Deck the Halls...

It's been over a week since my last post as we've been very busy with some personal family matters. To keep my mind off things I've been listening to Pandora's Peaceful Holidays station. This really got me itching to decorate for Christmas.

Here's what I've been up to:

For my kitchen window, I took an old birch tree stick, some velvet ribbon and some ornaments and made a Christmas-y window treatment.

Until we get that faux fireplace figured out, I've decided to just pretend that this area already has a mantel. 

While we are on the subject of Christmas, do your kids believe in Santa? At what age did they stop believing/you told them the truth? How did you break the news?

Reindeer Hairclip Tutorial - super easy!

Pretty self explanatory here. :) Make antlers from brown ribbon and hot glue.

Make a loop with tan/light brown ribbon and hot glue. Attach antlers to clip first, then attach head to clip.

Make a small loop with red ribbon and hot glue.

Attach nose and some googly eyes. 

How to make the Christmas tree clip you see on Pinterest

Supplies: Lighter (or Fray Check), scissors, hairclip, yellow, green & brown ribbon, hot glue gun.
Cut the green ribbon as shown. 2 shorter strips (about 1 1/2"), 2 medium strips (about 2") and 2 long strips (about 2 1/2")
Cut a 2 1/2" strip (or thereabout) of yellow ribbon.
Cut and glue the brown ribbon to cover the side and top of clip. The brown is the tree trunk.

With a teeny dab of hot glue, secure the ends of each ribbon together as shown. It will look like a teardrop.

Glue each "teardrop" to it's mate as shown.

Starting with the larger loops, attach with glue to he middle of the clip. Then, glue the middle loops slightly above the larger loops and finally, the smallest loops slightly above the middle loops.

Tie a small bow with the yellow ribbon and secure with hot glue to the top of your "tree".

Wall Art for less than $1

I've been slowly, but surely, getting the big girl's room decorated. It would happen a lot quicker if I had an infinite amount of money to spend at PBKids but what's the fun in that?

I made these cute canvas-looking pieces out of items I had around the house plus some 99¢ chipboard letters.

Add caption

Started with some scrap scrapbooking paper, small shoebox lids and a glue stick.

I glued the lid, top down, to the back side of the paper. Then, I started folding in the sides, snipping at the corners with scissors, and gluing to the inside of the lid. Repeating that process on both long sides, then on both short sides.

Folding the "wings" down and gluing into place. (I had to use hot glue for a more secure hold).

Finished and ready for decorating!

I purchased some small chipboard letters at Hobby Lobby and used an old denim iron-on patch I had found with my sewing notions to add texture to the letters. Then, I used hot glue to secure the letters to the "canvas". 

 

I've really got to get started on the twin's room.

Christmas Wreath

Another inspiration from Pinterest. (I'm completely hooked on that site!) I made this wreath for our front door for less than $5.  Because of the kids, I've retired all our glass ornaments in exchange for safer ones. They've been sitting in the Christmas box for years just waiting to be put to good use again. That's when I stumbled upon this gem on Pinterest.

Using a coat hanger, our old glass ornaments and some velvet ribbon I got at Hobby Lobby for 50% off (90y for $4.49) I made this pretty wreath in about 10 minutes.

How to make that turkey clip you see on Pinterest.

My homemade turkey clip.

Have you seen these adorable turkey hair clips on Pinterest?  This is how I made some myself:

First, I hotglued some orange ribbon to cover the clip. Then, I attached a yellow loop with hot glue.

Next, a red ribbon figure eight.

Then, a green ribbon figure eight.

To get the right size, I used a Sharpee marker and made wrapped brown ribbon around it 3 times. Securing each end with a small amount of hot glue. Be careful not to glue your ribbon TO the marker. Only glue the ribbon to itself. This way it will slide right off.

Attach the "head" you made with the Sharpee to the clip. Leave room for the body! Repeat the same thing for the body but you want the loops to be slightly larger. I, carefully, did these by hand using my fingers.

Attach the "body" to the clip. Then, a teeny piece of red attached to the face makes the little gobbler thing. An even smaller triangle cut from orange ribbon makes a beak.  

Don't forget to seal your cut ends with a lighter or Fray Check. (I use the lighter method.)

A blank slate - need your help!

Yesterday I really did it. I mean really, really did it. I was tired of looking at this old, unused piano. I knew that it was too heavy for me to move myself. Even too heavy for my husband and I to move it. So I did what any warrior woman on a mission would do.

I took it apart, piece by piece, until all of it was outside. HA! Was my husband surprised, or what!

But now I have a fresh blank wall ready for something - something fresh and new. I'm thinking of a faux fireplace like some of these here, but I am open to other ideas. What do you think?