Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Party Center Pieces

I was asked to do the decorations for our church ward Christmas party. We were expecting 300 guests! So I made 28 of these, with the help of some wonderful friends. I got the 2x4 scrap wood from a neighbor who is having their basement finished. We pulled them out of the trash! We drilled holes and stuck these branches from another neighbor's dead tree. ( was out in 14 degrees ripping branches down. The things I do to save a little money!) Then we spray painted them white. We made sure to cover the wooden block at the bottom, but left the branch less intense so that it gave the effect of frost. Then we punched and cut TONS of circles. I bought the paper from a local party store. It is sold by the yard. (the same thing that is used at schools) I really failed to get a decent picture of the finished room. But I used a bright green table runner and set the center pieces every so often. Then, I placed lots of red circles, of all sizes, around the branches. It was fun and bright!

Well, I had many ideas and this little piece of paper shows my sketches. I will try to describe what I did at the serving/buffet area.I pasted this onto large white paper and hung it up behind the buffet tables. On both sides I hung a large round brown circle that had a big cutout tree similar to the one on the left side of the sketch paper.Above the buffet tables I hung these large branches.

After the party was over most of the little girls took home their own little tree. They were excited to take them and I was excited to let them take them because I had no idea what to do with all that work!

I love that I was able to keep the cost down on all these decorations. It is the church's money. I only had to pay for the table covers and the paper I bought by the yard to cut the circles with. About $52 to decorate an entire cultural hall for 300 people!!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Benefit Concert and Silent Auction Donations

These were all made by me and donated to a silent auction for the Skinners
Painted owl and fabric artwork

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Avery's Room Art

I was asked to do some paintings for a friend's baby girl nursery. I can't wait to see the paintings in her room! And more than that, I can't wait to see the cute new baby!Her quilt.
My paintings:



Thanksgiving Sign

I found a scrap piece of wood and first wrote this on with a pencil lightly. Then I used a "paint marker" (it is a marker that has acrylic paint in it. it is easy to control) to write the words on the board.
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Wrapping Party

Every year I have a Christmas wrapping party where my friends and I get together and wrap our Christmas gifts. It is fun to stay up late together and visit while we wrap! It was fun! Here are the treats!
The mantle. Last year we had an accident when one of my kids reached for a stocking and the reindeer stocking holder fell and stabbed him in cheek near his nose! It has left a nice scar, but we are grateful it avoided his eye or teeth. So, this year I will let the kids hang up their stockings before bed on Christmas Eve.
The railing.
The tree. I found this tree for $15. I know that is no surprise! It is a little on the skimpy side. I have all the fragile glass balls and anything else that I don't want touched up high. Plus, I don't dare put any gifts under the tree. I usually like to have them under the tree because I think it looks pretty. But I don't trust the one year old, or the 3 year old, or the 5 year old, or the 9 year old! ha ha.
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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The BIG wall

 

 

 

 


Have you ever seen someone write "LURVE" when they really love something? I am almost to that level of love with these old windows. I just can't bring myself to type it, as if I where saying it. But I am thrilled with how this turned out!
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I bought six of these windows for $20 at a yard sale. I still have two large windows to do something fun with somewhere else.