Wrapping it up!

I have been wrapping gifts this week and when I was through, I thought, hm mm, maybe those chairs in the dining room could use a little wrapping.  I had bought this wide mesh a couple of months ago, because I loved the color and thought, I bet you could do something fun with this! I tried the wide wrap first, and I didn't like it so I took it off and cut the mesh in half.  Much better!

I then added some red berried and some sparkly ornaments.

I attached the ornaments on some gold wire that I had and put about 5 per wire and then wired it around the bow knot.

Doesn't that just add some festiveness to my table?

I know I said that I was through decorating but sometimes I just can't help myself. (I know, I need help.)

I had some of the mesh left over so I added some to the potted topiary in the corner.  I had already put a string of lights in the bottom and putting the mesh over the top just made it better.

I added another nativity and put it in the center of a crystal ice wreath and just added lights around the wreath.

It kind of looks cold and I hope baby Jesus stays warm, but the effect looks nice.

I added a garland to the stair railing and little red rice lights. I added just a few pinecones and metal stars, and it finished it off just right.

Hope you are having a great day and wrapping up all of the rest of your projects that you have left!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 I have been working on my neighbor and friends gifts today and I wanted to show you how cute they turned out.  I had seen this idea last year and thought how cute and easy they would be.  So I will share how I made these.

First you will need some 2 liter bottles of pop, a white tube sock, a black small stocking cap, some felt, and some buttons.

Pull the tube sock over the bottle leaving the open top at the top, (so you can still pour out your drink without disturbing the snowman.)  Roll down the sock around the neck of the bottle.

Put the hat over the top of the bottle and use buttons for the eyes and down the front. Cut some strips of felt and fringe the edges.  I actually tied on the scarf first so I would know where to put the eyes and the buttons down the front.

For the nose I used a rolled piece of orange felt.  

Stuck it in the middle of his face.

The felt was about 3/4 of an inch wide by 6 inches long and I cut it into two pieces making a long triangle and start rolling from the wide end and hot glue into place.

Glue the buttons on, add some cute little pink paint circles for his cheeks and you have a cute snowman!

You can use this tag to attach to your snowman, just click on the above picture and "save as" somewhere on your computer.  It was quick and easy and a great gift idea!

Bring on the snow!!

Christmas decorating...

I love Christmas decorating but it seems that this year I just don't have the desire to put up quite so many trees.  It may be because my husband and I are flying to my daughter's on Christmas day and will be gone for that whole week. I think that must be it, because I will have all of that work when I get back!

I usually put up a tree down stairs.

A tree in the living room.

Three trees in the dining room, and sometimes I have put a small tree in each of the bedrooms!

I think that this is maybe what I should focus on more this year instead of putting up so many trees.

I have done some quick and easy projects though. I was up to the barn and saw this old sled, it was used and reused when my kids were little. So I thought why not reuse it again and add some old skates to really make me reminisce. I have had a hard time getting rid of the skates because they bring so many memories of when we had a skating pond in the park where we used to live and my kids loved to go and skate there.

Add a bow and some greenery and a pop of red and that was pretty easy!

I have put up the Santa's on my mantel. This is a fun project as well. Collect pieces of drift wood and get your dremel tool out and carve a little on the wood and then add some simple painting  and you  have a darling Santa. (Warning, you will not be able to make the same one twice! and you will just want to keep making more!)

See, this one looks a little tipsy!

and he looks quite stately!

My dining room table.

The downstairs mantel.

This is the tree that I decided to put up, it is where we spend most of the time.

So, I think it is okay to simplify my life a little this year, no big parties planned and no out of town guests.  I don't think I could go without decorating a little bit though, so hope all of your decorating is going well too!