November 28, 2017

Christmas Means "Forced Crafting" (& Of Course There's a Dog)

If you're a long-time reader of Pooch Smooches, you'll know that in my family, we often do what we call "forced crafting" (you WILL participate; you WILL enjoy it) - especially around the holidays. In the past, we've done block prints, Scrabble tile ornaments and necklace charms, button ornaments, and needle felting.

This year we decided to make ornaments out of felt. Of course, the first thing I made was a dog.

 One of my sisters made a hummingbird.

Here's everything we made on our first get-together...

...plus all these various felt trees that my sister-in-law and some of my other sisters made.

Here's a close-up of the flamingo, because he's so awesome.

Since I only finished the dog and the fish the first day, I wanted to make some more things, so my two sisters who live here in San Diego and I got together for more forced crafting over the long Thanksgiving weekend.

That beaded-legged flamingo gave me the idea to come up with a skinny-legged Santa:

Once I made him, he needed a buddy, so I made a Rudolph. He was pretty easy (except for the antlers...) since my sis gave me the idea to just use the same basic triangle pattern.

My sisters made some more trees.

Then we each made ourselves a set of these two snowmen ornaments.

It was fun! (But now my thumb is killing me from too much sewing in one day... sigh. Because: old. My "crafter's arm" and "crafter's thumb" are reminding me of why I gave away all my embroidery supplies!)

Do you like to get crafty?

Thanks to BlogPaws for hosting Wordless Wednesday! Stop by their site to check out all of the other blogs in the hop.

29 comments:

  1. Forced crafting, that made me laugh! I like to start craft projects, but not finish them. I have a whole area in my basement full of half finished craft projects. LOL. I do really like those felt Christmas trees!

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    1. Apparently the trees were pretty easy. Just a lot of cutting. Sounds like you need forced crafting. Then your projects wouldn’t be unfinished! :) You WILL craft. You WILL enjoy it. You WILL finish your project.

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  2. What a talented family.

    My sister owns a business repurposing old furniture. And my mom is crafty as well.

    I, unfortunately, missed out on the crafting gene.

    I'm jealous. Sewing injuries and all. :)

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    1. Yeah, we all got the crafting gene. My mom was a quilter and my dad was a woodworking and they passed that down to all of us.

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  3. Those are all seriously cute! You are way craftier than me.

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    1. I love to do crafty stuff - especially detailed stuff, like those little red and white Santa legs. Unfortunately the ol’ eyes and digits aren’t what they used to be though....

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  4. I love "forced crafting." I guess you have to have sisters to make that work. And you are all very talented.

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    1. Yes. I don’t think you can forced craft with just friends. I’ve tried. They sometimes refuse to participate and refuse to enjoy it.
      :)

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  5. Holy mackerel! Your 'forced crafting' get-togethers are totally pawsome. And for the record, the dog is too adorable. And so is that flamingo. Bravo!

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  6. Is there anything you can’t do? You write and rhyme and craft!! Those are all excellent!! I am crafty but mostly I have to look through Pinterest to be inspired and often need directions. I am doing book folding art which is more my speed. Time consuming but very easy and precise. Is needle felting difficult? I have always wanted to try it.

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    1. We started on Pinterest too to get ideas. Oh, and the trees were in some catalog my sis saw. We just made our own patterns though, and then I made up my own idea for the Santa and Rudolph. As for felting... mmm, yes and no as to it being difficult. Not too hard as long as you don’t make something too elaborate (or pointy! Like cat ears!). I did a post about it a while back w/ step-by-step instructions. You can also check out YouTube videos. http://www.poochsmooches.com/2014/06/how-to-needle-felt-dog-there-will-be.html

      I don’t know “book folding art” - will have to google that!

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    2. Boy is my face red. I clicked over to that post and I remember reading it and apparently I even commented on it! Hahaha - I have a case of OLD.

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  7. Whenever I see all your "forced crafting" I wish I was more crafty! Apparently there were very few creative genes in my family. :)

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    1. Some of the stuff we do is pretty easy - like those trees I think were not too hard. No creative genes really needed.

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  8. girl, that skinny legged santa! But you know I'm a flamingo person to the core. I think I added up my flamingo quilts and there are maybe 25 or 30! LeeAnna

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    1. Wow - 25 or 30?! My sister is a big-time flamingo fan too. You should see her bathroom!

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  9. I think that "forced crafting" doesn't give you the credit that you deserve (but the term made me laugh). You made some great crafts. I love the ornaments!!!! As for me, the only crafty thing that I do is make yearly calendars and cards from my photos - but that's not really crafty.

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    1. Creative though, if not “crafty.” My sis has gotten really into making books with her photos. They come out really nice! And my one sis made a super cute calendar for her hubby for Xmas with nothing but pics of their dog. :) (Even though they have actual human children too....)

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  10. Love the skinny leg Santa and his rudolph!!!
    fun tradition!
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

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    1. Thanks. Yeah, we always have fun when we get together to do this stuff. Been doing it for years.

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  11. I have plenty of free time right now, but it never goes to crafting. I have a very hard time being still, well, unless I am putzing on the laptop ;-) Maybe I should use some of that time and be crafty!

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    1. I wish I had a hard time being still.... I can sit or lay around reading/watching movies/writing/crafting for ages. #solazy

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  12. Those are so cute! It would be fun to have someone or a group to get together to make them together!

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    1. It is definitely best to do it as a group. Solo crafting is not as much fun. You need a team of folks there to constantly squeal “That’s so freaking cute!” :)

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  13. I love the idea of "Forced Crafting." That dog is too adorable, as are Santa and Rudolph. I like the trees as well. Pretty much everything looks awesome and it was definitely a good crafting experience for you guys!

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    1. We were pretty pleased with how everything came out. Now to get all the xmas decorations out and put up!

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  14. That's some serious crafting talent. I like the little reindeer.

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  15. hello pooch smooches its dennis the vizsla dog hay wel it may hav ben forsed but it shoor is kyoot!!! of korse i am parshall to the dog!!! ok bye

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