HANDMADE TREE DECOR - Day 6 Holiday Decor

While Im not always the Queen of DIY, I do like to find less expensive ways of doing things.   This year in the new house...I wanted to decorate the tree with what we already had.  

I save my ornaments every year and had built quite a collection, unfortunately due to the move, many were broken and damaged.   But that's not going to stop me of course.

There are a few trees in the house this year.   As of right now the count is 5...not all large but I will be sharing the final trees the week of Christmas.

Im a huge fan of burlap as anyone who follows this blog or my IG and FB pages knows..lol    I wanted to incorporate some burlap in my tree this year....which I have never done before.   However spools of burlap ribbon are kinda pricey, not in my holiday budget this year.  

Sooooooooooooooooooo what do I do............  Break out the burlap scraps from the closet.

I just completed a wedding project of 12 ft burlap runners ( I ordered extra burlap for my own runners)

Nice sharp scissor needed for cutting

I cut approx 4 in strips (my runners were 12 in wide)

I then pulled a center piece of burlap thread and scrunched it down, then knotted at both ends.

Easy and simple....you can buy a yard of burlap at Jo-Ann's for approximately $3.99 and don't forget your coupons people (40% off single cut is big savings)

Check back to see how this looks up on the tree and what else I have planned this year.

- MJ

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE ...........

I've been very busy decorating for Christmas in my home and also preparing for my Holiday Boutique in 2 weeks.    I worked on this little project this weekend because it will be part of my holiday decor in the living room.  

This mirror was originally part of a vanity...it is very heavy.  I purchased it from a man on Craigslist for $10 with the intention of painting it and using it somewhere.   This weekend I finally figured out what color and where it is going.

I did a test patch on the bottom right

Here is what I used to paint the mirror....yes Im even a bargain shopper when it comes to paint too. Ooops paint from Home Depot.

Here is the finished mirror in copper w/ gold glaze finish

This is where it hangs in the living room 

Can't reveal anymore because it will give away the whole Christmas decor tour

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

-MJ

WORD WEDNESDAY.....ART ON THE CHEAP...

Very rarely am I wordless.....so let's try something new this week.

Most of you know....I love me some burlap.    I recently gave some to my sister and she did an awesome typography project for her living room.

(my sister's work)

Well you know I had to give it a try cause I also love me some letters and typography.

Here is what you will need:

Burlap bag, feed bag, burlap material
Craft paint
Wooden letter magnets

These are my supplies...yep 3 things

Here is the final product...it was made for a friend.

I mean it really doesnt get much easier than this....I picked my main word FAMILY and then just worked their names out of it.    Kinda Scrabble-like! lol

I decided to use the magnets and not a stencil because it's easy to see this way and you dont risk getting paint elsewhere as if you would moving stencil around (I hate that )

This could really be done with any fabric or even paper, but I just like the look and its a great piece for the home.

-MJ

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY

A week or two ago I cleaned up (literally) on garbage eve. lol   I found 6 doors to those bookcases that have horizontal doors that open up.  My wheels were turning to make something with those.

You see them in the pile of junky love.

I choose 2 of the 6 doors for a friends project and 1 for myself of course.

After a coat of Valspar Historic Woodrow Wilson Linen with a chocolate glaze and bronze sprayed hardware.  Hanging hardware added to the back....and ta-da.   Oh did I mention I did a mirror finish I the center too.

Here is the finished product...I hung it over my buffet as a trial and for photo purpose but it will be going in my living room (update post coming soon). 

-MJ

 

SAND FROM THE HOMELAND

Okay so Im confessing on another obsession/collection that I have.....there are many some more important than others. lol  

SAND...yep the soft squishy hot stuff you find on a beach.   Ive been collecting it since my 1st trip to Italy when I was 16.  I have sand from Sicily, Puerto Rico, Georgia, Myrtle Beach SC, Ocean City Maryland, Mexico, Aruba and a few others I can't remember of the top of my head.  My plan is to bottle them and hang pretty tags on them in a pretty coastal sun room in my dream house.

