Day 4 - Twelve Days of Christmas

 Welcome to Day 4 of

the 

12 Days of Christmas Celebration!

Yesterday turned sunny and temps got to a whopping 42 degrees, but at least the sun shone and a bit of our snow melted.  It certainly is looking and feeling like Christmas around here.

Today's tutorial may seem complicated, but it really is simple sewing, so I hope you give it a try.

As part of my Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration, I will be sharing instructions for a festive little bird ornament. 

This pattern is very versatile, and you can make your bird as Prim or as Fancy as you wish.  For my tutorial purposes, I chose to make a fancy bird to match my red toile dining room tree...but it would look equally good stained with coffee with a twine or cheesecloth 'ribbon' around his neck.  This ornie is quick and easy...if you make one I'd love to see a picture!  For this little bird, who is about 6" long, you will need the following:

one fat quarter of fabric

fiberfill

2 - 4 mm black beads for eyes

2 small buttons to coordinate with your fabric

ribbon, garland or twine for the neck tie

Fold your fabric with right sides together.  On back of fabric, trace the bird and wing patterns.  Do NOT cut out, but sew the entire way around the tracing line.  Once all pieces are sewn, cut out pieces.  You will now need to make a small slit in one side of the bird, as indicated on the pattern.  Be careful not to slit both sides.  Turn bird right side out, being certain to use a small pointed object to completely turn the beak and tail areas.  Stuff the bird firmly and slip stitch the opening closed.  Take the sewn wing pieces and make a slit in one side of each, making certain to do opposite sides, so you wings will fit correctly.  Double check before you cut! Turn and press, do not stuff. 

Pin the wings to either side of the bird, with slits facing toward the bird, being sure to cover the slit in the side of the bird as well. When you are happy with the placement, take a doubled length of coordinating thread and a long needle and sew the buttons onto the sides of the wings, running the thread through the entire bird body a couple of times.  Knot the thread in between the bird body and one of the wings, so the threads don't show.  Sew on the beads for eyes and add a hanging cord or ribbon to the top of bird.  Decorate as you wish....it's that simple.  

You can hang these on your tree, from a garland, sit them in some greenery or tie them to a gift....the possibilities are endless!  They are so easy you can make an entire flock in no time!

 

Ah...Christmas morning....so busy, but everyone loves to have a yummy breakfast too.  I'm breaking from the tradition of sharing sweet recipes, to sharing a tried and true yummy breakfast for the whole family!

Easy Bacon/Egg Cups for a Crowd 

When the family arrives early Christmas morn, preparing this yummy and simple recipe for breakfast is a must!  With a little prep the day before, these whip up quickly.  We have an abundance of farm fresh eggs, so I like to use some of them up while everyone was here.  The recipe uses a muffin tin,  so in no time at all, you will have a tasty breakfast for all!  Yummm....give them a try.

12 slices of wheat bread, crusts cut off (or bread of your choice)

12 eggs

6 strips of bacon, pre-cooked and crumbled

Lightly spray your muffin tin with cooking spray.

After cutting the crusts from your bread, push each slice into a muffin tin cup, making sure to not rip or tear the bread, and working it up around the sides of the tin.

  

Next, crack an egg into each bread cup (I used smaller eggs because my tin is a bit on the small side, and the regular eggs were overflowing).

Top the egg with crumbled bacon pieces (I cooked mine the day before so it was all ready, but you can easily 'zap' some in the microwave the day you are preparing these).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes - you will want to check occasionally so they are cooked they way you like them.

Other options you could try is sprinkling with cheese or using ham instead of the bacon.

Hope you get a chance to try these!

 

That's all for today!

See you tomorrow as the Celebration continues!