![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbp6yHSUIXJ-trdr7wV_-Ud3nunb78l4Aw9hFdTNty723pYGILxTkTFyiS1CfczO00fYu3-hNzNJXqWFLopZd46gju54zi0Y6Y69YZ_Uhq13bxpKIv5jqTVgtwGdPh9bS-NQck1dD6-AB/s320/IMG_3578-710039.JPG)
A close up...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVhxgfuQ4veqVbWQE4XYuMinPhIUMAjN4l0XnfqUR6tuI9Ox_2znUjy7vTPt6gGn8d4z8FtkXseOD_tm31Kw95MAaKXy-FqHemFViYbq9tNsjvQ9Lo7LfQI7QhGg2lPsYG3koQOLYZqJC/s320/IMG_3576-711469.JPG)
and a full view...
Yesterday I gave you a sneak peek of what I've been making over the last few days. I was inspired to create this stocking garland by this project featured in a recent special issue of Woman's Day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqscszkuvIwXD5x6U8WgXDTtb_m5pthI_JwMm0rLlwpAyxftZ_PhVBLeQf_1gFUkdomd-SD22lYjmL0_8vUQeFUTmmFDOU71_exhvZ6YuCLrKt9IaYt2MN4c8Zc_C6lK6A7eamAwZh7Il/s320/IMG_3533-712929.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChzIGTSEMbQpGMF5EzE17p2kanowjVohdDRoPKjUdSB15PLrAAmPnqinVBGR6MlshklOcjBVz6FNLEZ-9Gd3mqIJjcWrB4CPvb5lDBTOa6jSraM6eZBfMyLDDg0hRwo7PqRxHzKpVucJw/s320/IMG_3537-714314.JPG)
As I flipped through the magazine in line at the grocery store, this adorable garland caught my eye. I thought it was made from felt or fleece stockings. I thought it was a sewing project. I didn't have time to read the instructions but I knew I had to make it (and I loved several other ideas I saw in the magazine, too!). So, I tossed it on the conveyor belt along with my other items.
Well...when I finally read the instructions I realized it wasn't a sewing project. The stockings were made from...
baby socks!
I LOVED the idea even more once I realized this would be a special keepsake for my daughter's baby socks! Yes, my daughter is 4 1/2 and I still have socks from when she was an infant. In an effort to simplify, I always bought her the same white socks from Target. So, I have the same socks from 0-36mos. I read the first couple of steps of the tutorial in the magazine and then I let my own creative juices flow...
So, I started with several white socks and a bottle of red fabric dye.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VpKOn8hrv_W-LCRKjqwUt4a75LzHgwRGUwMHIrDAqs3Vjqz2AP5yef6JuL0tqKr1SWrVYkd0TjJ3a0IFsieP6zLXOCh4ngUBgJEoX8xdJ2Dbpo3wKqJLWTcQd0XKVYY9s1YGldBxtUxw/s320/IMG_3526-720390.JPG)
I followed the instructions on the bottle of dye to dye the socks red.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONIPOmAEpSkBTKx03qUoZFqFssGbOYO9q6gqoEX8G0qzioIvW_GKLhsCzxvL1OPykr98Txfye6PblgqZmcEBeBTCJ4hnOeVfstQOwUuHEv-5ChSFIwMUsDCHQzS4ziE-_E4rrLWcw0Eu-/s320/IMG_3538-716136.JPG)
(there's no cooking involved I just used my stock pot because I was afraid of staining a bucket or my white sink!)
