My "Shabby" Thrift Store Christmas Tree

This is truly a "shabby" tree. Not as in shabby chic either, but I love it. My nice, big, pre-lit tree is in storage that I can't get to this year and buying a new tree was out of the question--and budget, so I knew I'd be hitting the thrift stores.

I had seen someone with a freshly flocked tree sitting in their yard the other day and it was so pretty and I've never had a flocked tree and never really cared to, but I decided that this was the year to have a flocked tree, so I headed out to the thrifts with a budget of not more than $10 to spend on a tree--any tree.....................

The first store had no trees, the 2nd one had too big of trees and...................



the third thrift store had this shabby Charlie Brown flocked tree sitting right up front by the register. The sign on it said $12.00. I thought perfect! BUT is it really only $12.00? I asked the girl at the register if that was the price and she said well yes but.........................it was really only 9.50 because it was also 25% off! Cool! I'll take it! It came with silver and pink balls, but not the angel tree topper and that was ok with me. I wasn't sure if I had any ornaments, but I did find a box lurking in the closet. Whew!

A couple of bottom branches dangled, hanging by a thread so off they came--perfect--now it fits into it's space better. Yup, this was the right tree! And I am really enjoying a flocked tree. The lights reflect on it so much better and the ornies stand out better too.

Here's a look at a few old favorites..........................



Oh the weather outside is frightful snowman painted by my very talented friend Phyllis Ann Shows................


Long tall skinny prim snowman--he is rather tall and fits perfectly into a "thin" spot...........................................



Cute little pug in a Christmas slipper handcrafted by my friend Terri Palakie



Gorgeous white Santa with hand sculpted hands & face, made by my dear friend Donna Balfanz.................



....he holds a bag of candy and a penny on a string and has the most wonderful detail.......




sweet little Nativity made by my friend Kim Lance--sits towards the top of the tree and is the only Nativity for this year, since my tabletop Nativity is with the big tree.......................




raggedy annie made by my friend Rosemary Watson...isn't she adorable!.....................


snowman ornie I painted years ago........................................



Santa that I made and painted from a brown paper bag years ago......................


Gorgeous perfect stitching made by my friend Deb Huffman.......................



Love this little clock ornie that I made from a Dee Duncan Folk Art pattern. I sized the original pattern down and then later she came up with an ornie sized pattern........(Dee has fabulous patterns!)


glass snowman and girl skating. I love the glass peppermint ornies and the oval Santa is a unique one made by Aunt Manny from one of her wonderful patterns . It's made from fabric, with a printed photo and wax dipped. Very vintage!

I still need to find a tree topper for it and I'm thinking of making a star from a cereal box. Really they are pretty and not hokey like it sounds. LOL!

And that is the tour of my shabby Charlie Brown thrift store Christmas tree.

Christmas Ornament Wreath Tutorial

I have always loved those glass ball Christmas ornament wreaths and had always planned to make one, so when the chance to teach a craft class for our women's Relief Society group at church came up I had my reason to finally get it done. And I discovered that these are so simple to make and a lot of fun too!

First I went to 3 different thrift stores and wiped them out of Christmas balls. I spent about $7 and got about 106 Christmas balls of various, sizes and colors. I went to the dollar store and bought 3 vintage styled non-ball shaped ornies.

Supply List

• 1 foam wreath form (flat or rounded like the one above) I used a 12 inch form--any size will work.
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• Tinsel garland or ribbon
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• Approx 75 Christmas balls or other shaped ornaments (it is best to have some in small, medium and large sizes) Remove the hooks, but leave the little caps with the hangers and if the cap is missing that's ok too.
  
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• 18 to 20 inch piece of wire (for hanger)
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• Hot glue gun (high temp works best) & lots of glue sticks (do not leave glue gun on for 6 days straight like I did--it will ruin your glue gun and it might catch fire--boy was I lucky! Shhhh---don't tell the husband!)
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• Scissors
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• Favorite Christmas Tunes!

