Nature-Inspired Christmas

I love to change up my Christmas decorations every year, and usually make most of them myself. This year I've had a lot of fun playing around with my sewing machine, and I made some paper circle garland that I sewed together in greens, whites and painted some paper in metallics. I draped them on my mantel and piano for bright pops of color. I took a walk in a local park to collect the large sticks to make the star that I put above my mantel. I simply wired each connecting point together and I was done. The pine cone door decorations were a Pinspiration. They were incredibly easy to make too. I just used ribbon with drop of hot glue on the end to tie on the pine cones. The green one was made by cutting strips of burlap, gluing and tying in the same way.

Seems like we always get the itch to paint something this time of year, so this year it was the bay window wall. We painted it a dramatic charcoal called "Evening Hush" by Behr. I love how dramatic it looks, especially with light curtains and wall art. I drew the "Mistletoe" sign with chalk on my framed chalkboard on the same wall. This year we cut down a huge tree as tall as our 8 1/2 foot ceilings and placed it in a galvanized tub like last year. Merry Christmas!

Land of Nod Knock Off Winter Wondergraph Garland

I love making garlands! I pretty much have them up all year according to the seasons. This week, I made some soft and colorful fall leaves garland and it was a fun surprise to see one of my favorite projects from last holiday season getting featured on Copycat Crafts this week! I love this site and their amazing knock-off ideas!  I'm sure it's not too early to post a Christmas-ey project, especially since some people are having snowflakes falling this week! This garland is a knock-off from the Land of Nod, made by stenciling wax paper circles. Here's the featured link: Winter Wondergraph Garland
 And here's my tutorial "recycled" from last season, but still just as pretty!

Today, on Black Friday, I didn't join all the crazies in lines at the stores and road rage on the road.  Instead, after a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving with my family, I decided to get to work on some DIY Christmas decorations like these beauties.

I love browsing through catalogs for ideas I can make the cheaper copycat way. I got inspired to make this lacey garland after seeing Land of Nod's Winter Wondergraph Garland below:

 I was convinced I could make a thrifty version of this garland with materials I already had stashed at home. Land of Nod's description says they were made with "coated paper" so I decided to try using wax paper, using a technique I learned when I made my Faux Capiz Shell Chandelier.

Here's what you'll need to make this garland: 

wax paper

parchment paper

iron

circle cutter or scissors and circle to trace

white acrylic craft paint

string or thread

needle

round patterned adhesive stencil (I used Martha Stewart's craft line)

paint pouncer or craft paint brush

First,  iron three squares of wax paper together sandwiched in between two pieces of parchment paper. 

After paper is cool, use circle cutter to make circles a few inches wide ( or trace and cut out circles) I cut out twenty for my garland. 

Then, press your circle stencils to the center of paper circles and paint with pouncer or brush. 

I used two different sizes to create a lacey snowflake pattern. 

Finally, push thread in and out of top of each circle using a sewing needle until each circle is connected for your finished garland. 

You can hang your finished garland in a Christmas tree, across a wall or in a window like I did. I love the delicate look of these in my kitchen window and plan on keeping them up all winter long!

Thanks for visiting ReMadeSimple!

p.s. If you loved this idea, please check out the rest of my holiday tutorials here!

Linking up with these parties.

DIY Winter Snowflake Garland

Today, on Black Friday, I didn't join all the crazies in lines at the stores and road rage on the road.  Instead, after a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving with my family, I decided to get to work on some DIY Christmas decorations like these beauties. 

I love browsing through catalogs for ideas I can make the cheaper copycat way. I got inspired to make this lacey garland after seeing Land of Nod's Winter Wondergraph Garland below:

 I was convinced I could make a thrifty version of this garland with materials I already had stashed at home. Land of Nod's description says they were made with "coated paper" so I decided to try using wax paper, using a technique I learned when I made my Faux Capiz Shell Chandelier.

Here's what you'll need to make this garland: 

• wax paper
• parchment paper
• iron
• circle cutter or scissors and circle to trace
• white acrylic craft paint
• string or thread
• needle
• round patterned adhesive stencil (I used Martha Stewart's craft line)
• paint pouncer or craft paint brush

First,  iron three squares of wax paper together sandwiched in between two pieces of parchment paper. 

After paper is cool, use circle cutter to make circles a few inches wide ( or trace and cut out circles) I cut out twenty for my garland. 

Then, press your circle stencils to the center of paper circles and paint with pouncer or brush. 

I used two different sizes to create a lacey snowflake pattern. 

Finally, push thread in and out of top of each circle using a sewing needle until each circle is connected for your finished garland. 

