Bye, bye, dear (Pinterest) Christmas

A few years ago my blogger daughter, Ali, told me about her newest passion...Pinterest. I listened, looked at some pics and thought "what's the big deal?". Honestly, the whole Pinterest thing didn't make sense to me. Then last year at our annual Nashville Needlework Market, I was visiting Anne in her room at R & R Reproductions and she showed me Pinterest...again. Suddenly it made sense and I got inspired to give it a try!

Ali set me up a page (yes, I still need help on these things) and I slowly started pinning things. Then I started to get a nudge to actually DO and MAKE some of these great projects on my Pinterest board. When some girlfriends asked me to join their little Holiday House Tour, I found the motivation to bring my Pinterest board to life! It turns out, you not only can PIN ideas on Pinterest, you can follow the tutorials and do it yourself!

My personal challenge for our casual tour of each other's houses was to 1) shop only at Dollar Store, Hobby Lobby and Michaels and 2) to re-purpose and re-use alot of stuff I already had.

So, several cans of spray paint, 3 yards of burlap, tons of brown kraft paper, many blobs of hot glue and 2 balls of twine LATER...here are some of my (successful) projects!

This was my first Pinterest project - the coffee filter wreath hanging over my fireplace. The tutorial said to glue the filters on the foam wreath, but I used T-pins. I wasn't patient enough to wait for the glue to dry!

The fireplace looks much different this year, because I went with a winter white sort of look (inspired by Pinterest posts, of course!). I gathered up white pottery I had scattered around the house and office, and filled them with real greens from my yard. I jazzed up my Walmart stockings with some letters from Michael's (first can of black spray paint) and hung them with twine.

This project was TOO easy, but I guess it counts, because it was on my Pinterest feed. I downloaded this free 16" x 20" art, picked it up at Walgreen's an hour later and popped it in a frame I already had. This was so fun and easy,  I want to rotate other seasonal stuff in the same frame.

Also in my kitchen, I did some decorating with one of my favorite things...peppermint candy! I bought lots of peppermints at the Dollar store, then artfully arranged them with some other favorite things. The little glass pedestal thing holding the big candy sticks is a Pinterest project. I bought a glass vase and glass candle base at Dollar Tree, then glued them total and...voila...chic holder for $2!!!

While we're in my colorful kitchen, I got the inspiration for the little edible centerpiece from Pinterest. I used some of my giant roll of brown paper as a table runner, then put out chalk so everyone could leave holiday messages.  Of course, a couple men tried to eat the chalk. REALLY...they couldn't tell the different between chalk and appetizers?

OK...these little Santa mugs have nothing to do with Pinterest. I just remember having them as a child, so I picked these up at the antique mall for a little vintage decor. They even had the original box...so cute!

And now for the scary part of the projects...I got out the SEWING MACHINE!  Yes, I put my high school Kenmore to work making pillow shams for some of my sofa pillows. I saw similar pillows on Pinterest, but they were for sale, so I made my own, using fonts I printed off my computer.  I transfered them using my light box, then went over them with a Sharpee marker pen.

Yet another Pinterest project....an Advent calendar. I used a cork bulletin board, attached tags with pins, added some numbers, and hung a little ornament each day. It was strangely satisfying to select and hang a little ornament every day!

I used some old sheet music (my daughter graciously dedicated a book of Italian arias from college) for all sorts of things. I wrapped gifts, made little ornaments for the tree...

even used Modge Podge to attach some sheet music to some old candles. I collect old toy pianos...does it count as a "collection" if you only have two? If anyone has anymore of these these don't want, let me know!

I put some creamy spray paint to work (actually went through 2 cans) updating some stuff. My nice husband sprayed several old picture frames, candle holders, baskets, all sorts of stuff for my winter white theme. I created this Joy to the World art on my computer, sent it to my pals at Walgreen's to print and popped it in a newly painted creamy frame.

I used more brown paper to make little bookjackets for some old books. I know it's silly, but they look really nice, dressed in their brown paper uniforms with white marker text on the outside. I had never bought a white market before, and I'm hooked!

Speaking of updating frames, I used bright red spray paint on this old frame for my front door. I used leftover burlap and random stuff I already had to sew the stocking and added our initial with...what else...a  Sharpee marker!

My creative sister-in-law, Donna, visited one afternoon and helped me create an over-the-top tablescape for my dining room table. The tabletop was a festival of Pinterest projects...topiaries wrapped in paper, little individual ornaments filled with tiny branches in center of each plate, red tags tied around each napking...the craziness continues! We left just enough room on the table to actually EAT a meal!

Finally, the laundry room needed a little Christmas cheer. I spray painted some black branches, then hugn a few ornaments. Can you spot the little L*K 2011 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue pillow? I completed the scene by displaying our grand dog's holiday wardrobe on top of the washer!

And there he is...our famous granddog, Henry, who has been staying with us while his Mom spends the holiday in Europe. After much sewing and ironing angst (may have ruined my ironing board cover with Wonder Under) I made the brown pillow with the 3 ornaments. Inspired by a Pinterest photo,  I used some extra brown linen and adhered the 3 ornaments to it. I'm not sure Wonder Under and I really get along that 

well!

Finally...a touch of Lizzie*Kate to finish our holiday decor. This little box is the bonus project in our 2012 Joy to the World Christmas Kit. I love the way my finisher Mona decorated this box. It opens up and there is more cuteness inside. 

Christmas isn't really over yet..remember Christmastide and the 12 Days of Christmas? So I'm not putting everything away quite yet.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!