Here's a peek at my table I set up every year. It's nice to keep the mess all contained, right? No one can craft without making a mess - it wouldn't be fun any other way.
CRAFTING FUN
Here's what I've been up to. I found two pairs of vintage ice skates at a garage sale over the summer and I gotta tell you I have a weakness when I see old skates. I was born on a farm that had a pond and we would ice skate each winter, mind you I was too little so I used my boots, but there are memories to be cherished and these ice skates bring back memories. Using some leftover thrifted sweater scraps from making my family stockings a couple of years ago, I took the sleeve cuffs to use them as "socks" in the ice skates.
In addition, I did a couple of variations of each skate with some added repurposed elements:
Red sock with green bow and then a green sock with red bow. Which do you like best?
Then, I added some vintage flair with these teeny, little Westinghouse pulleys that I had found at the garage-sale-to-end-all-garage sales.
In case you were wondering, that wreath I tore apart was looking pretty sad, but there was no need to throw it away. I'll show you what I did with that later.
RUSTY FUN
Having a stash of junk is always fun because it gives you a chance to pick and choose to create something unique. Last year, I made my Christmas crafts from an old Morris rocking chair I had salvaged. This year, I got happy mail. tee hee.
Am I the only one that loves to get rusty junk in the mail? Nah.
When I sit down to my crafting table, here is what I see. Some rusty metal, antique horse bits, old pulleys, antique barn beam pegs, feed sack scraps, and some owls.
For a couple of years now, my favorite craft is making repurposed Christmas tree toppers from old upholstery/bed springs and whatever I have on hand. When I fill my shop, they don't last long.
Isn't he cute? Last year, I made a different version of owl friends and snowmen, but the owls are my favorite. That big guy is roosting on an antique barn beam peg and is decorated with a feed sack bow leftover from my feed sack chair.
Here are the other toppers I've done using the springs, pulleys, beams, and burlap, with a touch of twine & lace. Which one is your favorite?
I know it's bad enough I buy rust, but I love to make it too.
With some basic household ingredients, you can create rust on most anything metal. I've got more on the recipe HERE.
The minute you pour in your ingredients, you can instantly see rust. I'm rusting jingle bells in this picture but have done all sorts of odd and ends with rustified success.
Why am I rusting perfectly good bells?
MORE RUSTY FUN
To make these...
I just adore the quirkiness of these horse bits turned into door handle bells or wall decor...whatever you like! The bells had to be rusty to fit the aged appeal.
Earlier I promised to show you what I did with the remainder of that wreath, and here's what I did for my repurposed Christmas decor.
I like it better skimpy and thin. The rusty bells and feed sack bow just made this wreath even better.
Last, but not least is my antique farmhouse window screen. With more rusty bells, jute webbing, feed sack scraps, more tiny pulley, and a little stenciling using freezer paper, you can create a farmhouse style wall hanging.
MY GIFT TO YOU
Now, my Christmas gift to you is a FREE Printable (see below) that I created some years ago and we hang it every year to remind us of the meaning behind the season.
Jesus is the only reason we celebrate Christmas. Without His glorious birth, there would be no holiday. It's so quickly forgotten in the hustle and bustle of gifts, parties, etc. Take a minute to reflect on why you celebrate and feel free to make a banner of your own.
Print: JESUS IS THE REASON BANNER
BLESSINGS ABOUND
Finally, it's hard to believe we will have 8 stockings this year. My littlest still needs hers hung, but I'm still searching for the perfect sweater to cut up for her stocking.
Merry Christmas!
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While you're at it, here are more DIYs like my repurposed Christmas creations:
