Deck the Halls

When we moved to Indiana we left all our Christmas decorations in Utah.  

This year I was so excited to come up with completely new Christmas tree decorations.

Our tree at home is very rustic and outdoorsy.  I wanted something very different.  I love the color blue and it looks so pretty with almost every other color.  Since our carpet in our house we rent is blue I thought it would be a great year to give it a try.  I want the tree to have lots of vintage charm. 

 I loved how it turned out.  

We crafted most of the ornaments ourselves so it will always have fun memories. 

The ones we make didn't cost $1.00 or less. 

The glitter balls are super easy and fun to make.  I learned how to make them at a Relief Society activity.
Zoey and I ended up making about 24 of them.
You fill clear glass balls with a special floor polish, add glitter, shake and you are done. They turned out gorgeous!

My mom got this snowman idea from a friend.
Sherry sent me the wood cut out.

Painted and glittered birdhouses remind me of retro
glitter cardboard house my grandma betty always
displays.

Zoey setting up our favorite Fisher Price Little People Nativity.

I love these giant suckers I found at Crackle Barrel.

Silver Bells from the dollar store of fun for the kids to ring.

Walmart had these glitter churches for $1.00

Our ward had a cookie exchange night. I was on the commity
and was asked to be decorate the cookie table.
I was so glad I had the decorations I had been making.
I also used Christmas cookie cutters, rolling pins, spoons, etc.

I made five dozen gingerbread boys to share. It was a really
fun night. Everyone got to take home a plate of all different
Christmas cookies. Yum!

Zoey's Room

Zoey's walls in her room are super white and boring. She and I decided it needed some sprucing up.

Using a shoestring budget and a little imagination this is what I came up with. 

I had made the quilt before we got married. It worked perfect to coordinate with the rest of the ideas. They were all simple and inexpensive.  

She already had the pillow, I just made an owl out of felt and embroidered it on.

 (Zac Efron is hidding underneath. Sorry, High School Musical.)

I always see cute canvas pictures for sale at Target, but never want to spend the money. 

 I painted this on a cheap canvas with acrylics and fabric paint. 

 Zoey loves buttons and rick rack, so I added some too. 

Ty told me it looked like artwork that Pam, from The Office would paint. (Thanks a lots Tyrone)

Unfinished birdhouse were only $1 and were super fast to paint.

I layered felt and used Wonder-Under to stabilize the owl.  

I always loved Woodsey Owl as a kid.  "Give A Hoot! Don't Pollute" 

I finally painted her American Girl doll bed. Turned out cute.  

Plus, it matched the doll blanket I had already made!

  I can't tell you how much I love having a little girl of my very own!  We have so much fun! -Zara

Sewing Desk Project

Before:

My dream some day is to have a room dedicated to crafts and sewing.  Ty has also informed me he will have a "classy" fly- tying study.  For the meantime, I had been searching for a small desk or table to store my sewing supplies.  They always seems to be laying around in various places.  My good friend Stacie, found an old desk on craigslist and fixed it up cute.  I have been dying to find a similar one for cheap.  I had all but given up, when yesterday, as I drove home from Zoey's gymnastics I found my desk.  You may laugh and I don't usually do this, but I got it out of some one's garbage pile.  They still pick up the trash in our neighborhood the old fashion way by hand, and with it being a university neighborhood people are always leaving our stuff poor college kids can reuse.  I think originally it was a vanity with a mirror.  Yet, it is solid wood.

I stopped and lugged the desk into the back of the trusty Exterra.  Zoey was a bit alarmed, wondering why mommy was stealing some one's desk. I explained it was an empty house for sale, and they were sending it to the dump. She also went on to explain, it wasn't very nice looking. I told her mommy would fix it up.  Less than 48 hours later, I am so happy to say it turned out just as I dreamed. I am glad I took the risk of looking like a garbage collector.

I don't mean to rave, but it seriously is an answer to unuttered prayers.  I didn't have money to shell out on a brand new one, and I like a challenge.  I am excited to have a little crafting corner of my very own.  For now it is in the kitchen, but I may move it to our bedroom later. :)  The pictures aren't the greatest and I had to put paper down just incase it was a bit wet still.  It is my favorite color.  Aqua!

As always,  happy crafting!

Zara
   After:

I sanded it by hand, and the wood looks a million times better. 

Just for the record: I first tried to spray it because I was in a hurry, and  I wanted to see it done.

 Big mistake.  It looked awful!  I went to Lowes, and bought Valspar paint.  

Two coats later I was so glad I did!

Projects

Since Ty is gone so much studying, I have been trying to get some projects done with the kids are sleeping.   I stumbled on the cutest blog "I Am Momma, Hear Me Roar".  The author has so many fun ideas.  She has step by step instructions for most of them. It has been fun to put my own spin on them. Here's a peek at what I have been up too.

Our walls are so bare, I thought this inspirational Gordon B. Hinkley quote would look cute.  It was tough to paint the words, but lots of fun.

I am in LOVE with freezer paper stenciling! I have so many fun ideas I want to try.

 It is super easy and pretty fast with GREAT results. That's how I made this casual neck tie shirt and cupcake shirt. I embellished Zoey's with some beads.

The tricky thing was to get Bubba to hold still while I took some photos of his cute new shirt.

In this months Woman's Day magazine there are lots of fun decorating ideas with candy corn. 

 I LOVE candy corn, and they were so inexpensive to make.  

I sprayed the little tree branches with Rustolium Spray, and then hot glued candy corn on.  For the candle holders I bought glass containers at the dollar store, and filled with candy corn and a small candle. Sorry, not the best photographs of them.

I made this scripture tote out of a place mat.  I found the instructions at Nap Time Crafts I still need to embellish it with some fabric flowers or more ribbon.  Perfect for a set of scriptures or just a small tote for errands. Super fast and easy.

 HAPPY CRAFTING!