Clothespin Snowman {Ornament Day 11}

Happy Day 11 of the 12 days of DIY Christmas Ornaments! Is anyone still reading?!  Today we're making a  sweet clothespin snowman dressed in felt and carrying a pipe cleaner candy cane.

Mason Jar Ring Recycled Card Shadowbox {Ornament Day 10}

Today's ornament can be made from things that you probably already have on hand: a mason canning jar lid ring and an old Christmas card.  Okay, there are a couple of other items but the majority of this project is those two things.

Bleached Pinecone Woodland Gnome {Ornament Day 9}

Today we're making a cute little woodland gnome ornament using one of the pinecones that I bleached last year.  I had seen something similar on Pinterest last year ago but you know how that goes sometimes....

                                                                                                                             ...pin it... and forget it.

Simple Popsicle Stick Sled {Ornament Day 8}

Have you ever made a sled out of Popsicle sticks? If you haven't, I hope that you do now.  This ornament is a great DIY to share with your children.  Adults should cut the sticks and drill the holes but grade school aged children should be able to do the assembly.

Polar Express Bell Quote Ornament {Ornament Day 7}

When my oldest was in first grade, his favorite bedtime story book at Christmas time was, "The Polar Express."  For those of you who may not know the story, it's about a young boy who boards a magical train to the north pole on Christmas Eve. In the illustrations of the story, the young boy is wearing a plaid flannel bathrobe over his pajamas.

No Sew Felt Horse Head Candy Cane Cover {Ornament Day 6}

Today we're making a replica of one of my favorite ornaments from my childhood: this felt horse head candy cane cover. Let me answer one question before we start: Why does it say "No Sew: when the photo shows stitching?  The answer: I chose to stitch mine.  The original was made using glue. It was lime green, a red rick rack "mane" and a gold rick rack harness.  I've updated mine just slightly so that it better matches my style.

Vintage Style Glitter Star {Ornament Day 5}

Today, I'm continuing with a vintage vibe for this wood star ornament that features a pipe cleaner edge and a vintage sheet music rosette in addition to a simple white, silver and gold color scheme.
This ornament looks much harder to create than it actually is. The beauty is in the details!

Vintage Style Bottle Brush Tree {Ornament Day 4}

Today I'm going to show you how to make a vintage style bottle brush Christmas tree ornament using a thread spool for the base. This gold and white miniature tree is reminiscent of ornaments from the 1940's and 1950's. It's not difficult to make but does require a bit of patience (and bright light and a good pair of tweezers!)

Gold and White Monogram Glass Ball {Ornament Day 3}

 

I started things out pretty easy on days one and two of this series but today, we're going to take things up a notch. Today, we're creating a gold and white monogrammed glass ball ornament using spray paint and yes, more glitter!

Easy Gold Jingle Bell Wreath {Ornament Day 2}

Today's gold jingle bell wreath ornament is a great easy ornament to make with children. All they need a little help from an adult to bend the wire. This adorable wreath would also make a cute napkin ring for your holiday table or a darling package tie-on for an extra special gift!

Gold Reindeer Head {Ornament Day1}

Over the next twelve days, I'll be sharing twelve different gold and white themed, DIY Christmas ornaments. Some of them, like this gold mounted reindeer head ornament will be super simple.

                                                                 Others, well, notsomuch. (But we'll save that for next week.)

Twig Ornaments - Free Crafts from Mother Nature

Sometimes, after a storm, I find some of the coolest stuff in the yard.

Wait...you don't believe me?!


Look at this...  I found these stars in my neighbor's yard after a windy night last week.

Well...okay...not exactly these stars...and not exactly  their yard...

Cinnamon, Applesauce and Elmer's Glue Ornament Tutorial

Does Christmas have a smell at your house? It does at mine.

It smells like pine, and balsam. 

Like Vanilla and Cinnamon and all of the other wonderful spices used in holiday baking.

This year, in my kitchen, it smells like cinnamon...and applesauce...and ELMER's GLUE!!!

 

My holiday "baking" has taken a slightly different turn this season. I'm making cookies that smell wonderful...

you might even say that they smell good enough to eat....but don't! 

There are several different "recipe's" for these ornaments on the web but this is the one that I like the best

(it came from the Elmer's glue site):

• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp. ground cloves
• ½ cup applesauce (this is the size of a single serving pack)
• 3 Tbsp. Elmer’s Glue-All

TIP: Buy your spices at the Dollar Store so you don't go broke making these cookies!

Be really careful with these...especially if you dry them on a cookie rack. Children of all ages will mistake them for real cookies....trust me.....

Even college kids...who will take a big bite...and chew for a minute before making a horrified face and spitting it into whatever is nearby...tissue, napkin, trash can....

I think that the paint must be a little tough to chew.....at least it's non-toxic...of course so is the glue...but I still wouldn't recommend eating it!

