Christmas Card 2011 - Gingerbread People (Click it to see it bigger at Flickr.)

This year instead of using our bodies to make something we decided to use something to make our bodies. Gingerbread is the obvious seasonal choice for a medium. Yes, they/we taste good too…

Christmas card 2011 back photo

On the inside we decided to do a Sigler version of Mad Libs. Sorry Mad Libs for using your logo. Consider it free advertising. Mad Libs are fun and this idea gets out of long handwritten notes on every card. Nobody else seems to do that anyhow. Click the images for a closer view.

Christmas Card Mad Libs, Sigler Style - Part 1

Christmas Card Mad Libs, Sigler Style - Part 2

See you next year.

Previous Sigler Christmas Cards.

Detail of patch pocket. Two rows of topstitching for looks and avoiding slip stitching.

Mary has just started her new blog for sewing and all things related to fabric and fiber. In addition to posting projects there will be all sorts of tips and how-to stuff, and a lot of it will be in video form.

The blog design work hasn’t been done yet, but she’s not letting that stop her. I’ll feature some of the projects here too.

Check out TheDailySew.com

That’s how we do it. Hey! I just made a Facebook page for this blog. Please click the “Like” button over there on the right.

We just got the cards delivered yesterday. I normally wait until we have them mailed before I post about the latest card, but since some folks may not get theirs before Christmas I thought I would share it now.

As you can see in the video our dog Mika was determined to be part of the action. So, for the first time in his eight years we have included him.

And speaking of being included, if you’re not on our list just let me know and we will correct that.

Next year we’re going to try something different.

And here is the shot before the PhotoShopping…

Talk about DIY! OK, I will. This is my long lost cousin (probably) Terri Sigler. Not only has she learned the complex art of glass blowing she has managed to build her own studio completely from scratch. And from scratch includes her skill set. She had to research how to design it, then learn the various trades to construct it, from welding to electrical.

In the video above she and an intern are making Christmas ornaments at a recent studio open house. In the video below takes us on a tour of the glass blowing shop she built.

We stopped by an open studio/holiday sale to see our friends Judith and Terri in action. Judith’s specialty is bookmaking, and she also repairs old books. People want this type of high level craft in their lives. Look how popular the the DodoCase for the iPad has become. Now, if only Judith had something I could link to… We gotta get her goods online!

Cleaning out some “filed” emails I came across this one from almost three years ago.  Better than late than never I’m posting another project by my Mom. In her own words:

Hi Tracy,

When I was talking to you about making the jean purse and items for  Paris and Mars, I mentioned that I had also picked up a pair of embroidered jeans that I was going to make something out of for Ally for Christmas.  I finally got around to finishing it up this morning, so as you said to do – I took a picture.

It’s a little bag and a journal holder.  They are both lined with the funky flower print.  The lace ups are from the leg bottoms. Hopefully, Ally will like them – teens have very strong opinions as I’m sure you are learning. This aunt and Mema doesn’t want to be too “uncool”! Speaking of uncool – Got to stop and clean house.  Dad and Folly are off delivering muffins he made this morning to friends at the cleaners, service station, church office etc. and maybe hitting the guy stores (Northern and Harbor Freight).

xxoo to all
Mom

Previously posted projects from recycled jeans

That’s my dad! Usually the dude is busy doing things for other people, but once in a while he cranks out a project for himself. He makes it seem easy to make this copper sunflowers sculpture, and for him it probably was. He’s got the gear, and the skills. Dad used a nibbler to cut everything out but you can definitely use a bandsaw with the right blade or maybe even a jigsaw. Snips? I doubt it, with copper this thick. Once he had all the pieces fabbed up he used an oxy-acetylene torch to braze everything together.

Now you know. Go make your own thing.

More photos of this copper sunflowers sculpture

I recorded this interview with my uncle, Robin Sigler, on Christmas Eve 2009. It’s taken me a while to edit it together with some related photos.  I like his philosophy that you don’t have to paint things exactly as you see them. As I watch it and hear all the conversations and dogs whining in the background I feel like I’m back at my parents’ house during the holidays. And I always enjoy our time there.

I have a lot more photographs of Robin’s painting and will eventually add them to the site.

You can run, but you can’t hide from me when I’m carrying the Flip. This latest ambush is with my aunt Jan. For Christmas she made some very fancy embroidered pillow cases for my parents. I can’t imagine sweating and drooling on these masterpieces so I’m guessing they’re ornamental.

I dropped the ball and forgot to get photos while I was there, but I think you can see clearly enough from the video that pillow cases have a lot of detail. Gifts like this really are special, and not just because of the significant amount of time it takes to make something like this. In this (pillow) case it was about 20 hours for the pair.

One year I tried to make every gift I gave, and it just about killed me. Props to everyone makin’ stuff.

I left the video camera running while we did this. The whole shoot took about 30 minutes. I think Paris had the idea for snowflakes. Originally, I wanted to recruit a ton of people, dozens at least, to make one giant snowflake somewhere in downtown Asheville, and shoot it from a building. But the ladies were thumbs down on that. I still may do it one year. That’s a lot of white clothes!

We hope you like it. If you haven’t gotten yours yet and you know you’re on the list email me. We still have a small batch that hasn’t been mailed. If you want one, no matter who you are, just let me know. We have a small number left.

Christmas Card 2009 - Snowflakes

Here are some individual snowflake photos.

Christmas cards from previous years.