MAKING GIFT TAGS FROM OLD CHRISTMAS CARDS

Well, have I been lazy these days.  I am recovering from the hustle and bustle of Christmas.
I have been missing y'all.  What has everyone been up to?

This has got to be the quickest project that I have done in a long time!  Sooooo fast.  I love it.

What does everyone do with their Christmas cards?

 I have cut mine up for next year to use as gift tags!
Yes, I am thinking ahead.  They make great tags.  You can cut them into any size you like.

I think they look great!  What do you think?
Take a look.


This year, I hung my cards on dog wood branches that were placed in a white vase.
Used scotch tape to adhere them to the branches from the back of the cards.

Lots of pretty cards!

Don't forget to keep the precious cards with pictures of the little ones.  No cutting up here.

I used a cutting mat.   You can also stack a number of newspapers.

You will need a nice sharp exacto knife, and a strong ruler or some sort of straight edge.

I got two gift tags out of this card!

And here they all are ready for next year.  Cost me nothing, and are originals too!

This is my silly daughter with her face under  the glass table.....lol

I would love to hear what y'all do with your Christmas cards?

This post has been linked to:


http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.ca

TWO CHRISTMAS MANTLES DECORATED

Hello and how is everyone doing?  Well, time is sure flying by.  Before you know it, it will be Christmas.  It has not snowed here in my neck of the woods yet.  A little of the white stuff would be nice right about now.
But, hey, we shouldn't complain.

Today we picked up our tree.  A fraser fir.  We find that it is the best type of tree as the needles are soft, and it holds up pretty well.  Not too many needles to clean up.

Just before putting that beast into the house......yes, it looks like a beast to me right now.  It is 9 feet tall, and awaiting my touch.  Tomorrow I will start.

Today I just finished decorating my mantles for my living room, and my family room/great room.

Take a look.  How is everyone's decorating going?

Linking this post to:

THE OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS DECORATING

I have stepped outdoors to start the Christmas decorating!

I love looking in the neighbourhood and seeing all the lights, and all the great decorating during this time of year.  Looks so beautiful.

I thought I would put the focus this year on the front door and entrance.  I have two columns on my front entrance and wanted to do something other than wrapping greenery around them.

During heavy winds from Hurricane Sandy this year, my whole forsythia bush was knocked down behind the garage.  Not happy about that, but as  they say when given lemons make lemonade.....lol
I turned these branches into Christmas decor.

Take a look:


I gathered some branches that measured about 12 feet tall.  Secured  them together near the bottom with plastic ties.  You can use anything to secure them.   You can even spray paint them if you like.  I chose to keep them as they were.

I added some lights around them, and positioned them in front of my pillars.

Got my urns ready.  The ivy was there during the summer, and it keeps rather well during the winter, so I thought I would leave it in this year.  I love when something can do double duty....lol
Added some pine branches, which by the way, were free, as a neighbour at my moms place had just cut a tree down,  added a  huge white mesh bow, which also were used for decorating for a wedding,  and some silk poinsettias, and voila,  done.

Night view

COPPER PIPE CHRISTMAS TREE

Yes, you can make a Christmas tree these days from anything!  This one I created a number of years ago.

Got myself a long piece of copper pipe, and a pipe cutter.  Yes, there is such a thing.  First I tried to cut it with a saw, no not gonna work......lol
All the tubes are hung but drilling a hole in the centre of all the pipes and threading a piece of copper wire.
That's it, done.

I planned this project out by doing all my measurements first, and then cutting.  You can pretty much make it any shape or size you like.   Like they say, measure twice, cut once.....oh I have done it the other way around so many times.  You know how it goes, so excited to just cut, and then do it wrong.

You can hang this "tree" just about anywhere if space is an issue.  Even if space isn't an issue.   I have hung it in many places just to show that it can work anywhere, in my opinion.

I have permanently hung it inside my front door.  Gives a nice touch to the door, I think.
What do you guys think?  Yay, or nay to the copper pipe tree?

Thanks for taking a look.

Hang it in front of a window.

I hung it in my kitchen against my wall art.

This has been linked up to:
http://thefrugalgirls.com/2012/11/chic-and-crafty-party-1129.html

CHRISTMAS TREE NUMBER 1 DONE!

I have one Christmas tree done!  One more to go.
The next one will come in about a week and a half.  The natural tree.  My yearly fraser fir.

Every year we always get a gorgeous huge fraser fir for our kitchen/great room area for us to enjoy.
Last year, I wanted to do an artificial tree for my living room to enjoy when guests come over.

It is a slim 8 foot tree.

I used a silver and gold colour scheme.  I did not want to venture out that much from my other tree which is gold and red.  I wanted them both to relate to each other.

What do you think?

Here it is, ready for lights.

Almost done.  Forgot to add the ribbon, so I added it carefully at the end.....

Added some crystals from an old chandelier.

My tree topper!  Gold poinsettias and gold foliage.

This post has been linked up to:

http://www.homemadeginger.com/2012/11/ginger-jamboree-link-party-4.html

www.serenitynowblog.com

MY SQUARE CHRISTMAS WREATH AND MY OUTDOOR DECOR

Who said a wreath has to be round.......

I really need to start decorating the outside of my front door and the entrance of my home, before time flies   and I have nothing done.  The Christmas season goes by so fast that before you know it, it is over.

I have had these old picture frames for some time now, just sitting in the garage collecting dust.  I never wanted to throw them out (and I love to get rid of stuff) as they were very good quality and there is something nostalgic about them.

I wanted something a little different to decorate my front door, and thought maybe these frames can come in handy.

I absolutely LOVE spray paint.  So fast and so easy to do.
Purchased a nice gold colour and went at it.  Hate the smell, so I always spray paint outside.

HERE ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS:

First get yourself some old picture frames.  You can find a wide range of frames from your local thrift store, in any size you like, and some of them are very ornate and great quality too.


Here are my frames ready for some spray paint.   Remember to dust them off.  Don't be like me, and get really excited about spray painting that you forget to clean them up.  Yup, I spray painted some dust.....lol

I too the frames behind the garage where there were many branches that were down from Hurricane Sandy.
I lay the frames on top and spray painted.  Actually, those branches are going to come in really handy when I do my outdoor Christmas decorating.

Stay tuned for that.

Gather up some greenery.   I used real cedar branches from my huge cedar trees in the back of my house, that are over 30 feet tall.

I put together 4 or 5 branches, and secured them with some wire.

Using some wire wrap them over the frame.

Continue in the same manner all the way around the frame.  I did the lower half only, as I wanted the frame to show through.

....and here it is hanging on my front door.

I added two little white feathered birds.

Found these very pretty green leaves, and I thought that I would do another picture frame wreath for indoors.

I hot glued them half way around the frame.

I am almost done.....keep watching for the final product and where I decide to hang it.  I still don't know yet where I am going to hang it but I will find a place.

Thanks for looking.
Have y'all started decorating?
Let me know if anyone tries this type of wreath; would love to see.


This post has been linked to:


http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/



http://www.homemadeginger.com/2012/11/ginger-jamboree-link-party-4.html



http://www.shecookscraftsruns.net/