Christmas Wreath

My Christmas decorating style this years has been simple and a little rustic/nature-ish. (I declare that a word.) I wanted to make a new Christmas wreath for the front door using a grapevine natural wreath form. But I got stuck. I bought a few things to add to it, including an adorable cardinal, but I couldn’t pull it together.

My BFF Kerry, came over today, and I had asked her to bring “some ribbons and stuff” with her. Well… She brought a trunk-full of goodies! OMG! Who is this girl… and why did I not know she was hoarding such great craft supplies?! Seriously!

So while I went up to pick up some lunch for us, she got busy and brilliantly put together this one of a kind, amazing wreath. As I had struggled, all the day before, trying to come up with something clever for this wreath, she managed to come up with a masterpiece while I was gone a mile down the road for just a few minutes. She is a talented girl!

Gorgeous, huh? Sorry, she’s my best friend and you can’t have her. Or her craft supplies! I know where she lives. She will be sharing with me now. 😉

 

DIY Christmas Village Houses

Last week I decided I would be a watercolor painter. Bought the paint and the paper, painted a few landscapes, then discovered I suck at it.

Onward.

This past week, I thought it would be fun to be a maker of Christmas village houses. This worked out a little bit better. 😉

I have oodles of scrap wood in the garage, so this was a cost-free project.

I made a template for the two “peak” sides of the house. I should have made the roof angle 45 degrees, but I didn’t. A 45 degree angle would have made cutting the roof pieces a whole lot easier. Live and learn.

I started out using wood glue to put the house together, “clamping it with painters tape. I finally got smart (or un-lazy) and brought the nail gun in to the house. MUCH faster than waiting for glue to dry!

My green tape “high-tech” clamps. Whatever works I say.

My miter saw does not cut angles larger than about 47. Making the cuts for the roof tip nearly made me crazy. So I gave up and improvised.

I took a small wood dowel and glued it to the top of the roof peak to fill in the gap. It’s not perfect, but it made it round and smooth and easier to attach the music sheet paper to the roof.

I decoupaged music sheet paper to the roof and door and painted the walls of the house a light blue. The trim around the door and the shutters were stained with a touch up stain pen. (Who knew touch up stain pens would come in handy?) Then I applied decoupage glue on top of the music sheet paper and sprinkled “snow” on the roof.

The next house I made was decoupaged in music sheet paper. The roof is covered with wired ribbon, cut in half and hot glued to the wood on the roof. This house has a 45 degree angle roof, which made it oh so simple to miter the roof pieces. I used wood trim pieces to cover rough looking edges.

Getting ready for Christmas! Now I’m working on a Christmas village house made from paper. Stay tuned. 🙂

Linking to:

The Shady Porch

Finding Fabulous

Posts of Christmas Past

Christmas is the season that pushes my brain into overdrive! It doesn’t help that I have friends just as crazy about the holidays as me. 🙂

My big obsession, at the moment, is making small village houses. Some are made from wood scraps, another is made from cardboard. I should be ready to blog a tutorial / inspiration post soon.

Until then, I have rounded up some very simple, easy to make, Holiday crafts and decor from posts of Christmas past. Hope you find some creative / DIY ideas to inspire you!

Yarn Wreath

This House Believes Sign

Wood Shim Christmas Star

Fireplace “Floating” Ornaments

Ribbon Covered Styrofoam Balls

Music Sheet Trees

Yarn Covered Christmas Trees

Twine Christmas Trees

Felt Flowers Pillow

More Holiday Decor

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.  My family and I definitely did!  I have declared going out for dinner on Thanksgiving our new family tradition.  The restaurant, Red Rocks, had a fantastic buffet with traditional turkey day fixings, plus oodles of other yummy options.  It was perfect.  (And I didn’t have to eat meat!)

I didn’t shop on Black Friday.  Back in the day I would have been out the door at the crack of dawn with a game plan.  These days, my game plan is waking up after the coffee has been made and the kids have been fed.  Sleep has trumped shopping.  I don’t know if that is good or sad. : )

But we did get the Christmas lights up outside, and the house and tree was decorated to the sounds of Trans Siberian Orchestra.  I made a wreath for the door inspired from ideas I have seen on Pinterest.

The wreath started out as pool noodle that I ducted tape together and wrapped with yarn.  The “poinsettia” are made from felt, decorated with small christmas ornaments and dried flowers.  Tis the season!