So today out of the blue Colleen asked me about the snowman kits I made for gifts this winter. It reminded me that I had pics and that I meant to post about it in December. Well, why not now - there is still snow on the ground - someone might get inspired.
So in Late October was trying to think of cool holiday gifts for my friends with kids of appropriate age (who don't live in state where it doesn't snow) and I was looking at a Land of Nod (overpriced baby stuff) catalog. Anyway, they had a Snowman kit - you know all that extra shit you drag out to make those three blobs look like something. The kit was cute enough but I thought I can do that....and so I did.
It being late October was perfect as I picked up felt top hats at Target on clearance after Halloween. I sat on said hats until the first week of December when I thought that if I was going to make these things I better get on it. So in case you are wondering here is what the kit contained.
1. hat - mentioned above and used to hold all of the other booty
2. carrot - I think I got some at Hobby Lobby and some at Michael's - it was in the fake fruit and veggies area by the fake flowers and greenery.
3. "coal" I would have liked the more old fashioned irregularly shaped pieces but I settled for a small bag of charcoal from the supermarket. I counted out pieces for the eyes and mouth and put them in a Ziploc.
4. scarf - I originally thought that I would go to thrift stores and find unique cool individual scarves for each of the snow people. That was too much shopping around christmas time and so I opted for buying a yadr and a half of red fleece from Hobby Lobby (when it was 1/3 off) and I "made" scarves by cutting it into long strips (about 5 or 6" wide) and then cutting fringe and trying it in knots - much like the no-sew fleece blanket technique you have probably encountered, if you are crafty ;)
5. corncob pipe - from your local tobacco shop - the woman behind the counter did ask why I was buying twelve - I wish that I was a witty person because I am sure I missed the opportunity to say something really funny - instead I told her the truth....boring
6. Buttons - I made these out of wooden toy wheels - the kind you can buy in the unfinished wood section at Michael's - I also bought an appropriately sized dowel. I cut (I mean - I had josh cut because I was running low on time) the dowel into pieces that I then glued into the wheel after I had spray painted them black. I used a white paint pen for the detail and viola buttons.
In the final package I also included a tin of cocoa and a bag of homemade marshmallows. I will include links later when i am finshed atting up my computer I can't find URLs night now...
I don't know if anyone who got them has used them yet, but I thought that they turned out pretty cute and at least I felt like I made something myself - even though in this case the "making" was more of a gathering process than anything actually skilled.
I kept one for our family and I can't wait until next year when I hope Ben will be able to participate in snowman making. Now that I think about it he would probably get it enough now - maybe if we get another big snow - though I would be totally okay with waiting until next year - come on spring!
