West Elm Confetti Garland Knock Off

I found a bag of purple glass ball ornaments covered in hot glue and foam from a failed Christmas wreath project in the garage this year. A few hours of picking hot glue off the salvageable Christmas balls I have enough to hang them on my DIY garden trellises to turn them into trellis Christmas trees.

I made the stars from recycling bin cardboard using the tutorial in The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2 (one of last year's Christmas gift. Thanks sis!)

It looks like I accidentally changed the outdoor Christmas decor color scheme to purple, silver, and turquoise from red and white sparkly glam Christmas decor.  That's OK. Change is good.

I need something to tie the greenery around the door to the trellis Christmas trees near the yard. I thought I found it in West Elm's Confetti System Garland but it only comes in red.

A few days later I got blue and turquoise tissue paper in a delivery.

Light bulb moment!

How to Make West Elm Paper Confetti Garland

Pop Can Poinsettia Wreath

I appreciate a good wreath. In fact, I like them so much I have a whole Pinterest board devoted to nothing but wreaths (give me a follow on Pinterest and I'll follow you back!)

Johnnie from Saved By Love Creations metal poinsettia wreath is my newest pin. Lookie! Lookie!

I love the paint technique she uses too. Photo courtesy of Saved By Love Creations.

At first I thought Johnnie took a metalworking art class because the poinsettas are so sculptural and the wreath is expensive-looking.

Welcome to my Perfectly Designed, DIY’ed, Green, Frugal Home. That’s Not.

Let’s do a little pre holiday house tour!

This is my craft room/sewing room/guest room.

How do you see it?

How to Make Doctor Who Dalek Potholders

Husband is a great guy. He puts up with living with DIY projects in process more than he likes (note: he hates it,) while also encouraging me by bringing home odd things for me to “do something with” because “you are creative” and “they were just going to throw it out. You can make it useful again.”

If there is anyone on my gift list who deserves a homemade Christmas gift it is Husband.

 Save this tutorial to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!

My guy likes to cook. He likes Doctor Who (because he has excellent taste in science fiction). He also likes to keep his fingers from burning off around the stove. Homemade Dalek potholders? Perfect!

Build a Beer Advent Calender

It's time Christmas countdown calendar time! Whoo hoo!

Advent Calendars are a very Danish way to celebrate Christmas.

I never had one.

Clearly, I was horribly mistreated as a child. This has nothing to do with my parents didn't want two kids fighting over one daily calendar prize which we probably didn't need since Christmas was coming or extra treats that could negate the use of the most magical parental phrase to get two little girls to behave instantly, "Santa is watching."

Nope. It was out of pure parental meanness. I tell ya.

Now that I'm all grown up (stop laughing. It's true.) I guess I could get my own Advent calendar and countdown Christmas any. way. I. want.

I choose this.



Neener. Neener.

20 Cute and Eco! Christmas Ornaments

I think my love of tree ornaments comes from Grandmother making me ornaments each Christmas of my teenage years so I’d have a set when I went out on my own. My favorites will hang on our family Christmas tree. It feels like she is still with us during Christmas. 

I carry on the Christmas tree ornament gift tradition. I give each of my nine nieces and nephews a Baby’s First Christmas ornament on their first Christmas. Santa always puts a new ornament in Miss 3 of 9’s and Mr. 7 of 9’s Christmas stocking since those are the only kids who do stockings (besides my house.) I usually buy those ornaments so I don’t tip them off that Santa sometimes has help filling their stockings from this side of the North Pole. Not to mention, I get to satisfy my ornament addition, um fascination, by spending a lot of time browsing for their perfect yearly ornament.

Let’s check out some Christmas tree ornament eye candy!  

Have I Thanked You Lately? Because I Should

This post has been in the back and front of my mind for a long time. Last night I had a mild panic attack when I realized Thanksgiving is next week and I am unprepared. This is unusual but well, I’ve been a little busy fighting and losing to canine cancer this year.

These past five months I’ve been on a see saw. Feeling OK and moving within the online world only to retreat to my cave the following day. I feel guilty and selfish because I haven’t truly thanked you for what you did for us and before, during, and after Blitzkrieg’s cancer battle.

I’m thanking you now.

 Husband said I should share the photos I took of our visit to my hometown's beach. We let Blitzkrieg sniff and experience the smells of a Lake Erie beach after the winter storms and before the spring beach clean up.