Christmas Crafts & Sewing: Elf on the Shelf, The Christmas Story, and Frozen

Well with Christmas fast approaching, I thought I would share a bunch of the things we have been up to lately. It is amazing how fast Christmas is coming. Between Hazel and I getting sick I feel like we have not gotten everything done that I hoped. Now we are hoping Hazel's fever stays away long enough for her not to be contagious (she has strep and possibly something else) so we can celebrate with extended family. With my time I have been doing some sewing and am working on a quilt to review a quilt book hopefully later this week since I'm hoping to have the quilt as part of Hazel's Christmas gift.

 Elf on the Shelf

Anyway, back on to the focus of this post since it includes a lot on its own. First I have to share this great Elf on the Shelf printable from Living Locurto: Disney Frozen Elf on the Shelf Free Printable. I set them up and Holy is praying for Elfie since he is being mean.

Speaking of Elfie, I wanted to get Elfie one of the cute Elf on the Shelf skirts since Hazel wants Elfie to be a girl. I looked at them at the store and decided they were not worth the $7 right now. I googled Elf on the Shelf clothes patterns and found a simple tutorial to make a skirt at Welcome to the Mouse House: Elf on the Shelf Skirt Pattern and Tutorial. I used a remnant of decorator fabric I bought for around a $1 and still have some to make a doll skirt maybe. Hazel is happy with it!

The Christmas Story

Awhile ago I won a giveaway at Beach Baby Doll. I got to chose ten patterns from her collection. I was very excited since she has patterns for various sized dolls including the BFK ones for Hazel's doll Emily. One of the patterns I chose in both American Girl size and BFK size is the Everything Doll Costume Pattern. I loved that you could make a costume for each character in the nativity. After talking to Hazel she decided she wanted her Hazel doll to be Mary and Emily to be an angel. We started to make the angel wings for Emily since it was something Hazel could help with, but I have not made the actual costume yet. I did however make the Mary costume.

This was the easiest doll pattern I have ever made!! It was easy to follow and just easy to make. It is also so versatile. Like I said you can convert it to any of the Christmas story characters, Sylvia gives ideas (and some patterns for extras) for the wisemen, angel, etc. She also provides a way to make it into Mrs. Claus including a pattern for the hat. I want to make that one next and will if I finish the quilt soon enough. Well Hazel had the idea to put her doll with the manger an a baby doll.

This also inspired her to play Mary while she was homesick from school last week. She set up an entire "stable" using her old rocking horse as the donkey. She also suggested to Holy and Elfie that seeing Baby Jesus would be a good place for them so she found them in the stable.

Frozen

I wanted to find a quick way to make Hazel an Elsa-style dress for her doll. She is getting one of the store bought ones for Christmas from my parents, but I had already been inspired by two rolls of ribbon. I bought a sheer white ribbon with silver sparkle and a light blue ribbon with silver trim. I used these to make the top of the dress.

Then I used a piece of light blue fabric and gathered the long side and attached it to the light blue ribbon. I put it under the ribbon so the silver trim would show. I put velcro on the back leaving the entire back open for ease of dressing the doll. I added a plastic snowflake piece as trim. Then I made a tiara from silver pipe cleaners. I used small clips to keep it on. Finally I made her a necklace using another snowflake trim piece on a piece of decorative jewelry wire. I also put a couple white pearls on it.

Hazel is very happy with her outfit though I know she will be more excited when she gets the store bought one (and the Anna one too).

For these Frozen ornaments I was inspired by ones I saw on Pinterest which were pinned from Mendez Manor: DIY Elsa Ornament.  I put together some pictures for the ornaments. You can print them out here.

We put turquoise crinkle paper I found at Target in the One Spot, some sequins (I got at Dollar Tree) and some fake snow (which we had leftover) into a glass ornament (I had from a past craft). Then I played with the printables. I folded them so there would be a picture on both sides and tried to attach them to the silver wires from the top to keep them standing. 

Hazel wanted to make one and also decorated the outside with foam snowflakes. Her picture would not stay attached, but she didn't care. Then as I was looking at the pictures for this post I had another idea. I did not use the crinkle paper since it seemed to get in the way but put sequins and fake snow into the globe. I cut the picture and attached a skinny piece of the cardstock to it and attached this to the top not the wires but the actual top. I used tape to attach since I was lazy and rushed. I think hot glue might be better.

 The picture didn't completely unfold after being inserted, but I like how it came out better.

We also made some melted Olaf ornaments inspired by the ones seen at Club Chica Circle. I made two different tags for them and the tags are on the printable given above.

 In the glass ball is the fake snow (which by the way is not easy to put in there--use a funnel and a pencil to push it through the funnel when it gets stuck), a piece of orange pipe cleaner as the carrot, two small sticks/branches, google eyes and three buttons or beads.

I thought these ornaments would be cute favors for Hazel's Frozen birthday party coming up, but she did not like the idea. That is what we have been up to!! Just trying to get healthy and ready for Christmas!!