Archive for » November, 2011 «

Swirled Wire & Chain Ornament

I am loving creating some new ornaments for the tree this year.

I’ll confess. Some of mine were pretty sad. Ok. Really sad.
It’s been fun to make some fun, unique ornaments to freshen up the tree a bit!

Anthro has some really cute ornaments – shocker. So I’ve been doing some knockoff-ing -
Here’s my super cute Swirled Wire & Chain Ornament:

It’s kind of a mishmash ornament inspired by these two over at Anthro:

 This ornament is quick and really fun!

You’ll need:

1 Plastic Clear Ornament
20″ chain
Thin Wire – I bought a spool and had lots left over
Heavy Florist Wire for the hook
2 Jump Rings
1 Eye Pin
Small bit of Jute for Bow
Saw, Drill
Round Nosed Pliers, Flat Nosed Pliers, Wire cutters.

Start by getting your ornament ready. Mine had a really wide opening.

Saw that opening off so that the base is just a round hole. Drill a small hole at the bottom (which will now be the top of the ornament)

Cut your chain into two, 10″ pieces. Fold the chain in about half, but leave the lengths for the pieces different. Add a link at the top of each folded chain to a large jump ring.
Add an Eye Pin (a wire with a loop on the end) to the jump ring.

Feed the chain/wire up through the large hole at the bottom until the thin, straight wire is feeding through the small hole you drilled.
Bend that wire to form a small loop. Add another jump ring to that loop.

Form a “?” shape with a length of heavy florist wire. This can look any way you’d like, it’s to hang the ornament on the tree, but make sure there is a small loop at the end.

Add your hook to the top jump ring. For the next party you will probably find it easier if the ornament is hanging and you can work on adding the wire with both hands.

Begin wrapping a small piece of wire around the loop just below your top jump ring. Twist the end around the wire and trim.

Make a loop with the wire and wind it around the wire below the jump ring.

Keep adding loops of different sizes and widths until it looks as full as you want it.

Anthro left theirs that way – but I am not fond of the wrapped section in the center – it’s a little too messy for me.
If you feel the same way – knot a little bit of jute around the section and tie it in a bow.
I think it helps finish it off!

That’s it!! Fun right?
You could easily change out the wire/chain colors – I think red would look great too!

I hope you like it!

Have you made any new ornaments this year?

(This was originally a guest post over at I {heart} Naptime.) :)

I’m linking to Sunday Scoop, Today’s Creative Blog, Met Monday, Skip to my Lou, Tutorials & Tips Tuesday, Funky Junk Interiors, and the other fabulous parties on the sidebar – make sure you check them out!

Category: Holiday  Tags: ,  12 Comments

Homemade Christmas Guest Post

Hey everyone!

I’m over at The Scrap Shoppe today as part of Michele’s Homemade Christmas series!

This week the tutorials are all Homemade Gift Ideas!!

I’m sharing a tutorial for this cute little bracelet!

Isn’t it cute? It comes together really quick and easy!

Come on over and check it out and say hi – and while you’re there, check out the adorable tutorial from yesterday too!
There will be other great gift ideas all week – then next week will be Holiday Decor ideas and Week 3 will be Holiday Recipes! Woohoo!

Category: Guest Post  Tags:  2 Comments

Linen and Lace Trees

Woohooo! Time to bring on the Christmas Decorations!!

Are yours already up?
I will confess – I can’t do it. I have to wait until after Thanksgiving.
But now it’s time!! I am all ready to set up the trees (I may have 4. Ahem.) Decorate the mantle (Not sure what is going there yet) and unpack my grandmother’s Nativity. :)

It’s so fun to freshen up the decorations with a few new things each year. The lace and linen in these pretty little trees come together for a fun, classic look that will be a great addition to our Christmas decorations!

Aren’t they pretty?

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:

STYROFOAMâ„¢ Brand Foam:
• One 9″ x 4″ cone
• One 12″ x 4″ cone
• One 15″ x 4″ cone
Linen for covering all cones (about 1/2 yard)
Lace for decorations
Button/jute for small cone
Hot glue
Felt circles (1 for each base)

Begin by cutting a triangle of linen large enough to cover each cone.

Wrap the linen tightly around the cone and hot glue on.

For the base, clip triangles into the extra fabric. Glue down the bottom, triangle pieces. This will help the cone sit flat.

Glue a felt circle just a wee bit smaller than the cone onto the base.

Repeat for the other two cones.

For the 12″ x 4″ cone, wrap 1″ crochet lace around the base and glue on. Glue and wrap the lace diagonally up the cone until you reach the top. Glue the lace around the top of the cone.

For the smallest and largest cones, wrap the base and top with your thinner lace.

For the 15″ cone, alternate large and small lace in the middle section of the cone.

For the smallest cone, wrap a strip of wide lace around the center loosely. Gather up the lace in the front and glue a button and a sweet jute bow in the center.

That finishes them off!!

I tried several other embellishments, buttons, beads, etc. But in the end I liked the simplicity of the just the linen and lace together best!

I love the look of the trees paired with some Greenery and my shabby little iron birdie!

What about you? Do you add something new to your decorations every year?

This was originally a guest post at Under the Table and Dreaming. I was provided with the  STYROFOAMâ„¢ Brand Foam cones to make the project. All ideas and other materials are mine.

I’m linking to Sunday Scoop, Today’s Creative Blog, Met Monday, Skip to my Lou, Tutorials & Tips Tuesday, Funky Junk Interiors, Quilt Story, and the other fabulous parties on the sidebar – make sure you check them out!