Scandinavian Christmas Tree Scratchboard

Well...I know I said I wasn't going to do any Christmas crafts until I knew if we're moving or not...but I've actually been "secretly" working on this one for a few days, figuring it'd be easy to pack and it won't make a mess around the house while I'm working on it. So, here's the first of this year's handmade Christmas decorations. A Scandinavian Christmas Tree done on a scratch board. 

While I was perusing through (where else?) Pinterest, I saw this chalk tree that Hazel drew on her chalkboard wall and I instantly fell in love with it. 

http://www.aleggup.com/2011/11/our-tree-is-up.html

I went through a few ideas of how I wanted to do my tree and finally decided that scratchboard was perfect for the look I wanted. Luckily I already had a few boards and the little scratching tool in my craft drawers. I took Hazel's photo, cropped and stretched it to be just the tree, converted it to pure black and white (no grays), and printed it off. I colored the back of the paper with my woodless pencil (seriously, I love this thing...pure graphite), layed it graphite side down on the scratchboard, and drew on the design. From there it just took a few days of scratching the design in how I wanted it. It was fun to try and figure out how to put the various textures in so it wasn't just plain black and white. I've got all sorts of ideas for colored versions and for other trees like this now too and I'm dying to get working on those now. 

I have so many Christmas crafts I'm dying to do...but we've been waiting to see if we're moving or not before I start pulling my craft stash out. But...if after tomorrow we still have no word...we're just making plans to stay here and not move and I get to finally start crafting...and I can't wait!

Disappearing 9-Patch Quilt Top

I get to teach a class at a quilting shop in town. If that statement didn't just make you laugh, then you don't know me very well. I hated sewing when I was a kid. I'd sew just long enough to create goofy hats or things, but I never really was serious about it. 4 years ago I made my first quilt top and it was a learning process. 

Since then I've made 3 puff quilts (which isn't the same as quilting...but it is sewing) and 2 baby blankets. They were all pretty rough though. Judy was getting new fabric in the store and they were trying to figure out a pattern to use to make a sample quilt and I suggested the Disappearing 9-patch (which is one of the 3 quilt designs I know...blocks, puff, and 9-patch). I explained it to them and Judy asked if I'd be willing to sew up a full size sample for people to see. ::gulp:: 

I said yes and struggled through it and finally this is what I came out with:

My corners don't all match up and the squares aren't all perfectly square, but you get the idea of it. 

So now...I am teaching a class on how to do this quilt design. Excited? Yes. Intimidated? Yes.