Tuesday, December 14, 2010

My Christmas Village and a tutorial on how I made my trees ...

I guess that I've finished making the trees to go in my Winter Village that I put in my family room.....I say I guess because I seriously could just keep making more and more because they are so fun to do and the possibilities are endless....but I have run out of time and also room on top of the entertainment center!

Before I made the trees....I gathered paper mache houses in several sizes and 3 different styles.

I painted my little cottage homes each in a different color....and painted all of their roofs and bottoms white....I put a clear regular size glitter on the white paint
...and used Martha Stewart fine glitter on the colors. Thats all that I did...I just wanted to keep them simple. Maybe next year I'll embellish them a little with wreaths and snowflakes and such...but for now...I like the way that they look.

Now for more trees....after I made the button tree and the tree using green glittered scrapbook paper...I moved onto something else that I love to work with...ric-rac!
I used a paper mache cone for this tree...and painted it about the same green as the vintage ric-rac.

I simply just used my glue gun and starting from the bottom....I glued it around the cone in one continuous piece...

I like the way it turned out....and it's a little bit darker green than the other trees are for a nice contrast.
I also made a couple of trees using sequins. I remember making some of these at Christmas-time as a girl and I thought they would be fun to make again!
I just used 3/4" silver applique pins and pinned them right into a small styrofoam cone just like I did for the button tree.
Once again...I started from the bottom up.


These two look nice together .....

don't you think?
Kassidy saw how much fun I was having and wanted to join in...so she chose to make the multi-colored sequin tree. She used a large styrofoam cone for the base.

Because I made a ric-rac tree..... of course had to make a pom-pom tree! I also used a large styrofoam cone and painted it close to the same color as the trim.
I started from the bottom and worked my way up pinning the trim right to the cone with the 3/4" applique pins that I still had on my worktable.
I used one continuous piece of trim and just pinned it in the back....


....and finished with one row at the very top. Don't you just love the texture that the pom-poms create?

I heart the way that this tree turned out...so vintagey cute... and it looks so nice next to the ric-rac tree.

Next....I used some feather trim that I bought at Hobby Lobby. It's like a very narrow feather boa with a little bit of silver tinsel in it.
I thought it would look nice with the tall white feather tree in the back that sits next to my red glittered cottage.


Again....I started from the bottom and used my glue gun to glue it directly to a small cone.

The tree turned out really plump and fuzzy and looks like it's covered with snow when it's sitting next to my glittered green cottage in the village.

I used silver tinsel trim to make the last tree.....

I used a glue gun and glued it directly to the cone.

Looks very vintage ....don't you think?
A few close up shots for you....



Like I said....I wish I had the time to make more but I really needed to move onto other things!
Next year I will be adding more things to my village....I will be making snowmen out of paperclay and maybe add a white picket fence to go around the whole thing....glittered of course!
I just adore making things for the Christmas season...it just wouldn't be Christmas for me if I didn't get involved in a few projects. I suppose that comes from making things at home and school and church when I was a girl.

What do you think?...will you give these trees a try?

Friday, December 10, 2010

Christmas Cookies...

Today I am participating in a virtual cookie exchange. It's hosted by my friend Jodi from Pleasant Home who always has the best ideas!

These are "Fairy Drops"...my families all time favorite Christmas cookie.
So when Jodi invited me to participate...I knew exactly which recipe to share!


They are yummy-licious and oh so festive because of the crushed candy canes sprinkled on top:)
Okay girls...tie on your aprons...this is a good one!
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Fairy Drops
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4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon salt
Sift above together..
Beat 1 cup real butter (softened) until smooth.
Add...
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sugar
continue beating until fluffy.
Add 2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
Mix until just combined. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and arrange on cookie sheet. Slightly flatten with the bottom of a glass.
Bake for 8 minutes.
Let cool completely on a wired rack.
Frost and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
Serve them to your family and watch them smile!
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Fairy Drops Frosting
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1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons light cream
Beat butter until fluffy; add extracts and blend in sugar and cream alternately. Beat until smooth.


Go on over to visit Jodi at Pleasant Home and see all of the other yummy photos and recipes!

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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Don't get yor tinsel in a tangle!...

Today I'm showing you some of the vintagey Christmas decorations in my family room...above you can see my bowl full of german glass glitter snowflakes...

A few of my snowman friends...





I took down my curtains and replaced them with snowballs and snowflakes...for my very own "Winter Wonderland" vingette.

This window overlooks the back yard...where most of the snow has melted now...that is until next week!

I think it's important for me to keep smiling through all of the hustle and bustle of the season...and friendly reminders hang on my entertainment center doors.


The stockings are hung by the TV with care...lol


My collection of vintage santa mugs... I adore them!



This cute little trailer was given to me one year by Mr. Honey...as you know we love to go camping together in our own little trailer:) ...at night...I plug it in and the Merry Christmas neon sign flashes on and off!....so fun.

Tangled tinsel... along with vintage red ornaments... inside a very large white vintage bowl....I love classic red and white especially at Christmastime.

Vintage Santa boots hold old fashioned candy canes...


I love the way this vintage figurine tells the true reason for the season....the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior...Jesus Christ.

I placed the star above Him (to show us the way)....and my "NOEL" scrapbook mini album that I made sits nearby on an easel...waiting to record this years Christmas memories.

Mr. Honey spelled out the title of a favorite Christmas song with vintage "Scrabble" tiles and placed them in my hutch.

Tall mugs with vintage graphics hold a single candy cane...

Santa's cookie jar awaits filling...

Trees I had completed when this photo was taken....more to come later this week along with my painted and glittered cottages scattered among them.
Can you see me in the mirror hiding while taking the picture?...lol...and a glimpse of the tree?


I have so much more to show you in my family room including the tree....but that will have to wait until next time...as for now....Mr. Honey has taken the day off and we are out working on our "Christmas List"...wish us luck!


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