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[Sharon3]

hi I'm new at this hope to meet some fun embroidery people:) doing christmas tree skirts, hope to get them done in time for christmas! sharon3

[Jami Johnson]

Welcome to the board, Sharon3. Sending you good luck vibes to get all your Christmas projects done in time.

[SewFanatic]

Hi Sharon3,

I'm making tree skirts for Christmas presents also. I'm just about finished with one and will post pics as soon as I'm done.

Good luck on yours!

[crumbear]

Welcome, Sharon! I've found the girls here to be quite nice, and I'm sure you will, too!

[StitchinGrandma]

Good luck on the tree skirts. That was what I planned on making everyone two years ago. Can we all say "computer addict" ??? HA! yea, they never got done but I did buy each of those people some gorgeous fabric. :D Yep, still sitting in my sewing room too. HA

[ajsmom]

I did tree skirts for my family about 4 years ago. I think I ended up doing 9, then one of my aunts took hers to show at work and I got 2 more orders. It took forever, but they all still use them. I also made myself one, and I still love it. I made it reversible, that way I could switch it up every year and not get tired of it.

LS

[ajsmom]

Oh, forgot to add that in the last couple of years, I have started making and giving them as bridal shower gifts. I know it seems strange, but it is something that others don't think to give and just about everyone uses a tree skirt. Everyone who has gotten one has seemed really pleased.

LS

[SewFanatic]

Good idea on making them reversible. It is too late for the first one but I can try that on the others! I'm only making 6 of them this year!

[StitchinGrandma]

I did tree skirts for my family about 4 years ago. I think I ended up doing 9, then one of my aunts took hers to show at work and I got 2 more orders. It took forever, but they all still use them. I also made myself one, and I still love it. I made it reversible, that way I could switch it up every year and not get tired of it.

LS
I made two reversible ones about 10 years ago and then gave away my absolute favorite one of the two. UGH I regret that now but I still have the other one. I will be making another one for myself very soon. Ok.... next year maybe.

[SewFanatic]

I made two reversible ones about 10 years ago and then gave away my absolute favorite one of the two. UGH I regret that now but I still have the other one. I will be making another one for myself very soon. Ok.... next year maybe.

Sew many projects...sew little time! :D

[StitchinGrandma]

Isn't that the truth? I need to stop making and giving everything away. I have only about three things in the house that I've ever made. I gave every single thing away other than that and that's a lot.

[SewFanatic]

I have given away almost everything I've made also. I did make myself some fall placemats and dish towels. My hubby was shocked I was making something for our house!

[StitchinGrandma]

Next year is ALL about ME! I'm making stuff for my house and me. We bought curtains about a year ago and they still haven't been hemmed. :rolleyes:

[SewFanatic]

Sometimes it is ok to be selfish!! Making all the window treatments was one of the first things I did when I got my new machine in March. But after those, I started making things to give to people.

[deesmom]

Oh, forgot to add that in the last couple of years, I have started making and giving them as bridal shower gifts. I know it seems strange, but it is something that others don't think to give and just about everyone uses a tree skirt. Everyone who has gotten one has seemed really pleased.

LS

I have given them as wedding gifts, too. I also bought my neices an ornament every year from the time they were born, then on their 18th Christmas, I add in the tree skirt and tree topper. If their parents kept up with it all, they should have a great start.

[SewFanatic]

I have given them as wedding gifts, too. I also bought my neices an ornament every year from the time they were born, then on their 18th Christmas, I add in the tree skirt and tree topper. If their parents kept up with it all, they should have a great start.

I did the same thing for my daughter and she did have a good start for her first tree. I still get her an ornament every year...it is a tradition now!

[deesmom]

I did the same thing for my daughter and she did have a good start for her first tree. I still get her an ornament every year...it is a tradition now!

Yep. I havent stopped with the neices yet and I have been doing the same for my kids. Course, the rest of the family loved the idea, so my kids are ending up with about 4 ornaments a year.

[StitchinGrandma]

I have given them as wedding gifts, too. I also bought my neices an ornament every year from the time they were born, then on their 18th Christmas, I add in the tree skirt and tree topper. If their parents kept up with it all, they should have a great start.
I've given really nice ornaments from Bronners in MI before as wedding and/or shower gifts and other items for the holidays because young couples just don't have that stuff ususally. They sometimes have things from home that Mom gives them as momentos, but not enough to decorate an entire house. The tree skirts are a great idea.

[starsite]

Talking about the newlyweds having ornaments, we started a tradition many years ago in our family so that the kids would have special ornaments when they had their own homes/families.