My favorite sand that I have is the most original and meaningful to me because it's from my husband's homeland.  My husband was born in the Commonwealth of Dominica, for those of you who aren't familiar it's where the last Pirates of the Caribbean film was shot.   A beautiful island located in Caribbean Sea, the population is estimated at a little over 72,000.

The sand there is BLACK, yes deep dark black sand with gold colored specks.  I was amazed when my mother-in-law sent some to me.  I have been waiting to put it in a bottle but since the dining room makeover and the new Black/Creme color scheme I decided to do a little project and highlight this beautiful sand and bring some of my husband culture into our decor.   Lord knows he doesn't get too much say in the decor normally because he knows it changes daily. lol

Hope you enjoy this simple and easy project that COST ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Glass jar

Bag of sand from Dominica

Look at how beautiful

My tupperware funnel

I used 2 jars so it filled the bases

I inserted a creme colored taper candle

These cute little glass jars flank the large gold mirror on top of the altar table in the dining room.

-MJ

WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY

With no internet the past few days, let's just say I had a lot of time on my hands.   Nap time seemed much longer and here is what I was up too.  

Just because I was sitting at home with nothing to do, doesnt mean I need to run out and go shopping (although I will never past up a good stroll through HomeGoods, Target, or Lowe's. lol    I can't sit in a room without looking around and thinking of what I can change, but I want to reuse what I already have in my home.

My recent junkin trips have been so awesome and it's just another way for me to live a more green lifestyle.  Re-using old furniture or old houseware items mean they stay in circulation in our population and not in a landfill somewhere.  

So as I was sitting on my leopard Craigslist sofa (yep, it's recycled) reading my new issue of Flea Market Style Magazine (I also save them to refer back on, sometimes I spare a few mags for the kids school projects) I started looking at the front window area and how it was bothering me and also above my mantle.  Inspiration struck and here is what happened next.

This was my living room last summer....see that hanging between the windows

It was my safari wall decor from Home Goods...well I had to redesign this too.  The animals were not balanced they had 2 dark and 2 light, well it just looked weird.   Now it was going to be repurposed!

This was last Christmas and the beginning of mantle transformation...see the center piece.

Sorry Bed,Bath & Beyond...Im doing some double sided art work.   I flipped the canvas board out...covered it with brown shipping/craft paper I got in a shipment (recycle your shipping materials) and then dry brushed on  an espresso glaze .

Ta-da....this is now above that eyesore of a TV on my mantle.

This is what the mantle looks like right now.....more to come of the Living Room updates.

So this project right here costs me absolutely $0........ nothing!  Be as green as you can, recycle, repurpose, reuse!

THRIFTY THURSDAY....ANOTHER TRIP

So Wednesday night I went driving around with my sidekick (she must remain  nameless or she wont do the dishes anymore)lol

Let's just say that Mama had to go home and drop off the 1st load then rush back out to score some more goodies.   This is what Big Daddy J saw the next morning walking out the front door.

Yeah this was a nice collection...there is more on the back deck too.  Chairs, tables, cradle parts, etagere doors, crates, doors, frames, the list goes on!

The vintage mint green baby cradle is probably my favorite..Ive already started working on 4 projects from it.

I scored about 8 of these painters ladders...the sanding has begun

A vintage door and one of the cradle railings

All sanded and ready for painting

A huge stainless mixing bowl and copper bundt pan

This is what my side of our double garage is looking like right now.  Chairs, tables, rockers, lamps...

More tables, stools, vintage waste can, quilt rack, metal table frames, demi lune

My chandelier collection

My favorite of all

One that Ive shabby'd a bit and a black iron pot rack

It may sound weird but it truly makes me happy to find something that someone doesnt want or has thrown away and make it new again or something else.  I thought of myself as the repurposing princess but have now been dubbed The Junk Collector...I like it!  I need a sign now!  Oh and a storage shed.

So......I'd say I will be pretty busy from now till June 5th!   I dont know that I'll even be able to get all of this stuff to the fair or even in my tent. lol  Wish me luck!

Here is a preview of a line of items for my show

2 refurbished vintage chalkboards..1 in Americana Blue & 1 in cream w/ chocolate glaze

My Robins Eggs Blue Home Accessory line...all made from vintage finds.

Here is where I party: