Meet Hope- Our Elf on the Shelf Alternative

Meet Hope- Our Elf on the Shelf Alternative // In Our Pond // elf on the shelf // Christmas // buddy the elf


Many feel like the official red-suited Elf-on-the-Shelf is slightly creepy.  Others don't like him because of his spy backstory.  When I chose JOY two years ago, I wanted a doll that had a Christmas look, but was cuter and more friendly than the official Elf.  I also liked that her outfit was non-traditional colors.  Her soft clothes and body invited snuggling (in fact, Dragonfly has been begging me for 3 years to let her have the doll to keep).  She has had many adventures with our family, but my expectations for an elf have changed during that time.  As Christmas approaches, I find myself in the market for a different kind of elf, one better suited to interesting scenarios.  Which led me on a wild Pinterest search for ideas.

I ran into this inspiring blog post, where the mom took a Disney Fairy doll and turned her into a girly elf.  She clipped the wings, then took a Dollar Store sock and made the "cold weather" accessories.  I love how simple the project was for her, and how the doll looks warm, cute, and custom.  The doll is also full-articulated, which is so wonderful for posing the doll in elf scenes.  Unfortunately, the doll doesn't stand on her own feet, limiting her range of poses.

I loved the fairy doll ideas, but I needed to find a figurine that could stand.  I had no idea how rare that concept was in the doll world.  My search led us to the Made-to-Move Barbie doll.  I hadn't really wanted to use the Barbie, but I loved the 22 points of articulation and her ability to stand up on her own.  Another bonus about using a Barbie is the large amount of store-bought accessories and craft tutorials for the twelve-inch size.




Meet Hope- Our Elf on the Shelf Alternative // In Our Pond // elf on the shelf // Christmas // buddy the elf // elf movie // barbie fashion // barbie crafts

I dressed Hope in a handknit green top with yarn faux fur trim and yellow tights to give her a sort of Elf movie look.  I also made her a few more outfits, which have free patterns and can be found in the "Easy Doll Onesie" post.  I'm looking forward to making more clothes and accessories for her as the years progress.







Joy and Hope's Adventures

Elf on the Shelf Ideas // In Our Pond // penguins // welcome // Christmas // winter

Our first elf, Joy, arrived on December 1st with a chocolate surprise.  I still think these penguins are adorable!  The kids talked for weeks about Joy's return and what she might do when she is here this year.  They're full of ideas.  I love the creativity part of having elves.



Slime with the elf on the shelf // In Our Pond

I love that our elves are part of our family!  Dragonfly (7) waits all year for her friend to come back to play with her.  She made Joy some peppermint slime and played with her for several hours.



Elf on the Shelf house // In Our Pond // DIY // crafts // barbie fashion // barbie crafts // dollhouse crafts

The second day of December, the kids were finally introduced to our newest elf, Hope.  She is wearing an Elf movie inspired outfit- handknit green tunic with white fur, yellow leggings (sized down from child's tights), and black boots.  Early this fall, I created her elf home inside a wood suitcase.  I thoroughly enjoyed crafting all of her tiny accessories.  I'm hoping it outlasts my curious, slightly wild children.



Elf on the Shelf Ideas // In Our Pond // napping house // christmas // elf

After all the travelling, Hope needed a Long Winter's Nap.  Joy had left for a little adventure, so she wasn't around that day.  Mostly, this was just a chance for me to use my suitcase house (wink).  The kids were very curious to know where Hope would sleep, so the nap let them see how it would work.



Elf on the Shelf Ideas // In Our Pond // homeschool co-op // Christmas treats // elf // barbie crafts // barbie fashions

One day a week, we go to a homeschool co-op.  The moms teach different classes to groups of similar age kids.  It's a lot of fun and very exhausting.  The kids pack a lunch for co-op days, so today, Hope brought them a special treat.  Yum!



Elf on the Shelf in a Ball Pit // In Our Pond // pompoms // barbie fashions // barbie crafts // diy

I bought a big bag of 1000 tiny pompoms this summer for crafting, so I thought they'd make a perfect ball pit for Hope.  The kids loved the idea; although I don't think they've ever been in one.  I was very surprised that the kids didn't dig into them and toss them everywhere.  I really enjoyed the color.  The background picture came from Pixabay, a royalty-free, cost-free website.



Related Elf Posts
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Elf Visits and Ideas
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