In the nineteenth century, cottage artisans (usually the men) would heat a glass tube over a flame, then insert that tube into a clay mold, blowing the heated glass until it expanded to fit the shape of the mold. 

The mold was removed, and the ornament left to set overnight (you can see they were propped up by the remainder of the glass tube). 

After they were set up, the next steps (usually performed by the women and children) was to swirl a silver nitrate solution around inside. After that dried, the ornaments were then hand-painted in bright colors, some with quite intricate designs, others quite simple. The remainder of the tube was carefully removed, and the ornament completed with a cap and loop for hanging.

These bits of glass were popular throughout Germany, but when Victoria wrote of her delight about her Christmas tree, their popularity exploded (remember, Albert was German and brought many traditions with him to England). They made their first appearance in the States around 1880 at Woolworth's. His shop was located in an area of Pennsylvania that was heavily German. He didn't think they would sell well as they served no functional purpose, so he ordered a limited amount that sold in a few days. He ordered more the next year, and they flew off the shelves again. It's estimated that he made twenty-five MILLION dollars from these ornaments. At a nickel or a dime each, that's a tremendous number of sales.

One of the more popular symbols from this time is the Christmas pickle.

I had always thought that this was a truly German creation. Tradition tells us that every year, a pickle is hidden in the decorated Christmas tree. The first child in the family to find it might receive an extra gift or a year of good fortune. Unfortunately, it appears to be bunk. It was most likely a marketing scheme to coincide with the booming popularity of these ornaments here in the States.

Germany had the market on these items until the World Wars occurred, at which time other countries began manufacturing their own and of course, automated the process. I do love imagining, though, a cozy cottage amidst a snowy landscape, with a family inside all involved in the creative process of Christmassing. And then a family far away, nickel in hand, buying one of those same lovely pieces to adorn their tree.

The Old Five and Dime

Ready? This next part is my absolute most favorite part of the entire museum. I took so many pictures here I should have been embarrassed, but I wasn't so I took more. This isn't all of them, by the way--consider yourself lucky.

F. W. Woolworth's (no lunch counter in this one, though). Old Frankie opened a store in Utica, NY, which failed after less than a year. At a friend's urging, he opened another store (using the same sign) in Lancaster, PA (not far at all from this museum).

Mr. Woolworth was known as a canny buyer who drove a hard bargain, but also had a good eye for quality products, stocking his shelves with a large variety of things that generally sold well. True to the five and dime moniker, things sold for a nickel or a dime, prices that were very doable for most Americans. This five and ten cent model was in place until the mid-30s, when it was phased out in favor of a variety of prices that were still affordable.

The display cases were made of mahogany with glass dividers. While some items were still probably kept in such cases, most items were put out so that the public could serve themselves without waiting for shop assistants to serve them. These employees instead bustled around, making sure there were no empty places on the shelves, and checking that customers could locate what they needed.

And if you needed it, you could most likely get it at Woolworth's. These stores were long gone by the time I landed on earth, but I've always loved the idea of the old general store (today's nearest approximation is the dollar store, which isn't always a fun time--and I imagine Woolworth's sold higher quality items). This particular room was set up to be reminiscent of a 1950's Woolworth's; as we walked through both of my parents remembered so many of these things that I'd say they were spot on.

The tables were groaning with baubles and bottle brush trees, and tissue paper bells, and so on.

Bottle brush trees are selling for at least ten times this price in craft stores today. I saw a set of six in Target last week for $25.00. I don't think so. I should have shown them this picture and asked if they price-match, hahaha.

I've always loved vintage colored and shaped glass balls. I put in a bunch in a huge vase when I was decorating, and it has such a huge impact for nearly zero effort. I've got more on glass ornaments in another post for you. 

Every kind of decoration imaginable was crowding these shelves. We still have those white plastic candelabras at home. And I remember growing up and everyone else had them, too. All of our parents must have bought their first Christmas decorations at the same types of stores.

My grandma had little bells like this, all light blue. We still have them on our tree. These were a delight to see on the counter.

Kiss-l-toe is actually that ornament thing hanging to the right of the boxes. How gaudy looking is that thing? And that's saying something if I'm calling it gaudy...

I do so love tiny houses like these. They seem to making a comeback. I bought a few at Joann's a few weeks ago (not twenty five cents, that's for sure), and I saw that Target has some simple ones as well. Of course, these can be made with cardboard and paint, and tutorials can be found quite easily online. My parents both remembered these vividly, and my dad seemed quite annoyed that the originals he grew up with are who-knows-where (we both have that more-is-more Victorian approach when it comes to decorating for Christmas).

These remind me of that creepy elf-on-a-shelf, so I walked by quickly.

