A Home To Keep: DIY! Christmas Stocking of Hope, Miniature Easel & A Framed Linen

"For everything there is a season.” Ecc. 3:1

Christmas Stocking of Hope

As told to me by Lynn Bailey:

"A few years back things looked a little bleak. I’d had some medical emergencies that landed me in a rehab place for over a year. As Christmas approached I longed for the comforts of my own home, to sit with my husband by our fireplace enjoying our conversation quietly, to smell cookies baking or to be in my corner chair reading my Bible.

Refreshment came when my family and friends would so faithfully visit. One day as I listened to unfamiliar voices in the hall and my doctor had come and gone to my delight a package came for me!! It was a Christmas stocking from a friend. Filled to the brim (I tried not to peek!) my husband placed it on my bedpost. Each day it gave me hope that good things were ahead. It reminded me that it’s not just what I was going through at the moment that there was the promise of hope for my future. It reminded me that God had my tomorrows planned and He could be trusted. I did make it home that Christmas and I’ve had the blessing to enjoy many more." Is there someone you can encourage with a Christmas Stocking full of Hope?

Christmas stocking Photo credit: refreshrestyle.com

Miniature Easel with a Personalized Picture Canvas

This is such a fun gift to make. I loved going through old family photos for some of my projects, other photos I got off of social media and can't wait to surprise some friends with their picture "framed" on their easel.

Supplies:

1. Mini Art Easels (5")

2. Mini Canvas Panels (2.5" x 3.5")

3. Photo copied onto paper or cardstock cut to your canvas size

4. Paint brush

5. Paint, I used DecoArt multi-surface paint in Woodland Green and Santa Red. Any craft paint will do.

6. Crafters glue or a glue gun and sticks.

7. Christmas greenery if you'd like

8. Ribbon if you want to make it an ornament

Directions:

1. Paint your easel, let dry (A hair dryer speeds this process up.)

2. Copy a favorite picture onto paper or cardstock.

3. Glue photo onto one side of your canvas. (You can paint your canvas first if that's your preference, I did not but I think black would look good.)

4. Glue your canvas to your easel.

5. Glue greenery to the top if you like and attach a ribbon if you'd like to make this an ornament.

Easy Christmas Clipboard Gift

While looking through a darling antique store in Templeton called Anthology near the Central Coast of California I came upon a basket full of linens. My heart skipped a beat when I found this handstitched quilted airplane, you see my grand darling loves airplanes. It being handstitched and a little tattered made it even more endearing!

Using a clipboard as your frame is so simple and it already has a built in hole for hanging. You can “Frame” just about anything this way, like my linen or a vintage Christmas card or a Christmas Song.