When the dying was done, I washed them and dried them and I had beautiful red stockings!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02Ysfos6XbAx1CrNx98crCcLWIgTSwvvrQFcolkYtf3uqO0Qck0lcn14qE80QOFgW_Ucm98zdXLGcQV90Dqme4HE3-LsiBAjsxLVgEGaMtagW73sPfPy0-J5ddQ3GkyBHaYWEOo3FcYeV/s320/IMG_3541-716968.JPG)
Then I used a whole lot of this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkw41xqRrMTq3rxUNcHu2SMeOSEb4dbAS936fisBZ6vYULjjgfe_7AQHXKTd3jSX0guMGAlZciSpxrb6DPjKI4EnTLMga4aPkz2OMz_K1EG8LVFrkmOu0-Gi7MOLy3pJXewDaKyJN7nzv/s320/IMG_3548-718543.JPG)
Some puffy paint, and little bit of this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0mLASED3mMOT9S9811AHH-WpCTYyd5zSZd-rq-5dywEQsnvKQTGQGa-aHbc4x6-1xIVHUX_xHoewZw3AaGhCcXzlwrJV_TQTBRkoGvqhBwkGXpyYt3n8JvM7mzRFMlL9YAYIHyV_2Jfb/s320/IMG_3554-719532.JPG)
to create embellished stockings like this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfjCwQqk67BJBUdvKbo8xutcJVcM9vsMFad_gT06vN4UXcARZKm_mL9wgAxQvpUwIZ8ORZRlX_qXW1-CsTIU_is5BtEieq8FWZffuoQxM0_8rj2BWCs4xK4C1kIFquw7e-0MgB-qAtU6X/s320/IMG_3559-721032.JPG)
To create the snow effect, I used white puffy paint to create a snowman. Then, I sprinkled the Diamond dust on top of the paint and used my heat gun to dry it. It puffed up the paint and sealed the Diamond Dust, creating a look of real snow! I also use Diamond Dust on top of Glossy Accents to create a "sugared" look on fabric and paper flowers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuFlmT3w1N0lFqb0prPbVhZlZgMYiNMVQn_4oMNC-dGaf3Ge8cSNv-ff17IwSi5Qs7CTDxJNndBOuiE_ARwhjeGbqUX_IHWB_881AcTZRHT-MxctEttX3WAXjChbA-5lXm-gVVTp-QTpg/s320/IMG_3561-721919.JPG)
I had a whole lot of fun embellishing all of these little stockings to create a festive garland.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dqDhZweUBjrO0qn41mKR8rZmQ_BQgyOq9ke2OzLmSse9lPgz2cbNsF3oiHdRlG4QxaMXe7lPSc7PaSDMJ9AzfO6g5yfM8NV1qGh3ou7x1vbJCukBRdCnfYj-ZHXDWrfSq3J9CWWyk57m/s320/IMG_3582-722649.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Z3B2M-XAGEjoPqCuHwrDn14xKNCd2EaK8H0RK-_edNTGZC0XeOF5t_vVU_bM2xW9z7mEKh19Ga-nWjpEV5G_U23I8eHYJcyaLKYBBjm4RaA9omnPQce7UuFskv86ozPB9el4GytZjvgd/s320/IMG_3581-723436.JPG)
To create the peppermint swirl candies, I used this cording that I found by the spool at Michaels. I simply curled it and wrapped it tightly to create a circular candy shape. I've got a whole candy them going on this year...I really need to post pics of the tree and another handmade garland!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVNKzPMwYoqlnq0RJeZg1ilKGZZ-1BdVXyouVRvxNuw90ob5qgLdFI0mDOSOVWnoi8Cuh10GXAktTSMmadswwZKQ88Cj8AoM9rYlaVtUd_0mHtjf98mLcATpsi2yQRDc3EK8Ot684M_gJ/s320/IMG_3551-725333.JPG)
I embellished the other stockings with paint, felt, buttons and ribbons. Did I mention I had fun??? Then I used my Crop-a-Dile to punch a hole in the upper corner of each stocking and threaded a ribbon through the whole. Next, I hung the stockings from a wide piece of red ribbon and then tied various widths and colors of ribbon to the red ribbon.
The stockings would also work on their own as ornaments. What a wonderful keepsake to give a grandparent as a memento of baby's first Christmas. Or, if you've got a houseful of kiddos you could have them each decorate a few of their socks and keep it as an on-going keepsake that you add to each year. Or, do a collection of stockings for each baby's first Christmas.
However you choose to personalize this project, if you create your own I hope you have fun and be sure to send me a link!