Stick Star

This is a project inspired by Katie Bower's Barn Star. I've admired it for a while and have been searching for appropriate stick-age for MONTHS with no luck... until just two days ago. I FINALLY found these mostly straight, curly willow branches at JoAnn's and since I wasnt interested in cutting down so many twigs from outside to make my star, I caved to the $9.99 price tag (ridiculous for something that I can find out my back door for free but eh, I'm occasionally lazy. Tuesday was that kind of day.)

I was loving the accompanying jute that went with the twigs. Just what I needed!

I was so excited to have my star finished that I forgot to take a picture :(. I do have this shot here of the second baby star that I made from leftover scrap sticks though. Just imagine the other one three times the size. :)

I wasn't originally planning to do wrap my star in lights or to put it outside. Actually, I was being a TOTAL COPYCAT and thinking of putting on the mantle just like Katie did, except when I did, it didnt look as nice as it did in her house.

Then, I remembered that on the way home from JoAnn's I popped into a local thrift store to restock our xmas lights because last years burned out right at the end of the season. I love getting them from here because even though they are used and run the risk of shorting sooner, they are only 50-75cents a strand! How do you beat that?! So, next my mind went to wrapping this star and hanging on our porch. There is this porch decorating contest at our apt complex...not that I will win or really have a chance to compete with one of our amazingly stylish and well-stocked neighbors, but I thought hanging this out there would bump me up some points...at least in my mind! Here she is in all here sparkly glory!!! Makes me smile when I'm driving in and can see it through the woods!

Happy sparkle-season to all!!!!!!!

My First Homemade Christmas Cards!

These couldn't have been easier or more fun to make! Pretty much anyone who has ever been to kindergarten has learned how to fold a piece of paper and cut random shapes out of it to make a unique and darling snowflake. I just used my mad KG-Skillz to make this first one :)

These were super simple too because they're just a bunch of squares. I cut one strip of paper off and then proceeded to snip chunks off that strip according to the different sized gift boxes I wanted. To make them look more finished I added the hand drawn bow details and the box tops, which were another small strip of paper.

A little glue stick action and wha-la!

Pre-arranging to see different combinations helps...

The Christmas Trees took all of 2.5 minutes to make too. Thats because all the cuts are straight lines. Here I am cutting the strip off my paper.

Then I cut my first angle off (and waste this one) because I dont want any Leeeeaaaaaning trees. Gotta get my angle right!

And proceed! No turning the paper, just a flick of my wrist at the opposing angle and bam, a whole pile of trees in 30 seconds!

Easiest holiday cards ever.

And they're so darn cute!

PS!!....it helps boost productivity (riiight?!) if you have some of these goodies around :)

Birthday Week Day 2- 26 years!!!!!!

Candy-Cane Lane

I cant wait to see a show here! It's such a pretty place :)

After 2 YEARS we finally rode the HOLLY JOLLY TROLLY!!!

I made it...and it cost $4.00!!!!!! Awesome :)

Couldn't decide. Course! Eventually he went with the one on the right :)