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Beaded Christmas Spider swap! International

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Beaded Christmas Spider swap! International
Swap Coordinator:Guitartists (contact)
Swap categories: Crafts  Seasonal  Handmade 
Number of people in swap:11
Location:Other
Type:None
Last day to signup/drop:November 20, 2008
Date items must be sent by:December 12, 2008
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

Saw these and thought they would be fun to make and swap! Here's instructions..... though, you can bead them any way you would like :D

Christmas Spider Instructions

Here is one story behind these little lovelies :D .....

On Christmas eve, a long time ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year... Christmas day, the day on which the little Christ child came to bless the house. Not a speck of dust was left. Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corner on the ceiling. They had fled to the farthest corner of the attic.

The Christmas tree was beautifully decorated. The poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the little Christ child's visit. Then the oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could wait until everyone went to bed and then get a closer look.

When the house was dark and silent, the spiders crept out of their hiding place. When they neared the Christmas tree, they were delighted with the beauty of it. The spiders crept all over the tree, up and down, over the branches and twigs and saw every one of the pretty things.

The spiders loved the Christmas tree. All night long they danced in the branches, leaving them covered with spider webs. In the morning, when the little Christ child came to bless the house, he was dismayed! He loved the little spiders for they were God's creatures, but he knew the mother, who had worked so hard to make everything perfect, would not be pleased when she saw what the spiders had done.

With love in his heart and a smile on his lips, the little Christ child reached out and gently touched the spider webs. The spider webs started to sparkle and shine! They had all turned into sparkling, shimmering silver and gold.

According to legend, ever since this happened, people have hung tinsel on their Christmas trees. It has also become a custom to include a spider among the decorations on the Christmas tree.

And another version as well.....

There are many miracles of Christmas. From Germany comes the folk tale of the Christmas Spider -- a miracle that took place due to the simple house keeping chores associated with the season.

As the story was told, a family living in a small home worked together one Christmas Eve day to clean the house. They cleaned it from top to bottom. All the spiders living in the various parts of the house escaped to the attic as the cleaning took place. Later that evening, after all had gone to bed, they were delighted to see that at least one place in the home remained that would be suitable for a spider -- the Christmas tree!

Having nowhere else to go to spin their webs, they dashed up the trunk of the tree and leaped from branch to branch, spinning their webs and making for them selves a new place in which to live. When Santa Claus (or the Christ Child, depending on which version of the legend you read) arrived he encountered the web-covered tree and somewhat of a difficult dilemma: did he keep the tree wrapped in spider webs and disappoint the family? Or should he remove the webs and destroy the spiders' new home (and ruin their Christmas in the process)?

Santa fixed everything. He turned the spider webs into shimmering silver strands that turned the tree into a brilliant decoration. His action thrilled the family - and saved the spiders. That is why today many people decorate their tree with tinsel -- in honor of the Christmas Spider.

And one more.... I like this one best :D

a poor woman was unable to provide the traditional decorations for the Christmas holiday. A spider, who had narrowly escaped the dust mop, made his home in her tree and began to spin beautiful webs. On Christmas morning, the first light of sun struck the cobwebs, turning them to silver. When the woman awoke, she found the tree covered with silver treasure - the spider had brought good fortune!

  • You will have 1 swap partner that you will make 1 Christmas Spider for.

  • You must have 4.5 rating or better and NO recent no-sends! Newbies welcome with a full profile. Please message me before joining. All flakers will be banned from future swaps of mine!

  • Have fun!!!

Discussion

missychrissy 08/28/2008 #

awww, what a lovely story, never heard that one before.

dreamerkins 08/28/2008 #

i've heard it, but the way i heard it the mother was poor, and could not afford presents or food. the tree was bare, but free, having come from outdoors (or something like that), and the silver and gold provided food and presents for the poor children and mother. both stories are beautiful.

CrayonMom 08/28/2008 #

My mother and I made tons of these one year for Christmas presents to our church members. They are very quick and easy.

Guitartists 08/28/2008 #

Oh... I like that version too! I imagine there are many versions as it is a story ;) I'll try to find that one and include it also :D

groundhoggirl 08/28/2008 #

what a lovely idea...I had never heard any of these stories before, and even though I'm not crazy for Christmas, this would be a worthwhile project...except I don't know how to do it!...Kudos to you for a original swap!

vinicki 08/28/2008 #

what a nice idea but i dont know how to make them could someone send me directions please thanks vickie

Guitartists 08/28/2008 #

There's a link toward the top that has instructions. You can find even more by Googling for them. :)

ScrambledEgg 09/28/2008 #

The bead used for the spider in that picture above is soooo awesome!!!! Love it!!! ;)

Guitartists 09/28/2008 #

Wish I could take credit for it! LOL Isn't it pretty though! I need to hit the bead store and get some cool focal beads for mine :D

ScrambledEgg 09/28/2008 #

Yep, another trip to Michael's for me, lol!!

