Welcome to the first day of Sweet Tidings 12 Days of Christmas!  From today until December 9, I will be sharing with you my handmade holiday craft ideas, favorite recipes and inspiration. I will be posting new material every two days  so check back often.  Hop along and together we'll make this the merriest and craftiest Christmas ever!

I love anything snowman inspired and so my favorite Christmas tale aside of course from the Nativity of Jesus is Raymond Brigg's The Snowman. Visit the Snowman site and  relive a bit of that childhood Christmas magic.

Now on to my handmade Christmas tutorial!

Miss Frosty Gets Toasty Tabletop Ornament  

On a cold and windy day, even Miss Frosty would want to warm her feet (or her bum) on a steaming cup of hot cocoa!  Feel as cozy as Miss Frosty by creating this sweet tabletop ornament  for your office desk or study table.

Materials:

• 1 piece- 1 inch Styrofoam ball
• 2 piece- 1.5 inches Styrofoam ball
• 2 inches pipe cleaner
• 2 pieces  small cotton balls
• 2 pieces miniature red buttons
• 2 pieces  wooden twigs
• Wads of cotton
• White demitasse cup 
• Glue gun and glue stick. 
• Felt tip marker
• Toothpick
• Orange  acrylic paint 
• Scraps of red felt cloth 
• 
  

How to make:

1. Using hot glue gun, attach  the two pieces of 1.5 inch Styrofoam balls together. Add the smaller 1 inch Styrofoam ball on top. Snugly insert the snowman body to the bottom of the demitasse cup. Fill the sides of cup with wads of soft, fluffy cotton balls. Gently pull cotton balls  the rim of the cup for a sweet sugar floss effect.

2. Attach miniature red buttons to the front body of the snowman. Gently poke the sides of the snowman's body to insert wooden twig "hands."

3. Cut toothpick in half and  paint with orange acrylic paint. Let dry and attach to the snowman's face as "nose."

3. Using a black felt tip, draw "eyes" on the snowman's face.

4. Make ear muffs for the snowman by attaching cotton balls to both sides of  the 2 inches pipe cleaner. Bend gently and glue to both sides of the snowman's head.

5. Cut a strip of red felt. Make fringe edging. Tie around  the snowman's neck.

Enjoy your Miss Frosty ornament. See you on Sunday for the next installment of Sweet Tidings 12 Days of Christmas.