Pinecone Elves

I used to watch Martha, but our local affiliate chose to dump her and replace her with that purple glove wearing Dr. OZ. Gag. I don't take Martha's magazine or frequent the website either. Everything always looks so perfect and requires a huge list of very specific craft items. I have enough ideas of my own brewing in my head for that sort of pressure.That is, until Sarah showed these fabulous Pine cone Elves from the Martha Website about a month ago. Eh gads! I had to make some!

I didn't have any pine cones on hand, so I jumped in the car and went Pine cone hunting. Apparently it wasn't quite time for them to be on the ground yet because I couldn't find any. I ended up twisting them off the branches from inside my car by the side of the road. They were still pretty tight and not yet opened. But, they would have to do.

I printed out the patterns and went to work. Mine look a bit different than Martha's - but I happen to like them quite a bit. I chose to use spun cotton heads instead of wooden beads to give them a vintage look.

I must say, sewing teeny tiny elf shoes is a hoot. I had to stick a ballpoint pen inside the shoe to keep it open while I sewed on the white trim.

Those pompoms on the shoes are so teeny. I bought a bag of 100 of them last year after Christmas for 9¢ not knowing what on Earth I would ever use them for since they are sooo tiny. Now I know.

The hat, scarf, mittens and shoes are all made out of less than a quarter of a piece of 25¢ felt. The trim on the mittens and hat is one half of one pipe cleaner. The arms and legs are on e pipe cleaner. The pine cones were free and I had the heads on hand. So, it is a super cheap project. (Even though Martha suggests actually ordering and paying good hard money for pine cones) And, super fun. Not to mention super CUTE!

I must make a pink one and maybe a white one and maybe a .........