Happy Holidays!

This is our Christmas tree, 2012! I'm excited because my husband paid $5 for it at a yard sale this summer. This is probably one of the prettiest trees we have owned. The branches are full and it stands six-feet tall. The photo doesn't do the tree justice. Since my blog deals with recycling and conserving our environment, I wanted to share this find with you.

The stand at the bottom of the tree was broke but my handy man hubby fixed it with E-6000 glue and a 35-year caulk. Actually, he fixed it too well. Originally, the tree came in sections. It now comes in one section and requires two people to carry it from storage.

A couple of years ago, I bought a white Christmas tree. My husband prefers a green tree. He was excited when he spotted this tree. I did an eye-roll as he crammed it into the back of our van. In other words, he was going to have a green tree this year.

Thanks for letting me share our yard sale find with you and Merry Christmas!

  

Grungy Hang Tags

Grungy tags fit any occasion through out the year. Hang them on dolls and doll furniture or use as bowl fillers during Halloween. Add them to the Christmas tree to blend in with the other ornaments or use them as gift tags. Typically dipped in a coffee-and-vanilla extract blend, grungy hang tags emit a light aroma reminiscent of homemade fudge cooking on the stove and cookies baking in the oven. Cinnamon can be sprinkled over hang tags before they dry or added directly to the coffee-and-vanilla mix. Use tea in place of coffee for a lighter stain.

A Few Words on Primitive Decorating

Primitive decor conforms to basic, straightforward style. Pieces are usually made from basic materials without fancy design. Primitive decorating is diverse and blends with rustic, country, or cottage trends. Primitive art and style includes cultural preferences, such as, Black folk art, Americana, and Colonial.

Craft persons create new pieces of work resembling original designs and employ techniques to obtain an aged appearance. Methods involve staining and sanding, burning, scratching, and denting pieces. Earth colors typically used in aging items are acrylic flat paint, dark wood stains, coffee and tea. These colors include flat finishes in black, dark blue, sage, mustard yellow, antique white, burgundy and brown. Stone, clay, wood, cloth, and paper are most often used in primitive crafts.

Recycled Cutting Board

Old cutting board up-cycled.

 Recycle old cutting boards for wall decorations or turn them into game boards. Sit them on your counter to use as a hot pad or glue wood ball knobs on the bottom to make a wooden trivet. You can pick up used cutting boards for under a dollar in yard sales or check out the local $1 Shop.

Reclaimed Country Cottage French Blue Candle Holders and Wall Hangings

Reclaimed flea market find.

This refinishing project took a weekend to do, from start to finish. The work produced lovely wall hangings and pleasant wooden candle holders. I bought items at a flea market and at yard sales. They are repainted in pastel blue and white acrylic paint. Initially, the wood was unfinished and the door glass was ready to fall out. The vent holes looked unappealing and bare. However, the hinged door appeared secure and the piece had potential. Low cost metal Christmas tree ornaments cover the holes nailed in place with gold colored finishing nails. Craft glue and grout holds the front glass in place covering any sharp edges. The heat from the candle-flame, goes up and out the top chimney hole.

Yard Sale frames and prints recycled.

These framed prints, found in yard sales, have soft pastels in pink, blue and green hues reminiscent of the French blue French country cottage style. Although used,

Wooden Block Votive Candle Holder

Use scrap from 2 x 4 pine. Secure the wood with a vise or wood clamps. The wood spins easily if it is not secured with a clamp. The hole-saw drill bit is harder to use than a regular drill bit. The trick

Doll Seat and Grungy Pillows

A doll seat painted with acrylic craft paint. The edges are sanded back to the wood. The grungy pillows are made from fabric scraps dipped in coffee and vanilla. A dark brown color and more sanding should make the seat look older. Sit a grungy ghost on the doll seat for Halloween. Click these links to see other grungy projects:
Grungy Dolls and Grungy Hang Tags.

Cloth Cookie Bowl Fillers

Cloth Cookie Bowl Fillers

These cloth cookies look good all year long. Put them in a clear cookie jar or on a plate. Set them on your kitchen island or on the coffee table. Best of all they are non-toxic. If an unsuspecting child puts one in his mouth the most she will lick off is some cinnamon. Did I mention--no calories.
They are inexpensive to make using scrap pieces of material. This project is similar to making grungy hang tags except the material used is fabric instead of card stock paper. Bowl fillers add warmth and charm to a room. Sit a bowl of them on your hall table.

Grungy Dolls

Sister grungy dolls.

 All you need for this project is a rag doll and brewed coffee. Making your own doll is an option if you like making projects from beginning to end. My little granddaughter nabbed my grungy angel. She sat it on her little rocking chair.