Let us not forget the toys. Sheriff badges, tin whistles, yo-yos, jacks, spinning tops, and so much more filled these cases. Can't you just imagine the stocking-cap-clad children with their faces pressed against the glass, oohing and aahing over this eclectic mix of colorful tin and plastic joy?

Some of these toys I very much remember from my grandparents' houses, or actually having them to play with--the metal tops, the jack-in-the-boxes, the tin guitars, the jump ropes--that wonderful mix of toys that didn't require electricity or batteries or a fat wallet to pay for.

When my mom saw this she gasped and said "Your aunt and I used to have that dollhouse!" So I had to take a picture of it. I don't know why, but hearing that almost made me feel sad. Kind of like if you acknowledge that adults were once kids, then that must mean you're getting older too, and who wants to deal with that?

Of course you're going to need an assortment of wrapping paraphernalia, and I don't see anything missing here. We've got tissue paper, wrapping paper, ribbon, cotton cord, tape, paper clips, and embellishments (called 'gift dressings' in that sign up there).

I so very much wished I could have shopped in this store. So warm, so bright, and cheerful. If you did shop in one, you'd have made your way to this tank of a cash register with its ka-chinging bell to indicate a sale--

--where you could also get your goodies wrapped.

I used to love watching TV shows when people would come out of the general store with their brown packages tied in string. Now you get a plastic bag (or bring your own--but I think people should carry baskets because that would be fun). And if you buy something glass, tip-toe home because they're not wrapping it in tissue for you.

Bring back memories for any of you? I'd love to hear about it! Next we'll learn a tad about glass-blown ornaments. Hold on to your hats!

Gift Card Holders Part Deux

Hey gang! A couple years ago I posted these gift card holders. I loved making those (and I can't believe it was two years ago--last December is a blur and time just flies!) so this year I made some more (but a teensy bit differently).

Instead of sewing on a ton of buttons I made them the same way (using this tutorial) regarding measurements, BUT I didn't curve the top edge (I made it come to a point) and I sewed a piece of ribbon down to serve as a sort of tuck closure.

The ribbon is placed about two inches up from the folded bottom edge, and holds everything nice and secure. I love pinked edges and their cuteness, but straight-edge is perfectly fine too. I didn't use wool felt as I just won't spend that money for something like this, but Joann's did have a nice sturdy felt (only in basic colors--the fun colors were a bit floppy and uneven in their thickness/thinness) that made these feel really nice.

I wanted a little more something to them as the back was just plain, so I bought some of those sticky-back felt appliques that are all over the craft stores right now.

Cute, aren't they? Little unassuming felt shapes. Felt shapes that absolutely stink like what I guess Chinese factories smell like (not trying to be rude or xenophobic, haha, just saying--wow these things did smell unpleasant). I had read something about putting smelly shoes in the freezer to out the stink, so I put these in a paper bag and sat them in the freezer. And it actually helped quite a bit!! So then I laid them out and gave them a dose of Febreeze. And now there's not a whiff of the manufacturing process about them. They stuck fine to the felt, but I wanted them to really stick (especially any teeny snowflake points) so I hit them with a squirt of Elmer's spray adhesive and now they really stick!

So, yes, if you're so inclined you can find gift card holders at the dollar store, or you can spend much more at other stores. But for a sheet of felt and some ribbon you can make your own--one small sheet of felt yields three, and the large sheet six. Plus these were fun to make, and oddly satisfying to see in a basket or all piled up.

Happy gifting!

The Antique Emporium

The next stop on our journey is the Antique Emporium. This room is a constantly changing exhibit of ornaments and other paraphernalia. Seriously--I think any job in this place must be the most fun job ever! Unless it's finding that one bulb that caused that whole string to go out...

Here's some generic sparkle for you. I love shiny baubles like this. 

This room is adorned on both sides with floor-to-ceiling wood and glass cabinets, set with more fragile items. There's a healthy dose of 'you don't see that much anymore' going on in here (hence the name of the room, I suppose).

Peace on earth, and good well to man. A phrase for the ages, but one we seem to get further away from these days.

Most countries that celebrate Christmas have a representation of Santa--can't we all just get along? Honestly, if Santa was for adults there'd sure be a lot of empty stockings based on what we tell children will get them the old coal-poop combo.

I don't know if these were from the same collection as the Santas, but the colors are very similar.

When I saw these 'leftovers' I thought "I bet these folks never met a scrap of yarn or fabric they couldn't put to use." And in case you ever worry that what is made of scraps might not be as pretty as the standard stuff, look at these ornaments. My favorite is the one kind of just left of bottom-center in a bit of shadow--there's an indentation with a flower painted on it. The story goes that when the day was done, the paint pots were dumped over remaining blown glass ornaments. The paint would dribble down the sides, creating an effect unique to each ornament. They were then left to dry overnight, with new designs sometimes painted over the drips (like on that bell). Original end-of-day ornaments can be found for a bit of dough on eBay and Etsy.

