A Very DIY Christmas

I love Christmas. It is probably my favorite time of year. I am one of those people who thinks Thanksgiving is merely a speed bump on the way to decorating for Christmas. This year is especially meaningful since it is our first Christmas as the Williams family, and the first Christmas we are spending in our new home. I probably went crazy, but who wants to pay bills anyway? Kidding...really! I ended up buying all of my project needs from Hobby Lobby at half off...so no worries there. Alot of the other stuff, like our tree, I have been collecting over the years. I should probably do an ode to our tree since it is a pretty funny story on how it came about. Anyways, being on Pinterest really just makes you want to bust out your glue gun, tie a ribbon on something, and go crazy. So, I did! Here are a couple of my projects so far.

This was probably my favorite project. We bought two of these lanterns from Z Gallerie before we bought our house, and I never got around to putting anything in them. I decided why not fill them for Christmas. Then I can change them as the holidays and season change. I would actually love to paint them silver and fill them with candles, but who knows when that will happen. For the candles, I sprayed them with glue, and covered them in glitter. You will soon see that glitter is this year's theme. The pine cones I got from my parents' front yard, sprayed them with glue, and again with the glitter. I filled the bottom with snow, and added a bow and pine cone to the top...voila Christmas decor! After all was done, this project cost about $10 per lantern, if you don't include the price of the lantern. But on clearance, those were only about $20 each.

Close up picture of the candles and pine cones. I just think it looks elegantly simple.

If you have ready my blog before you will know why I don't have a mantel. I mean who steals a mantel? This was my attempt to decorate around my fireplace when there is no mantel in place.I was able to attach the garland to the wood blocks where my mantel should be attached to. I strung some lights on there, wired our handmade (thanks Mom!!) stockings, and threw some poinsettias in front. Now, I originally bought those to go on the front stoop, but then learned (thanks Mom!) that those plants aren't made for outside. Good with crafts, good with food, not so good with keeping plants alive! They looked fabulous out there...too bad! 

I found these little red candles at Hobby Lobby and the jars were half off. So, a little spray glue and red glitter, throw in snow...cute for underneath the TV on top of the shelf in the living room. Had to add the Hot Mrs. Claus glass my sister gave me for Christmas last year. It's too cute not to be on display!

I had a bunch (and still do) of pine cones left over after my first couple of projects. I also added them to a basket sitting on my coffee table. I had a bunch of snow left as well, and figured I needed some sort of centerpiece for my table. A little bit of ribbon around a vase I already had, and the rest put itself together. It looks cute with the chargers I have on the table with it.

I realize this isn't a craft, but I had to add it. My grandparents gave this to Jay and I for Christmas this year. It was my great grandmother's, and this is exactly how she had it decorated in her house for Christmas. There are a couple of ornaments sitting inside of it that she put there as well. My grandparents told us we should toss those and put something cuter in there, but I think it's adorable, and amazing that it still looks the same. I don't have alot of family heirlooms, but this is something I will treasure forever. I hope that Jay and I have grandchildren we can pass this to one day. Maybe on their first married Christmas. My grandparents truly are special people, and it amazes me how the always think of family above all else.

Of course I am nowhere near done crafting for Christmas. I have a couple of gifts I am going to DIY, and might have to glitter anything that sits still long enough. Stay posted for more ideas!