Simple Christmas Projects
November 16, 2010
Each year, my ambitions get loftier when it comes to Christmas preparations. I love hunting down thoughtful gifts for family and friends, adding creative twists to my holiday decorating, and, possibly the best part, wrapping each gift simply yet beautifully. All without breaking the bank, of course! Generally, I confess, I don’t finish nearly half of the yuletide projects on my list. But I have learned to start planning earlier to avoid the frazzled meltdowns that are otherwise sure to happen at 1am Christmas Eve or the night before our annual Christmas Party! No guarantees that I won’t turn into a frazzled housewife again this year, but I will make a valiant effort to get some of these simple projects done, on time and on a small budget!
My kids love advent calendars but we still have way too much Halloween candy haunting our cupboards so I’m really loving these sugar-free countdown options. It doesn’t hurt that they look so amazing either! Forget store bought…these would be fairly easy to replicate yourself or, if you’re feeling pressed for time, skip the stress and invest in one that can be used year after year. The first of the Pottery Barn calendars below was featured in their catalogue last year and I came across a great diy tutorial for it on Katie’s blog, here.
1.Country Living 2. Country Living 3. Pottery Barn 4. Oh Hello Magpie 5. Nuvo Nova 6. Pottery Barn
When it comes to decking my halls, I love combining natural textures and materials, like burlap and pinecones, with a little sparkle and shine. Naturally, I love vintage ornaments and was so lucky to have some mercury glass ones handed down to me from my Grandma last year. I can’t wait to heap them in glass hurricanes or maybe hang a few like the lovely picture below. We have several gorgeous sets or mercury glass in our shop right now and I don’t think Rachel and I will feel too badly if they don’t sell…more for us!
There’s nothing better than seeing an idea in a magazine or online and thinking “I could do that“! Here are a few naturally beautiful ornaments and table settings that are definitely do-able…it’s just a matter of finding the time, or rather making the time, to actually get them done! That’s where the miracle of online shopping comes in handy…
1. Ridgewood Designs 2. Martha Stewart 3. Alice’s Looking Glass 4. Apartment Therapy
Scandinavian style is the definition of simple elegance. The home below says it better than I ever could…raw wood, natural fibres, luxe touches like the chair and mirror…oh, those Swedes always do homey so very well!
Here are some of the top projects that I’m ambitiously planning (hoping and dreaming!) to accomplish over the next few weeks. Rachel and I have several vintage books in our shop that we sadly sacrificed for their lovely bookplates. We are, however, keen on repurposing things and these paper garlands would ease our guilt over those leftover pages. I think they’d look amazing made out of old maps too! My middle daughter, Sadie, loves old tins almost as much as I do (you should see the odd collections she keeps inside) so I think she’d be all over making some of these candles with me. The button wreath couldn’t be cuter…ideal for the kids to make for teacher gifts…and the feathers? I’ve been collecting bird themed ornaments for the last few years and think these are so gorgeous! With the right craft store supplies, I bet they could be replicated pretty closely….
1. West Elm 2. Design*Sponge 3. Martha Stewart 4. Kate’s Paperie
I hope these have inspired you to get started, or at least start thinking about, your own holiday decorating…good luck!
