Oversized Twig Reindeer

 

(This is a repost of one of last years Christmas projects.)

 

Donna over at Funky Junk Interiors hosts a weekly themed link-up party.  This week is sticks/twigs/branches.  After leaving a comment saying that we had an awful wind storm and that I had all kinds of twigs and branches laying in my yard and I needed to find something creative to do with them, I remembered what my hubby and I made last year.  DUH!!  How could I forget about our oversized twig reindeer that we made. 

 

Inspired by the Oversized twig reindeer from Pottery Barn:

 

This is our oversized twig reindeer:

 

Now, back to what I’ll do with all of the branches in our yard.  This year, I think I’ll make some of the miniature versions to place around the house.  Maybe I could post a little tutorial in a few days on how to make these.

Well, gotta get to work.  Thanks for stopping by and I’ll catch ya later!

Faux Snowballs Tutorial

Technorati Tags: tutorial,christmas decorations,diy

Looking for quick and inexpensive holiday craft projects?  Here’s one:

 

Faux Snowballs

 

 

Faux Snowballs:

wax paper

gloves

styrofoam balls

joint compound & putty knife

mod podge & glitter

 

First, lay out your wax paper somewhere for your snowballs to dry.  Roll your styrofoam balls on a hard surface to condense them a little.  Not too hard, we don’t want to squish them.  Now slip your gloves on and smear on the joint compound with your putty knife.  If you get “peaks” that’s ok.  It makes them look a little more realistic I think.  When you have them covered like you like them, sit them on the wax paper to dry.  This will take a while.  When they are completely dry, you can sand down some of the peaks if you’d like.  Next step is the fun part.   Brush on a coat of mod podge and then sprinkle with glitter.  And you’re all done!

 

These would make cute little ornaments if you had the smaller styrofoam balls. 

 

Here’s a couple more pics of the ones I made:

 

I’m linking this project up to Funky Junk's Saturday Night Special. 

Thanks for stopping by…and I hope you’ll try these!

An Amazing Before and After

 

Well, an amazing “cleaning” before and after…lol… 

Just wanted to take a little break to share this with you:

Today my mom asked me if I’d be interested in a tea server set? (I guess that’s what you call it) that a friend had just given her.  She said she just didn’t have anywhere to put it and thought I might would like to have it to set out in my dining room.  Normally, I’d tell her no, because I just have too much stuff laying around as it is, but something told me to say yes this time.  I told her to bring it on down and I’d check it out.   Even as tarnished as it was, I thought it was very pretty.  After reading the partial sticker on the bottom that said “Solid Bra”  I kind of figured it meant solid brass…lol.  So after searching the internet to find out how to clean brass, I tried 3 things:  Worcestershire sauce, tobasco sauce, and ketchup.  Out of the 3, the Worcestershire sauce worked the best. 

 

This picture shows best how tarnished all of the pieces were:

 

 

 

 

 

And even though I’m not finished yet, I wanted to show you some afters:

I doubt that it’s an antique or anything, but Isn’t it pretty?  Look at that design on there!  I can’t wait to get it all finished!  Ok, break is over…must get off of here and finish up.

Catch ya later!

Wanna’ See My Porch Witch?

 

 

Remember in a previous post I mentioned that I would love to try to make one of those witches using a styrofoam wig head and paper mache?  Well, she’s just about finished!  I just need to fluff up her legs a little and attach her pants legs to the boots somehow. 

 

 

 

 

 

Materials used:

• styrofoam wig head (Sally Beauty Supply)
• pvc pipe frame for upper body and arms
• old thrift store red sundress
• black headpiece is from an old black slip
• black fabric I already had
• pair of thrift store black pants
• old pair of black boots
• lots and lots of newspaper for stuffing
• hands are made from your everyday household latex gloves from the Dollar store.  2/$1  Turned them inside out and painted them with acryllic paints, stuffed them and duck taped them to pvc pipe arms.
• eyeballs are made from polymer clay with printed irises modpodged on.  printed irises come from The Haunting Grounds
• just a few clumps of hair from an old wig. 
• I paper mache’d using newspaper strips, paper towels, and cotton balls. 

LESSON LEARNED:  Paper mache is not just for kids…This was so much fun to create!   

 

She went from this:

 

to this:

 

 

What do ya think?  Isn’t she cute in a creepy sort of way?

