This just popped in my inbox today and I had to post being that we're still Christmas-adjacent. I mean I just watched a medley of Bad Santa/Elf a few hours ago.
Greetings from South Dakota, Marisa! I love seeing your creations and all the great reader creations out there! The weekend before Christmas, all my daughter could talk about was the Elf on the Shelf – she really thought we needed one in our house. For a moment, I contemplated running out to the stores after she went to bed, but a few things stopped me in my tracks…1. We live in Sioux Falls, the biggest shopping center in South Dakota. Stores would be super busy.
2. It was the weekend before Christmas, and the Elves might be sold out.
3. The Elf retails for $29.95, and I can't see myself spending that kind of money on a toy we only see one month per year and the kids can't actually play with it (if you touch the elf, it will lose it's magic!)
4. The weather outside was freezing, and I was snuggled up on the couch with a nice, warm blanket watching movies with the family.
That last #4 is reason enough to get crafty!
A few weeks earlier, my coworker gave me a bag full of clothes (yay free!) to try on and this is the piece that got my internal wheels turning…
How will Miss Mandy transform this into something Elf on the Shelf-y??
I printed a few doll clothing patterns from the internet to give me a guide for the shirt...
...and skirt...
The ruffle on the sleeves served as the perfect over-skirt for the dress.
My daughter has so many Barbie dolls, so I knew she wouldn't miss one. I added the newly made ensemble to the doll and, voila!! Homemade Elf on the Shelf!
My daughter was so excited to see our elf in the fruit basket on the kitchen table the next morning. All day long, I would catch her sneaking up to her new elf and whispering in her ear. Thanks so much for your inspiring blog!
Mandy, thank you so much for sharing this amazing piece with us. I think you recreated something really fantastic and how special that your daughter had her own, one-of-a-kind elf. Kudos to a fabulous remake - I would totally wear this if it came in my size - Marisa Elf on the Shelf next year!
