Ornament Exchange Reveal

This year I participated in an online ornament exchange. I received the name and address of my person as well as additional information she chose to provide and then I got to go to work on getting her ornament made and sent out. I elected to have a person outside the U.S. so had to run about as quickly as possible in order to assure she would receive it by Christmas.

Marina in Canada, if you are reading this, I hope you loved your ornament and goodies. I imagined your house all busy with Christmas celebrations and loved thinking of your black lab and rescue bird partaking in the celebrations as well. I really enjoyed stitching the bell and once it was done, I had to run back out and buy a bell for the inside so it would jingle!

The ornament I received traveled all the way from Williamsburg, Ohio! Shannon, I love the ornament you made me. Thank you so very much for it and for giving me a glimpse of your life, your family, and the starting up of your "farm." I don't have your email, but I hope to have a little something in the mail to you next week! 

Here's a picture of how perfectly your ornament looks on our little tree. Shannon also sent me hot chocolate but it didn't last long enough for a photo and some fun stickers. Thank you again!

I took some action shots of how the 3-D Bell was made in case others with an embroidery machine wanted to give it a try. I hand sewed the individual sections together once the embroidery part was done. I also decided to use ribbons for the insert instead of a white organza that the instructions requested. I think it gave the ornaments a stained-glass effect. Depending on your ribbon, you can get lots of different looks. I made Marina's ornament with a red and silver ribbon and this next one is red and gold.

Because I run an embroidery business, I rarely embroider for fun. These bells were really a lot of fun and something I think I will do each year.

Red and gold ribbon

 Cut into sections (each section had two pieces of ribbon sandwiched)

 Ribbon fussy cut to fit my shape

 Stitching down two sections of ribbon on washaway stablizer

Now I can let go of the ribbon and let the machine finish the rest of the stitching.