DIY Money Tree! For those hard to shop for! A post from the archives!

We all have a few of them on our lists!

   You know! Those hard to shop for friends and family! For me it is a handful of teen and pre teens! My daughter and I shopped aimlessly with little luck! I finally surmised that we could just get them a gift card or money.... Money is the ultimate gift after all. Your recipient is free to do as he or she pleases, but it has always felt a little impersonal to me! I give you the Christmas money tree!

Start with two pieces of felt. Trace a tree pattern, cut and either sew or glue them together with hot glue. Leave about a half inch border and a hole for stuffing the tree at the bottom! Next stuff your tree! Do not be afraid to get into the corners.

I used a small dowel cut into equal pieces for the trunk! To create the candy cane striping, paint first your base color. Then when dry apply painters tape in a spiral around the dowel and paint your secondary color! Once you remove the tape touch up and even out where necessary! These blocks that I used for the base were only .30 at Hobby Lobby! I painted a primary color then topped it with ivory and sanded the edges for that unique look! Once your base is completed use a cute piece of scrapbook paper to cover the top!

So Cute, Easy and Affordable!

Assemble by closing the opening to the tree around the dowel! Use a small amount of hot glue to attach the trunk to the base! Decorate!

Use ornaments that reflect the personality of the intended recipient!

 I found tiny clothespins at Wal Mart. Use them to attach money or gift cards! Have fun! 

          What are you working on?

A little inspiration...

        The Holidays are approaching! Are you getting ready? Or waiting a few more weeks?

     We are doing things a little different this year. We typically are not completely done with shopping and/or decorating before Christmas Eve. Sincerely. I couldn't really tell you why. It is just how it has been. Our "style" you could say. This year we are in new territory! Our shopping is very nearly done, and I have a jump start on our decorations! I must say.... It is kind of nice! This lull, the quiet before the holiday storm. Taking advantage of this slow time has been most productive! Now ordinarily crazy time will be spent snuggled up in a blanket downstairs with my cute family. Christmas lights glowing on the tree.... Yes! We even have one of two trees up!

    Last Saturday while the hubs was pheasant hunting my gals and I headed into town. Our little valley is the newest to welcome Tai Pan Trading. Really exciting! I did not want to leave. I was completely enamored  by the hanging Christmas wreaths they had displayed. As I quickly began formulating a plan to duplicate the wreath, the total started to creep upwards. Although completely head over heels with the store and their wholesale pricing, I could not bring myself to spend the nearly sixty dollars it would have been to purchase all the supplies.... and really, sixty is not bad, but cursed am I with a frugal mind.

 
    A simple Christmas garland can be purchased for less than a traditional wreath. I wrapped a tree garland around an old grapevine I already had. Then secured it with wire. I used white string to attach silver snowflakes at different lengths to the grapevine on the outer edge. My old reliable friend jute was used to hang the ornaments from the ceiling first then through the middle of the wreath after it was hung.  I literally only spent $10 on this wreath! Hobby Lobby is having a fantastic 50% off sale on all of their Christmas items. I bought 5 large ornaments. Everything else I had from previous years! The cute deer? Dollar store!

  Inspiration and creativity are endless. It is really what we do as bloggers. Inspire one another. Make our own special touches and contributions. I really love Tai Pans wreath. Like, love it! I really love mine too! Maybe a little more. Something rewarding about creating for my family.

    How have you been inspired this Holiday season?

Tar paper fireworks!

I love the 4th of July! 

 Back and refreshed from a vacation I was ready for some cute outdoor decorations! A set back from being "back and refreshed" is my wallet now needs to be refreshed:) I pondered for sometime trying to figure out what I wanted...

 and on a next to nothing budget!

I was just about to paint over my Halloween pumpkin logs, to transform them into fire works when I saw the roll of tar paper in the back corner of the shed. I admired the shape of the roofing paper and had an idea....

I cut a piece and then secured the top and bottom with a staple to create my cylinder shape.

Then used hot glue along the seam.

Grabbed a few buckets of leftover paint! Spray paint would work fine, but I liked the instant thick coverage I was able to achieve with the latex paint. 

Once my tubes dried I cut a square of the paper, poked a wire through the center and secured the inside end with hot glue...

Then trimmed and painted the top. Twist the wire around  a pencil for a fun look!

I used a stencil to decorate my fire works and then created the "fuse" by tying several strands of yellow ribbon to the wire.

My total cost for this crazy cute DIY $0.00 I simply used what I had around the house!

Share your fun 4th of July ideas!

                                                                          

A Jutorial and Burlap Spiders!

    As the Fall season begins and the chilly air moves in I have found myself a little busy! Busy creating! Here is a fun, fast, low cost, and unique Halloween decorating tutorial! 

