Friday, December 16, 2011

Winter Wonderland Metallic Lampshade Trees

This is my latest addition to my Christmas decor. I made winter wonderland trees to flank the back door! They turned out beautiful!! The ornaments are silver, gold and vintage metallic colors and they make the perfect lampshade trees!

I found all of my lampshades at the salvation army. They let me buy all eight that I needed for this project and only charged me two dollars a piece. Great buy!! You can always find the most unique items there.
I gave the kids some scissors and we cut off all the fabric off of the lampshade. You would have thought it was christmas already...they were so excited to cut shapes in the side of the lampshades before they tore it off. Such creative little kids!!
I used a saw that can cut metal and chopped the 10 ft. long threaded bar in half.

It was pretty easy to cut with my husband's saw...pretty slick!! 
Each lampshade was threaded on the rod with a bolt. It took a while to thread the bolt down to where I wanted each shade and then to thread a bolt on top of it to secure it. It took a little bit of time and patience but, well worth it. 
I put the lampshades inside the urns from Halloween. They had the moss and sand still from when I used them with the black sticks.

To make them more secure and less tipsy, I added a board that I drilled a hole in it to sit the rod in then covered it with sand. 
Then my daughter, son and I wired on A LOT of ornaments!! 
Each ornament wired on seperately. 
They turned out awesome!!


I stuck fresh pine from our left over christmas tree parts to add greenery to the urns. Plus, they smell great!!

At night, the trees shimmer with all the christmas lights around..such a pretty glow!




I added strips of burlap around the threaded rod. It softens the look of the rod. Love that!
I left the lampshades in their original gold and silver metal colors.

This star was originally all gold so I added a blast of the silver glitter blast to make it look like the vintage silver. So pretty!! I love the vintage coloring. Each star is a different from the other. They have the same size and scale but, are different and unique, just like each of the lampshades.
My Winter Wonderland Metallic Lampshade Trees flank the back door and create an entrance into our backyard...AKA winter wonderland!!
Cassy Final

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Matted Picture Added to Lab Equipment

Everyone has their go-to framing store but, I love this little unfinished wood store and it just happens to have a framing shop as well. They sell the insides of their mats (the part that has been out and would be discarded) but, they sell those pieces for CHEAP!! I picked up a green and brown mat..which they cut a window out for me (to fit my 4x6 pics) and paid about a $1.50 a piece. This included the new cut ($0.50 to have a new "window" cut) to make it able to frame my photos. 
I knew it would hold a picture with two sides showing so I picked a mat for two different pictures. 
I added a different family pic to each mat. Either side you look at would be a different photo. 
I then glued them together. 
with some glue dots. 
I love that glue dots hold it all together without being bulky. 
Then I used the clips (already apart of the lab equipment I picked up in Kansas) and added my matted picture. 
The other side with the green matted picture. 
I added the family in with my candy shop apothecary jar display for Christmas. It's so cute amongst the jars! (Too bad there isn't more swedish fish for the picture...they are red and went with the Christmas display....but, apparently they are the kids favorite snack!) 
It also looks cute next to the Christmas card holder and M&M's!! So many choices! I really like that it can be versatile...being part of my Christmas candy display and it could also be used on any table for display. It's different and unique and I really like that it's using lab equipment for other things than what it was meant for!
Cassy Final

Friday, December 9, 2011

Fresh Christmas Wreath

Christmas is welcome at our front door!! I made a fresh pine wreath with a moss wreath inside...I LOVE THE COMBINATION!! 
This is the bottom of our fresh cut christmas tree. I always get a tree that is too tall for our 9 ft. ceilings so that I can have extra pine limbs with which to decorate. Real pine = yummy smelling rooms! 
I've had this wreath form for years....and my husband is SO glad I am finally using it and he won't hit his shin on it one more time. (thank you hubby....this is one of those things that I KNEW I would use...just not yet and he was very patient letting me keep it around...he knew I loved it!) 
You add pine bowes in one direction and as you add a new set of pine, you bend the tongs down to hold them in place.
You keep adding until you finish your wreath. Simple and Elegant! 
The back of the wreath. 
Ready for a beautiful red bow! 
I love fresh pine! So yummy! 
This little 12 inch moss wreath has been awaiting it's debut. I found it at a second hand store for $1.50...REALLY...I couldn't believe my good luck! It's my favorite color of moss...beautiful, lush green! 
I used a piece of ribbon with a cinch knot or slip knot to hold the moss wreath in the center of the pine wreath. I love the contrast in materials!
Isn't it BEAUTIFUL!!??!! I love how it's modern yet used traditional supplies! 

So everytime I open the door, I am greeted by fresh pine and a stunning red bow! LOVE IT!!

So welcoming!! A modern twist on the classical pine wreath! Don't you love it too? 

Doesn't it make you want to enter and see all the Christmas decor? (I'll post that soon...I've been working on a lampshade Christmas tree...I know....you need to see it so you don't think I've gone off the deep end! Ha) 
I love the classic red and green! 
To finish off the doorstep decor I added pine bowes with red ribbons behind the lanterns. 


It's very merry around here! Our door is ready for Christmas...now I just need to wrap a few gifts! 
I love this Fresh Christmas Wreath...it's a very welcoming entrance to our home for the holidays!
Cassy Final

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