PB Monogram Ornament Knockoff

Like most nights ;)  I was flipping through the latest holiday catalog from Pottery Barn when I stopped to look at their personalized ornaments.  I was drawn to the simplicity of their glass etched ball... you know the one:

And, because this is how my brain works, of course I thought "I can totally do that myself!  Tonight!" 

And so I did. :)

I had half a box of these plain glass ornaments down in the basement, left over from a project a few years ago.  You can buy a box of 12 for just $4 or $5 at most craft stores around the holidays, less if you catch them on sale.

I grabbed some plain contact paper and cranked out a small "V" on the Cricut.  

You'll want to use the outside of the cutout, not the cutout itself, because you'll be putting etching cream in the negative space.

I didn't take a picture of the etching cream on it, but you can use your imagination.
Put a thick layer of cream over anything you want to be etched.  Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Rinse off the cream with water and remove the contact paper.

Then put it on your tree and feel good about yourself. :)

 

10 minutes, start to finish.   

 Cheers,

Catch as Catch Can
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
HOH

Ballard-Inspired DIY Mini Chair Wreath [for under $5!]



Now that we've enjoyed Thanksgiving, I've been slowly bringing elements of Christmas to our house.
In looking for inspiration for this year's decor, I found myself coming back time and again to this set of mini wreaths from Ballard:

via Ballard Designs

More specifically, I loved the idea of individual wreaths hanging on chairs.
And even though $39 for a set of 4 is a decent price, there is shipping and tax tacked on to that... and I thought I could do it myself for a better price.

Your supply list is pretty basic:

- Small Grapevine Wreaths
(I got mine in the Dollar Spot at Target, but they also have these at the Dollar Store)
- Dried Eucalyptus Bunch - I prefer the look of bay leaf wreaths and garland rather than boxwood, so I used eucalyptus to create that look.  You should use whatever you like best.
(Hobby Lobby - $7.99, but use the 40% off coupon for a better deal)
- Floral wire
(You can buy this pretty much anywhere - Hobby Lobby, WalMart, Joann - for about $2-$3)

To make the wreaths, simply take pieces of the eucalyptus and secure it around the wreath with the floral wire.  Just use an old pair of scissors to cut the wire - you don't need to use tin snips or wire cutters or anything.

 

When you twist the wire to secure it, either trim off the ends or  simply tuck those "tails" back into the wreath itself.  You can manipulate the leaves to hide the handiwork.

I put this guy together in less than 10 minutes.  Tie him to the chair back with some burlap ribbon (or whatever you want, really) and your chairs have officially been Christmasified! (yep, that's a word now.) :)

I made 4 wreaths, and even paying full price it would still work out to only $3.50 each.  Since I used coupons, they amount to even less!

My chairs are definitely feeling in the holiday spirit! :)


Cheers,

Catch as Catch Can
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
HOH

Thanksgiving Eye Candy & Inspiration

Thanksgiving is coming up, and even though we're not hosting this year, I still love taking in all the eye candy floating around out there, of beautiful Thanksgiving tables!

Fall table settings are my favorite - the rich, warm colors and natural textures are right up my alley.  This year I'm drawn to the same harvest-y palette, but am craving more simplicity than I have in years past.
For those of you who ARE hosting family or friends this year, here's a little visual stimulation to inspire your creativity...


I love this placecard idea.  So simple!  And everything tiny is cute, right?  ;)

This look seems easy to recreate - and I love the touch of real leaves at each setting.
That's also FREE!  (bonus!)

This table uses a mix of fall-blooming flowers and succulents.
The succulents are an unexpected touch and I love the overall garden harvest feel of the table.

From my Martha.  She always manages to achieve "simple" without making it feel sparse.
With a trip to the dollar store and using serveware you already have, I bet most people could recreate this look in 20 minutes or less.

This is a newer, pared-down version of a traditional rustic table.  I love the wood accents in between the flowers, and the coordinating (but not matchy-matchy) floral arrangements really boost up the elegance factor.  And there are those tiny boxwoods again!  Love!

These napkin rings are simply sprigs of herbs wrapped in a circle and secured with floral wire - brilliant!
What a beautiful way to add a simple, inexpensive,  natural element to your table.

I love how this picture pairs whites and creams together and uses the gourds as pops of color.
And if you look closely, you can see they used book pages for placemats!
You know how I love book pages..  Love this idea!

Want to see more of where I'm finding inspiration these days?
Follow me here:

Cheers,