Tag Archives: decorations

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Faux Wrought Iron Decorations

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I mentioned to my family that I’m collecting toilet paper tubes for use on some projects that were bouncing around in my head.  And an odd thing happened.  At every family function, every dinner party, every chance meeting since then, I have been inundated with toilet paper tubes.  They hand them to me when I least expect them, neatly packaged in Kroger bags, fully confident that whatever I have in mind for them is worth the extra effort.  At Christmas, I was given a bag of them along with my Christmas present.  Kinda nice, but apparently when folks look at me right now, they think of toilet paper tubes.  Not sure if that is a good thing or not.

Anyway, I decided to try my hand at mixing some quilling techniques and toilet paper tubes to come up with some faux metal wall art to spice up my Southwestern theme kitchen.
For this project I used:
A large amount of toilet paper tubes
Several Paper Towel Tubes
Aleenes Tacky Glue
Metal look Spray Paint
3/8″ Balsa Wood strips
I started by cutting the 3/8″ balsa wood strips into 10″ long pieces to form my squares and then glued them together with tacky glue.
The paper towel tubes were used for the straight pieces.  I simply cut along the length of the tube, flattened it out and used a scrap of the balsa strips to measure 3/8″ strips cut lenthwise from the tube.
The toilet paper tubes were cut in 3/8″ strips across the width of the tube to keep the curl.  Simply cut along the length of the tube, flatten out and mark 3/8″ strips across the width.  This will result in 3/8″ curls.
Using some examples that I found on the internet of wrought iron wall art, I created four 10″ squares.

I curled the cardboard with the end of a paintbrush where I wanted curls and used the tacky glue to glue it as I went.

With these squares, I started by dividing it into four equal parts and then creating the same pattern in each part. I simply created as I went and used the end of the paintbrush to make any curls needed.

Once they were completed and dry, I then spray painted them with metal-look paint.  Unless you get up close and personal and actually touch them, they look totally like metal.  But didn’t cost nearly the price.

I now have fancy looking wall art and spent next to nothing to make it.  In fact, my toilet paper loving family actually provided most of the materials.  You can’t beat that!

New Year Color Sheets & Decorations

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Here are some coloring sheets your family can print our, color and use as decorations to help you bring in the new year! Try using them as a competition between all members of your family with the winner winning a specially embellished blow horn and hat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right click and save to your computer, then print as large as you want from any publishing program or click on image, select print and choose what size you want to print it as! Have fun!!! Happy New Years!

Victorian Christmas Decorating

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The Victorians decorated their homes in bold wallpaper, ornate furnishings, lace, and richly-colored draperies, and this love for decorating carried right over into the way they decorated for the holidays, as well. Although many of the Victorians had very little money to spend on extravagant decorations, they were enthusiastic in their celebration of the Christmas season. They turned to nature for inspiration and found fresh, rich greenery, flowers, pinecones, berries, and fruit which were all used to create colorful displays. Early in December the Victorian household began to decorate, covering every available inch of the house with greenery. Spruce, balsam, laurel, cedar, ivy, mistletoe, and holly graced tables, banniesters, chandeliers, archways, columns, and woodwork. Mistletoe dangled from the ceiling of the entry hall. Even picture frames and mirrors were wrapped with evergreen rope. Wreaths could be found hung on doors or behind windowpanes.

The Victorian parlor played an important role for the holiday season. The parlor was transformed into an enchanted winter wonderland filled with decorations such as garlands of cranberries and popcorn, tinsel and paper chains, paper and lace ornaments, tissue-paper snowflakes, glittering glass balls, angels, fairies and Santas. The candles on a glittering tree adorned with an angel or star on the treetop became the centerpiece of the room. Under the Christmas tree sat the tempting gifts, wrapped in colorful paper and tied with taffeta ribbons. Some were lavishly garnished with the addition of fine flowers and greenery. Colored glass lamps and candles throughout the room cast a festive glow. The fire blazed merrily, and stockings dangled from the fireplace filled to bulging with gifts and treats. An army of toy soldiers marched on the mantel above. The fragrance of cedar boughs drifted throughout the house, and arrangements of holly and ivy brought the peace of the winter woods indoors.

Christmas Jingle Bell Projects

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Bell Wreath Supplies
Heavy gauge floral wire
Christmas theme colored bells
Chenille stems-gold, green, red
Broad width ribbon – red

Bell Wreath Instructions
Step 1 Make a circular loop with heavy gauge floral wire.
Step 2 String bells along wire and fit them closely together around the length of the loop.
Step 3 Use a pipe cleaner to wind around the bells at either end of the loop to hold the wreath shape together in a circle.
Step 4 Tie a bow around a pipe cleaner and then tie that pipe cleaner around the part of the loop that was joined together.

Bell Tree Supplies
12″ Floral cone, Styrofoam*
Christmas theme colored bells
Wrapping paper
Chenille stems – hot pink, turquoise, lime green
Craft feather boa – white
Glitter foam sheet, sticky back – hot pink
Glue
Gemstone-turquoise
Toothpick
Pattern printed from http://www.michaels.com
Pencil
Scissors

Bell Tree Instructions
Step 1 With hobby knife, cut a Styrofoam* floral cone down to desired size for tree.
Step 2 Cover cone with wrapping paper that matches the bells you will be using to decorate. Glue paper into place.
Step 3 String bells on lengths of chenille stems, keeping in mind how big your cone is.
Step 4 Join the strings of bells by twisting them together, end to end. Push one end of the joined chenille stems into the top of the cone.
Step 5 Begin circling the cone with the chenille stems and bells starting from the top and working down to the bottom in a spiral. Push in the other end of the pipe cleaner into the bottom edge of the cone.
Step 6 Wrap and glue craft boa to the base and top of the cone.
Step 7 Trace two stars and one base onto sticky foam sheet and cut out.
Step 8 Stick two stars together, sticky side to sticky side and insert a toothpick in between the stars half way in from the bottom.  Insert into the top of the tree. Glue gemstone onto front of star.
Step 9 Glue the tree onto center of base and glue craft boa around the bottom of the tree.