Everything is Beautiful, In Its Own Way...

(Remember that song?  Showing my age...)

This weekend, my darling husband and I went to my Bunco group's annual Christmas party.  December is the one month out of the year we allow the men to join us.  My Bunco group hasn't actually played Bunco in at least five years, but the twelve of us get together monthly at a member's house to have dinner, wine, and gifts.

This year, our December hostess decided we needed to have an Ugly Christmas Sweater contest. I dug into my mother's closet, and the best I could come up with was this:

And from behind:

That just wouldn't do.  I would have to make "improvements."  I thought long and hard about what makes a truly Ugly Christmas Sweater.  Like paper crafters, I figure sweater designers don't set out to make something ugly; rather, they have good intentions, but they take the motif too far, and don't/can't edit. So, after a quick trip to Hobby Lobby, and with the aid of a hot glue gun, my sad little jacket was transformed into this GORGEOUSLY GARISH garment:

Pipe cleaner wreaths (little bows made with the help of my Bow Easy - thanks, Jody!) with jingle bells made sure there was music wherever I went.  Pom-pom trim around the cuffs, collar and bottom added movement and texture.  But nothing - I repeat, NOTHING! - says "class" like poinsettia pasties, don't you agree?

Thanks to My Favorite Things' lovely new Poinsettia Die-Namic and homemade tassels made with embroidery floss, I had the best bedazzled breasts of all the Bunco babes in attendance.  (Note: the Merry Christmas ornaments on the sleeves were torn off before the party because they wouldn't stay stuck, and I was in too big of a hurry to glue them down properly.)

One must look as good from behind as from the front, don't you think?

And don't forget the reason for the season!

Mary looks like she's giggling, doesn't she?

You'll be happy to hear I won the contest.  My stiffest competition?  My aforementioned darling husband, who was the only man to wear a true Christmas sweater (a pastel cardigan festooned with snowmen, also culled from Mom's closet).  Sean is not only very secure in his masculinity, he's also game, as is a requirement to be married to yours truly for 19+ years. 

Here's a little tune so you can sing-a-long with me.  You're welcome! ;)

 

Comments

[Kate - i {heart} papers]

Poinsettia pasties!!! Crying from laughing. Oh my.

[Kellijo]

Oh my word!!!! Carole that is hilarious!!!! Only you would make sure pasties were in place!!!! Ha! Yay for Sean playing along!!!! My DH would have NEVER done so!!!! LOL!

[Cindy Lawrence]

Hahahaaaaa.... That is AWESOME! Thanks for the laugh, Carole!

[Debbie Carriere]

Just awesome!! I think you probably just started an annual tradition!!!!

[Cheryl (Shestamps)]

How fun!

[Troy Louise]

What fun story! Love your sweater - what would we do without our craft dies? Your husband is quite a guy! Thanks for the smile.

[Linda]

You deserved to win! Congratulations,,,

[Amy Rohl]

Oh my gosh!!! That looks like a teacher sweater, loll, except.for.the.TASSELS!! LMAO! Only you, my dear girl!

[Karen (YNS)]

Oh WOW! You totally won that contest!!! You took the ugly sweater contest to the max and I LOVE it! xo

[Kim]

wow, rotfl, you did a great job embellishing!

[Felix Lee]

I love what you did with that jacket/sweater. You deserved to win that contest. Haha.. Congratulations!

[Carolyn King]

poinsettia pasties....that is SOOOO Carole! LOVE it! SEE ya soon....wear the sweater!

[alma de la rosa]

Oh my. I think I am in love. Love the ball fringe! It totally pulls the whole shebang together

[chaussures asics]

Precej dobro delovno mesto. Pravkar sem naletel na vaš blog in želel reči, da sem res uživala branju vaših objav v spletnem dnevniku. Kakorkoli bom se naročite na vaš vir in upam, da boste objavili kmalu spet.

[Doris]

It's a good thing I scrolled back up and read your post! My first thought when I saw this sweater was Ewww--talk about overdoing the themes! Now I understand why you went overboard--great job! How come no snowmen, tho???