Each October we each draw a name of another family member and we then buy or make an ornament that signifies something they did during the current year. (Usually this is an excuse for the women to get together and craft!)

This year my nephews baseball team won the FL state championship so I took photos of the final scoreboard, his ball card photo ticket stub, etc., scanned them and reduced them to wallet size then embroidered a miniture letter for his team, added a ring from the dollar store that is close to what he recieved and put it all together with a hanger.

On Thanksgiving all of the ornaments are laid out and each family member finds their ornament and guesses who made it for them. Now everyone has personalized ornaments on their tree and when the kids marry they will have special memories from childhood to add to the new memories they will create.

Each year when we decorate the tree it brings back special memories and makes it more fun as the whole family wants to be involved. This has been especially important for me as the boys are grown and living away, but make time to come home to decorate the tree and always are proud to show off their ornaments to friends & girlfriends.

[deesmom]

Talking about the newlyweds having ornaments, we started a tradition many years ago in our family so that the kids would have special ornaments when they had their own homes/families.

Each October we each draw a name of another family member and we then buy or make an ornament that signifies something they did during the current year. (Usually this is an excuse for the women to get together and craft!)

This year my nephews baseball team won the FL state championship so I took photos of the final scoreboard, his ball card photo ticket stub, etc., scanned them and reduced them to wallet size then embroidered a miniture letter for his team, added a ring from the dollar store that is close to what he recieved and put it all together with a hanger.

On Thanksgiving all of the ornaments are laid out and each family member finds their ornament and guesses who made it for them. Now everyone has personalized ornaments on their tree and when the kids marry they will have special memories from childhood to add to the new memories they will create.

Each year when we decorate the tree it brings back special memories and makes it more fun as the whole family wants to be involved. This has been especially important for me as the boys are grown and living away, but make time to come home to decorate the tree and always are proud to show off their ornaments to friends & girlfriends.

That is an awesome tradition!! I always go for something that symbolizes what the kids are into that year, but right now that means my tree is full of Princesses, cats and cars, lol. It is truely starting to look like a child's tree.

[starsite]

Ahh! but thats is why I put up 3 trees!

[deesmom]

The girls do have their own *pink* tree, but it is small. And if I took all the kids ornaments off, I might not have much. Nobody did the yearly ornaments for me, lol. I do get tempted to buy some new, classy looking ornaments sometimes, but I dont think I could bring myself to not hang all those special little ones I made of their handprints on the 1st Christmases, or not watch their joy at hanging all their favorites. So what if I have big, bulky, plastic, toyish ornaments at the bottom of the tree, right??? It symbolizes our family :)

[starsite]

Enjoy it while you can, the time passes much too quickly. I am so thankful for video to allow me to re-visit them throughout their lives and we had plenty of tacky trees - in fact one of my son's girlfriends alluded that it still was!

[deesmom]

Enjoy it while you can, the time passes much too quickly. I am so thankful for video to allow me to re-visit them throughout their lives and we had plenty of tacky trees - in fact one of my son's girlfriends alluded that it still was!

That is a great reminder to me that I need to break out the video camera more often. I am horrible about that. I do take tons of pictures, though. Photography is my real passion, so I never think about the video camera.

[starsite]

That is a great reminder to me that I need to break out the video camera more often. I am horrible about that. I do take tons of pictures, though. Photography is my real passion, so I never think about the video camera.

We had a photography business, mostly shooting weddings/portraits until the kids were about 5 & 7 and it got to be too much to leave them every weekend and my parents were ready to enjoy their weekends w/o babysitting too.

Used to be if we said their names the boys would turn and say "Cheese" because we took so many photos! They are special, but there is nothing like having your 26 yr old sitting on the couch today and being able to see and especially hear him at every stage of his life. It's their sweet little voices that get me and the words they couldn't say that I would have forgotten had it not been for the videos...I think I might cry:(

[deesmom]

We had a photography business, mostly shooting weddings/portraits until the kids were about 5 & 7 and it got to be too much to leave them every weekend and my parents were ready to enjoy their weekends w/o babysitting too.

Used to be if we said their names the boys would turn and say "Cheese" because we took so many photos! They are special, but there is nothing like having your 26 yr old sitting on the couch today and being able to see and especially hear him at every stage of his life. It's their sweet little voices that get me and the words they couldn't say that I would have forgotten had it not been for the videos...I think I might cry:(


Thats it, the video camera comes out tomorrow!! I hate that I have so slacked on that because those little voices change so quickly and I dont get those with the camera.

[starsite]

Do you use a mac or PC? And are you shooting digital?

[deesmom]

PC & I shoot digital. I have the Nikon d200. It is my 4th baby ;)

[starsite]

PC & I shoot digital. I have the Nikon d200. It is my 4th baby ;)

Beautiful baby, and big too with 10.2 megapixel!

