Christmas Confession #1: I’ve never let my kids decorate MY tree. They can put their handmade ornaments on their smaller trees in their room. I know, I’m a bad mother.

Christmas Confession #2: Even though your Santa may wear a RED suit, mine doesn’t. I loathe RED. There is not a speck of RED (or Christmas Green) in my house during the holidays or any other time. My Santas have Gold, Cream, White, Silver, and Aqua robes…LOL!

Christmas Confession #3: I like getting Christmas cards with pictures of your adorable kids. Except the ones that include those annual summaries of their overachievements.

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas! Lisa – The Domestic Diva’s Disasters Blog

Lisa’s Glamorous Lined Christmas Stocking Tutorial

Materials Needed:

• 1/2 yard outer fabric
  
• 1/2 yard lining fabric
  
• 1 yard fusible interfacing
  
• Sewing Thread

Print out a template or trace an existing Christmas Stocking.

Stocking Templates:

Tipnut’s Stocking Template

Martha Stewart Hankerchief Stocking Template

Martha Stewart Quilt Stocking Template

Martha Stewart Remnant Stocking Template

About.com Stocking Template

Woman’s Day Stocking Template

Fuse interfacing to the back of both your outer fabric and your lining fabric..

Layer both outer fabric and lining fabric right sides together. Trace template and cut out layers.

Sew one top of outer fabric to one top of lining fabric. Repeat with second outer fabric and lining fabric.

With right sides together, place outer fabric/lining piece on top of other outer fabric/lining piece. Sew together …

leaving a 3 inch opening on the lining (for turning).

Clip your curves.

Turn right side out and press.

Stitch Lining Opening closed.

Stuff lining inside outer fabric. Fold over lining to outside to create a self-cuff.

Make Cuff

Measure the circumference of the top of the stocking (mine is 16 inches) and add 1 inch to that measurement. Now take that measurement (for me it’s 17 inches) to cut the width of the cuff fabric with a height of 7 inches. My cuff fabric is 17 inches by 7 inches. You following this?

Fuse interfacing to the back of your cuff fabric.

Fold in half width-wise, right sides together.

Now fold height wise.

Stitch through all four layers of raw unfolded side. Turn right side out. You now have a cuff with the a raw bottom edge

Line up raw edge of cuff with finished edge of stocking. Stitch or serge.

To make a loop to hang your stocking, cut and interface a 2” x 10” piece of fabric.

Fold fabric in half lengthwise and stitch to conceal raw edges.

Fold finished loop in half right sides together. Stitch or serge together bottom edge.

Attach loop to inside cuff seam. Stitch.

Fold cuff to outside of stocking, add a fancy crystal brooch, and hang your stocking!

Here’s a quick & easy Bowdabra Tutorial …

Get out your junky craft scissors and some florist wire. Cut a piece about 12 inches long.

Place the wire through the center of the Bowdabra.

Leaving 12_ for the tail of the bow, cinch ribbon between the holder.

Make a loop and twist it away from you…then place in between the holder.

Make as many loops as you want as long as you have the same amount of loops on each side. I usually do 6 or 8 loops in total.

Cut the ribbon leaving another 12 inch ribbon tall.

Cross the wire and twist tightly. Then fluff your bow.

And if you don’t dovetail the ends of the ribbon, everyone will think you are an amateur…
Fold the ribbon end in half lengthwise (do not crease it). Cut across at an angle to form the dovetail end.

Nothing puts you in the holiday mood more than the smell of Christmas. Since Christmas scents are usually limited to Pine-Sol™ pine, sugar cookie and country kitchen apple scents, I started making my own. Combine the following:
1 sliced orange
1 sliced lemon
10 cloves
1 tablespoon Allspice
3 cinnamon sticks
Add two cups of water and simmer (low flame) on your stovetop. The smell fills your house! Occasionally add more water as it evaporates.

DIY: TULLE GARLAND TUTORIAL

I’ve always used tulle when decorating my Christmas tree. It’s the secret to making a cheap tree look full. Basically, I’d “stuff” the tree with tulle and call it a day. However, this year since I now have a full pre-lit Christmas tree, I needed to somehow find a way to incorporate tulle into my tree. What better way than to Tulle Garland?!

All you need is a serger and a few rolls of 6 inch tulle in whatever color you like. The color choices are endless. I used 4 rolls (100 feet each) of “Old Gold Shimmer” tulle. Tulle rolls are sold in increments of 25, 75 and 100 feet. Be sure to buy as much as needed or you’ll be making additional trips to the craft store like I did.


Serger Settings:
4-thread overlock
Gathering Serger Presser Foot (if you have one)
Left and Right Needle Tension = 8
Upper and Lower Looper Tension = NORMAL
Stitch Length = 5 (or highest available setting)
Differential Feed = 2 (or highest available setting)
Note: You can use a sewing machine to gather your tulle, but the serger makes it a fast project…and I’m all about speed.

This helps the tulle gather even more. When your fingers can no longer hold the tulle from behind the machine, let it go. Repeat until you’ve gathered all your tulle needed.

Check out this fantastic Silk Web Rose Tutorial from The Domestic Diva – Lisa Carroccio! We love you Lisa, and I adore hearing your accent in this video. For Lisa’s blog please visit here>>

The Diva goes all out for her annual BBQ, catering to all the cute little kids as well as the adults! There’s always a well stocked candy cart, babysitting, entertainment, and of course the opportunity to meet with your children’s designer buddies from Ebay and beyond. Contact the Diva for full details, and wing your way out to NY this August

Please help to save Lisa’s daughter and consider being a living kidney donor. Marielle will only match 1 in 50 people in the general population (average person matches 1 in 2). I am asking EVERYONE who has ever loved a child as deeply as I do my daughter to please consider being a living-kidney donor to her. You might be the one who can save my daughter’s life.”>Here is how you can help. Prayers are also much appreciated for Marielle and her family.

Please help save this child’s life!

Lisa worked as a Boutique Cafe correspondent back in BC Show #15, in 2006 covering the Children’s Club Show in NYC. The Diva, generously hosts a massive yearly BBQ for boutique designers and their families at her own home. She has a huge reputation for being the Hostess with The Mostess and gives tirelessly to many causes. Now it’s our turn to support her.

Please tune in to cheer on our girl who gives so much to our community, her family, and especially her daughter Marielle who is currently waiting for a kidney transplant. Please pray with us for a speedy match for Marielle.

We love you Lisa – good luck tomorrow! We’ll be watching and cheering you on. XO - Daria

**UPDATE : Here’s Lisa’s Segment from Last Night’s show for those who may have missed it.

Online Videos by Veoh.com

**For a link to Lisa’s personal blog visit The Domestic Diva’s Disasters.