DIY Monday on a Tuesday!

Posted by Ashley on December 6, 2011 · 2 Comments 

Well, I figured that I needed to let you all know that I made a mistake! In my last post I let you all know that I would be showing you a picture of my mom’s “frame wreath” and explaining a little on how to make it. Unfortunately I forgot to get a picture of it! [I will definitely do that tonight.] Because I promised you a Christmas related DIY–I figured I’d share with you a few Pintrest finds that I would like to make for decorating our home this Christmas!
[Pictured above are my pets Hannah (left) and Zoe (right) laying on my green cozy blanket and red and brown pillows. These were my decorations last year-that color combo makes for a warm cozy feeling Christmas.]

Here are a few alternatives to traditional garland::

For the stairs…

Instead of garland, just tie pine branches or Christmas sprigs (you can get these cheep at most craft stores) with a ribbon. Maybe you’ll want to add some ornaments like this person did!

With this one, you would hang it like regular garland, but use ribbon instead! I personally think it would be nice to hang a strand of lights along with the ribbon–kind of a sweet festive touch.

I think this concept is great! It would be even better to use those cinnamon pine cones you can buy this time of year–they smell divine! You could use any color of ribbon here. Also, it would be great to spray them down with glue and roll them in glitter.

Or you could just paint them like this…

Of course, you would paint them in your color of choice! Now, I’ve hand painted pine cones before-and let me tell ya-it’s a long tedious process. You’re better off spray painting them or dipping them into paint and hanging them outside to dry.
These are also great to place all over your home in bunches during the holidays. Much like this picture, they look great in glass-but they also look great in baskets of all kinds. I recommend placing them in your house plants or down your dinner table!

Another great decoration for your dinner table are these little guys…

Now, these would be pretty cheap and easy to do! Just find you some baby terracotta pots, fill them with your filler of choice, get you some cheap white candles, and take a trip outside! In these pictures you can see they have moss, rosemary, and those little berry things you can find at your local floral shop. But if you would rather, you can go outside and find you some pine needles, some pretty red berries off of your bushes–anything really. Also, instead of any of that-you can put some of those stringed beads you hang on your christmas tree in there, or maybe even some peppermints. The possibilities are endless. (If you’re like me and you don’t love the color of terracotta pots, paint them!)

Now, we’ve seen people decorate their own wreaths our whole lives really… Wanna change it up and make one totally from scratch – and recycle at the same time?

Now, this one here is made out of toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls! You just cut them up into about 5 pieces for the toilet paper roll and about twice that for the paper towel roll and then glue them to each other accordingly. I personally have some toilet paper roll art hanging on my wall-and I’ve had people tell me they think it’s amazing and ask how in the world it was made. They always laugh when I explain it! It’s a nice conversation piece. If you want it to be green like a regular wreath–paint it! Spray painting would be the easiest in this case. I personally would put it all together first and wait for the glue to dry and then paint it. (As for what kind of glue to use–you can use anything! I’m serious, mine is made with elmer’s glue!)

If you want to be a little more fancy and impress your guests–try this one!

For this one, you can use one of those styrofoam circles and begin gluing your paper flowers down. Again, you can use anything you’d like here! Any kind of paper depending on your own personal style. I think that magazine paper would be very interesting and eye catching–it would be great if you love bright colors or even to hang on a teen girl’s bedroom door! Newspaper would be fun and quite cheap–but such a mess! I really love the paper they used here though. It inspires me to write. Now, the question I know you’re all asking… HOW DO I MAKE THOSE FLOWERS??

Well, there you go! Pretty self explanatory if you ask me! Just secure it with a little glue and you’re good to go!

I think that’s enough crafts for one week! Can’t you tell what “Christmasy” theme I like — warm, a little non-traditional, very budget friendly, and DIY happiness! I hope you all enjoyed these easy peasy tutorials. Let me know if you try any of these-I’d love to see your own creative take on it!

Happy Tuesday everyone–only three more work days (after today of course) before the weekend!

Filed under DIY Monday, Photography · Tagged with Beauty, Budget, Christmas, Decor, DIY, Inspiration, Photos