Are you as excited as I am for the Fourth of July? Seriously, fireworks and we should be able to see them from our house. Awesome! I started thinking about invitations, so I put together this printable version.
If you have Photoshop, you can download the .psd file, add your information and add a second to a page.
Or get this version to write your info in.
And, you can use standard envelopes from any office supply store, no searching for a specific size.
We’ve made a few more Christmas ornaments, so we decided to share with you. The first idea was inspired by this from Pinterest. Basically, you print a template, place wax paper over, then trace with puff paints and put the design on a canvas. We followed most of the steps, with the exception of the canvas. I started by drawing snowflake designs in Photoshop. Then, I printed the design and placed wax paper over.
Using a 99 cent tube of paint, I traced over each snowflake.
After letting the paint dry for 24 hours, I carefully peeled the designs off, leaving this:
Which hung nicely and held it’s shape well.
However, not all of the designs held their shape. Womp, womp.
Turns out, the thicker designs worked better. To hang on the tree, just add a ribbon or wire hanger and you’re done. But, if your designs are too thin and floppy, don’t worry, we have a solution. Carefully roll the design and place in a clear glass ball. Use a pencil to flatten the design, then hang on the tree to enjoy. I hate when I think I have a brilliant idea and it turns out to be a flop. In this case, I think it worked out well.
And here’s a glimpse from the under side.
If you want to make your own puff paint snowflakes, here’s a printable template. Oh, and you see those red berries? Those were super simple. Start with a floral pick from the craft store. I got mine from HoLo for 75 cents. You’ll also need scissors or wire cutters and extra wire.
Then, cut the berries off the main stem, as close to the base as possible.
Group two to five berries and wrap the ends together. Cut a two-inch piece of wire and wrap that around the berries.
Attach to your tree by wrapping the added wire around a branch.
Then you’re done! Oh, I tweaked a few of the Epsom salt filled balls, too. While puttering around HoLo, I wandered into the doll house section. That’s a bad thing for someone addicted to miniature things like I am. But, I walked away with only one package of 12 birds for $1.50 (thanks to 50% off doll house supplies). Everett also grabbed a package of birds and threw a fit when we I took them away at the check out counter. No, we didn’t buy them. When we got home, I plopped a few birds in the snow globes.
I think they’re cute, and still easily changed out next year. I’ve got a few more decorations to share next week, too.
Anyone else inspired by ornament ideas from Pinterest? What are your favorites? Please share links, too.
Christmas is only 27 days away, so we thought it would be fun to share our handmade ornaments. I decided on a ‘Winter Wonderland’ theme this year. So snow, snowflakes, trees, pine cones, feathers, reindeer, birds, owls, and polar bears were the main focus. Some are super simple, others are a little more complex, but all are cheap. I thought we should start with the easiest ones.
To start, find clear glass (or plastic) ball ornaments. HoLo (Hobby Lobby) sells a twelve pack for $7.99, but Christmas stuff was 50% off making the balls four bucks. While at HoLo, I bought a package of brown and teal feathers, also half off, costing $1.00.
I bought the feathers for the teal colored ones, so I pulled those out.
Then, it’s as simple as removing the cap, tossing a few feathers inside, replacing the cover and hanging on the tree. Ben said these are his favorite. I kind of agree, but I still have a few more ideas so we’ll see.
I bought the iridescent balls, but I think I’d buy plain glass ones for the feathers if I could do it again. The coating makes it difficult to see the feathers clearly.
After making six feather ornaments, I made six snow filled balls. Instead of spending money on fake snow, I poured a little Epsom salt inside.
For the snow ornaments, I think the iridescent finish is fabulous.
Once you’ve filled the ornaments, hang those suckers on the tree, too and admire the sparkle. Yes, I am a raccoon. I like shiny things, so Christmas is the best time to appreciate all things sparkly.
If you’re looking to keep your Christmas decorations cheap, these are perfect for you. I spent $4 on the glass balls and another dollar on the feathers for a total of five bucks for twelve ornaments. Each ball cost $.41 cents. Score.
The boys and I put up the Christmas tree this weekend while Ben installed our upper cabinets. We still have ornaments to make, so here’s a fun bokeh picture of the tree.
What did you do this weekend? Set up your Christmas tree? Did you make ornaments? Do some Black Friday shopping?
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