Decorating Princess

I love Christmas lights, but my pet peeve is Christmas lights left up all year round. If I’m honest with myself, I’ll admit that the chances of me being excited enough to ever take the outside lights down, isn’t good. So I’ve found a few ways to bring the Christmas lights inside. This way I get to look at them (I am the one that matters after all), & the effort is very minimal.

1. I have a birdcage that I bought at the dollar store. I shoved a string of Christmas lights in it (so technical of me), & I can keep it around year round, or put it away after Christmas.

2. I’ve also made these super easy potpourri jars. They look pretty & smell wonderful, also makes a good gift.

3. Besides the regular Christmas tree lights, Christmas village lights, we also have a lighted garland to put in the windowsills.  This way it still looks like we decorated from the outside of our house, without all of the hassle.

Christmas lights on the inside of the house are neat.  Wow, I really should’ve thought of a better closing line.  I also should have thought to not point out my mistake.  Pretend like that didn’t happen. (Insert brilliant closing line here).

To make these Christmas ornaments, you will need: acrylic paints, glass ornaments (I buy the packages at the dollar store), & a paper cup.

1. Take the gold topper off the ornament, usually by squeezing the hanging wire.

2. Then drizzle small amounts of paint into the glass ornament, & turn it around to get the cool swirl effect, then add another color until the entire ornament is covered in paint.

3. Turn the ornament upside down in a paper cup so any excess paint can drip out. Wait until all the paint is done dripping & then put the gold topper back on & ta da, hand painted ornaments.

4.  (Make sure you say ta da, it is an integral part of the process).

This would be a great craft to do with kids or to give away as wedding favors. Plus this is an inexpensive way to decorate an entire tree with unique ornaments.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is a giant coloring book. We were given a “Night before Christmas:” coloring book before I was born. Each year on Christmas Eve the family gathers around & we each color part of the giant page, only one page a year. We each sign our part so we can go back & see who was visiting with us, who was dating who, who still couldn’t color inside the lines. We did this for 25 years until we had finished the book & it’s a tradition I miss, but one I will start with my own family one day. Works for me!

Last year I wanted a teddy bear angel for our angel tree. This seemed impossible for me to find. So I decided to make one. I found this teddy bear ornament at a craft store for $.97. I bought a sheet of felt for less than a dollar & cut out what I though look like wings. I stitched around the wings easily because I wasn’t going for a “perfect look”. I used the end of the embroidery thread to sew the wings to a bear. So for less than $2 & 10 minutes, I had the perfect angel ornament. These would be great gifts for teachers, or used as a package topper, or as a gift all by itself.

I think next year I am going to try to make a Yo Yo Angel Craft, it would be perfect for the angel tree.

Tags: christmas, holidays, presents, gifts, diy, crafts, ornaments