12 Days of Christmas Ornie and Book

Once again I was fortunate to participate in a 12 Days of Christmas giftie swap and also new this year a 12 Days of Christmas book mingle. Here are my contributions:

The ornie I made was created from repurposed Pageant Numbers I found at a yard sale. I thought the lovely shade of green was perfect fro Christmas!  I distressed them down with brown ink and brushed on some diluted glue and glitter for a bit of sparkle. The Santa images were repurposed from old Christmas Cards. The centers were vintage dictionary pages with a satin red ribbon for trim! I was happy with how they turned out. I may make more for next years tree! :)

Don't they look cool on DH's hanging poinsettia baskets out by the pool??

For the mingle we were to make a tall skinny book with our interpretation of the song the 12 Days of Christmas. I took the traditional approach to the song. I made black sillhouettes of each days icons and used co-ordinating papers, snoflakes and some bling for mine.

It's beginning to look (and FEEL) a lot like Christmas here in Florida.....

Well, decorating now that I live in the South after 45 years in Illinois is still weird. The last 2 years in Georgia I really didn't do much......this year in FL with the new house I decided I really should give it a whirl. So, I planned to keep it simple....just the tree and my nutcrackers. Ha! I say again Ha! It's like rabbits......you just can't stop 'em. Geesh! I have now OFFICIALLY quit.............'prolly.

So, here is the mantle with the glitter cones and the rest of the sparklies. I decided the 2 short ones were getting lost so I put them up on candlesticks. That decision led to more candle sticks and the matching glass balls. I am thrilled! I LOVE how it looks....of course way more sparkly in person but you get the idea. It's killing Hubs that I wouldn't let him "hang" the mirror. I really like it just propped up there. Whatcha think? Propped or hung?  The stockings are heirlooms. My Aunt had them made for her family and ours by a little old lady who hand knit them. Aren't they amazing? And now, for the first time....they can hang on a mantle....who knew??  :)

So, after putting the 9 foot tree up in the formal living room (funny how it looks so small now with 12' ceilings) I felt that the fireplace looked lonely. So, up went the 6 foot tree (I simply LOVE that I, yes short little me, can put the topper on while standing on the ground). Hey, it's the little things people!! :) Since the pressies will be going under the big tree I decided to put some of my snowman collection under this tree. Can you say first year the kitties have access to the tree? Yeah, that is what this tree is decorated with only silver balls and my hand-cut snowflakes. I am so happy to see these are holding up so well. They are cut from regular copy paper and then ironed on both sides with wax paper to keep them clean and flat. I made them at least 6 years ago...pretty nifty, right?

After that, well I knew I had to have my fave silver tinsel tree with the hand blown ornies....so to the shrine it went. Yes, we have this weird lit shrine like alcove outside one of the master bedrooms. Never really knew what to put there.....but my little tree looks perfect! Good idea award goes out to Hubs. I LOVE the vintage felt tree skirt I found at a tag sale!

My nutcrackers are my fave collection.....not crazy about their location this year, but it will have to do. They are hard to enjoy way up there on top of the cupboards.....but I like the few that are down on Gpa Frank's cabinet. This little gem is one of my treasured possessions. It was hand made by my Great Great Grandfather. Isn't is gorgeous?

The rest of the pics are just little vignettes that are here and there around the main living areas. :) Enjoy!

Some of my fave snow guys

More of my fave snow guys and my big Georgia pine cones

My Raikes Santa Bear

Elf on the shelf and my beeswax Santas

Front entry table

Fave stitching ever that I rescued from the thrift store

Hubs says this is a SCARY Santa....guess he'd better be good!!  LOL

Bird cage and Bad Santa

Piano with the Nativity made by my Mom

Nativity close-up

The 9' tree

The 9' tree details

On the coffee table are no melt mosaic snowballs and the skinny "CHRISTMAS" Santa book I made.

I am again participating in a 12 days of Christmas swap and this is where I am keeping my goodies until the 12th!

So, that's what's happening at my house.......Merry Christmas!!

New Christmas ART to share....

I have been working on finishing up some Christmas ART for our home and for some swaps. I have 2 that I can share today.

I have wanted to make these glittered cones for awhile now. Since we've moved to this house I now have a fireplace mantle on which to display them! I think I need to get an intermediate sized silver one yet, but it's still early, right?  All I did was brush a water/glue mixture on the cones and liberally coat them with Martha's glitter. One piece of advice....don't be impatient and try to do the whole cone at one.....yeah, let's just says fingerprint marks with no glitter left behind....not pretty! Ugh!  I found that by doing the bottoms and about  3-4 inches up the base of the cone worked best. I inverted them into plastic drinking glasses to dry. Now you have a firm base to hold while you glitter and glue the tops! :)

The second project was for a make 2 ornies swap. I have been struggling with this one....just wanted something not traditional and not paper. Hmmmm....so when I was rummaging through the Christmas ART supplies box I discovered a few mini lunch boxes I bought on Christmas Clearance. They had this ugly scene from some movie on them......yuck. So, I had to rid myself of the awful graphics and blue paint. I colored them with a Krylon gold and silver leaf pens. I glued some Christmas images to the fronts and backs. Sprinkled on a glittery border and let dry. I added a paper strip and a rick rack embellishment to the outside edges. I glued coordinating sequins to the front and added a sparkly hanger. Now, don't you think they look much more appealing?  :::Smiles::: I do!