1. Wrap your wreath form with the tinsel garland or ribbon. Tacking the beginning and end pieces with a bit of hot glue to the form. This will hide the wreath form, because you are bound to have little spots here and there that will show through and no body wants to see the ugly foam part.

1-B. This is the part I forgot--add a wire hanger after your wreath is wrapped with garland or ribbon. If you wait until you're finished--like I did, it makes it harder to find a spot to add the wire!

Simply wrap one end of the wire around the wreath, then back up and wind it around itself and repeat for the other side. It'll all be hidden when you're done, so it doesn't have to be pretty--just functional.

2. Starting on the inside of the wreath lay out some medium sized balls arranging color as you go. After you have them layed out to your liking then hot glue each ball to the wreath. I made sure to point the tops downwards to the inside.

Note: Pick up wreath every so often, so as the glue may drip, it won't glue itself to the table. Yup, that's right--I found out the hard way--as usual!

It helps to hold each ball for a moment or two so that the glue can set and get a good hold. You might also want to add a bit of glue to each ball where they touch at the sides to add more support, but you can decide that as you go.

3. Repeat the above step for the outside of the wreath--again using medium sized balls. This gives us a nice base and easy starting point.

Note--When I got the end of the gluing on this step I ended up with a space that wasn't quite big enough to add another ball, but too big to leave a gap, so as you get to the last 3 or so balls you might need to slightly adjust the spacing to make them all fit with no gap left over.

4. Now that we have a good start this is where you start building.

I got so excited making my wreath that I forgot to take a picture of it being built--however I will be making more, so I will add a photo(s) later.

To build the rest of it was simply pick up a ball place it on top of the wreath until you like its placement and glue it down. I would lay out 3 or 4 balls at at time until I liked what I saw and then glued them down. It helps too, to pick the wreath up every so often and look at it from it's hanging point of view, so you can see what needs to go where.

I did find that if I didn't think things through too much or try to over analyze it, it went much quicker, was more fun and turned out better!

Keep adding and layering as you go, filling in here and there with the small balls and adding odd shaped ornies if you have any. I also added a few large jingle bells. If you want the cap end to show that's ok too. There are no rules. It's all up to you! You can add stars or snowflakes, or try wrapping a beaded garland around it too. Just throw caution to the wind and glue, glue, glue!

It took me right at 2 hours to make this wreath. Most of the time being in holding the balls a moment or two as the glue set up enough and deciding just what to put where.

A tip on hanging--don't hang on a door that gets a lot of use as it may damage the wreath. It would probably be best to hang it inside or on a little used door. And for storage either hang it on a wall in the basement--you can cover it with plastic to keep the dust off or use one of the Rubbermaid type of wreath containers or other heavy box.

And that's all there is to it! See simple and fun!

I'll be on the hunt again in a few days and I'm hoping to find some pink, silver and creamy white ornies for my next wreath.

If you make a wreath don't forget to email me a photo or a blog link. I'd love to see what you create!

The Christmas Donkey

This is one of those Christmases when a Christmas Wish was granted. Our youngest (9yro) daughter has talked about nothing but wanting a donkey of her own, since we pastured a few donkeys for a neighbor this last summer, so when Christmas got close and talk of Santa started that's all we heard--I want a donkey. And she didn't care if she got any other presents. All she wanted was a donkey. Soooo we're thinking ok--how do we do this..........................

Last Thursday the 18th I logged on to our local Freecycle Yahoo group-- (www.freecycle.org) and posted a want ad for a donkey. In case you're not familiar with freecycle, it's a nationwide group of local yahoo chapters and you can post for things to giveaway for free or that you are wanting--but it all must be free. Well within the hour I had a family with a donkey they were willing to give to us--free! We made arrangements to go meet the little donkey and we fell in love with her and knew she was the one! Next we made arrangements with our neighbor to help pick her up and so on Christmas eve the husband and neighbor went to pick up little Dixie Donkey and brought her home, where we hid her out in the barnyard until Christmas morning.

