24 Days of Christmas - Day 24 - Let It Snow Wall Decor

 

Merry Christmas Eve, crafters! If you're here, then congrats, you survived the 24 days of Christmas. Wishing you all a happy holiday filled with family, fun and food. And of course a safe and prosperous New Year...

My make today is a matching set of wall decor. The square wooden pieces were clearanced at some thrift store, and the snowmen were a part of a Christmas placemat. After painting the wood white, I adhered the material to them. The greetings are buttons I bought a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. There are sparkly snowflakes that came from a garland I never used. The placemat has another four panels that include another snowman, a tree and ornaments, which I will put away for next year's projects!

With today's project, I won't be back until after the New Year starts. Stay safe, be kind and live in the moment!!

24 Days of Christmas - Day 23 - Who Let the Dogs Out

 

The presents are wrapped, the tree is trimmed, the bathroom is clean, the craft supplies are all put away, and here is today's project. It's another wall decor. I used an embroidery hoop as the frame. I dug through my scarp material pieces and found this cute puppy pattern so on it went.

I added the felt Christmas wiener dog to the bottom, and a wooden ornament to the top right. It reads, "Dear Santa I really tried". LOL I think that fits my terrier to a "T". I added a small pine branch and a snowflake for decoration and my wall decor is up and looking good!

Challenges I am Entering:

The Crafting Challenge - Christmas

Morgan's Artworld - Anything Goes

Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas

AS You Like It - Anything Goes

Moving along with the Times - Winter Animals

Christmas Craft Creations - Christmas Decorations

24 Days of Christmas - Day 22 - Snowball Christmas Tree

 

We're down to the wire, crafters! I still need to clean my house, set up the table, finish decorating the tree, wrap presents, and the list goes on. If you don't see me here before Christmas, I am in the last-minute throes of preparing for a house full of guests.

My make today is a snowball-covered Christmas tree decoration. I used a Styrofoam tree, plastic snowflakes off an old garland, tons of different-sized snowballs and the bottom of an antique lamp from my gram's house. The lighting doesn't pick up the glitter on the snowballs, but it is a bright and shiny decoration, joining the others I've created this month and throughout the years. 

I use my glue gun to adhere everything, and the tree stands about eight inches high. The star is made from one whole and two half snowflakes. It is sitting on my kitchen chair, which is cover by two holiday seat pads. Very festive!  

24 Days of Christmas - Day 21 - Christmas Mixed Media Wall Decor

 Today's make started off as a framed watercolor. It just didn't look right, so I used Stickles (glitter glue) to each light bulb...eh. So out came the paint markers and colored pencils and what you see is what I got. Using watercolors, I created the string of tree lights. I sparkled them up with glitter glue, traced the cord with black paint markers and wrote the words Merry Christmas with the markers. I added a few glittery swirls here and there and then framed it. Not my best work but a new holiday creation nevertheless. 

Not gonna lie. I had just three weeks to create holiday projects and a couple of them are fair to middlin'. Some of them are gorgeous and some of them I'm also happy with. I still have three more projects to go and then I can get Here on the blog! LOL

FEELING KIND OF STRESSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS? Play this quick game and find out what your holiday character is!!

24 Days of Christmas - Day 20 - Ornament Wreath

 

I finally gave in and created an ornament wreath. It only took me a few years to decide to make one (slow and steady wins the race LOL). I dug inti my stash and pulled out a small grape vine wreath I had purchased at the thrift store in years gone past. It wasn't the most beautiful one; in fact, I bought it solely for the wreath shape!

I pulled out my leftover bag o' ornaments, which also held jingle bells and holy berries. Grabbing my hot glue gun, II adhered almost all of them onto the wreath. I missed a few times, and now have a lovely burn blister on the top knuckle of my ring hand. I'm glad you didn't hear the obscenities I screamed as I tried to get the glue off my fingers as quickly as possible! 

I tried to fill in all the little holes in my ornament-covered wreath, mainly with small leaf sequins and tiny lightbulbs that go to my ceramic Christmas tree. A leftover piece of ribbon(?) and a small silver bow was almost my final act. I finished off the day by running cold water on my poor crispy finger...

24 Days of Christmas - Day 19 - Merry & Bright Wall Decor

 

Hi, crafters!! Less than a week away now--are you ready for Christmas? I have another Christmas decor project to show you today. I used a well-discounted 4th of July metal star decoration that I had bought at Hobby Lobby eons ago. By the time I got to the store, the discount was 90%!! I just can't pass up a good deal like that. I've used it for the last three summers, hanging it on my front porch.

Today I gave it new life by first painting the red, white and blue star with white acrylic paints. After it dried, I added the words Merry & Bright using a green and red Posca paint pens (these are so nice if you don't have a Cricut). I put a protective coat of gloss varnish on the star, adding an outline of gold adhesive-backed gems while the varnish was still wet. I just don't trust the sticky backing of gems, especially when the project will be outside in the elements.

I sprinkled some shiny clear glitter, using up the last of my Stampin' Up glitter I had bought before the turn of the century! I don't normally use glitter on projects because it gets everywhere, but Christmas often calls for the shimmer and shine...

I'm going to hang it under the front porch light so the light catches the glitter. So now 'm down one Independence Day decoration, but have a new Christmas one. I'd call that an even trade, wouldn't you?

P.S. (Okay, you caught me. When I painted and decorated my star, I didn't realize I had turned it so that the chain with which to hang it was not centered. But it doesn't look bad).

24 Days of Christmas - Day 18 - Winter Bird Feeder

 

I have the best neighbors. The one on the right of me has been especially helpful. We often end up meeting and walking our dogs together. She has watched our dog when my daughter and I are out of town and I was holding her dog while she got ready to take him to the vet that final time. She loves birds and has several bird houses. I see her almost every day throwing nuts popcorn, cheerios, etc., out in the yard for the squirrels and the birds.  

So I decided to make her a bird feeder. I saw a video on YouTube that used a cup and saucer to craft a feeder. I pulled out the china cups and saucers that I had bought a few years back from the thrift store. Gluing them together was easy, using some E6000 and a bit of hot glue. The trick was to get the string to gather up the cup and saucer and hang perfectly straight!! 

I persevered, although it took more than a dozen times to get it right. I think I'll make only one of these this year. However, I do think it looks lovely. What do you think? Will the birds enjoy the winter treats my neighbor will put out for them in their fancy new feeder? I don't think I've ever seen a bird turn down food, do you?! 

P.S. (I gave my neighbor her gift today and she loved it. She put on one of her backyard hangers below her massive maple tree. I gave her a small bag of bird seeds and she filled it up. I hope the birds love it as much as she did!).