Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

This year I might have taken the tree decorating a bit far. I couldn’t stop at just decorating the tree. No, I had to decorate up the walls around the tree and onto the ceiling. The tree is literally surrounded by a multitude of shimmery vinyl stars!

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

What do you think? Overkill? Or do you like the emphasis those stars place around the tree. If you like it, here is a link where you can purchase your own set of stars from Leen the Graphics Queen (affiliate link.)

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

My idea started when I was gazing at my favorite tree topper I bought at Target a few years ago. At night when the light is turned on, it casts a multitude of lit stars all over the ceiling and walls. I was thinking how sad it is that you can’t see all those stars in the day. I wanted a more permanent way to keep the stars on the wall and ceiling 24/7! That’s when I called my friend Leen the Graphics Queen on a whim. That girl is the sweetest thing. She put up with my crazy idea and promptly shipped me several sheets of stars in different colors to create my vision. Proof that she’s truly a wonderful friend, she sent me both a set of gold and silver stars for me to choose from. As you probably guessed, I used the gold stars.

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

Now, behold our blue, white and gold Christmas tree! The gold is the prefect touch of warmth against the cool white and blue color palette.

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

The feather boas and icicles were from Michael’s last year. The larger aqua blue embroidered ornament balls and silver tree skirt are from Lowe’s (yeah—I know—Lowe’s the Home Improvement store!) The rest of the ornaments I’ve had for a while.

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

At night when the tree is lit, you can see that I wrapped the tree with several strands of white and blue mini-lights.

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

The British horse bridal medallions were a gift from a dear friend a few years ago. They have made the rounds in my home decor, but this year I added them to the Christmas tree.

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

What do you think? Do you like my idea of surrounding our tree with its own constellation of stars?

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

You don’t have to use them on the ceiling. You can use them to decorate your desk, your door, holiday gifts, your refrigerator, your kids (okay maybe not them) or anywhere you want to decorate for the holidays! Best of all, when you are ready to remove them they peel off and leave no damage behind.

Starry Night Christmas Tree | Pretty Handy Girl

Happy Decorating!

PHGFancySign

Disclosure:

Some affiliate links appear in this post, if you click on them I earn a small percentage from the purchase. You are not charged any more.

Here’s the scoop, I wasn’t paid for this post. Leen is a good friend of mine and I love her graphic vinyl. I approached her about using her graphic stars. Yes, she sent them to me for free, but she’s a sweetheart like that. Leen and her husband run a small shop near the coast of North Carolina. They are the type of business that you want to support around the holidays and the rest of the year. I’d tell you more about how wonderful they are and how they are raising four wonderful children, but then it would sound like I’m gushing. So, hey, just know that I wasn’t paid and I want to see Leen succeed ;-)! 

 

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Hang Stockings Without a Mantel

Hang Stockings Without a Mantel

Hello, it’s Jessica here from Decor Adventures, back this month with a simple solution for holiday decorating. These days we see all kinds of lovely homes with Christmas stockings hung beautifully from the mantel or staircase. But what if you don’t have either in your home? I’ve come up with an easy way to display stockings that you can put together in less than an hour. Here is how to hang stockings without a mantel – frame them!

Materials:

Hang Stockings Without a Mantel

  • Large empty picture frame
  • Foam board
  • Fabric
  • Chicken wire
  • Wire snips or sharp scissors
  • Gloves
  • Paint (optional)
  • S-hooks
  • Glazier’s points and tool (or a wide flat head screwdriver)
  • S hooks
  • Stockings

Instructions:

1. For this project you’ll use a large empty picture frame that doesn’t have glass. You can find them at thrift stores, craft stores, or just reuse one of your own. You can paint or stain the frame to your liking, but that is optional depending on your style.

2. Cut a piece of chicken wire one inch larger on all sides than the inside of your frame where the glass would rest. Make sure to wear gloves for this part as the wire can be sharp. Most chicken wire comes with natural lines where the wire is twisted. You can use those as your edges. If you want to spray paint the wire to blend in, that would create a nice look too.

