Spectacular "Yard Waste" Wreath

Going green this year? Here's a way to cut costs in your decorating, go green, and have a great wreath to enjoy.  We use what we call "yard waste" or trimming from neighborhood holly trees.  Ask permission, of course, it will usually be given an eager nod.  You can use cedar or evergreen trimmings as well.

Not all of this wreath is made from "yard waste".  The wreath itself is an old fake one, you can get similar ones at any discount store or even the Goodwill.  Or make a fresh one, if you have time, even better.  We have a Father Christmas face we hang in the center.  He is decades old and was given to me by my mother, but it is not necessary to have such a thing in your wreath, I just happen to like it.

First, you must have a little kid go with you when you pick holly or clip your yard waste.  It is much more fun.  We don't have a little kid.  We have no grandchildren, so we have "rent-a-kids".  Basically, we don't mind babysitting!  Here is our little rent-a-kid du jour, Luke.

He's helping Hans cut holly from a tree up the street.  Our neighbors have been very generous every year in giving us permission: "Please! Trim the darn thing," they said.

Huckleberry the cockapoo must help by providing amusement.  He chases his ball, and he and Luke have races.

Then, like Santa with a pack over his back, up the hill and home we go:

Here's the bare mantle before we get started:

Then we hang up the wreath.  We added a garland and hung the stockings by the chimney with care...

Then we added the Father Christmas face that my mom gave us YEARS ago:

Here he is, grand ol' fellow:

Then all we do is start sticking holly in the top.  Make it big.  Make it spectacular.  It's got to explode out the top with that pow factor.

Here we are, all finished:

(To my European friends, I know wreaths in other cultures are what one brings to a funeral, but in America we use them as decorations, often at Christmas.  It does not carry the funeral overtones.)

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Table Settings

Really beautiful and unique table settings are here with lovely pictures to inspire you this holiday.  Whether you feel like being an ice princess, a woodland sprite, or St. Nick's elf, you have lots here to get you going.  Enjoy, and post your own creations!

19th Century Christmas

Lots of fun out at Ft. Nisqually, WA this weekend as Christmas 1855 was portrayed.  There was a Yule Log to haul in (courtesy of 50 young visitors), carols to sing, decorations to make, mincemeat pie with Cumberland rum butter to sample, a flaming Christmas pudding to exclaim over, presents to share, parlour games and harps to enjoy, a new exhibit of Letitia Huggins to admire, and most special of all, the joy of having a young couple of visitors surprise us by getting engaged in the Factor's House under the kissing ball.

Happy Christmas all!

Green Gift Ideas

Here are some gift ideas for the green enthusiast.

Wildflower Seed Bomb, $14 from UncommonGoods: Each reusable muslin pouch holds five seed balls made from clay and worm castings to enrich depleted soil.

Plastic and Millet Grass Basket, $32 from LEI: Cheerful, primary colors form a modern, geometric pattern on this versatile basket, handmade by local artisans in West Africa.

Reclaimed Skateboard Belt Buckle, $36 from Renegade Handmade: Remember all those hours on your skateboard trying to perfect that sick jump? Here is a belt buckle to proclaim your pain. Or success. You be the judge. Scratches on buckle authentic.

Recycled Plastic Bottle Purse, $8 from JPATPURSES on Etsy. The quilt batting in this little zip pouch is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, Oh so soft! Bold Retro Elements designer fabric.

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible (10th Anniversary Edition), $16.47 from Amazon.com (paperback).  Friendly, accessible language; full-color photography; comprehensive vegetable specific information in the A-to-Z section; ahead-of-its-time commitment to organic methods; and much more. Everything for the eat-local lover.

Handcrafted native, white (paper) birch wooden candle holders, $24, from Pretty Dreamer on Etsy.  When a tree falls in the forest, it may not always be heard.  All the same, the branch remembers the tree, the sunshine, the wind, the falling rain, and of course its earthy home.  S beautiful set of three woodland inspired candle holders for home, hearth, table and mantle.  Each set is one of a kind as two trees always are.  Holders are of varied sizes measuring approximately between 1 inch to 4 1/2 inches. Each holder comes with a hand-poured, 100% pure golden beeswax tea light candle.

Thanksgiving 2011

So much to be grateful for!  For families and friends, for a loving home, for escaping the forest fire!  For our beloved country and those who serve.

As we gather, let's fill ourselves with more than mashed potatoes and turkey.  Let the love and warmth of this sweet day of gratitude keep us fed.  Welcome to our table this year, we wish you could be here.

Oh beautiful for spacious skies

For amber waves of grain

For purple mountains majesty above the fruited plain!

America, America, God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

from sea to shining sea!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Green Gift Giving--Decoupaged Glass Plates

Decoupage glass plates are an easy way to go green when it is time to give gifts.  So easy to make and delightful to receive.  Fill them with homemade goodies for an extra special treat.  Here's how.  You will need:

·       A Clear Glass Plate from a secondhand store

·         Wallpaper Scraps, tissue paper, small bits of scrapbooking paper, leaves, or petals out of your garden, such as hydrangeas

·         Decoupage Medium, such as Mod Podge

·         Foam Brush

·         Scissors

Decoupage medium is an all-in-one sealer, glue, and finish used for creating decoupaged works of art. It can be used for paper, wood, fabric, and other porous surfaces. It dries clear and holds tight.

Cut out your pieces or patterns from the wallpaper sample, tissue paper, scrapbooking paper.  If you are using petals or leaves, trim them neatly.   

Lay out the pieces as you will want them on the back of your plate. Remember to put them face down so that the side you want will show through the glass.  Hold the plate over your head to see how they will look.

Remove your paper or petals carefully in the same arrangement that you had them.  Apply a coat of decoupage medium (Mod Podge for example) to the back of the glass plate.  Then apply the paper or petals to the Mod Podge.  Make sure you remember to place them face down on the back of the plate, so that what you want to see shows through the glass on the front of the plate.  The paper can be moved around to some degree until you are pleased with the appearance of the plate.   Apply a generous layer of Mod Podge over paper pieces.

Select a color of tissue paper or heavier paper as the background.  Gold or silver makes a pleasing background.  The plate will be wet, so simply pull the paper gently over the plate to fit.  Trim the edges of the paper to fit the plate or bowl.  Smooth out any wrinkles, you want your plate to look neat.

After the Mod Podge dries, add another coat.  Dry.  Repeat so that you have three layers total.  

These plates can be sold at holiday bazaars for $15-$20, but you can do it yourself for a personalized, green gift.