My church has committed to decorating a tree for a Community Christmas Tree Festival, to be held in All Saints Parish Church in the town centre later this month. Last year, I did it on my own - lots of shapes cut out of glittery funky foam to represent our music and flower festivals, held to celebrate 125 years of our little church in the woods.
This year, I wanted to make it a community affair, get more folk from the congregation involved. As usual, I have the idea(s), but I need other people to help make it/them a reality if I'm not to overburden myself in the creative department during what is a very busy time of the year for everybody! A friend stepped in to help, and we decided on a theme of stars.
Now, I love working in felt. There's something so tactile about it, plus the fact it doesn't need hemming 'cos it won't fray and - providing your scissors are sharp enough - you can pretty much cut out any shape you want. It's my fabric of choice for making Christmas stockings (that's another blog post, to be written by The Stocking Fairy) and small decorations - as proven by what you can find hanging on the end of the bed on Christmas Eve and on the Christmas tree in the Squidge household!
Anyway - felt was duly bought and cut out. The decorated fronts of the stars would be white, the backs would be coloured. Stars were handed out to folk who wanted to stitch/decorate at home, and I arranged an afternoon where others could come and have a social while they worked. I wanted bling and sparkle and twinkle...
 |
| All sorts of decorating goodies to choose from! |
What was really nice was the enthusiasm with which the children threw themselves into the task. Granted, I had to sew the backs on about a dozen stars, but the kids still managed to stitch ladybird buttons and silk flowers on their stars, use stickers and blobs of glitter glue to make some lovely stars...
 |
| Hard at work |
 |
| Sorting through the button box for something suitable... |
 |
| Thought you said you couldn't sew... |
As a result, I now have in my possession 49 stars - with more to come! Look!
 |
| Just a few of the finished stars |
After the Christmas Tree Festival, the stars will return to St Mary's church...some will go back to their makers, but most will end up on our church Christmas Tree.
It's going to be a starry, starry night!
PS I enjoyed making the the 'word' stars so much, I'm thinking of making a love, joy, faith, hope, peace garland for over the fireplace. If I get a spare few minutes to make it, anyway!