We sold all of our studio equipment about 10 years ago and now we use the Nikon D50 - love the convenience of digital and I got a mac last year & am loving the ease of creating "movies" from my still shots and can incorporate my videos too.

I just made a movie for my parents 50th wedding anniversary that they cry every time they watch their first 50 years...I think it's the music that really makes it special.

[deesmom]

Beautiful baby, and big too with 10.2 megapixel!

We sold all of our studio equipment about 10 years ago and now we use the Nikon D50 - love the convenience of digital and I got a mac last year & am loving the ease of creating "movies" from my still shots and can incorporate my videos too.

I just made a movie for my parents 50th wedding anniversary that they cry every time they watch their first 50 years...I think it's the music that really makes it special.

So is a mac easier for that kind of thing? I have just had a pc for forever and never thought about switching.

I also have the d70, but it is my backup camera now. Poor thing only gets used when I am taking pictures for ebay auctions. Kind of a waste for such a nice camera, but I couldnt bring myself to part with it.

[deesmom]

And what a special gift for your parents!! I redid an old snapshot of my parents from their wedding for chrismas a few years ago. Their photographer took their money but they never got the pictures, so all they had were some really bad (and small) snapshots. They were so happy to finally have a nice big picture of such an important day.

[starsite]

So is a mac easier for that kind of thing? I have just had a pc for forever and never thought about switching.

I also have the d70, but it is my backup camera now. Poor thing only gets used when I am taking pictures for ebay auctions. Kind of a waste for such a nice camera, but I couldnt bring myself to part with it.

I was true blue PC too, but for images and making movies, it works like a dream. I made a movie of a wedding we shot for friends last year on the PC and it locked up and gave me fits, took about 2 months to complete with many four letter words along the way.

The movie for my parents was about a month in the making, but that included the scans from their childhood through current, music downloads, transitions etc. and it never locked up and I didn't need my mouth washed out with soap!

[starsite]

And what a special gift for your parents!! I redid an old snapshot of my parents from their wedding for chrismas a few years ago. Their photographer took their money but they never got the pictures, so all they had were some really bad (and small) snapshots. They were so happy to finally have a nice big picture of such an important day.

My parents pictures were snapshots taken by my uncle as their budget did not include photography. The pictures were ripped, moldy and discolored over the years, some had even been light struck in the camera so I had to restore them in photoshop first. In addition to the movie I also had a photo book printed for them, so like your parents, it was the first nice pictures they had of their wedding. No wonder they like us so much:D

[deesmom]

Wow, I can just imagine how much your parents must have loved that. I am not that organized to be able to complete such a task.

[deesmom]

My parents pictures were snapshots taken by my uncle as their budget did not include photography. The pictures were ripped, moldy and discolored over the years, some had even been light struck in the camera so I had to restore them in photoshop first. In addition to the movie I also had a photo book printed for them, so like your parents, it was the first nice pictures they had of their wedding. No wonder they like us so much:D

I really should get the rest of my parents photos and restore them. I dont think I had photoshop at the time I did the first one. They love it, but I know I could do much better now. Maybe I need to get busy for their anniversary this month.

And yes, that work must have earned us a few chocolate martinis ;)

[starsite]

Wow, I can just imagine how much your parents must have loved that. I am not that organized to be able to complete such a task.

I'm not sure I could have done it with 3 kids and home schooling...those are the projects you look forward to when they are a little older.

[starsite]

I really should get the rest of my parents photos and restore them. I dont think I had photoshop at the time I did the first one. They love it, but I know I could do much better now. Maybe I need to get busy for their anniversary this month.

And yes, that work must have earned us a few chocolate martinis ;)

If I wanted to earn big time points I would have shaved about 20 pounds off mom and I could name my price!

It is amazing what can be done with Photoshop, I will never again believe any ad or images I see are not PS'd!

[deesmom]

I'm not sure I could have done it with 3 kids and home schooling...those are the projects you look forward to when they are a little older.

True. It is hard to fit it all in right now. I did do a photobook of the kids last year. I actually started out this year with the intent to take one picture that I loved every day and journal it for a book. I made it as far as late August or early September before I got sidetracked (by school no less) and got off track. I hate that I didnt complete it :(

[starsite]

True. It is hard to fit it all in right now. I did do a photobook of the kids last year. I actually started out this year with the intent to take one picture that I loved every day and journal it for a book. I made it as far as late August or early September before I got sidetracked (by school no less) and got off track. I hate that I didnt complete it :(

That is no small task you took on, you have to feel good about the memories you preserved.

