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We’re still on countdown, sharing 25 Christmas decor, through Christmas day…
No. 17—You can’t go wrong with gold. This 12-inch gold tree is dressed up with golden swirls of tinsel and accentuated by mini gold ornaments. Classy and classic. And who doesn’t aim for gold?
Continuing our countdown of sharing holiday-inspired craft creations, through Christmas:
No. 2—A snowman on a red cube is an annual tradition, with variation. I seek ornaments with dangling legs, and this snowman fills the bill. A Santa or an angel also work and Daiso is often a resource for these danglers.
For several years now, I’ve launched an annual countdown to Christmas tradition enabling me to share a range of holiday decorations I make for gifts.
Most of the items assembled are destined to be presents, including a bundle ordered by a friend for her friends.
Like the holiday lapel pins I create, these desk and table décor allow me to engage in my hobby of sharing holiday crafts and reflect on why or how I did these 25 items.
Disclosure: The best way to indulge in an end-of-year project like this is to seek, collect, make, or purchase a variety of items year-round to assemble as needed to create Christmas items. With a glue gun, and your thinking cap, you’ll be amazed what you can create.
I appreciate hand-made items, which is why I make ‘em.
So beginning now and continuing through Christmas day, I’ll feature 25 ornamentals and reflect on the how and why they were created. Let the countdown begin…
No. 1—With Mele Kalikimaka as a theme, I assembled a Santa-like male figure and a Hawaiian hula dancer –in actuality, mini fabric dolls — in front of a papier mâché house with walls the shade of sand which yield an island tone. Added “Mele Kalikimaka” signage, a Christmas tree, a gift, a holiday lollipop, plus a pine-and-berries cluster. Final touch: a string of white lights. And voila, this becomes local all the way. This is one of the larger items I’ve done this season….
To friends, followers and family:
Let the Christmas cheer begin.
The 2024 Christmas pins have been mailed out the past few days, so be on the lookout. Many of you already have received pins.
As always, it was fun and joyful to create these pins.
So an early wish for the merriest of all Christmas ahead.
A sampling of the pins I did this year is shared above..
‘Tis the season for making yuletide cards.
OK, Christmas still is several weeks away, but I spent a few hours in October to create a couple of different holiday cards I use for Christmas note-writing and /or inclusion with a gift.
Start early, avoid the rush,
It’s a merry time to get immersed in the holiday spirit. This is in addition to my annual pin-making and simultaneous project of creating tabletop Christmas décor, which works, too, as a holiday-type desk decoration.
One card design, conceived perhaps three decades ago, still is one of my favorites. The look of this card never goes out of style, so yes, it’s a classic.
The concept has been to form a Christmas tree, utilizing holiday wrapping paper with bright island images – of flowers, Santas, snowflakes, ukulele, lei and more – rescued from Christmas wrapping paper. I hand-cut cut three segments for a small top, a graduating middle size and a larger bottom. When put together, you get a representation of a tree. Top it with a sticker of a star and include old wallpaper for a simple base.
For a bit of a twinkle, I use a string of holiday ties to ensure brightness separating the tree segments, to simulate trim on the tree. If you prefer, you can utilize springs of a tree instead of a bright trim, for an island mood. These greens are available on a spool at craft stores.
My two other designs are simple, if you can locate the right elements. I bought a box of commercial blank notecards with suitable designs and hues.
For one card, I discovered an artsy ribbon, on a spool, with repeating HO-HO-HO. Three hos are rather large to utilize side-by-side, so I cut two and then one, and arranged on a note card, accentuated by a Christmas tree sticker.
The other cards fit my needs; one had a series of triangular image that looked like trees; the other featured a series of triangular shapes. In the middle of the tree-looking card, I used two stickers of mini-Christmas trees, with a small square wedge of ribbon and attached on it a silver sticker of a snowflake.
Voila, a professional looking card. On the other card, I simply used three stickers of three trees, with a cut-out of a perfect slogan, “Merry & Bright,” found on a blue ribbon on a spool, so I have lot more of this wording for next year.
There are no rules in creating your own design, even if you cut out images of last year’s Christmas card. Your imagination has no boundaries.
Give it a try…