Seashells and Jingle Bells

Each year, my crazy quilt group has an ornament exchange.

Last year was the only year we didn't exchange ornaments because we all felt we were too busy.

The lack of the ornament exchange made us all a little sad. It's so wonderful to make a gift and receive a handmade gift that we vowed to try to never let that happen again.

Even though I hadn't started my ornament as of last Thursday, I was dedicated to whipping something up pretty quickly so I didn't skip another year.

I hadn't cleaned up my work table from the haute-couture necklace so I used materials I already had lying around. I guess one day I'll make something that doesn't have aqua in it...

But I don't know when...

I wanted to use the octagon shape of my bead journal piece, A Daughter's Valentine, that I made a few years ago...

But it didn't turn out exactly like I had hoped. (That's what happens when you wait until the last minute, Susan) After finishing the stitching, I realized that I would have liked to "frame" the piece with a much wider octagon sashing like the one in my other piece.

Alas, I had no time to do that so I decided to ruche a ribbon edging, bead it, and forego my dreams of wider sashing to a later date.

I love using that Italian metal mesh ribbon they sell in the bead stores and wanted to make my own seam covering by shaping it into hearts.

I tacked the metal ribbon down first and then intended to sculpt the ribbon into heart shapes. Tacking the ribbon first didn't leave me enough ease to really sculpt the ribbon like I wanted so next time I'll sculpt first and tack later.

All the shells, except the pink cups, are from my recent trip to the Florida Keys.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you about the ornament exchange and show you the ornament I received. She's a real beauty...

In case you missed them two years ago, you can see the jointed bear cq ornament I received here and the ice skate I gave here.

Happy jingling.