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That’s me and my Mama last week at her house. She is getting to the point where she needs some help around the house, so Fabgrandpa and I went over there and cleaned her house for her last week. She has a hard time standing up for any length of time now. She has everything she wants, so I decided to make her a handmade Christmas stocking and fill it with things she might like.

I picked out three pieces of fabric that looked all Christmas-y and stacked them one on top of the other.

I used a rotary cutter to cut 1.5 inch strips, then sewed the strips together. Once they were sewed together, I cut 1.5 inch strips again.

I layered a lining, a batting, and the finished patchwork fabric, then machine quilted it. Then I used a sock to trace a pattern to cut out the stocking. When it was finished, I went to Dollar General to buy some stuff to go in it.

Mama collects Santa Claus figurines, so I got one of these shelf sitter ones to go in her stocking.

And what is a stocking without candy? I always loved Smarties when I was a little girl, and now I love them because they are gluten free! I don’t know if Mama likes them or not, but I got them anyway and put them in her stocking. Now when I go over there, I can eat them if she doesn’t! I also got some chocolate and some coconut bon bons. My Dad always used to buy those when he was still alive.

When I got home, I gathered all the things I bought together so I could stuff that stocking. The bon bons wouldn’t fit, so I have to wrap those separate.

I think it turned out really cute, don’t you?

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, but the story and photos are my own. You can see the google+ story here.   #IAmaSmartie

 

Have you heard of Red Clay Home? When Fabgrandpa and I had our last house, we collected pottery and various other forms of art that we loved. So, while we are waiting to hear whether or not we are approved by the lender to buy our next house, we have been looking at things we want to put in the house to make it our home. We want eco-friendly items, whether they are recycled from thrift stores, or they are new but made in environmentally friendly, sustainable ways. Red Clay Home is a website where you can get some very nice new pieces for your home that are absolutely gorgeous, without sacrificing the earth.

Their website describes their passion for art and design. When you purchase a Red Clay design,  you are buying more than a vase or a pillow. You are supporting an idea, a community, a mission.  Here is what they have to say:

“We stand by our belief that honest materials and honest manufacturing processes leaves little impact on the earth and its inhabitants with nothing to hide. Doing so can meet your unique needs and style at a competitive price. That standard is the future and we’re setting out to pave the way with your help.”

All Red Clay art prints are off-set lithograph prints done on archival quality, 100% post-consumer waste paper (that means no new paper was made to create this print!) with soy based ink (a renewable product and easier to recycle compared to the petrol-based inks traditionally used). Every product you buy from Red Clay is made in the USA from start to finish.

BUY IT!  Check out the Red Clay Home website to see their beautiful designs.

WIN IT! One lucky reader will win a $59 gift code to shop for your own favorite piece from Red Clay Home. To win, just leave a comment telling me which piece you would choose!

For extra entries:

Follow Red Clay on Twitter

Like Red Clay on Facebook

Follow Fabgrandma on Twitter

Tweet this giveaway (once per day per twitter account) “@RedClayCo beautiful style that loves the earth #giveaway http://bit.ly/sPCn7R #CBias @fabgrandma ”

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This giveaway will end on December 15, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST.   One winner will receive a $59 gift code to Red Clay. The winner will be selected using And The Winner Is…plugin.  Giveaway open to US mailing addresses only.  Winner will be notified by email, so please make sure you use a valid email address when entering. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification of winning. If the winner does not respond in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. You can enter once each day by tweeting about the giveaway one time each day per twitter account. Giveaway is open to residents of the United States and must be 18 years old or over. Prize is the responsibility of and will be shipped by the sponsor. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery after the giveaway closes.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All opinions are my own