Lisa’s Christmas Confessions:

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!

QUICK BOW TUTORIAL with Lisa Carroccio (The Domestic Diva)

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.

Many of us know Lisa Carroccio and her beautiful daughter Marielle from the eBay Boutique design world. This amazing and inspiring mother, designer, and hostess extraordinaire, is being featured tomorrow night Sept. 17th, 2008 on The Big Idea – with Donny Deutsch, talking about her current business emergency for her new boys clothing line Downtown Joey. Advising our “Diva” on the show will be experts from the company Chip and Pepper jeans, a multi-million dollar company sold in 42 countries! The show will air on CNBC at 10pm EST (check your local listings).

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.

Our correspondent, The Domestic Diva, reveals the hottest trends in children’s fashion. Straight from NYC, Lisa the Diva, reports on the Children’s Club Show for Fall ‘06’s amazing children’s fashions! We announce the winner of our Binsi giveaway. Daria mentions a great website to check out at The Daily Stroll. Listen in for Rachel Culp’s Deep Blue C and visit Rachel on eBay. Be sure to download our AAC file this week in order to view pictures of the Children’s Club Show and links for all related designers! This show features music by The Lascivious Biddies, with their song Betty.

Auction Scramble – vintage spring/Easter dress
Accessory Scramble – lemon handpainted hairbows