SHINY, HAPPY SNOWGIRLS

A dear group of eBay 'group' friends decided to do an "off eBay" swap this Christmas among 6 of us who chat regularly.  I have met two of the other five, and one of those has become a very close friend.  Someday, I might just meet the rest - until then, I do count them among my friends, and we have a lot of fun, via the USPS.  This year it was decided that we would do snowmen - anything goes...we did not have to limit ourselves to ornaments.

Starting with one of my favorite extreme primitive doll patterns by Sonja Sandell of Hickety Pickety, I found myself with a basketful of snow moms and babies - painted and distressed Warm and Natural quilt batting for the bodies.  We had a particularly windy day here a few weeks ago, and it was my good fortune (as I was panicking a little over lack of twigs) to go to the mall that day and be presented with a tree branch laying across the sidewalk.  After explaining to the security guard that I did NOT wrench it from the tree, but was simply just removing it from the sidewalk where it landed, I was greeted with a head shake, rolled eyes, and told, "Knock yourself out, lady".  It was so large it wouldn't fit in my trunk, but had to ride home straddling both the front seat and back.

Clothing was sewn and stained with coffee...I do label my jar of coffee stain that I keep in the back of the fridge, so the husband does not try to use it on meat.  Stained, scrunched, microwaved...all a part of the primitive doll make-up.

The whole cheerful, motley crew.............my friend Jackie has informed me these are skeletons (yes, she got one, too), and not snow people - NO, they are snow people!  Because anyone can do pretty, and it's much more fun to color outside of the lines!

A total of eight were made; two to friends here in Vegas, and my daughter declared dibs on the pink one with the watch plaid bloomers!  These are all in the 20" range (I guess I took the 'no size limitation' rule on the swap literally).  Pinky here is, rather smugly, sitting atop her wrapped constituents, who will be heading to their new homes this week.

So, it's a start to the holidays - I am hoping to coerce my husband into dragging out the tree this week - I have a feeling it won't be a problem.  He was "punished" last year, for getting it out 'at his leisure', by my daughter and I not removing it for a few weeks past Christmas, to make up for time lost.  Just wanted to share the smiles with you today - hope your week is wonderful!