Christmas Countdown Chalkboard Paint Elf {Craft}

There is only one Friday left until Christmas! 

This adorable "Christmas Countdown Elf" Ornament needs 5 days chalked on his tummy.

To make a set of Christmas Countdown Chalkboard Elves follow the same basic instructions and materials as the little vintage wooden block elves my kids made for our upcoming school craft fair.

When we ran out of alphabet blocks we scooped a few from our Chalkboard Paint City craft.  We fell in love with the little elves and didn't know how we could possibly part with them for the sale so we painted some more!

 The felt shapes are shown above.  The caps were a bit of trouble but after awhile we figured out it's best to make them first and then hot glue them to the heads.

Face ideas.

Ohhh, they are so stinkin' cute!

Up Next:

Retro Christmas "Elf On A Shelf" Craft 

Feel free to share your project's and head on over to our Facebook Page.  We would love to see them!

Wooden Block Elf on a Shelf Craft

Many years ago, my daughter purchased this adorable vintage wooden block elf ornament from a Retro Christmas Bazaar. Now she is old enough to hand-craft her own alphabet elves for her very first craft fair this month.

Craft along with us...

Materials

Red and Green felt, wooden balls, beads or Styrofoam, wooden alphabet blocks (we happen to have them around the house otherwise the dollar store, toy store or even thrift stores sell them),  pom-poms, hot glue, ribbon, black and pink Sharpie pens, scissors, embroidery floss.

Step 1 

Cut shapes to desired length and add pom-poms for feet and hands. The hat is made from a half circle shape.

Step 2 

Cut the arm felt strips long enough to lay across the top of the blocks.

Step 3 

Glue a collar shape over the arm strip.

  The wooden beads came with faces already painted. Nice.

Step 4 

Glue face on top of collar felt shape (any colour).

When we ran out of the painted balls we used a Sharpie pen and very carefully drew faces on the wood.  Mistakes were covered up with eyelashes.

Face Ideas

Step 5 

The girls were all given some locks of hair.  

Step 6

Glue hat and pom-pom on faces and add a ribbon or a little bell as a final touch.

The hats were threaded just below the pom-pom to hang as ornaments on the Christmas tree. 

We are having a ton of fun placing the elves (legs-a-dangling) around the house much like the "Elf On A Shelf" that is so popular today.

Feel free to share your project's and head on over to our Facebook Page.  We would love to see them!

Christmas Countdown Chalkboard Paint Elf

Crochet Apple Trivet Free Pattern

Recently, I ran into one of my daughter's former teachers and she thanked us again for our gift of crocheted apples. Then she confessed she uses the cloths as a Trivet because they are much too lovely to use on the dishes. Oh my, we can't have that...I returned home and crocheted her one.

Crochet Apple Trivet

This trivet was hand made by joining my favorite dishcloth pattern (a solid apple and a slice) together with a single crochet stitch.  This gives the trivet extra thickness to protect your furniture.  See pattern below. Plus, it's reversible.  For larger pots I added a round of single crochet stitches in the back loops only.

My Crochet Apple Orchard Collection is almost complete.  I am considering folding the apple slice dishcloth in half and stitching around the edges (similar to the tawashi scrub) to make a nice matching potholder. 

Orchard Scrub

These handy dandy little Orchard Scrubs work from the same pattern below as the Trivet. Follow the pattern until round 4 and fasten off.  The colors by Bernat (country red, sage green, off white and brown) coordinate well with the basket items. 

Apple Pattern

Note: Ch 3 at beg of rnd or row counts as dc.
With MC, ch 4. Join with sl st to form ring.
1st rnd: Ch 3. 11 dc in ring. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 12 dc.
2nd rnd: Ch 3. 1 dc in same sp as last sl st. 2 dc in each dc around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 24 dc.
3rd rnd: Ch 3. 2 dc in next dc. *1 dc in next dc. 2 dc in next dc.
Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 36 dc.
4th rnd: Ch 3. 1 dc in next dc. 2 dc in next dc. *1 dc in each of next
2 dc. 2 dc in next dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 48 dc.
5th rnd: Ch 3. 1 dc in same sp as last sl st. 1 dc in each of next 3 dc.
*2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 3 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. 60 dc.
6th rnd: Ch 1. 1 sc in each of next 3 dc. 1 hdc in next dc. 1 dc in next dc. (2 dc in next dc. 1 dc in next dc) 4 times. 1 hdc in next dc. 1 sc in each of next 6 dc. 1 hdc in next dc. 1 dc in each of next 2 dc. 2 dc in each of next 3 dc. 1 dc in next dc.
1 hdc in next dc. 1 sc in next dc. Sl st in each of next 2 dc. 1 sc in next dc. 1 hdc in next dc. 1 dc in next dc. 2 dc in each of next 3 dc. 1 dc in each of next 2 dc. 1 hdc in next dc. 1 sc in each of next 6 dc. 1 hdc in next dc. (1 dc in next dc. 2 dc in next dc)
4 times. 1 dc in next dc. 1 hdc in next dc. 1 sc in each of next 3 dc. Join A with sl st to first sc. 74 sts. Break MC.
7th rnd: With A, ch 1. 1 sc in same sp as last sl st. 1 hdc in next sc. 1 dc in each of next 4 sts. (2 dc in next st. 1 dc in each of next 5 sts) 4 times. 2 dc in next st. 1 dc in each of next 4 sts. 1 hdc in next st.
1 sc in each of next 2 sts. 1 hdc in next st. 1 dc in each of next 4 sts. (2 dc in next st. 1 dc in each of next 5 sts) 4 times. 2 dc in next st.
1 dc in each of next 4 sts. 1 hdc in next st. 1 sc in next st. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Stem

With B  join with sl st to first sc at top of Apple. Ch 6. Slst back down the stem in each chain. Fasten off.

Leaf
With C, ch 12.
1st row: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 hdc in next ch. 1 dc in next ch.
1 tr in each of next 5 ch. 1 dc in next ch. 1 hdc in next ch. 3 sc in last ch. Working across opposite side of ch, 1 hdc in next ch. 1 dc in next ch. 1 tr in each of next 5 ch. 1 dc in next ch. 1 hdc in next ch. 2 sc in last ch. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Sew Leaf to Apple near Hanging Loop.

Finishing
With B, embroider seeds using Bullion stitch. or tie knot in back.

Free Apple Dishcloth pattern is from Michael's Arts & Crafts

Here are a few links to all the goodies in the basket

Apple Slice Keychains

Crochet Basket Free Pattern

Crchet Apple Dishcloths and Tawashi

Feel free to share your projects and head on over to our Facebook Page.  We would love to see them!