You can hang your finished garland in a Christmas tree, across a wall or in a window like I did. I love the delicate look of these in my kitchen window and plan on keeping them up all winter long! 

Thanks for visiting ReMadeSimple! 

p.s. If you loved this idea, please check out the rest of my holiday tutorials here!

Linking up with these parties. 

Simple Thanksgiving Felt Garland

So, the holiday season is here again. You might have noticed, I haven't been posting as much as when I started this blog a year ago. I have been on a crafting/project marathon this past year-so many projects completed, so many new ideas and techniques I got to try! It's been a lot of fun sharing my ideas and "meeting" all of you! I have been overwhelmed with your nice comments and thrilled with being featured on bigger sites.

But I have decided to take it slow for the next few months. Anyone who blogs knows how time consuming it and even competitive it can be, especially during this season. But I just want to enjoy time with my family and friends. Yes, I do have a few Christmas ideas up my sleeve and I hope you get a chance to check out last year's ideas. I hope you will still stay with me. In the spirit of recycling I am reposting this Thanksgiving idea from last year: Simple Thanksgiving Felt Garland.

I love Thanksgiving--it is such a simple season of gratitude--I think it's important to remember the ways we are blessed. I always think it's a shame that this holiday often gets overlooked by the rushed Christmas season ahead.

This year, I decided to celebrate a little early and decorate with a simple reminder to "be thankful". I have been loving all the machine sewn together felt garland I've seen around different blogs and on Pinterest.

Since I don't have a sewing machine yet,  I decided to put an old-fashioned spin on designing my own by hand stitching the garland.  I was excited to find some recycled felt made from Eco-Fi-made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles by the brand Creatology. Plastic bottles never felt so soft...

Here's what you'll need to make this project: 

Yarn needle

Felt in various colors

Fabric scissors

Yarn-I used two types of textures, but used the smooth kind for the lettering

Glue gun or tacky glue

Small circular containers in different sizes to trace-try a spice jar or medicine cup.

Pen or pencil 

First, I traced my circles around the containers-I alternated between two different sizes.

Then, I cut out each circle until I had enough to spell out my words. I used 11 circles.

Next, I threaded my yarn needle with the wavy yarn and stitched loosely through the center of the first circle.

I repeated the process, leaving about an inch between circles, until I ended up with a long chain of circles, like this:

To make the words, "be thankful" I cut small pieces of straight orange yarn and just looped and connected the pieces to form each letter. I then glued each letter to the center of the circle.

(keep in mind that I formed the letters first before trying to glue them!)





Are you ready to see the finished garland?  Here it is!

a shot from below, the garland is held in place by the gourds:

I love my colorful reminder to "be thankful"...

If you liked this idea, I hope you get inspired by checking out the rest of my holiday tutorials! And be blessed this season...

Thanks for visiting ReMadeSimple!

Linking up with these parties:

Fabric Acorns (No-Sew!)

Well, after a busy and fun summer filled with big, big painting projects I worked on a teeny, tiny fall project that I love and was so easy to make--adorable fabric acorns. The best part is the ones I made are no-sew! (and no worm...real acorns are filled with them!)

I first saw this idea in BHG from Sweet Paul. The ones he made were velvetey fabric, which looked amazing...but a weird fact about me is I can't stand the feel of it...so I made mine with soft, silky touchable  fabric scraps in some of my favorite colors, finishing them off with a tiny bead on the end. These are so easy a kid could make them! So, if you want to get started...

Day After Holiday Turkey Soup

Got a lot of turkey left after a big Thanksgiving or Christmas feast? Here's an easy and delicious soup recipe that combines shredded turkey with broth, vegetables and a roux as a thickener. My family loved it! I served it with garlic bread and it filled and warmed us up on a cold winter's night.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken both
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
• 8 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded turkey meat
• 1 16 oz. can Great Northern Beans
• 1 c. fresh or frozen kale, torn into pieces
• 2 cloves minced garlic

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine chicken broth, water, green onions, garlic and wild rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Add beans.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Allow to cool and then crumble. Set aside.
3. When rice is tender, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper all at once. Cook, stirring, until smooth and bubbly. Stir in half-and-half and cook until thickened, 2 minutes. Stir half-and-half mixture into rice mixture. Stir in bacon, turkey and sherry. Heat through and serve.

Pretty Paper Ornament

My good friend, Rebecca, who blogs at The Lord's Housekeeper-full of
crafts, recipes, and spiritual insight, made me
this simple paper ornament using pretty catalog paper. I know it
is only a few days before Christmas but I wanted to post one last little decoration
(this season goes too fast!)
I think these could go beyond the holidays and could be used for other
party decorations, too.
Here's a photo stream of her making
one for me:

So pretty! Merry Christmas.