I find that it's safer to put ribbons through them as soon as is humanly possible..and them move them to the dining room table...on bubble wrap....

that seems to be a better visual aid or clue that they might not be edible!

Of course, hanging them on the tree also helps....

Instructions: 

In a medium bowl, mix cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add applesauce and glue. Work mixture with hands for 2-3 minutes, until dough is smooth. Divide into 4 portions. Roll out each portion to 1/4" thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters and make a small hole in the top of each with a toothpick (I use a straw).  Place cutouts on a wire rack to dry at room temperature for several days, turning once each day for even drying.  When dry, thread string or ribbon through the hole in each ornament. You can also use whole cloves as decoration and for additional scent. Makes about 32 ornaments, depending upon size.

 NOTE: These are NOT edible.

Information and alternatives:

• It's helpful if you roll the dough out on a mat or a piece of parchment paper which has been sprinkled with a little cinnamon
• The dough should be smooth and slightly damp. If it's too dry, add more applesauce, too wet, add more cinnamon.
• I decorate my cookies using white acrylic "puffy paint" that is made for decorating T-shirts. you can also use small beads, regular paint, and clear crystals to look like "sugar".

They smell wonderful, make great tags for home baked goods and are a cute idea for a "take home" gift if you're hosting a cookie exchange!

If you'd like to see more of the tree, go here

Happy Holidays!

xo,

S

Christmas, Halloween, Trash Night!?!?!?

This weekend, I was minding my own business, working on a special order of Christmas ornaments,

doing a little Halloween decorating and enjoying having my oldest son home from college for the first time since August.


I made it all the way to Sunday night. I was driving home from my weekly trip to the market to stock up on lunch supplies for the coming week when I had to stop, and turn the car around to pick up this:

It has an adorable drawer that's missing what will be a glass knob.

which is now keeping company with these that were rescued from the trash man a few weeks ago:

Gosh, I love trash night in "Suburgatory". I don't need one more end table but, these are solid wood and far too cute to end up in the trash truck.

Maybe I'll paint them and bring them to the barn sale...or maybe I'll trade them for some of the ones that I'm currently using or maybe they'll be painted and donated to somewhere local. In the mean time, they are safely taking up most of a parking space in my garage...just in time for winter.

I'm sure that the neighbors are wondering and I got more than one odd look from people taking their trash to the curb as I loaded this gem into my car and then unloaded it at home. Little do the neighbors know that I've been a "picker" for over 35 years. Every room in my house has at least ONE piece of furniture that I got out of a dumpster, along a roadside on trash night, or as a castoff from a relative or friend. I'd tell them, if they'd ask me, but I'm not volunteering because it's people like them who put this stuff out for people like me to pick up!

That's all for now, I've got 2 mantels and a yard to finish decorating before I completely miss Halloween and am forced to decorate for Thanksgiving!

xo,

S

Burlap Ball Ornament Tutorial

Materials:

• Fabric: I use a combination of "neutral" fabrics: muslin, burlap, flour sack, cotton. Basically, anything that you have handy will work:  any thin weight fabric , tissue, tulle, ribbon, even string or yarn will work. Patterns work well, too but for these, I chose neutrals.

• Glue: I use a combination of Tacky and Elmer's because it sticks well and isn't too thick or too thin.

• Styrofoam balls: Use at least the 2 inch ones or they fall apart when you stick the fabric into them. (These are 3 inch)

• Scissors

• Skewers, Dowels, Screwdriver, Pencil  or other tool to "poke" the fabric into the ball.

• Jute or string for a "hanger" if you want to use them for ornaments.

Cut and/or Tear the fabric into about 1 1/2 inch strips and then cut/tear it into pieces that are between 3 and 4 inches long (no need to be exact).

Next, cut a piece of the jute that's between 8 and 10 inches long, form a loop and poke it into the ball. (I hot glue mine in place for extra sturdiness)

Next, wrap a piece of fabric around the skewer, dip it into the glue, and push it into the Styrofoam about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. It's important not to push it too far into the ball or the ball will begin to fall apart when you get toward the bottom.

Repeat the process, using a mix of pieces, all the way around the ball working toward the bottom and turning the ball as you progress.

That's it. Easy, right?  Here's how it looks when finished as well as a picture of my fall wreath. It was made using the same process as the ornament, using a foam wreath form for the base.  The balls  make cute bowl fillers, they look good stuck on sticks in a vase, and  they're great, unbreakable, ornaments.The wreath can also be used around a candle on a table.

Happy Wednesday!
xo,

S

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Confessions of a Barn Sale Newbie

 In May, I was a helper at the barn sale of one of my lifelong friends.  All I knew when I signed up was what I'd known since I was 8 years old: my friend Ann, (aka "Nellie"), is something special.  She has always had an amazing sense of style, more than her share of creativity, energy that knows no bounds, and enough grace and Midwest hospitality to make anyone feel welcome.