If I Had My Own Blue Box:

I started writing this post earlier in December before catching my mystery germ. I had plans for a lengthy post reflecting on the year. But, I find I am still too tired to complete what I wanted. I wanted to elaborate on each of the points in these lists. Maybe eventually.

This year has been an incredible challenge for so many; it has been filled with loss and uncertainty. Personally, the “hard” has been a continuation of the previous years with their struggles. As the year closes, I am choosing to reflect as honestly as I can.

Things I am grateful for in 2020:

• The friends I’ve further connected with in chats and zoom
• The time to focus on my art/craft
• The ability to be comfortable sharing myself, as I am, on video media.
• My shoppers who kept me fed and sane.
• My postal delivery person who picked up package after package, week after week.
• Orange juice, a nurse with mismatched socks, and a cancer doctor in crocks.
• Worden Select Objects. I stumbed across them on the Brimfield group. While they are not related as far as I know, their selections are so similar to what Dad would have picked, their posts in my feed are a sweet reconnect.

What I Feel Accomplished About

• I lost track of the number of hats and bonnets I made. (rough count scrolling through I count 95 millinery pieces.) ( I forgot the witch hats. There are 5. Counting those, I may have an even 100 pieces sewn.)
• New In Detail series
• My Community Cast Video series was initially about staying connected with people during shutdown. It quickly became a way or a reason for me to keep going.
• Almost completed the Wadded Hood pattern/guidebook

Favorites of the year: Okay, it is really difficult to pick favorites.

Smaller projects:

Originally, I planned on doing some extra fun projects this past weekend and today. But, things didn’t go as planned. Instead, I caught a germ. My awesome Doctor says it sounds like C19. So, while the halo of fire seems to have passed, I am on quarantine through Sunday. I am much, much better off than so many people. For that I am grateful. I am sulky that I missed visiting for Yuletide as well as the village parade and luminaries. But, it is what it is.

I was determined to have a project for this last Whimsy Wednesday before Christmas. My brain fog made thinking of something a challenge. Then I realized how many people out there have packages in limbo and could use a cute space-holding gift or gift holder. This cute card holder can hold a gift card, a membership card, or a photo of a gift on its way.

My version uses a piece of melton wool 4″ by 8″ with one end rounded off. My snow friends are from my cabbage patch (scrap basket.)

You could use melton wool, wool flannel, fulled wool, felted wool, cotton flannel, felt – They key is to use a fabric that won’t ravel. If you are concerned your fabric might ravel, use a little fray-check. If you are in a hurry or have young hands helping you, a glue stick will work nicely for decorating.

Remember: I have several free projects available. These can make nice last minute gifts or fun ways of packaging. Please use them if you need.

I was surprised to find a mailbox full this afternoon. Thank you so much for the sweet surprises. I filled my tree with the gifts.

Here is the PDF with my 4 inch and 3 inch versions of the elephant.

I finished my elephant while the video uploaded:

Additional information on the elephant: https://steifftiere.de.tl/Am-Anfang-war-der-Elefant.htm

Are you giving one of my e-publications as a gift?

With all the challenges of the pandemic, e-gifts are a wonderful way to give a gift.

But some may be wondering how do you give an e-gift? What do you wrap and put under the tree?

With those questions in mind, I decided to create printable Gifting Cards for you to print and wrap.

These are not gift cards, but Gifting Cards. They hold no monetary or purchasing value. They are stand-in cards that you can wrap to put under a tree or tuck in a holiday card. The actual e-gift must still be purchased from my Etsy shop and the PDF (or PDFs) forwarded to the gift recipient.

Suggessted steps:

• Purchase an e-publications from my Etsy Shop. This could be one of my e-books, e-patterns, or In Detail series.
• While logged into your Etsy account, go to your Etsy Purchases and download the PDF file or files to your computer. There may be more than one.
• Please remember to make a separate purchase for each recipient.
• Set a reminder to forward the PDF files to the gift recipient on the chosen day. If your email system allows scheduled emails, use that. It is a great feature. Note: You must forward the files not the email from Etsy. Some older email systems may have challenges with file size.
• Open this PDF file of Gifting Cards and print the page for the e-gift you are giving. I suggest printing on cardstock and in color if you can.