 

 

(I think I’d better finish her up and get her outside quickly!!  The dogs are growling and barking and ready to attack her! lol…) 

 

This post is being linked up to :

Metamorphosis Moday at Between Naps on the Porch  Head on over there to see some great Before & afters!

Creations By Kara...Look What I made

Someday Crafts Whatever Goes Wednesday

The Shabby Chic Cottage's Transformation Thursday

Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Night Special

My Dollar Tree Halloween Decorations

 

I finally purchased a few Halloween decorations from the dollar tree.  And when I combined them with things I already had around the house, I created these:

First up we have my hand and fingers collection.  They belonged to trick or treaters from last year.  What were they thinking trying to steal my candy!

(hand and spiders were from the dollar tree…fingers from halloween express)

 

Next up is hubby #3.  I told him to straighten up or I’d have to take drastic measures.  He just wouldn’t listen. (skeleton from dollar tree.  I just tore him apart and threw him in a large dollar tree vase and added some moss) 

 

(mice & moss from dollar tree)

A bat that was captured 50 years ago in Transylvania.  (bat from dollar tree…glowing water made using a highlighter marker.  It’s supposed to glow when lit by a blacklight.  All I had was a candle. Will try to get a blacklight this weekend and see how it works.)

 

black widow spider and her web also captured in Transylvania 50 years ago and preserved in the same glowing water. 

 

 

and here it is all laid out on my side table in the dining room.

 

 

Hopefully I will get a few more things made this weekend.  I am definitely wanting to try that witch that I posted about in my last post. 

 

This post is being linked to:  Funky Junk Interiors SNS

Technorati Tags: Halloween,Dollar Tree

Halloween Decorations From Around The Web

 

This post will be short and sweet.  (hey…at least I’m posting something…lol)

I have been searching all over the web for ways to add a little creepiness to our house for Halloween.  After all of the searching, I thought I’d share some of my favorites:

 

Tuesdee from EveryDay is a Crafting Day created a cute floating ghost with cheesecloth and starch.  Not creepy at all, just plain cute!

 

Katie from Sew Woodsy created this Martha Stewart inspired creepy mummy head on a platter.

 

I am loving this crow and skull cloche created by Kathleen of Fireflies and Family

 

I am also loving this halloween floor model candelabra created by Sawdust and Paperscraps. 

 

Stephanie Lynn from Under the Table and Dreaming created this Martha Stewart inspired mouse motel using a faux pumpkin and rubber mice. 

 

Want to make something really creepy?  Try this Rockin Granny from Scarefx

 

And last but not least, my personal favorite is this witch made with a styrofoam wig head that has been built up by paper mache’ and a pvc pipe frame for the body:  creepy witch  If my local beauty supply store carries styrofoam wig heads, I think I will give this one a try this weekend.

 

So what have you done to add some creepiness to your house?  I’d love to see…

This Is What Has Kept Me Busy This Summer:

Gardening!  That pretty much sums up my entire summer.  And of all years to take up a new hobby, I had to choose the “year of the drought”…LOL… 

 

Here’s a list of some of the pretties that I’ve added to the garden this year:

 

1 Dwarf Sweetspire Itea

1 Red “Knockout” rose bush

1 ‘RASPBERRY WINE’ Monarda

3 ‘SUNNY SKIES’ Delphinium

3 COREOPSIS ‘SUNRAY’

2 Nanho Blue Butterfly Bushes

1 Giant Ostrich fern

1 Japanese Beech Fern 

2 Hosta fire and ice

1 Hosta Patriot

1 Hosta Twilight 

2 Salieri daylillies

2 Stella D’oro daylillies

1 Sunny Yellow Knock-Out Rose Bush (purchased by my sweet hubby)

And after all of this hard work, what do I have to show for it?  NOTHING!  I think everything has died.  But I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’m wrong and hoping that everything will come back up in the Spring. 

But there is one plant (well, actually 3) that has really amazed me this year and that is this Hosta:

 

This hosta has been here since we’ve moved in 5 years ago and has never bloomed.  Earlier this year I dug it up and divided it into 3 plants and replanted in a different location.  Look what happened:

 

 

Isn’t it pretty!  All three of the plants produced these showy blooms.  And the fragrance…OMG!  You have to get one of these Hostas.

Well, that pretty much sums up my summer and my absence from blogging.  How was your summer?