Southern Scraps

Back during the summer I purchased this tank from Old Navy clearance for less than $2. I knew it would be perfect for embellishing for my niece. I made it into one of her Christmas gifts. I basically made a corsage for one strap. I made it with five flowers. For each flower, cut however many circles you wish. The more circles, the fluffier your pom pom flower will be. Fold each circle into fourths. Take needle and thread and stitch the middle together. Stitch your next folded circle to this one and continue until you have a full flower. Glue flowers to a felt circle. I glued each flower to a piece of felt and added pin backs to the back of it so the corsage can be removed for washing the shirt or worn on another item. It was really quick and easy. I completed it just before Christmas.  Here's a close up: Thanks for looking. Hope your getting lots of crafting or rest this week, whichever you choose.  I'm winding down this week, so I'll be sharing those proj...

Now through Dec. 31, the Christmas section in my shop is 40% off. Stock up on cards and tags for next year. Get tags for an early "wrapping basket" gift for someone else.  Or get yourself a gift in the jewerly and gifts section - those items are 20% off.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. A little late on the Christmas wishes.... I spent the three days before suffering from either a stomach virus or food poisoning...not sure which... but whatever you call it, the experience was not pleasant and it put a damper on my final prep and activities. I am happy to say I was able to be out and about yesterday with family and able to enjoy food again! I hope you all had the best day ever. Looking forward to a wonderful new year of ideas in blogland! I'll be spending the next week packing, reorganizing, cleaning, and winding down a bit. FYI: I took the above picture in early December when I took my mother to see Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights in Pine Mountain, Georgia. It's worth a trip if you've never been and a great place for family activities year round.

The hustle and bustle really has kicked in. It's been two weeks since I shared anything here. The tree has been completed for about a week and a half but I just haven't had time to post. I'm sure you understand. I used to put up multiple trees but due to space and a fur baby, I've only done one the past two years. I've chose to do the butterfly tree. I have a collection of butterfly ornaments. I added in berry sprays, poinsettia garland, and ribbon. Here it is: The tree was up for a few days with no topper. I just don't have a suitable topper. But then I took my mother on a weekend trip for her 70th birthday (yes, we actually have four family birthdays in December amongst the Christmas rush). I bought some butterfly sprays and really intended to work them into the tree. Then it hit me- I could arrange them on top. It would really look better with some other sprays worked in, but it will do for this year. Maybe I'll hit the Michael's clearance after...

Here is the vignette I created on the sofa table/bookcase. I took the Wise Men printable from Craftily Ever After and changed the color. It's not as red as I wanted but I didn't have anymore photo paper and printed it on a matte coated cardstock. I don't want to waste paper and ink either, so it works. (Really, if I absolutely hated it I would have printed it again.) I framed it in the frame we (hubby) repainted a couple of months ago. I put a glass nativity with it and another hurricane filled with ornaments and the dried components from Michael's around it. I took a cheap arrangement from the Dollar Store purchased last year and used on the porch table and placed it in the center. Next is an old ceramic tree and finally an angel that is usually on my hearth. I placed her on a pedestal I created at Halloween (candle plated glued to candlestick). I placed that on another candle plate and arranged some of the silver ornaments around it. I'm pretty p...

Here is my mantel decorated for CHRISTmas.  It's just a hodgepodge of things we've collected through the years, and oddly enough, most of it is stuff my husband had when we got married.  You've heard me say it before-- I wish that TV wasn't there. It really gets in the way of decorating. I also used my diy hurricanes again. I filled them with red balls, gold ornaments and the dried components I mentioned earlier (HERE). I thought the arrangement of things needed the color and height of the hurricanes. The (fake) poinsettias on the hearth are new this year. I tried live ones before and they just didn't survive. In the future I hope to make a garland or banner, but for now the purchased Michael's one will have to do. The two pieces on the end are gourds that my hubby painted ten years ago. He doesn't do much of that anymore but he can- he's crafty too.  Thanks for visiting. I'll be linking up to the parties on the side and here:

I was inspired a couple of months ago by this fall centerpiece in a tray .  I knew then that I wanted to do one for Christmas. I have some tin buckets I bought a few years ago on clearance that I intended to use for gift baskets. Somehow that hasn't happened yet. Only one was used for a Valentine gift . I'm glad now that I still have them and didn't use them. I began searching the thrift and discount stores for a tray. I couldn't find one. But I did find this glass tray at Ross Thursday night and decided it would work. It was $14.99 and in my opinion worth is because I can use it in three locations around the house and for multiple holidays. (I'm thinking ahead to easter and to filling it with grass and eggs.) The gold table runner is from Big Lots for $5. I'm thinking of adding some length to it by adding ruffles of some plaid red and green Christmas material with a gold accent that I got at a thrift store a while back, but that may have to go on next yea...