Elf shoes

Beth and Karla came over to visit for a much needed afternoon of laughter and crafters last week.  Beth stitched, Karla did some crochet, and I worked on these elfin booties.

They started out as tiny, Made in Japan porcelain shoes. I didn't care for the orange flowers on them, but liked the shoes themselves, so thought I'd cover up the flowers somehow.

That became a whole makeover from sole to top.  The toughest part was making them into something that could hang on a tree.  While they would be sweet sitting around on a table top, I really wanted them to be tree ornaments.

So, I took a long wire, twisted it to fill the bottom of the inside of the shoe, then flooded it with glue.  Over that, I stuffed the shoes with fiberfil, and topped it with mica flakes.

After the structural part was finished, I could get on with fun parts- the foofing!

And the filling. This one has a tiny, wrapped gift.

Each is just a little different.

They are $12 each and you can find them here.

I've also started glittering and dyeing trees. This might be my preferred look for this year.  The tree itself is a natural tone and sits on a simple, vintage, wooden spool.

So far, it is the only one I have listed on Etsy in this color. More to come, I hope… there are some whites and pastels and I do have a table full that needs organizing, photographing, and listing.  

But for now? I'm off to the grocery store to fill my car with ingredients to fix a feast for our big gathering on Thursday.  I've got some helpers chipping in on the cooking, but there are some special tidbits I have in mind to make too. 

I hope your planning is going well, too.  Have a good holiday week!