On the 12th day...

 Pilar Isabel Pollock artistically gift wrapped for me... 

 She made a vinyl pocket with a  replication of a Holy Card and stuffed it with all kinds of intriguing floating trinkets.

then she stitched the gift up in a pepper bag and stitched it up so scissors were needed to cut away the gift warp...

to revile the gift wrapped in a a waxy translucent layer...

oh my what can it be!?

its a breath taking fabric milagros! Pilar deeply etched the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe onto copper then beaded and stitched it all onto a felt heart along with oiled and resin papers that she stitched all together, cascading from the heart are tea stained fibers that she machine embroidery and left a multitude of red threads to trail amongst the tassels!

and here she is gracing my tree in all her luminous beauty!

Thank you Pilar for such a elegant gift!

I hope you all enjoyed the last 12 days as much as I did! 

Happy Holidays!

On the 12th day...

On the 11th day...

Maija Lepore boxed for me... Take out?

Ok! I have a very funny story to share about this package I received this gift in the mail and opened up the outer bag to revel this very festive take out box.. I tossed out the box it was shipped in but left the take out box on my kitchen counter and preceded to go to the computer and put on my noise cancling head phones on...

then I get a tap on my shoulder and I turn around and dangling from my husbands finger is the house and he said "what's this?" I let out a little gasp and said "oh! That a gift! Why did you open it!?" he said... "It looked like something good to eat was inside of the box." and he was right it did look like a treat and it was sitting in the kitchen after all... So I got a peek but it was more a peek from association.

 but look what was inside! why its an adorable stuffed felt house all full of love and hand stitched goodness!
Maija is a master with needle and thread and a whiz on the sewing machine!
(I have been very lucky and have been gifted with many of her hand made "just because" gifts from her)

And here is the little house stuffed full of winter tidings!

thank you Maija it perfect (but maybe next year you can add a food treat for my husband!)

(my blog was hacked into and a I am sorry for the strange post went out yesterday, please know that the issue was taken care of.) 

On the 11th day...

On the 10th day...

The innovative mixed media artist

JoAnnA Pierotti  gift wrapped for me....

so this little package screamed eat me! I was sure Joanna baked us all yummy treats as she used a cello bag and a large cupcake paper as her wrap.

so lets take a look and see what the queen of old world charm made for me...

well you cant eat it!

oh my look...
its a elegant paper clay snow lady all dressed up in her winter best!

Her finery is even present from the back as Joanna is know for her attention to details.

And as you can see she does not disappoint, as you take a look at this masterfully painted face highlighted by Joanna's trademark roses.

and here is the snow goddess herself, gleefully gracing my tree!

Thank you Joanna she is a true vision of the season.

(oh my! only two more days left! quick people start sending me more gift so I have something to open up every day!)

On the 10th day...

On the 9th day...

Altered art artist

Lou McCulloch wrapped from me...

with a lovely hand stamped tag complete with a glistening sepia toned dove accompanied by Scandinavian inspired gift wrap.

now what can this be peeking out from beneath the paper?

Oh my! its a snow-caped house delightfully decorated with glitter and vintage retro flair to keep Frozen Charlotte warm this winter!

This little house is full of details... I adore the little chimney,

And the back yard with its snow flocked tree is a pure bliss!

but I must say that the chubby little lime green pipe cleaner shrub complete with a a little pick topper just may be the most enchanted touch!

and here is Charlotte houses gleefully gracing my Christmas tree!

Thank you Lou!

On the 9th day...

On the 8th day...

The delightful every expanding artist Kelly Snelling wrapped for me...

Kelly made brilliant hued panted paper and to not be outdone Kelly altered a photo of herself to grace the package!

now lets see what she made... its soft and light weight, what can it be!?

why its a felted Christmas puppy! just for me! full of spunk and whimsy just like Kelly herself!

Kelly has become the mommy of not one put two Collie puppy's this year and I do believe her life as gone a little upside down raising them along with her two young active boys!

and here he is happily gracing my tree guarding it like a trusted friend.

thank you Kelly he is perfect!

On the 8th day...

on the 7th day (a give-away)

Ruth Rae wrapped for her adorn group friends and lucky winner number 49

This little parcel...

tsutsumi style  with painter t-shirt rags that I hand dyed a deep cranberry

 

 followed by tea stained muslin bundled up with dyed cheese cloth topped with a turquoise heart stitched directly on. once this layer is untied you will find...

 

counseled underneath a waxy paper layer bound with a rubber band that once removed revels the gift...

and here you have my  5x4x2 inch interactive art blocks: collaged, painted and bound with wire...
there are 12 buttons to represent the 12 days of Christmas as well as a nod to the members of the group.

 

dyed, stitched, stuffed and nailed:
The nails hammered into the wood along with the wire and the red dots hold a deeper meaning...
if you want to know a little more about my use of the 5 nails take a look here.
the twisted wire represents the crown of thorns and the red dots, the blood of Christ.

hidden meaning in my art is a huge part of my creative process.
just as much as pushing myself to grow and try new things.

the blocks were all sanded and distressed...

"X", "O" and circled, singed and dated!

the truth is that the thrill of doing a swap is seeing your labor pan out in numbers...

and as we all know there is great strength in numbers.

I thought you would like to look at how I gift wrapped my ornament, My son Brian helped me by filming these clips. Please Enjoy~

on the 7th day (a give-away)

on the 6th day...

Jackie Allison gift warped 

 

for me in a delightful ode to Santa red felt wrapping complete with bell

 

and pinned closed with a vintage Christmas tree brooch
A package that I have been enjoying over the last 2 weeks for its cleverness and over the top Holiday spirit!

But now its time to open so I can view the splendor she has worked up this year...

 

oh look...
I spy a frozen Charlotte...

 

and behold this little winged beauty ... housed in a antique candy mold with a touch of glistening gold adorned with a vintage chandelier crystal flower and a shining star to guide her way.

 

And here she is on my tree.
Thank you Jackie,  Brilliant job as always! you never disappoint!
I wish I could share with you more of  Jackie's work as each year her ornaments take my breath away, I adore her style and if she did have a blog I would surely be her #1 stalker Fan!


Now tomorrow is my day and there is still time to enter to win what ever it is that I open on my blog tomorrow so head on over here for your chance to win!

on the 6th day...

On the fifth day...

Melissa David made for me...

The wonderful part of this swap for me is all the cleaver ways the gifts have been wrapped and there were lost of details to behold in Melissa's packaging...

word prompt where used thought the gift wrap to entice the mind 

 

towards a image of what must be hidden beneath the inner layer's of the wrapping...

 

And lo and behold inside a delicate winged beauty



that Melissa masterfully fashioned from fabric, lace and trim along with a image of the girls face full of hopes, dreams and inspiration of what the coming new year may bring.

This soulfully crowned beauty now graces my tree. Thank you Malissa she is a delight!

On the fifth day...