Sheet Music Trees and Rolled Book Pages Make Beautiful Decorations

 Happy Monday friends.  Hope you managed to escape the worst of the weekend weather.  If not, I hope you are safe and warm.  There was a lot of wicked weather around the country this weekend.  It got very cold here, but we managed to dodge a big bullet and missed the two ice storms that came our way.  If we had been just a few miles further west or north, we would not have been so lucky.  There is another one coming our way tonight and hopefully, it will dodge us two.  We are keeping our fingers crossed.

The house is all cozy and decorated for Christmas festivities.  We have a tree in every room, although they are all small trees.  Since we are in a new place this year, I tried to do some different things with the trees and other decorations.  Nothing major, just some inexpensive changes.

I was talking to my friend Linda today (she lives outside of Dallas) to make sure their power was still on.  They were really clobbered by an ice storm and were without power for several days.  Fortunately, it has stayed on.  She said they had gotten their tree out and she was going through her decorations.  Like many of us, she had most of them for years and she said she was tired of them and wanted something different.  We all know how that feels.  So, I thought today I would show you some inexpensive things you can make to change things up a bit using some wooden skewers, book pages, and pages from a piano book.

These are  simple.  Easy.  Inexpensive.  But, they are quite lovely.  I must say I am very happy with the way they look.  The picture at the top shows a saint's candle that you can get for $1.00 at The Dollar Tree.  They are white candles in a clear glass holder.  To decorate this one, I simply rolled some book pages and used just a tiny dab of hot glue to hold them to the glass of the candle.  Then, I tied some sisal twine around them.  Super easy, but very decorative.

The little Christmas trees are made from pages from a piano book I bought for a few dollars at our local used book store.  It is so much cheaper than individual sheet music.  I looked for a good sized book full of mostly piano music because there are lots of notes and no words.   This one was all classical music so there is music on both sides of the pages which is even better.  If you look real closely, you can see some penciled notes between the bars that some diligent student penciled in as a reminder from their teacher.  I loved that about this book.

Anyway, all you have to do to make these trees is cut triangular shapes the size you want your "trees" to be.  Next, accordian fold them from the wide end to top (narrow end).  I have a tiny hole punch that I used to make the hole in the center of the fold.  Use the punch while the tree is still folded and make a hole in the center of all the folds at the same time.  One quick easy punch.  Now, use a wooden skewer like you would make kabobs on, and run it through all the little holes.  Instant tree.  How easy is that?

For this tree, I broke the bottom of the skewer off to make it shorter.  These trees are on some old boards that are hooked together by cross pieces.  I found this board some time ago at a local thrift store and I liked it.  Didn't know what I was going to do with it, but it was cheap so I bought it.  I have been wanting something to use behind one of my wicker chairs in the dining room and it popped into my head to use this board.  It is absolutely perfect and I can hang things on it without making lots of holes in the wall.

I hung my wire wreath with the yarn balls at the top and added two of the music page Christmas trees on the little board ledges.  It's perfect for this space.  It makes me happy to look at it.

A REALLY easy way to dress  up a saint's candle is to simply wrap a book page or music page around it and tie it with some sisal twine.  You can see it behind this tree.  They are so pretty, yet so simple and easy.  They would make great inexpensive gifts for teachers, co workers, or neighbors.

These music page trees are part of the decorations on my china cabinet.  I simply stuck them in the greenery and lights that are on the top of the cabinet.  I added a few mercury glass votive cups, and a couple of white stars.  Below, there is some of the grapevine ribbon with some of the rolled up book pages and more candles.

 I added the rolled book pages after I took the picture above.  They just fill in the whole thing, adding more texture and drama.

These are just some simple ideas that cost next to nothing and add a lot of interest to your Christmas decor.  The rolled book pages and music page trees could also be hung on a Christmas tree like ornaments.  You could make tiny trees and use toothpicks in place of the skewers.  Children could make them, they are that simple.