Bright and early Christmas morning everyone was up and dressed and soon gifts had been unwrapped and then it was time for our daughter to head out the door to take care of the ducks--and that's when she found the lead rope with a note from Santa attached and then she was like a bolt of lightening off to the barn, because there was a donkey waiting for her--her very own donkey! It was love at first sight for both of them!

Dixie, daddy and daughter out in the snow in the barnyard. Lots of snow! And yes Dixie has her very own stall all to herself in the barn, so she can keep warm. Don't you love her pink harness she's sporting. She about 2 1/2 years old and is a lovely chocolate brown with cream muzzle and belly and she has the sweetest personality.

She was one happy girl with her big Christmas Wish granted.

A Most Wonderful Surprise & A Favorite Christmas Story

Look at what came in the mail today! Aren't they gorgeous! I absolutely love, love, love these little trees and they are my very favorite colors! I was told by my friend Judy Rawnsley that Santa was sending me something--but I really think they are from her! We were just discussing these little trees the other day and now I have a beautiful pair to enjoy! I love the little bases she makes for her trees and the beautiful colors--I know I said that part already. I do believe they will be staying out with my winter decor as they fit in perfectly! (hmmm...maybe all year!) Thank you Judy! How sweet of you!


Now for one of my favorite Christmas stories that I've been wanting to share with you all and this fits in perfectly. The story is about why Christmas trees aren't perfect. I hope you'll enjoy the story as much as I do and the next time you see a Christmas tree that you'll understand a bit more about why it may look the way it does. Merry Christmas.!

Click HERE to read the story...................

Christmas Printables

I thought I'd share a few sites with you that have some beautiful Christmas printables...............

First is Seneca Pond Crafts This is my all time favorite place for printables of all kinds, so be sure to look around. She has some absolutely gorgeous vintage Christmas Tags, Bottle Cap Rounds, Mulitple Project Sheets, various wraps for small items and Eileen's customer service is excellent and her pricing is fabulous! In fact I think I'm off to buy some Valentine printables from her very soon!

At Ewe n Me Printables you'll also find some beautiful vintage Christmas Tags, Popcorn Wrappers, Tea Bag holders and so much more. Deena also has fabulous prices and excellent customer service.

Then there is Instant Printables You will also find Seneca Pond Crafts &
Ewe n Me Printables here as well as many other wonderful printables and some FREE printables........................

Free Christmas Gift Tags & Labels

Free Snowman Tag Set

Free Santa Letters & Lists for the kids--and maybe the grown up too.

And don't forget to check out all the designers who sell on Instant Printables--they have tons of great things!

Visit The Toymaker for lots of really fun things that are free to download. They have some Christmas gift/candy boxes, cards, tags, place cards, an advent calendar and lots of fun paper toys for the kids to make. It's a fun site!

Hope you have lots of ink and enjoy!

It's A Holly Hobbie Christmas!

Who doesn't love Holly Hobbie! Today I thought I'd share some favorite Holly Hobbie Christmas images. Wouldn't these be darling gift tags on a gift wrapped in brown butcher's paper with red ribbon or maybe even tied up with homespun.
If you would like to save the images please save them to your own hard drive, by right clicking and choosing save to pictures or other appropriate option.
Merry Christmas and Enjoy!

Show & Tell Friday--Christmas Story Collection

This week was a bit harder to decide on what to share or rather how to share I guess since it has no pretty picture, so I had to dress it up a bit with at least a couple of cute pictures like this little girl in her rocker reading---which is what my Show & Tell is about--Stories--Christmas stories.


See, not a pretty picture at all, but if you open these two books up they are filled with lots of pretty pictures and wonderful Christmas stories that I have collected for about 28 years now. There are over 300 stories in my collection and not all of them have been added to the books yet.