I hope this makes your gifting easier this year. Thank you for your continued patronage.

E-Publications currently available (and on sale) in my Etsy for E-gifts:

• From Field to Fashion: The Straw Bonnet
• Paisley, Plaid, & Purled: Shawls of the Mid-Nineteenth Century
• To Net, or Not to Net: Revisited
• In Detail: The Blue Ribbon Sewing Case
• In Detail: Pillow Pin-Ball
• In Detail: The Velvet Slipper Pin Cushion
• In Detail: The Velvet Embroidered Needle-book
• Balloon Style Bag Project
• Quilted Winter Hood Pattern
• Lappet Style Quilted Winter Hood Pattern
• Fichu Pattern

I decided to do a Whimsy on the Weekend video so I don’t forget the things I want to share by Wednesday.

Here is the template for the mini-stocking:

I’ve been told I need to include links….. Please follow and support me…. Patreon: www.patreon.com/AMillinersWhimsy —————A Milliner’s Whimsy – If I Had My Own Blue Box (History Blog):www.amillinerswhimsy.com ———— Don’t Paint the Cat (Crafty Blog): https://dontpaintthecat.wordpress.com ————Instagram for If I Had My Own Blue Box: www.instagram.com/if.i.had.my.own.blue.box
Instagram for Don’t Paint the Cat: www.instagram.com/dont.paint.the.cat

Woolies is the name I gave my little wool ornaments many years ago. I’ve noticed the name used elsewhere since. But, these will always be Woolies to me. These little ornaments used the smallest of scraps. I would sew these for hours as December rolled in. They were the sweetest little things to me. Being […]

Whimsy Wednesday: Woolies

I’m having more challenges with the new editor. Please click on the “more” dots to see the full post.

I’ve been told I need to include links….. Please follow and support me….
Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/AMillinersWhimsy
A Milliner’s Whimsy – If I Had My Own Blue Box (History Blog):www.amillinerswhimsy.com
Don’t Paint the Cat (Crafty Blog): https://dontpaintthecat.wordpress.com
Instagram for If I Had My Own Blue Box: http://www.instagram.com/if.i.had.my.own.blue.box
Instagram for Don’t Paint the Cat: http://www.instagram.com/dont.paint.the.cat

Kristen put together a gifting list for this holiday season despite being exhausted from her recovery while working. Take a moment to read her post and consider supporting in this coming year.

http://victorianneedle.blogspot.com/2020/12/a-tired-history-lovers-gift-list-give.html

“Baby, it’s cold outside!“

Which means it is time for a Winter Hood Challenge!

This January, I challenge you to make a Winter Hood. Your winter hood can be from any era, to meet the needs of your impression and region.

How to participate:

Join the Facebook Group: 2021 Winter Hood Challenge. There will be questions to answer so I know you are a real person. Group here.

We will begin discussion officially January 1st.

What to do:

Make a winter hood and share you progress. Your winter hood can be from any era and any region. *You do not need to use one of my patterns. But, it is awesome if you do.

Share your progress. This can include: pattern, directions, or inspiration piece, your material choices, and steps as you sew.

Rules:

This is for fun. Each person will choose their own goals for this project. I ask that we support each other in those goals. Participants may choose to do any era, region, and size sunbonnet. I also welcome those who wish to make doll scale.

If you have followed Don’t Paint the Cat or If I Had My Own Blue Box for a while, you may have already seen these FanU style gift boxes. I think they are so much fun to make, I had to feature them on this first Whimsy Wednesday of December. One of these could be just the right box for that special gift for that special someone.

Directions for the Gift Boxes:

Do you enjoy the free projects and templates, research articles and video? Have you been wondering how you can support my work?

Consider becoming a Patron on Patreon.

Patreon is a platform that allows Patrons a way of supporting artists, writers, performers, and researchers on a monthly basis. Creators often provide behind the scenes content or other material as a thank you for support.

My Patreon is currently set up with three support opportunities. These levels come with access to posts and updates on Patreon (I will be doing more of those this year) plus new releases of In Detail as they are published at the higher levels.