Hope these simple ideas have inspired you to try some different things with your decorations.  Perhaps you could have a craft night with your children or grandchildren letting them help makes some new decorations for your tree or to use elsewhere throughout your home.  The trees would be pretty to use on a wreath, or to hang in windows.  There are so many possibilities for these simple yet beautiful decorations.  Give these a try and let me know how you use yours if you make them or send some pictures.  It's great to share ideas.  One idea can lead to another.  That is called creativity.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Decorations do not have to be expensive to be beautiful or meaningful.  Include your family in the joy of spending time together creating things they will remember for years to come.   donna

 

Scrap Book Paper Flowers And Rolled Book Pages Make A Beautiful Wreath

 Hallelujah!  I am basically done with Christmas decorating, 2013.  I finished just in time for the impending ice event coming our way.  Hopefully, we won't need anything from anywhere because we will NOT be going out if we get ice and sleet as predicted.  Nashville is so very hilly and drivers are erratic on a good day.  Nope, not going anywhere.  We will stay in and listen to Christmas music and bask in the glow of the lights on the trees and elsewhere throughout the house.  There are many projects to be completed and baking to be done.  I am actually looking forward to it.  No need to go anywhere.  Yes, I like it.

Today, I thought I would share with you a wreath I made to hang in my tobacco basket during the Christmas season.  It was inspired by a similar one I saw over the weekend while shopping with friends on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  That wreath was made on a grapevine wreath and I loved it.  It spoke to me.  It just wouldn't have showed up on the dark background of my basket.  So, I used an artificial greenery wreath instead.

The wreath had paper "flowers" and rolled book pages - so natural looking.  It just really appealed to me when I saw it.  Loved it actually and knew I would use it as inspiration.  I added some pine cones and Christmas ornaments and beautiful red burlap ribbon.  It's very easy to make.  Here is how you can make the paper "flowers."

First, cut 4 inch square pieces of paper in patterns that you like.  I used my trusty paper cutter that I got at Big Lots for $19.00.  It sure makes cutting things evenly and square so much easier than using scissors.  I chose 4 patterns of scrap book paper and cut each 12 x 12 piece into 4 squares, 4 inches on each side.

Next, you curl the corners by using a pencil and rolling the paper over the pencil.  You don't have to hold it very long, remove the pencil and it will curl.

This is how it should look.

Starting with the bottom piece of paper, hot glue a button in the middle of the paper.  Choose the next piece, hot glue the button in the middle and angle the paper so the curled corners are next to the first piece, not on top of it.  Hot glue that piece to the button below.  Continue up the stack until it looks like this.  I used buttons because I have a huge bag of them from projects past.

Make as many flowers as you would like for your wreath.

Now, tear some pages from an old book.  I have a Complete Works of Shakespeare (sorry Will) that I dismantled a year ago.  It was huge and has given me many pages for book page projects.  I just go get some from the stack.  Roll a page and use a glue stick to glue the last edge down.  You need 3 rolls per stack.  I turned the plain part of the pages to the inside and attached them to each other with a small dab of hot glue.  I did that so that only text is showing.

I used sisal twine, but you could use ribbon if you so desired.  Wrap it loosely around the middle of the stack and tie a simple shoe string bow.  Easy peasy.

Make as many stacks are you want to use.

Place the paper flowers and the book page rolls on your wreath where you want them to be.  Hot glue them in place.  I added pine cones and Christmas ornaments to fill in the wreath, then wove some burlap ribbon into the greenery.  That's all it takes.  Here's a closeup of details of the wreath.

Its really pretty and uses a lot of natural elements.  Here is the wreath in the middle of the tobacco basket and the decorations on the cabinet underneath.  I used lots of music and book pages in my decorating this year.

I will share directions for some of the other decorations I made as the days go by.  Book pages and music pages make for some inexpensive decorating elements.  There will be a picture tour of our home in days to come.

