Christmas Wreath

I have had this wreath in my mind forever, and this past week, I was finally able to work on it. Thank goodness for long weekends!

I first started out with a Styrofoam wreath (I don't remember what size it is, but it's the second biggest one that Michael's carried). Then I ripped pages out of a old book and folded them loosely in fourths going "the hot dog way". There's numerous ways on how you can place the pages on, but I found the best recommendation out there in blog land is to fold the bottom of the page and then stick in on with straight pins. By folding the pages at the bottom, it helps give the pages some body. I ended up doing about 3 layers of pages, then simply folded and pinned pages on to cover exposed Styrofoam on the top..



Then it was time to bust out these ladies... I've kept them in my craft room for the past month, and have been DIEING to use them! I bought was seemed to be about a gazillion, but only needed 7 for the wreath (I put the rest on the tree)...

I snipped off the wire stem, then simply took straight pins and pinned them on top of the wreath

Then added a cute bow, and walla.... The easiest, prettiest, cheapest wreath project EVER!!....

We have this super (huge) awesome mirror that fills up space in our entryway, and I just could not resist wiring it on top of the mirror... This week, I'll be adding some temporary shelves on each side of the mirror to make a type of "make shift" mantle for our stockings (which have yet to be made!).

Don't you love it when things turn out exactly how you hoped they would in your head?!?

Music Wreath Ornament

This was my first weekend of Chistmas preparation. Mr.Husband and I will be busy one of the weekends between now and Thanksgiving, which means I only have 2 weekends left to get prepared!

I was also reminded this weekend when going to Hobby Lobby. The Christmas ornaments were already getting cleaned out, so I'm glad I've gotten mine taken care of, or started at least. I'm super glad I started early because last week I found a 12 foot Christmas tree off of Craig's list for $50.... can you believe that?!?!? I was sqeading all the way to nice old lady's house (who really took care of the tree... it was in perfect condition, and she said she had really only used it twice!).

The tallest tree I've ever had is 7 ft. tall, so needless to say, we're going to need quite a bit of ornaments this year! With that being said, I decided I was going to make some of the ornaments this year. I'm jumping on the "music sheet" bandwagon, as they seem to be so popular this year... I've seen music ornaments all over the place when ornament shopping! Perhaps it appeals so much to me because I have played the piano for about 20 years, and the tree will be right next to the piano in our home :)

I attempted numerous versions of a small wreath, and here is what came to be my favorite...

First, I started off with these plastic pearls from Michaels... They're a staple in my craft collection, and they're only $2.99. They will get you about 9 wreaths...


Then find a super old hymn book from your thrift store... I picked mine up for $1... You know when you have a good find when the book was printed in 1952, and smells extremely musty :)

For my particular book, I would rip out a few pages at a time, and cut them in to strips (the "hot dog" way). I got about 5 per page at about 5 inches each. Then I took 5 strips and glued them together like this:

I then cut some beading wire about the 15 inches long. At one end I made a loop... this is where you will tie your string or ornament hanger for it to hang off the tree.

I would then string the wire through the paper, add a pearl, then through the paper, then add a pearl, and so one and so on. I included a picture below (you can't see but there are also pearls on the other side of the paper as it alternates):

When you're finished, wrap the wire around the loop you made, and it should end up like this...

She's looking super cute, but I needed to make her cuter :) From Hobby lobby, I grabbed this stuff called Diamond Dust. It's not glitter, and looks a bit more like ice crystals.

Because Diamond Dust isn't glitter, I mixed it together with super fine glitter "dust" in a tupperware bowl to make it super sparkly...

Then with a paint brush, I painted on craft glue over the sides of the wreath....

Then dipped it in to the diamond/glitter mixture...

Then while the side already down is marinating in glitter, I painted the top.. and you end up with this!

But she still needs a bow! So I made a simple bow and rhinestoned the middle...

Then hot glued it on to the wreath, added a gold ribbon for it to hang from, and here is what I got!

I am absolutely in love with it... and so is Mr. Husband :) Now, hopefully I have the patience to make 10 - 15 more!!