Making Birds for the Ornament Exchange

Every year at Christmas time I host an Ornament Exchange Party.  Seven of my crafty friends each make 8 handmade ornaments and then we exchange them at our party!  This year I decide to make some Christmas birds for my exchange.

Although I have made little birds before, I lost the pattern and had to find a new one.  So these little birds are made using the Sizzix bird pattern.  They are a bit smaller but are just as cute!

I painted some beaks and eyes onto them using a charcoal paint.  For some of the birds, I crocheted a little red and white scarf and for others I glued on some flower embellishments and poinsettias.  Then I sewed a thin gold cord so that they can hang on the tree.

The birds are made using Fig Tree Christmas fabric.  Each bird is a little bit different and that makes them so special.  

I made extra birds so that I can give them out as Christmas gifts.  My crafty friends just loved them.  Of course, I want to make MORE.  (They're like eating potato chips; you can't just make one!)

I put them in a two-tiered tray that I picked up at Target.  I think they look so cute!  

 

Tree Ornaments Using Fig Tree Fabrics

Every year I host an Ornament Exchange with some of my crafty friends.  For this year's ornament, I made some quilted trees from my Fig Tree Christmas fabrics.  I've made some things before using these fabrics, and I love them because they are bright and cheery.

To make them, I cut 1 3/4" strips from 4 different fabrics.  After I sewed them together, I cut them out into triangles using some of my triangle rulers.  I started with a 60 degree angle, but then kept trimming them into smaller triangles. 

I folded and sewed a brown strip for the trunks and then trimmed it into 2" pieces to make the trunks.  After I sewed them together, I added some little buttons to make them look decorated.  I used thick gold twine for the hangers.

I made extra trees to give away and packaged them up into homemade bags with a tag and some chocolates.  I put together an assortment of trees in different colors and sizes for the gifts.

I love having homemade ornaments to take out each Christmas to decorate my tree(s).  It's fun to remember our Ornament Exchanges and who gave each of them to me.  

Which ones do you like the best?  Strangely, my friends all chose the red tree ornaments for their ornament in the exchange.  I wasn't sure if the red tree idea was going to over well, but I guess I was wrong!  

I'm off to make some more.  They're fun to make and kind of cute.  What do you think?