A Black and White Christmas

Three years ago, we adopted two  VERY ACTIVE and very curious kittens.  

This is Cooper

and this is Astro

So I was very nervous putting up my regular ornaments, which range in price from inexpensive to...I can’t believe I paid that much TO ONLY BE SEEN FIVE WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR  but it was pretty....pretty expensive!  

So what was I going to do?  Alas, while rummaging the foyer closet ~insert golden light from above and a choir of angels singing a single note of inspiration~ I found a box of silver 2x3 picture frames AND THOUGHT THEY WOULD MAKE EXCELLENT CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS!  Thank goodness that I had an event earlier in the year that I used the frames as place card holders and food descriptions at the buffet table.

picture frames from a Tiffany themed sweet 16 I organized earlier that year

As the saying goes, necessity is definitely the mother of invention and with glue gun in hand, I got to work affixing ribbon to the back of each frame.

I was so happy with the results that I decided to switch off and do it again.  This time to match a tree skirt I sewed out of burlap and white cotton with a black stencil of a partridge in a pear tree (wreath in this case), which I cut out myself using freezer paper - I learned this trick from reading blogs.

my burlap and white cotton tree skirt

I pleated my own knife pleat trim 

and added loops and buttons to close

My skirt was inspired by this stocking I made which I got the idea from HERE!

Print out black and white images of your favorite photos:  family, friends, WINTER SCENES OR holiday images, like Santa, pictures of you and your family on vacation, day trip to the city and the like.  Hot glue a ribbon on the back and hang on your tree.  If you’re not sure about black and white images, you can use an antique faded look with a hint of color or just use color prints. The choice is yours and with so many photo affect programs out there, you can get really creative.

supplies:  glue gun and glue sticks, photos, frames and ribbon

I intertwined burlap and b/w gingham ribbons as garland aroundI the tree
and will be adding red berries or flowers for a nice pop of color.
(I didn't realize Astro was trying to lay under the skirt in the back of the tree when I took this picture!)

I am going to add pops of red here and there but mostly keep to black, white, silver and burlap.  Maybe sunflowers, hmmm?!?!  I better hurry up, Christmas is in 15 days!

even my presents match!

I am continuing the theme with the presents under the tree which has a black and white photo of the recipient rather than a "to and from" gift tag.  

From my home to yours, Merry Christmas to you and your family!

wallpaper decals.

I decided to read some blogs to get the idea on how this blogging thing is done. I came across this blog which brought me to another page, which took me to another place which took me to the Apartment Therapy website (click here)

I don't know how to insert a section of someone's blog page into my blog (maybe someone out there can teach me how - hint hint). However, I figured out how to hyperlink words like the "click here" above and how to insert an image from the internet (the image you see above from the Apartment Therapy website). Oh and I figured out how to change text color - GO ME!

The use of wallpaper as wall appliques is a very clever idea!

I hope that I'm not breaking some blog protocol here by suggesting an alternative method. If I am, I apologize, I don't know all the rules yet.

Over the weekend I decided to go to my local craft store, out of sheer boredom. I roamed the isles with no thought in mind and I came across scrapbook paper (some of these papers are beautiful). Of course, I picked up a few that I thought were pretty. I don't know why? It's not like I scrapbook but they were cute. I figure, I'll think of something. So, here's my thought. Why not take this idea of using vintage wallpaper and use scrapbook paper instead. At 75 to 99 cents a sheet, it's definitely affordable. Instead of tacky glue, I would probably use low tack spray adhesive (the paper's back will be similar to that of a post it note). Slap it on the wall and you're done! If you tire of the appliqué, all you have to do is peel it off and toss it! How simple is that?