I hope the weather doesn't get too bad here or where you are.  If it does, enjoy your time at home if you are privileged to stay in and create something you love.  Christmas is coming!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Inspiration comes from many places.  Always look around for ideas when you are out and about.  donna

Book Page Valentine Banner

Happy Monday!  Hope your weekend was spectacular.  We enjoyed 70 degree weather on Saturday,  Sunday started out at 70 and it poured rain all day, and today it's 30 with sleeting rain.  Welcome to winter in Nashville.  The poor birds were so confused, they were just singing their little hearts out on Saturday.  I wanted to tell them not to fall for it, it isn't spring yet - just one of those cruel tricks that the weather gods play on us sometime.  I am sure they realized it by last night.  Poor little birds.

Now for a reminder - Valentine's Day is one month from today.  That's right ladies and gents, one month from today.  So I guess you know what I spent time doing over the weekend.  You guessed right!  It was time to make some Valentine decorations.

There is still a huge pile of book pages from my wreath making project so it was natural to use some of those.  I had 4 sheets of Valentine scrapbook paper that I bought last year and never used, and there was the $1.00 felt heart garland I found at the Dollar Tree last week.

This garland is really cute with lots of felt heart hooked together with little rings that allow you to slip the hearts right off if needed.  The only problem is the hearts all hang sideways because of the way the garland is made.   I know, what does one expect for a dollar?  But, they are nice and uniform in size, the garland is 9 feet long and I didn't have to cut out any red felt hearts!  I did have an idea in mind for these hearts.

To make my garland, I figured I needed 10 of the book pages.  I put all ten pages together, folded them in half without creasing them and "dovetailed" them with a pair of scissors. (That means to cut at an angle from the corner to the middle of the page.  I do it with ribbon mostly).  Dovetailing will make the pages look like this one on the bottom.  By doing them all at the same time, they will all be cut exactly alike.

Next, I cut out hearts from the scrap book paper in two different sizes.  I decided which ones I wanted on which pages, mixed and matched the designs, glued the hearts together, and then glued the hearts on each page.

Using a piece of sisal twine the length of the mantel with just a little allowance for some "swag", I hot glued the tops of the pages to the twine, spacing the pages out so there would be room for some of the red felt hearts between each page in the banner.

I took the garland apart in groups of 3's and 2's and hooked the rings over the sisal twine so that the hearts would hang down instead of sideways.  Ta dah.  Done.  How easy was that?

The two glittered hearts on the mantel came in a package of 5 hearts of different sizes from guess where?  Yep, the Dollar Tree.  Lots of glitter and no cutting.  I just leaned them against two votive cups on the mantel.  Done!

I love easy projects that are colorful, did not cost much and make me happy.  Perhaps this will give you an idea for a Valentine project for your home, school room or Sunday school room.  You can buy an entire used book if you need pages for next to nothing at a used book store, or perhaps you have one at home that you can use.  Some colored paper, sisal twine, felt hearts, and you can have an entire banner for just a few dollars.  That is my kind of price!

Tomorrow, I will share some other projects with you that are fun and easy.  After spending years working in a flower shop, Valentine's Day was NOT my favorite holiday for years and years due to the stress of meeting everyone's expectations.  Now, Valentine's is fun again and everyone needs to know they are loved.  Don't forget!  One month.  Go.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love.   Margaret Atwood

Santa's Belly and Harvest Angel Candles Made For Cheap!

Happy Monday one and all.  Today is the official day to celebrate Veteran's Day, although yesterday was the actual date of the Armistice ending World War One on the eleventh day  of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour.  Thank you to all who have served and are serving so that we may live free.  I pray peace on our world that war shall be no more.

Now, for a really scary update in case you haven't thought of it in these terms -- THANKSGIVING IS NEXT WEEK!!!  EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK.  That means Christmas is right around the corner  (actually 43 days from today) and if you are working on project for gifts, it is time to  get with it.  Since I have been busy making Halloween costumes for the grandsons, and crafts for the Elves' Faire at their school, I am a bit behind on my own projects.  So yesterday, I began in earnest.

If you have neighbors, co-workers, friends, or distant family that you like to remember at holiday time but don't have a huge budget (that would be us), or you like to have a hostess gift to take when going to parties, here is just the project for you that will cost you very little!

