Candy Kitchen

If you have one or several of these running around, I know you just can't help having a fun and whimsical Christmas dedicated just for the kids (even the one in you). So with my helper in tow, we created a little whimsy in the kitchen/eating area.

Candy canes and lollipops, gingerbread men and ladies, deck out the painted white shelf hanging on the wall in the kitchen.

Isn't she so cute with her green bow and ruffly dress?

I put a tree next to the china hutch, full of candy and gingerbread ornaments.

Have you seen this type of paper garland at Pottery Barn and other places? I made my own, punched circles out of reversible scrapbooking paper and sewed them together. I decided to hang it on the tree.

Last year after Christmas, I picked up a Christmas dinnerware set (like I need one more set of dishes) from Martha Stewart. It has a beautiful holly pattern and I blended it in the hutch with my everyday Gibson. I've done a tablescape with these so look for that tomorrow. I've been collecting "candy" for years and I displayed them in glass apothecary jars, it looks real and certainly last longer! :)

Some favorite ornaments

Gingerbread man, I just love this pair!

The advent calendar hangs in the kitchen too. Justin's Grandmother made it, circa 1985.

I hung vintage stockings with suction cups on the glass of the hutch, I added cedar and made the little felt poinsettias. I put a clothes pins on the back so they can go anywhere. I used a bottle cap for the center!

I just love felt!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you are inspired!

Here are some articles you might have missed:

O Christmas Tree 2010

Mini House Tour 2010

Christmas Mantel 2010

Joining Nester

Joining Gina

All Things Heart and Home

Brownstone Glittered Pinecones

You've seen me do this before....this is another exercise in using what you have on hand that isn't working for you and turning it into something you love. You can check out another ornament upcycle here. I can't explain why I'm so drawn to pine cones, but I just love them. I have a great collection of glass pine cone ornaments that I love to add to every year.

This is how they looked originally, a pretty red, and really I liked them, but I bought them several years ago, and I never used them. I'm not sure what my thought process was at the time, but in the box they stayed and never graced a pine bough in their pretty red life.

So out came the Mod Podge and Brownstone glitter (Martha Stewart) and the pine cones were given a breath of new life, a chance to actually make the tree! :)

The process is simple, coat the ornament in Mod Podge and coat with glitter and let dry. I have to tell you that while I was doing this project, my teen aged son (Keegan) walked by and said they looked like turds. Thanks so much for your opinion! I guess they might look like turds if you chose to look at them that way, however, I think they just look pretty natural, I mean pine cones are brown after all!!

So here are 3 turds are my beautiful brown pine cones

...and they made they cut! :)

I displayed some is a milk glass compote too, and added in some other pine cone and glass ornaments

Every time I use this glitter I'm amazed at how it covers!

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you are inspired!

Glitter Bayleaf Ornament

Hi and welcome to part 3 of my ornament series! This is another simple technique, but the final result is so great looking. I'm loving the handmade appeal that these ornaments are lending to the Christmas tree, I hope you find time to make some too.

Here is what you'll need:

Cardboard

Glitter leaf pick

Glue gun

Narrow ribbon

Burnt Umber craft paint

Silver glitter/Mod Podge (Optional)

Cut a circle from any cardboard, it can be a cereal box, pizza box, any sturdy cardboard. I used a pizza box and cut a 6 inch circle and then cut the center out, creating a 1 inch ring. Paint it with burnt umber, of course you can paint it any color, you just want the writing on the card board to go away.

Cut each leaf off of the glitter pick, you can usually find these at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. I think any shape leaf will work, I just liked the shape of this bay leaf. If you've got some old picks that you are not using anymore, this is a great way to repurpose them.

Begin gluing on each leaf, one by one, working backwards. It makes it a lot easier to glue if you are gluing on top of each leaf, instead of under.

You can see it better in this picture:

Once you've got all the leaves glued on, create a hanger with narrow ribbon and it's ready to hang! You might notice that the glitter is a little different in my finished ornament. I 'highlighted' the ornament with additional glitter, just to create some depth and tone down the super bright silver glitter that the original leaves had. Of course this is optional.

I think these would look great on a package too.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you are inspired!

Acorn Cap Ornament

Hi and welcome to another installment of my tiny series of handmade holiday ornaments! Thanks so much for the sweet comments on the mini house tour. Now lets make something!

Back in the early fall when the oak trees on my in law's property were dropping acorns like crazy, every step you took was a crunch, crunch, crunch, Logan and I harvested a few zip lock bags full. I used them for decorating during fall, and I wanted to incorporate them into Christmas as well. I thought they would look neat as an ornament.

Here is what you will need:

Acorn caps

Burnt Umber craft paint (and brush)

3" Styrofoam ball

Jute twine

Small piece of floral wire (18 gauge)

Narrow ribbon

Silver glitter (or your choice of color)

Mod Podge

Hot glue gun

First paint the styrofoam ball with burnt umber, this is just so you don't see the white of the foam. You could find a closer match to the color of the acorns if you want, burnt umber is what I had on hand.

Next start pushing the caps into the foam. Hot glue might be necessary for this part. While a lot of them stayed pretty well, if they are loose, just put a little dab of glue in the indention and stick the cap back on.
Get the caps as close as you can and work your way all the way around. Do not try to get it perfect, there will be gaps, but that's why we painted the ball in the first place. To attach the jute twine hanger, cut a length of twine about six inches. Take the floral wire and cut a piece about 3 inches long, bend it in half to make something that resembles a hair pin. Fold the twine in half and use the wire 'pin' to anchor the twine to the ball. Push the wire all the way in, if it doesn't seem secure, put a dab of glue. Tie a knot on the end of the string and the hanger is ready.

Now that all of the caps are covering the ball, use Mod Podge and brush a little across the edges of the caps. While the glue is still wet, sprinkle on glitter. I used silver, but I think gold would be nice or even brownstone. I tie some pretty ribbon the the top and it's ready to hang!

Of course if you don't want to hang them, they would make great bowl fillers too. Just complete all the steps and don't add the jute.
I hope you are inspired to try this! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Joining Kate.