A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍
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Food and Life

Craft Time: Making Personalized Stockings

December 8, 2009 · Narrative

Ready for Santa

Years ago, before I got married, eager to start our own Christmas traditions, I bought stockings.  I bought one for me, The Husband, my stepdaughter and a few extra.  I didn’t know how many kids we would have (I wanted six.  Some days I still do.), and I wanted to make sure everyone had a matching stocking.  Even though “everyone” wasn’t here yet.  They were traditional red and green stockings, but we personalized them a bit.  By we, I mean my mom.  Have I mentioned I don’t sew?  I don’t.  Have no idea how.  Although I would love to learn.  In the new year.  In my free time.  She sewed a different type of contrasting fabric across the top cuff of the stocking and then we she wrote each person’s name on it.  Nick and Madeline weren’t born yet, so theirs were added later, carefully saving the fabric and the pen until years later.

Flash forward twelve (!) years later, it was time for something different.  I’ve grown a bit tired of the traditional red and green, and barring that, I think it was time for a change.  A fresh start.  With our stockings.

It started with these plain cream-colored quilted stockings I bought at Target.  $9.99 each.  It took two different Targets to find four of them.  I would really love to find another one or two.  Because you never know.

Prep Time

Although I loved the stockings, they needed a little something extra.  At first I bought these personalized silver monogram ornaments, and had planned to attach them to the stocking, and then adding some color with buttons.  But then my mom remembered these wire beaded letter ornaments that Martha Stewart made a few years ago.  How could I forget?

Monogram

This past weekend, we got to work.

I returned the monogram ornaments, but before I did, I made a copy of the letters we needed, so we’d have an easy guide to reference when forming our own free-form letters.

My grandmother did beading many years ago and my mom inherited masses and masses of sequins and beads, perfect for this project.

Masses of Sequins

The wire was 99 cents for a package from A.C. Moore.  To give the letters a little extra sparkle, we beaded one wire with tiny beads, and one wire with longer beads, and then we twisted them together.  Once the ends were secured, we formed the letters.  My mom did the end securing, I did the shaping.  Then she sewed the letters on the cuff of each stocking.

Threading the Sequins

But that wasn’t enough.  Although I loved the clean look of the cream-colored stockings, I wanted to add a bit of color, so out came my button jars.  Each stocking got its own color. I was brave and gave Madeline the pink one.

Think Pink

Madeline's Stocking

A smattering of buttons was hot-glued to the top, and the toe of the stocking.  I tried not to burn myself. while my mom tried not to prick her finger and bleed on the cream-colored stockings.  Only one of us was successful.

Button Button Who's Got the Button

I love the finished result.  So clean, fresh, yet still festive.

They’re hanging from the mantle by these silver stocking hangers I got years ago from Target.

The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney With Care

I think eventually, just to give them a little more strength, I’ll sew the buttons on. I can handle that. In my free time.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Christmas stockings, craft time, personalized stockings

Comments

  1. Casey says

    December 8, 2009 at 8:35 pm

    Love, love, love these. Cute and timeless!

    Reply
  2. mandy says

    December 8, 2009 at 10:22 pm

    I love the stockings! My mom needlepointed stockings for my brother and I when we were babies, we still use those stocking all these years later. It woudlnt be christmas without them.

    Reply
  3. Sarah Caron says

    December 9, 2009 at 12:20 am

    Love them! What a classy, beautiful way to personalize your stockings and make them your own. Wonderful ideas!

    Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    December 9, 2009 at 12:36 am

    Adorable project! I am glad I’m not the only one who wants “extras” so its all matchy matchy. We have one for me, one for DH, 2 for my step boys, 2 for the pets and 2 for the hypothetical future children. We only want one, but I made two just in cases its twins!

    Reply
  5. Joanne says

    December 9, 2009 at 7:15 am

    These are adorable! Buttons are the first thing I learned how to sew (the only thing actually) and so when I was little I “made” a whole sweatshirt covered in buttons. And I was SO proud of it. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

    Reply
  6. Kalynskitchen says

    December 9, 2009 at 10:57 am

    Love the new stockings. I wish I lived close by because I’d love to teach you how to sew. (Did you know I was Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow in high school. Yes, I can sew!)

    Reply
  7. Cathy says

    December 9, 2009 at 11:54 am

    I love the buttons on the stocking!

    Reply
  8. Laura says

    December 9, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    Stunning!

    Reply
  9. Kris #40 says

    December 9, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    Love them!

    Reply
  10. Ash says

    December 9, 2009 at 4:21 pm

    These are awesome!!

    Reply
  11. Claire says

    December 9, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    These are SO cute! What a good idea…my mom (i think) made stocking for all of us as well. She cross stitched the cuffs with our names and a picture. Mine is an angel. Don’t remember what the others are. I love the buttons…something that everyone can help do.

    Reply
  12. Magda says

    December 9, 2009 at 7:30 pm

    Very nice!

    Reply
  13. Nancy says

    December 11, 2009 at 11:57 pm

    Oh wow… love the simple white color, the jar of buttons and the sparkly initial. Heavenly….

    Reply
  14. Dawn says

    December 15, 2009 at 10:05 am

    Love this idea!!! My mom has made us all those stockings that you buy at Wal-mart and put together with much skill. I am NOT that skillful. Takes lots of work!!

    I love these and thanks for the tutorial. Always looking for a new fun project.

    Have a Blessed and Merry CHRISTmas,
    Dawn

    Reply
  15. Jeri says

    December 15, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Love the stockings – creative and beautiful!

    Reply
  16. Flora says

    January 20, 2010 at 2:34 am

    My mother left me a precious jar of her favorite buttons. Now I know what to do with them so they can be on display. Thanks.

    Reply

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍

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