"Socks" the Snowman Project

My apartment is looking a little (OK, a lot!) sparse this holiday season since all of our holiday decorations are locked up in storage. I really thought I'd be alright with skipping a year of the tree, stockings, Santas and jazz, but I was wrong. I could tempt fate and venture forth into said storage space, but as my husband says, "the whole thing wreaks of effort." Still, I need a little holiday something something. Enter, "Socks" the Snowman Project.

I don't know where Socks originated...I think it came from some magazine my mom had back copies of such as Woman's Day, Better Homes and Gardens, or one of those. All I know, is I made the first version of socks about 10 years ago when Shane and I were living in our college apartment. It was 500 sq. feet, and our first year of living (in sin) together. We couldn't fit ourselves in there, let alone a tree, so I made Socks as our very first decoration. Now that our living situation has come full circle and we're back in an apartment (temporarily this time), I think Socks needs to come full circle, too.

You may have the luxury of garlands, wreaths and even gasp real snowmen, but that doesn't mean you couldn't still use Socks in your home, too. Or he makes a great gift...and is inexpensive to make! So let the tutorial roll:

First, the supplies. Above shows just about everything you need for your own Socks: rice, a measuring cup, a funnel (or really good aim), a clean white midcalf sock, a clean holiday sock, Polyfil stuffing, three rubberbands, two twigs, scissors, a strand of yarn, pinking shears, a glue gun and sticks, and embellishments (not pictured) such as buttons, puffy paint, needle felting materials, etc.

Pour 1.5 cups (give or take) into the bottom of the sock using the funnel (or impeccable aim).

Wrap a rubberband around the sock tying off the snowman's bum.

It should look like this (above).

Using the funnel, pour in about a 0.5 cup of rice. On top of the rice, use the Polyfil stuffing to create the snowman's belly. Tie off this section with another rubberband.

Pour a 0.25 cup of rice into the top section and then more Polyfil to make the head. Tie off the head with another rubberband and cut off the excess socks.

With the holiday sock, cut off the top 3 -4 inches, making sure to leave the elastic in tact (actually, your scissors shouldn't be anywhere near the elastic :)

Use a piece of yarn to tie off the top of the hat. To make it pretty, try cutting with pinking shears.

Now, the fun part...bring Socks to life. Put on his hat!

I put Socks' face on by needle felting (no, not voodoo), put you can use anything you want...puffy paint, glued on felt, buttons, sequins, blood...oh, wait. Skip that last one.

Snip itty bitty holes in the Polyfil part of the belly section to add twig arms. Your twigs should stick right in, but if they're saggy, put some hot glue on the ends and pinch them in (get ready to burn your fingers). Add buttons or other embellishments, and Socks is all yours!