Christmas Decoration

  

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !

"LOVE is the medicine of all moral evil. By it the world is to be cured of sin. Love is the wine of existence. When you have taken that, you have taken the most precious drop that there is in the cluster. Love is the seraph, and faith and hope are but the wings by which it flies. The nature of the highest love is to be exquisitely sensitive to the act of forcing itself unbidden and unwelcomed upon another. The finer, the stronger, the higher love is, the more it is conditioned upon reciprocation. No man can afford to invest his being in anything lower than faith, hope, love- these three, the greatest of which is love." ~Henry Ward Beecher~

"Whatsoever things are tru, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are  of good report...think on these things."~Philippians:4-8.

~Wishing you all the happiness in the world this Christmas season~

Prom Dress Alteration

Before

What to do with a formal dress after using it for a one time special occasion? I found this prom dress in a thrift store for $6. I love the soft pink color, and it made me think about the movie Sound of Music--Liesl dancing in the gazebo. I wanted to use the dress in an informal way. I don't want to wait for a special occasion to wear this dress.

After

I made some alterations to the silk dress. I pleated the skirt and removed the silk band attached on the waist. Now that wearing silk is in fashion, I can use this dress in a casual way with a leather jacket if I wish. 

I couldn't stop thinking about Liesl's dress in the Sound of Music so I made a separate top that looks like Liesl's dress, and put it over the top of my silk dress so that the upper portion of my dress now resembles Liesl's dress.

I used chiffon fabric for the top. 

On the back of the chiffon top I attached snap fasteners. I'm going to wear this top with a pair of trousers or a skirt.

 This is my version of Liesl's dress; I really like how it turned out.

I want to wish you success in everything you do. Love and happiness around your loved ones.

Crochet Taxidermy Animal Heads

 I found a wonderful crochet book by Vanessa Mooncie with

beautiful well made patterns. I really enjoyed making these crochet animal trophies.

I wanted to make the zebra and when I finished it I could not stop making the other patterns in the book.

Dollar Tree Galvanized Bell Craft

I was looking for galvanized bells for a charming Farmhouse look. I found this set of bells  for $31.99 I decided to make my own bells. I found these metal vases at the Dollar Tree store; perfect for my project.

  

 I wanted the galvanized aged look. I found a tutorial that used toilet cleaner to age metal. I applied a coat of toilet cleaner to one of the vases. It definitely took off the shiny coat and left an opaque metal. I love it.

For the bell's clapper; I opened a hole on the bottom of the vase to insert the jute twine with a jingle bell tied to the end. Then I decorated the bell with a  burlap ribbon bow and some greenery to hide the flat bottom of the vase.

I hung the bells on my tree.

 ~I wish you a happy Christmas and blessings always~

Christmas Decoration

I want to share with you how I decorated my little home. I decided to decorate with red and white. I've been making pompom garlands, wreaths, gnomes and mercury glass. I hope that you enjoy your visit on this tour.

 I went to the Dollar Tree store and  bought the red ornaments, ribbons and tree skirt. I wanted a red  tree skirt without spending too much money. I'm sad to say that the dollar tree skirt wasn't well made but I get what I pay for so I had to make some adjustments. I purchased two tree skirts, and hand sewed the appliques. I had extra white felt so I made a border for the tree skirt, and sewed both tree skirts together. The other side had a Santa applique, making it reversible. I like it now.

 My church gave away some fabric, I made these gnomes and a couple of maileg elves to decorate my dining room for a Scandinavian look.

 I've been busy with crafts; I made this wooden tray, and the crochet wreath with the owl hanging at the window.

 A little of vintage Christmas in my kitchen.

I painted these candle glass jars with Looking glass spray paint by spraying the inside of the glass. I discovered that using a hair dryer really helps to dry the paint; otherwise the paint will be swirling inside the jar and set in the bottom of the jar. I really had fun with this project. 

 Mercury jug, Pottery Barn inspired.

 Christmas tree in my family room, frosty theme. 

~Christmas Spirit ~ 

"I am the Christmas spirit! I enter the home of poverty, causing palefaced  children to open their eyes wide, in pleased wonder. I cause the miser's clutched hand to relax and thus paint a bright spot on his soul. I cause the aged to renew their youth and to laugh in the old, glad way. I keep romance alive in the heart of childhood, and brighten sleep with dreams woven of magic. I cause eager feet to climb dark stair-ways with filled baskets, leaving behind hearts amazed at the goodness of the world. I cause the prodigal to pause a moment on his wild, wasteful way, and send to anxious love some little token that releases glad tears-tears which wash away the hard lines of sorrow. I enter dark prison cells, reminding scarred manhood of what might have been, and pointing forward to good days yet to be. I come softly into the still, white home of pain, and lips that are too weak to speak just tremble in silent, eloquent gratitude. In a thousand ways i cause the weary world to look up into the face of God, and for a little moment forget the things that are small and wretched. I am the Christmas spirit!"  ~E.C. Baird~