It all started many, many years ago when I would buy all of the holiday issues of the women's magazines (before they cost an arm & a leg--and had much better content in them). I always enjoyed reading the Christmas stories the best. Most of them are fictional short stories that writers had submitted to the magazines. Each year I would save them in a folder and then it grew so big that I started organizing the stories and put them into these two notebooks. Every year it has gotten harder and harder to find the stories and this year I haven't found any! So now I will start looking on the internet to continue my story collection. It's one of my own personal holiday traditions that I enjoy each year.
Don't forget to stop by Kellis' and see what everyone has to share for Show & Tell Friday.

My Prim Christmas Tree & Vote For Your Favorite Tree

How many Christmas trees do you have decorated in your home? I have 3 full size trees and today I'm sharing my very favorite tree, my primitive Christmas tree. It's my favorite, because it has the best ornies on it. All of the ornies are ones that I have swapped with my online friends for the past 7 years and it is loaded. By next year I'll need another tree!

This beautiful angel is made by one of my online friends--Deb of Corpus Christie, TX and she tops the tree every year. She's made of crepe paper and cotton batting and one of my very favorites. She hangs out with me in my sewing room year round.

These next several pictures are close ups of the ornies.....







This is what's at the bottom of the tree..... the red sled with dolls and teddy are sitting on top of an antique picnic basket.


Another unique thing about the tree, all of it ornies and the red filled sled is that everything you see is handmade by either myself or a friend--except for the tree and the one dark haired doll in the sled. How neat is that!

Now for the voting part..... Go to A Gathering of Crows and you can see 33 beautiful primitive Christmas trees and make sure to cast your vote for you favorite and yes it is a hard decision, because they're all fabulous!

Vintage Paper Ornies--New E Pattern

I just love the way these turned out! I used old music and cardstock embellished with some silver tinsel trim a few buttons a dusting of mica and some old vintage images and voila! pretty Christmas ornies that look antique! I think I may even make some up to use as gift tags--wouldn't that be cute!

The E Pattern is only 3.50 and it's available thru Patternmart (there's also a link in the right hand column--just click the picture) as an instant download or you can order thru me at vintage@ida.net. (These are Paypal only please).

Show & Tell Friday--Thrift Store Christmas Decorations

Here it is Show & Tell Friday again and today I thought I'd share a few of the Christmas decorations I've picked up at the thrift store over the past few years. I love it when the thrift stores put out all the holiday decorations throughout the year.

A too cute little set of retro looking winking Santa salt & peppers that I think I paid all of .50 for.


For some reason I have to buy the old Christmas tree lights that you see packaged in baggies for next to nothing, but never could figure out what to do with them, so I poured out the rose hips and putka pods that usually fill this bowl and replaced them with the old lights. It worked out pretty well. I think I'll keep collecting them and fill up some glass jars or bowls. Oh and yes that is Santa sitting on the window sill in his underwear. hehe! He came to me from my friend Donna--who found him at a garage sale--another great place to find great ornies!


The vintage glass ornies in the candle globe I've been picking up here and there. Some are faded, scratched or a tad broken, but still so pretty and they were in a gallon size pickle jar--but that wasn't pretty, so last week I found the candle globe and I had the little snowflake crock that I'd found a couple of years ago and well they all just went together and I love it!

I'm still on the hunt for a nice Nativity--one that is large and hopefully somewhat colorful and more traditional, so who knows maybe next year I'll get lucky and find that one.

Don't forget to stop by Kelli's place and check out all the other Show & Tell Fridays.

Vintage Christmas Stocking Swap Photos

I participated in my very first bloggers/Flickr swap, which was for a vintage Chrismtas stocking and I finally got it finished and sent off to my partner yesterday. I am so relieved. This one was a bit stressful. Below is the stocking that I made her and the goodies that I tucked inside for her.


Here's a bit more of a close up of the stocking which I made from off white wool, antique lace and a photo print on muslin of an antique French postcard that I edged in a featherstitch and french knots. I hope she'll like it!


For this swap we sent to someone different than we receive from and as soon as I receive mine I'll be sure to post photos of it too, but in the meantime check out the photos from the Flickr Vintage Christmas Stocking Swap Group of some of the other stockings people made for this swap. There's so many wonderfully talented people and they made some gorgeous stockings!