   

    For the jute spider web it is easiest to find a semi heavy blanket you can lay out on the floor! This was my second web! The first one was held down on my kitchen counter with coffee mugs! It worked, but this is much easier!

1. Cut jute to desired lengths.

2. Pin strands of jute to the blanket to secure it while you work!

3. Fire up the glue gun.

    Working in between strands create your web! It is easier to cut the inner stands as you go! I tried one continuous piece and the look was not the same! Cut and glue as you work around the web. Once you have the look you like, remove the pins and hang it in an awesome location! 

Does your web look empty....

   

     These cute burlap spiders are the perfect occupant for your new jute web!

1. Fold a 5x7 strip of burlap in half and cut the head and body shape.

2. Glue or sew the inner edges of the burlap, leaving about a 1/2 inch border from glue to edge, and leave a small hole near the shoulder of your spider.

3. Stuff stuffing through the small hole. Fill it up full! Glue or sew access hole shut.

4. Use a piece of tulle to separate the head from the body, and for a cute bow!

5. Cut eight pieces of wire to the same desired length.

6. Carefully use hot glue to secure and wrap jute around each wire. If the ends are fraying add a small drop of hot glue. When the glue is cool enough to handle, but not set... roll it between your fingers until the fray is gone!

7. Fold up the sides where the 1/2 inch border is on the body. Hopefully your burlap is frayed and will create a "fur" up against the body. Use glue to secure.

8. Sew or glue the legs into place! Once in place you can bend them however you choose!

Happy Haunting!

Fall Fun!

    There are so many wonderful decorating ideas floating around! Plenty of inspiration! Talented Bloggers and Pinners abound sharing their creativity!  Easing into the end of the year craft season with a few quick and simple projects can be just the thing you need to get your creative juices flowing! Look around and gather ideas, then make them your own! I fell in love with a tutorial for vintage signs and decided to give it a go!

    It was really quite simple and quick! Cut the wood to the desired length! (I also thought this would be cute on a wide variety of surfaces! Old doors, walls, old windows, just about anything!) Paint colorful stripes! This is where I got nervous! It looked rather weird! I found that I was happier with a straight lined stripe in the finished product... Use masking tape to create letters! Paint over the top with a festive color! Remove tape and allow to dry. Finish with a distressing method of your choice, mine is the old reliable stain distress!

I was having so much fun...

That everybody's getting one!

Weekend Warriors...

Great Halloween table runner!

By one of my budding artists!

White punkins are all the rage!

Getting our Fall on! I had been wanting to try a lace stencil! 

Baby K's first Punkin!

We are so excited!

Make a mercury glass mirror out of a vintage window!

    You know! My favorite DIY materials! Spray paint, Krylon looking glass spray and a random vintage item! I have had a set of old windows sitting in our shed begging me to do something, anything with them!

    I started by cleaning it off really good! Remember, you are more than likely working with lead paint and if you have little ones like I do clean up is uber important! I then sprayed the back of my window with looking glass spray to create a mirror! Looking glass spray will scratch easily so apply it to the surface least likely to be handled.                                                                                                                                                

      I did not tape off the back because I knew I would later sand off any over spray. When  preparing for the next step I did however tape off and cover the front.                                                               

                                                      

    In the next step I covered the length of my window frame with lace. Then with a soft Ivory spray I used the lacy pattern as a stencil. It is such a soft and intimate touch.                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                    

    Curious I also rounded up the first few items I could grab and tried this technique on as well! I found this bottle at the DI for only $2.00! Definitely like the lace stencil!                                                                

    Curiosity satisfied I moved on to finish my mirror! I found this great handle that happened to be 50% off at Hobby Lobby! Then instead of hanging it flat, I wanted to be able to hang my mirror on an angle and adjust it as I saw fit. My sweet husband applied two hinges, top and bottom to the frame and wall and there ya have it! An awesome adjustable mirror!

     

Too Cute!

   
    Isn't this so cute! A wonderfully talented lady brought me this as a birthday treat! I gingerly lifted (and may have eaten:) a few of the mini's so you could see how clever she was to use a Styrofoam ball and straight pins to create a deliciously cute sundae!

Don't forget your pins!

While you are browsing Etsy don't forget to check out my pins! They look great with anything! Sorry hat not for sale!

January is for Winter Wishes and New beginnings...

    My featured pillow for January is finito! The changeable flowers make for many great combinations! I really love the burlap and plan to incorporate it more! Don't forget to stop by my Etsy shop to get yours:)

NicoleHearfelt Designs

Check out this awesome project...

all things purple: Christmas Decor DIY Project:

I love this! It is so stinkin cute!