ScrambledEgg 09/29/2008 #

I made mine in purple beads and think he is quite handsome! Does he get sent to you Guitarists? ;)

Guitartists 09/30/2008 #

Once we get to the signup deadline you will be randomly assigned a partner and then you will see a "See the partners you send to" link there on the right... click on it and it will give you the name and addy of your partner :)

ScrambledEgg 09/30/2008 #

Cool! Obviously my first swap!! Thanks for asking me Angie!! ;)

ScrambledEgg 09/30/2008 #

You all might do a search on Etsy.com for "beaded spider"...several pages of inspiration there! Some really niceones, some not so nice ones. Personally I prefer the tube beads on the legs to the seed beads and there are both on the Etsy pages. A few with some really nice bead bodies too! Amazing to see the pricings go from about $5.00 to nearly $40.00!! ;)

Guitartists 10/ 3/2008 #

WOO! $40! Must be some nice beads ;) I prefer the tube beads also... gives it that segmented look to the legs :)

Mawchickkidie 10/28/2008 #

my dashboard says that I am not in any swaps, guitartists you do have me down on the list right? I got mine almost done and ready.

Mawchickkidie 10/28/2008 #

my dashboard says that I am not in any swaps, guitartists you do have me down on the list right? I got mine almost done and ready.

sewandgrow 10/29/2008 #

After quite a search I found some rather different beads for the body. Not what I was out looking for but it works & turned out nicer than I thought & came in many colors so I had to try them all.......LOL.. I like the #5 bugle beads for the leg segments to but they are hard to find here. Michaels & JoAnn's didn't carry them even on line they were not plentiful. I am going to hang mine on a gold string with a tiny folded paperbook with the story at the other end of the hanger. I found a template for an e zine & I am going to try to use that. Karen in California

Guitartists 10/30/2008 #

It says you're there :D And when I go to your profile, it shows it there too.... maybe a glitch?

Guitartists 10/30/2008 #

Karen... that sounds wonderful! Can't wait to see :D Thanks for the info on beads :D

Hazelette 11/ 7/2008 #

I'm having a terrible time finding nice beads. :( Where are the rest of you getting your beads?

Guitartists 11/11/2008 #

I got mine at a small bead store in my area..... but also try www.firemountaingems.com

Mawchickkidie 11/13/2008 #

I was lucky enough to find a small package of bugle beads at wal-mart before they start not carrieing craft products anymore. boo wal-mart, now I am going to have to drive 65 miles to go to hobbyLobby and micheals just to get all my crafting supplies. and you know you always forget something important you really need, and then have to go back! Oh well.

ScrambledEgg 11/14/2008 #

Oriental Trading Company has alot of beads, Michael's has a good bit and there are several sellers on ebay that have nice ones too. On ebay I would narrow the search with key words like "ball" or "round" or "18mm" or whatever size you need...that will help cull the search results..also there are areas for glass/acrylic/polymer clay beads too so that will help. I have some pretty ones coming from a Hong Kong seller off ebay. The Oriental Trading Company is a good deal too because their end caps are cheaper than Michael's. Those bugle beads are slim pickins at Michael's too. Also, might try Joann.com too..and then, as Guitarists said, there is always firemountain..get their catalog, you will be in bead heaven!!!

jennygel 11/14/2008 #

I'm sorry, I've had a hard time finding good enough beads, and don't htink that I am going to be able to find anything to complete the swap. I'll rejoin if I do.

Guitartists 11/18/2008 #

Don't forget folks.... you can always get some polymer clay and make your own 'big' beads :)

Hazelette 11/18/2008 #

My polyclay beads suck. :( So I won't be going that route.

I do have 1 Darice kit for making a Christmas spider, so I may end up using that. I bought it several years ago for myself, and I just never got around to assembling it. It's faceted clear acrylic though, and I wanted to send out something more keepsake style. :(

I'll keep looking. If I buy from Fire Mountain, then I'll bankrupt myself! There is SOOOOOO much stuff that I would love to get, especially if I already have to pay shipping! :)

Guitartists 11/21/2008 #

LOL... I know... it's dangerous buying mail order sometimes... I ALWAYS end up with more than I needed :P

ScrambledEgg 12/ 5/2008 #

Sent my spider to WarLordsWife and she has responded that she has him and likes him...I am thrilled!!! Merry Christmas WarLordsWife!!! ;)

ScrambledEgg 12/ 5/2008 #

You all might check Joann.com and OrientalTrading.com for beads also...I have bought from both of them..in fact OrientalTrading.com has the best price on the nice end caps..50 in a pack for about 6 bucks and great sales right now on the beads and free shipping with some conditions too. Joann's had alot of their beads marked down too so check them out as well...nothing like enabling your pals, lol!! ;)

ScrambledEgg 12/23/2008 #

I never received a spider, did the partner assigned to me send me one? ;)

ScrambledEgg 01/ 2/2009 #

;( Still no spider, how disappointing, this was my first swap-bot experience..will be my last too.

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