let's get crafty...

this year pinterest made decorating for christmas fun and economically responsible...i found so many great ideas that other people have used and was so blown away by how talented and creative people are.  while i am not super talented, i was able to find some pinspiration that was feasible for someone with my abilites and time.    

i found several wreaths i loved on pinterest and combined my favorites to make this wreath for our front door...i just love its simplicity and bright colors...

i saw some ball fringe used for garland on pinterest and remembered that i had bought these felt snowflakes at the dollar store 3 years ago to use for christmas decorations...i usually tie them from the light fixture over the table but this year i tied them together and made garland for the fireplace...again...i love color!

i love getting christmas cards every year but i always struggle with how to display them.  this year i saw this idea on pinterest and thought how perfect it would be for me.  after all, we have acres of neglected forestry for a backyard :)

the kids and i searched for perfect branches and then i used a pitcher and tissue paper to secure them.  i topped them with rocks to make it look a litte nicer.  then each card we received was punched with a hole and tied with twine to our tree!  i love this one so much that it is still up.  i love seeing the faces of so many people we love each day.

i was perusing the target circular one day and i noticed a tree made out of pine cones selling for 25.00.  my first thought was how much i liked them and my second thought was how i would never spend that much money for one.  i also thought that this would be a great way to once again make use of our backyard.  it was so much fun searching for pine cones with the kids.  i like how they turned out but i definitely will refine my technique next year.  make them bigger and straighter...

harper wanted a nightgown this year for christmas so i wanted to oblige.  anna had given us some curtains from ikea with a perfect little print.  we hung one in her room and then, in a very maria moment, i used the rest to make nightgowns for finley, harper and merriwether. i used several things i saw online and combined them to make it easy for me.  finely's was a bit tight so on christmas day i added some button ribbon from anthropologie so we could get her in and out without dislocating her arms...

i made harper some ruffle pants to go under her nightgown and i also made some for finley...she busted out of hers because i made them too small though...maybe that is why people use patterns and measuring :)  i made calvary and oliver jack some solid black pants and then i sewed their names down the side by cutting out letters in solid white and appliquing them down the side.  i really like how they turned out.




our home was modestly decorated but i was so proud of how much of it i actually made with some new but mostly found materials.  i love pinterest for collecting so many great ideas and for inspiring me to get creative and come up with some of my own!