Hang Stockings Without a Mantel

3. Place the frame front side face down on a table and insert the wire into the back of the frame. Set that aside for the moment. Read more

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Have you scoured antique stores or Craig’s List looking for a big giant vintage chalkboard? Those vintage school green chalkboards are highly sought after. But, hard to find. I have good news for you! You can build a Giant Chalkboard any size you want! (Although, typically you’ll be restricted to 4′ x 8′ if you want to use a sheet of masonite.) And you can mix your own chalkboard paint in any color.

Take out your notebooks, your pencils, and get ready to take notes.

Materials:

  • Masonite sheet cut to desired size (mine is 22″ x 48″)
  • 1×4″ pine boards for frame
  • 1 cup flat latex paint in color you desire
  • 2 tbsp. of unsanded grout
  • Pencil
  • Stain
  • White paint
  • Paint brush
  • Sanding block
  • Container to mix paint in
  • Kreg Jig
  • Drill
  • 1 1/4 inch pocket screws
  • Staplegun
  • 1/2″ staples

Instructions:

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Pour 2 tbsp. of unsanded grout into your empty container. Add 1 cup of flat latex paint and stir well. (Yes, I used satin and it still worked.)

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Paint the masonite with the chalkboard paint. Pull your brush in one direction. Then smooth out the paint by dragging the brush in a perpendicular direction.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Let the paint dry. Lightly sand and add a second coat of chalkboard paint.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Let that coat dry and sand smooth.

Assembling the chalkboard frame: Read more

snowglobe ornament

Jaime here today from That’s My Letter and it’s officially holiday prep time!  Today I’m sharing a DIY snow globe ornament with a wood base that makes a perfect gift for anyone big or small.

This snow globe ornament is constructed on a wood base where all the interior pieces can be glued to the base and then the clear globe is placed over the scene.  The globe is plastic and the entire ornament is very lightweight so it won’t weigh down your tree branches!

snowglobe ornament 4

You can put nearly anything inside the snow globe as long as it fits under the dome.  I used bottle brush trees, wire candy canes and a wood dowel sign with the family name printed on cardstock.  Add a little faux snow and you have the cutest little winter scene.

snowglobe ornament 2

The faux snow will cover any unsightly hot glue and adds just that tiny bit of sparkle.

snowglobe ornament 3

Add a small wood ball on top to compliment the wood base with a string for hanging and you have a keepsake ornament that will look beautiful on or off the tree.

snowglobe ornament 1

Materials:

snowglobe ornaments supplies

  • 3″ clear plastic craft ornament
  • 2″ circle (cut from cardstock, only used as a template)
  • 3″ wood square (1/4″ plywood)
  • mini pom poms
  • mini wire candy canes
  • mini bottle brush tress
  • 1/8″ dowel
  • small wood balls with hole in center
  • red string
  • white glue
  • paint brush
  • faux snow
  • x-acto knife
  • sandpaper
  • hot glue gun & glue sticks
  • scissors
  • pencil
  • black sharpie marker

Instructions:

Step 1: Using an x-acto knife cut around the ornament opening enough to remove the neck portion.  Don’t worry about being neat here the goal is to remove the neck and have a wide enough opening for scissors. Read more

lollipop stand

Happy Spring folks!  Jaime here from That’s My Letter back to share a fun DIY party decor idea: make your own lollipop stand.  I promise it’s fast and easy and adds tons of charm and sweetness to any party.

lollipop stand 2

This lollipop stand holds a ton of lollipops – 52 to be exact!  You could probably even use this stand for cake pops.  (The tutorial for the ‘celebrate’ script sign can be found here.)

lollipop stand 3

 

Materials:

lollipop stand supplies

  • 1 – 1 1/4″ wood dowel x 11″ long
  • 1 – 1×5  cut to 4 1/2″ (or any scrap wood 4 1/2″ square x 3/4″thick)
  • white gloss spray paint
  • sandpaper
  • 1 – 2″ wood screw
  • countersink bit
  • 5/32 drill bit
  • pencil
  • tape measure
  • drill
  • glue
  • scotch tape

Instructions:

Step 1: Mark the center point on the 4 1/2″ square wood base. Read more