COZY CREEK PRIMITIVES

I'm a self taught artist who was born and raised in Bucks County, PA, and now live in Colts Neck, NJ (hopefully to return to PA one day with my husband and fur babies!). I have been running my shop Cozy Creek Primitives for over a decade! Here in my little home-based shop, I value quality over quantity. I take my time and put lots of loving attention to detail into every original One-Of-A-Kind piece of art I create, along with plenty of imagination, uniqueness, and whimsy! I don't have anyone working with me or for me (well, except Scamper, the rather sizable Siberian Forest Cat I hired as my Production Oversight Manager). I create each and every doll, every stitch, every detail from start to finish by myself. I don’t use professional lighting, backgrounds or camera tricks to photograph my creations; they are never touched up; what you see is just what you get! My photos show my dolls in normal, every day backgrounds and regular home lighting conditions. I want you to see what they’ll look like in your warm and cozy home, not in a sterile and cold studio setting. I use only high quality materials to create my art. I make sure that my items are solid, sturdy and well constructed. I realize that my items aren't just a decoration for one season, or one holiday. I know they will be brought out year after year, or on display every day of the year. Some will be given to loved ones and special friends as gifts or even handed down to children and grandchildren... they become part of a family and a home, so I make sure each one is very special. I use only non-toxic, U.S.A.-sourced materials in the creation of my art and nothing that I use has a chemical odor. Chemicals bother me so I know they must bother others as well. The only scent my dolls will have are the light, pleasant, heart-warming smells of coffee, tea, cinnamon and vanilla. I use only hypoallergenic stuffing and all of my items are created in a completely smoke-free and clean environment. DISCLAIMER: Every piece of art I create has to first receive Scamper's "Kitten Paw Print of Approval" before it enters my shop for sale! Scamper loves to hang out on my work table to supervise and help with everything I do! Every piece of art is signed and dated by me, then stamped with a little paw print to represent Scamper! I enjoy knowing the items I create with my heart, here in my home surrounded by the love of my family, will be treasured by my customers as a part of their own homes and families! God Bless, Wendy Marro

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Super Easy DIY Prim Sruffed Or Styrofoam Christmas Trees!

When I saw these on Pinterest yesterday, I said to myself   "I HAVE to make a tutorial for these!!" because they are SO cute yet so simple that anyone can make them!
Read below for tutorial!


These trees are on old vintage bobbins. You can find them on Etsy or Ebay.

These tree above are sewn and stuffed. I have another version at the bottom for making them using styrofoam. 

For making the stuffed trees...  simply choose your favorite fabrics! They can all be in the green family ( to look like actual trees) or you can make red, white, silver, gold, green , blue any color you choose! if you want to be whimsical choose some colorful printed fabrics!  I personally like the green fabrics. You can make them all the same, or  make each one different!

Lay your fabric out on a table right sides together and doubled. ( double layer not single) Trace a triangle shape onto your fabric ( or eyeball it!) They can be short and fat, long and thin.. it's up to you!  Now sew all the way around your triangle leaving about a 1/4" allowance, but leave the bottom OPEN!
Turn your trees right side out and stuff them! Now using a strong thread and needle take a running stitch around the bottom opening and pull closed and tie off. You can always poke more stuffing into the tiny hole that remains to plump your tree out more.
Now slide your tree onto the wood bobbins and decorate! 
These simply have some rusty wire wrapped around them and little rusty stars at the top with some little labels pinned onto each one!


If you don't like to sew,  I have a version using styrofoam trees!
Simply purchase a few styrofoam tree's, ( they are in the styrofoam section of your craft store where all the syrofoam balls are. If your store doesn't carry them look online!) Get a few different sizes for visual interest!

Cut your fabric into long strips approx 2" wide. If you want a more Primitive ragged look TEAR your fabric into long 2" wide strips so you get all those wonderful ragged edges!

Cover your tree with some craft glue.When I do crafts like this  I put some glue on a plate and add a little water, then I use an old brush to mix it so it's not as thick and it's easier to apply, then I brush it on with the brush. 

Start wrapping your tree with the long strips of fabric you just cut or tore. Start at the top so you have a nice finished look on the top of the tree, work your way down. Tuck the last edge under the bottom of the syrofoam tree where no one will see it. 
Decorate your tree as you like. There are endless possibilities! You can wrap a little garland around them, or rusty wire, you can pin ornaments to them, or glue on snowflakes, or just have little labels like the photo above. Make them unique and yours!
You can just sit the styrofoam trees on any flat surface just as they are, or you can slide them over the wood bobbins as well.
Have fun!