Spun cotton. This reminds me of angel hair--remember that? Whose bright idea was it to spin glass into a teeny thread? Or lead into tinsel, for that matter.

Spun cotton is a technique used by German (and probably other) artisans for making Christmas ornaments. Items such as this pear were a Christmas staple on many European Christmas trees. Cotton was shaped into various items, usually found in nature (fruits, animals, birds, and so on). Once the ornaments were stiffened and dry, they would then be painted. Some ornaments (like fruit) were sometimes given silk leaves and other embellishments to up the bling factor a little bit, while tinsel and hair might be added to animal ornaments to make them look a bit more realistic. Again, these can be found online but if you're finding them cheaply they probably don't know what they have or aren't selling originals.

If you look too close it's slightly creepy, so don't look too close, haha.

Paper ornaments were among the favorite, as paper was a pretty economical medium, and no special skills were needed. Often pretty pictures were cut from magazines of the day, glued to stiff paper and hung on the tree. Others used a picture as a base with which to build upon, as in this tissue-paper-dress girl just above. You can tell that her face come from some printed material, but the rest is handmade. I imagine that, before fading and smashing occurred, this was probably quite pretty (and very easy to store).

Sometimes, though, paper was manipulated into the ornament itself--

--like in these German paper stars. I made a bunch of these several years ago (smaller, and not as pointy as it appears they should have been), and I still hang them up every year. Scrapbook paper is sometimes on sale for amazingly cheap prices in a ton of patterns and colors, so if you're into a pretty effective craft that doesn't cost much, I'd suggest these Froebel stern.

Germans don't mess around when it comes to ornaments, do they?

Wire-wrapped ornaments were quite popular in the Victorian era where less-is-more was blasphemy, and more-is-more was gospel. They loved to embellish everything, so when Prince Albert and Queen Victoria went gaga over Christmas trees, the ornaments were really something to behold. It's primarily thanks to this duo that so much of what we know as Christmas went from Germany to England, and then across to the States, among other places.

Anyway, that ornament is known as a double-balloon. The pink (red?) balls are made of blown glass, and connected by something called a pike, which you can see just to the right of Santa's shoulder. A lithograph scrap was pasted on, and then very thin, stretched out wire was wrapped around and around (sometimes in extremely ornate patterns) to embellish.

Dollhouses have always been quite popular, and working with miniatures continues to be a popular pastime. If you want to see some amazing work check out Meream's blog. The level of detail that appears in such a tiny scale has always amazed me, yet I truly delight in details. I find it so touching to think "Oh, I can't believe they thought of that" when it seems like such an inconsequential thing.

Like the level of detail in the tiny hats on the sofa, and the wrapping job on those wee boxes. And the tile work around the fireplace. The curtains. The rug in the hall. OK, I'll stop. This display was set up in one of two display cases in the center of the room.

And the other held this. There is something so delightful about piles of presents, even when they're not for you, haha. All the colors, and designs, mish-moshed together, in a bright, scrappy display of mystery. Whenever they show Christmas episodes of TV shows, I always pay attention to how they wrap presents. Don't know why, just always have. Oddly, when it comes to my own wrapping, I get too impatient to make it splendiferous.

On the other side of the room were more display cases. Several of them held dishes, which I didn't get a picture of as I didn't find them too interesting. But one held some random items.

 Just curious--how much did you just pay for stamps? Not eleven cents, I bet.

Pennsylvania used to boast more candymakers (including Hershey's, Whitman's and Luden's) than any other state. So I don't really have a sweet tooth; I just have an incredible amount of state pride. I imagine a package like this, whether you were stationed on home soil or far away was quite welcome and passed around in the sharing spirit of the season.

 Haha--Missing Elf beer.

This last one I took because of a silly family story. My cousin (and I think my sister was going with him?) was/were headed to a Christmas party. A very popular beer at this time of year is Mad Elf, which, like that above, has a higher-than normal alcohol content. On their way out the door, his aunt called after him/them "Don't go drinking too many of those Mad Elfs!" Well, we found this quite hysterical and repeat it quite often. Another year, after having a couple of these, my sister went to see a movie with some friends (I think it was Sherlock Holmes). When she came home, I asked how it was and she said "Not bad, pretty good. I liked it." When I asked her to tell me about it the next day, she laughed and said "I don't remember--we were drinking Mad Elf before we went!" I imagine the designated driver had a lot of fun that night... 

I'm almost certain you're tired of me rambling on right now, so I'll just quietly slink out the door and wait for everyone at the next exhibit (where I promise I won't talk as much).