[deesmom]

That is no small task you took on, you have to feel good about the memories you preserved.


I think it was actually more than I could handle, but I hate that I didnt finish it. I know it would have been special (or atleast I would hope so) to the kids one day. I just found it too easy to give up after my external harddrive, which had most of the pictures on it, crashed. I am not sure I have them saved anywhere else, aside from photobucket. I know the quality wont be the same if I lift them back off of there. I will still do some kind of book for the year, but it wont be a daily one now.

One the plus side, it did make me stand back and actually pay attention to the small details everyday that make my kids who they are. You cant take daily pictures without viewing them completely. It is hard to remember to slow down sometimes and just watch, you know? So I still learned a lot from the whole project, even if I failed.

[starsite]

I think it was actually more than I could handle, but I hate that I didnt finish it. I know it would have been special (or atleast I would hope so) to the kids one day. I just found it too easy to give up after my external harddrive, which had most of the pictures on it, crashed. I am not sure I have them saved anywhere else, aside from photobucket. I know the quality wont be the same if I lift them back off of there. I will still do some kind of book for the year, but it wont be a daily one now.

One the plus side, it did make me stand back and actually pay attention to the small details everyday that make my kids who they are. You cant take daily pictures without viewing them completely. It is hard to remember to slow down sometimes and just watch, you know? So I still learned a lot from the whole project, even if I failed.

You took away special times with your kids and a recorded history that most never enjoy so I don't view that as a failure. You may be able to re-evaluate what you do have even if it is not of the same image quality and make it into a calendar or other special objects to share with family that will become a treasured keepsake...maybe have the kids write or draw what they remember from the day the picture was taken so it becomes a school lesson and a family project that can be continued because you don't need to make special time for it if it is incorporated into other areas of your life????

I know nothing takes away the motivation more than losing your data - I lost the family tree and have not had the heart to re-do it, just so labor intensive, but now that I have the mac I'm thinking of taking my printed copies and re-doing it.

[ajsmom]

Oh girls, you are making me want to cry. I have tried so hard to capture a lot of AJ's first 2 1/2 years on video and in photos, but I know I have also missed a lot. Now with Alex so close to being born, I again want to make sure that I keep up and take those videos and photos. My DH is the 5th of 5 kids and would you believe that I only have one baby photo of him? His mom said that by the time he arrived, they were just tired and bored with taking photos of the kids.

Sounds like some of you might be into scrapbooking also? I love to scrapbook, but don't have enough time very often.

Hmmmmm, a whole new topic. Using embroidery in scrapbooks????

LS

[Boo Grandma]

Precious idea for family memories.....thanks for sharing

[ajsmom]

Here is a something that I thought was sort of neat and plan to do when Alex comes.

My husband got a new job about 2 years ago, and in the course of talking to one of his counterparts, realized that Michael had the same birthday as I do. When they talked further, they realized that we were born on the same day, within 1 hour of each other, at the same hospital. Neat,huh? So I thought it might be fun to get the names of all the babies born on the same day as Alex. That way, he could know them if he ever bumped into one of them. It is just amazing to me that I now know this man, who was born exactly the same time I was and in the same place.

LS

[Terrie]

I did tree skirts for my family about 4 years ago. I think I ended up doing 9, then one of my aunts took hers to show at work and I got 2 more orders. It took forever, but they all still use them. I also made myself one, and I still love it. I made it reversible, that way I could switch it up every year and not get tired of it.

LS

Great idea!

[Terrie]

Sometimes it is ok to be selfish!! Making all the window treatments was one of the first things I did when I got my new machine in March. But after those, I started making things to give to people.

I made curtains for our house (in my previous marriage). I remember making special curtains just for Christmas! Those were the days...... now I can't even get time to shop for Christmas! Some of those curtains were still hanging 10 years later. :)

[deesmom]

I made curtains for our house (in my previous marriage). I remember making special curtains just for Christmas! Those were the days...... now I can't even get time to shop for Christmas! Some of those curtains were still hanging 10 years later. :)

Christmas curtains? I dont remember those.

[Terrie]

Well, it was a long, long time ago, and they probably didn't look as nice as I had hoped, but I made some for the living room one year.

[starsite]

take that hard drive to some one that knows what they are doing --and they will get all of your pictures for you !! --i have seen this done even on burnt computers !! so good luck in you endeavers !:p

Thanks for the suggestion, if it had been recent I would definately give it a try. Sadly that was back in the day of floppy disks and small hard drives so the whole thing went in the trash - luckily I had printed much of the data for my sons school project.

I like the idea of re-doing it on the mac so I can sit in the recliner and do it at my pace:)