A collection of Festive Trees!

Have you visited Trendy Tree?

I am in love with all the variations of trees on their website.

Here are a few of my favourites!

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Our Christmas Card

Isn't it exciting? It's getting close now, Christmas is such a good feeling!

Here is our Christmas card this year. These pictures were taken in our back yard. It was really chilly that day but we braved the cold, posing without jackets!

And a couple of times our make shift bench gave way underneath us and we scrambled not to fall in the snow.

It was fun!



Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Mini Holiday Cookie Cookbook

I put together a Mini Holiday Cookie Cookbook this year for friends and family. Most of these recipes are ones that I have pinned over the months while exploring new cookie ideas!

I thought I'd share it with you today, feel free to print the pages if you like.



Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Country Christmas Wrapping

How's the wrapping coming along?

I'm getting there! I still have a few to go but I like to leave some for last minute, wrapping when the kids go to bed, sitting near the Christmas Tree with a little eggnog!

I like to wrap a few gifts in a country style...they match my Country Christmas Tree in my den.

Here is what I came up with this year, simple & rustic!

I used kraft paper from the Dollar Store, paper doilies also from the Dollar Store and some rustic ribbon.

Happy wrapping everyone!

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Candy Cane Candle

Hi Everyone! I was guest posting yesterday over at Darling Doodles. It was great to be a part of  Brie's 12 Days of Gift-mas series!

It`s not long now, just 3 short weeks until Santa slides down that chimney!

If your stuck on what to get the neighbour or teacher on your list hopefully you`ll be inspired to make this easy Candy Cane Candle.

Here are the supplies you need.

• a skinny but tall glass vase
• votive holder
• candy canes
• small colored beads
• tealight candle
• glue gun & hot glue
• embellishments like rafia, twine, bells

I unwrapped the plastic from the candy canes and glued them to the vase, be sure to put the glue down the length of the candy cane so they will stick well. Some of them are differents lengths but when you tie the rafia around it disguises the uneven lengths.

I then glued the vase to the votive holder, turn your votive holder upside down before gluing - it gives the candle a pedistal look.

Fill the vase with the colored beads and place your tealight on top. Tie the rafia and twine around the vase and add in the bell.

So simple. This would be beautiful on a Christmas table setting.

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Glass Christmas Trees

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Christmas crafting is in full swing for everyone by now and I am enjoying the crafting season as well.

I love the color turquoise and am trying to work it into my Christmas decor.

Here is my latest turquoise creation.

Glass Christmas Trees

And here is how I put them together.

What you will need for the project:

• Styrofoam cones or stack trees.
• Craft paint
• Brush
• Glue gun
• Glue sticks
• Glass bowl fillers (the ones that are flat on the bottom).

The process is so simple.

• Paint the styrofoam, let dry
• Glue on the glass

I glued the glass on using a brick laying technique. The second row started at the seam of two glass pieces, not directly above the one below it. Sometimes this is hard to keep up because not all of the glass pieces are the same size.

But just go with it, it will turn out fine. Other than the constant repetition of gluing on the glass, this project is super easy!

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Stair Rail Swag

Hi Everyone!

How`s the Christmas decorating coming along?

I have been picking away at a bit of decorating and some gift wrapping too!

I decorated my stair rail this week, here`s how it turned out.

A few years back my Christmas tree was gold and burgundy, I have reused some of those decorations here.

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Matchbox Advent Calendar

December is right around the corner, that mean's it's time to break out the advent calendars!

I thought I'd make a homemade one this year. There are so many great ideas for homemade advent calendars, they are christmas decorations all by themself!

I saw this idea a couple of years ago and it's been on my list to try since then.

Here is my version of the Matchbox Advent Calendar.

Here are the supplies you need to make this project.

• 24 mini matchboxes
• scrapbook paper
• glue gun & glue sticks
• buttons
• small candy to fill the boxes

 

Cut lengths of scrapbook paper to the width of your matchboxes, not all mini matchboxes are the same size so it's best to measure first.  I cut 12" lengths and cut a couple of those in half to 6" to cover the matchboxes glued in 2's.

 

 

So this is how your matchboxes will need to be glued together.

4 - 2's

2 - 3's

2 - 4's

and 2 singles

 

Glue the paper strips to your matchboxes.

 

Don't worry that the paper doesn't fit all the way around, you won't see the underside anyways once the tree is put together.

 

Start gluing the matchboxes into the tree shape.

 

Measure the front of your matchboxes, cut tiny paper strips and glue to the boxes.

 

The picture below shows how I attached the star, the star is just one that I traced and cut from scrapbook paper. I took a strip of paper, folded in half and then folded the ends out. I glued it together to make it more sturdy and then glued the ends to the top of the tree and glued the star to it.

 

I added buttons for drawer knobs.

I don't have any numbers on this one yet, but when I put them on I think I have them out of order for fun!

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah