The day after Thanksgiving has traditionally always been the day that me and my mom decorated for Christmas, it was our thing, our special thing. I remember back then people thought we were crazy--but the two of us had a shared love for all things Christmas season. My mother had some of the most beautiful decorations I'd ever seen--many of them passed down through the family from great uncles and aunts and my Nana. We'd sing and decorate all day long!
Since I've lived away from home and been married, D. and I typically do not do a Christmas tree for various reasons (wasteful, expensive, commercialized etc.) But, I'm no scrooge I promise, I'd just love to slowly amass some of my own Christmas treasures to decorate the house. Today was spent browsing the internet for resourceful homemade decoration ideas that could just as easily be made from easy to find or recycled materials.
Do you have any successful Christmas craft ideas?
Hey! I just made a couple to hang on the tree (and they look pretty pathetic actually but at the least they are christmassy and well intended). I made a Xmas tree pattern on cardboard, traced it onto some vintage red mushroom fabric, handsewed it together with contrast embroidery thread, padded it with scrap fabric, added a ribbon, and voila! I love the bits and bobs pic. I suffer from Christmas fever...I can't not have a tree to put things under. Homemade decorations are the best!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love it! Special traditions with Mom are the very best. We always listened to this one Motown Christmas album featuring the Temptations...Received anything with which to deck the halls in your mailbox lately?
ReplyDeleteI used to make snowflakes out of glue and glitter. You make a design out of glue on wax paper and cover it in sparkles
ReplyDeleteNewspaper snowflakes? Genius! How did I never think of that.
ReplyDeleteWe also do not do a tree. I'd love one, but as we have two indoor cats who are curious and like to pull leaves off our potted plants, a tree would probably be quite dangerous.
As for Christmas crafts, my mum once did the pine cone wreath, though she spray painted hers gold first.
I am loving the newspaper snowflakes! I have a had a lot of success making ornaments with vintage christmas cards - i think martha stewart did a story on them. also, I just saw this and I thought it would be a perfect gift idea dn you could easily use recycled materials. http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2010/11/diy-holiday-mini-book-from-cori-kindred.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FISuVv+%28poppytalk%29
ReplyDeleteLove this post!
I was actually thinking it might be fun to try stringing the traditional popcorn and cranberry garland this year. I guess that usually goes on a tree but it wouldn't have to :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, regarding your comment, I often don't get anything done ;)
i finally felt good enough to decorate today! now i am going to try out some of these ideas, maybe the pine cone wreath and definitely the oranges with nutmeg. i love that your mom has super old family decorations she has saved. my mom has given me many that came from my own childhood, and maybe even a couple from hers, but that's as far back as it goes. still i cherish the vintage ornaments and decorations and if i see something really unusual or pretty or old at the thrift store i pick it up.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, I don't think I have your current email add but would like to get in contact with you!!! If you don't mind me contacting you, could you email me on t(underscore)steadnz(atsign)yahoo(dot)co(dot)nz
ReplyDeleteI know you're a busy studious teaching lady so won't be offended if you don't contact me.
xx