These are made using saints (or devotional) candles that I bought at The Dollar Tree.  Saints candles are usually decorated with the likeness of Saints and are very colorful.  These candles come in plain glass and you can do innumerable things with them.  They are only a dollar each.  My.  Kind.  Of.  Price.

This is a blank slate, a palette you can do anything with.  I decided to make "Santa's Belly's" out of these candles.  When I say Santa's Belly, what do you think of?  Red coat, black belt, big buckle - right?

You can buy 9x12 sheets of felt for $.25 or $.35 at JoAnn's or Michael's.  I had two red sheets and one black that I used for this project.  That is a total of $.75 for felt.  Cheap enough, right?  You need a little hot glue, some cardboard (like from a cereal box), white glue, some glitter and I decided to use these cute little snowflakes from a garland that I bought at Hobby Lobby for half price at $1.50.  I got ALL these snowflakes which is so much cheaper than buying them in small individual packages.  You just have to cut them apart.  Easy peasy.

Fold the sheet of felt in half long ways and cut.  This will wrap around the candle with some left over and you have enough for two candles from one sheet.   Place the felt in the middle of the candle, leaving some of the glass exposed at the top and the bottom.  Run a bead of hot glue down the glass, and press one end of the felt to it.  Now, tightly wrap the felt around the candle holder so that you have a bit of felt overlapping your original glued edge.  Trim any excess felt, run some glue down the edge of the glued felt and press the seam down until it holds.  You want a very slight overlap.

Cut across the 9" end of the black felt sheet about 1 inch from the end.  This will be the belt for your Santa. Place the black felt strip in the middle of the red felt and glue one end over the seam.  Wrap the strip around tightly, cut off any excess and glue the felt so it overlaps the first edge you glued down.  If you have some black ribbon on hand, feel free to use that in place of the felt.

Now, to make the belt buckle.  Cut a rectangle of cardboard about 1.5 x 1 inch.  Spread some white glue or Mod Podge on one side of the cardboard and sprinkle with glitter.  Glue the "buckle" to the center front of the belt.  This is when I decided to add one of the small snowflakes for a little extra decoration. I put a little hot glue on the back of the snowflake and center it on the belt buckle.

I plan on giving these to everyone who comes for Thanksgiving.  I also made some burlap angels that look like this.

I used some burlap ribbon that I had left from my Thanksgiving decorations.  I did the same thing with the burlap that I did with the felt.  After you glue the burlap to the middle of the candle, make some wings.  Cut a 10 inch piece of burlap ribbon and twist it in the middle like this.

I put some hot glue on the inside of the twist to hold the shape of the wings.  Put hot glue in the center of the "twist" and press the wings to the top of the burlap in back over the seam.  Now, shape the wings using your scissors.  I kind of cut an arch from the bottom, angling in to the top so they look like wings.  Use your judgment.

Wrap some sisal twine around the middle and tie in a bow.  I glued a couple of snowflakes to the bottom of the twine for weight and decoration.  Look how pretty this havest angel looks on my mantle. Here is another on the book case inside our front door.

These harvest angels look so beautiful with my thanksgiving decorations.  I will be giving these on Thanksgiving also as they will transition to the Christmas holiday season with ease.

Now, lets talk economy here.  The candle cost a dollar, half a piece of felt was 17.5 cents maximum, a little hot glue, glitter, and cardboard, say 10 cents.  The snowflake cost about a penny.  Same for the angel.  For less than $1.30 you have a beautiful hand made gift to give and everyone loves candles (these are unscented by the way).  All you have invested is a minimum of money and a little time to let someone know you are thinking of them.  How awesome is that?

If you want to buy these candles, they are in the section with all the vases and candle holders at The Dollar Tree.  I am sure they can be found elsewhere, just not positive where.  If you find them other places, please let me know so I can tell my readers.

Have fun with these projects, and maybe you will come up with some ideas of your own.  Let me know how it goes.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

A handmade gift says I was thinking of you.