How to make your own hurricane lamps

I know, I know! A lot of bloggers have done this all ready, but I had to jump on the DIY train. It's so easy, affordable and they look great!

I bought two tall glass cylinders and two candlestick holders at the dollar tree. I picked out three Christmas  balls I liked to stick in each one.

I used super glue to fasten the candlestick holders to the bottom of the cylinders. (Yes, I did glue my fingers together...again.) I dropped my lovely Christmas balls in and ta-da!

Total cost? $4 each! Cheap and you can use these all year. I actually plan to make a couple of more, I was so happy with how they turned out!

How to make super cute mini trees!

I have been admiring all of the super cute mini Christmas trees everyone has been showing during the link parties. I have looked at these lovely tutorials and thought hmmm.... I can do that!

I, of course, did not take into account that most other people are super talented and coordinated and know how to do this without gluing their fingers together...repeatedly. o.O

Oh well. Trial and error, right?

So, if you are capable of using glue and not sticking your fingers together at the same time, this craft is for you!

I bought three styrofoam trees from the dollar tree, along with three red and green braided strands of garland for this project. (As well as all of the other goodies you see above, but those are for another project!)

I did the first tree with tacky glue, which did a decent job, but it took a while to dry (note: it does dry clear!). I simply did a line of glue around the tree and then wrapped one layer at a time.

The second tree I used the glue gun, but it A) quickly ran out of glue sticks and B) got hot glue onto my hands. Ow!

The third tree I tried super glue... yeah, not my brightest idea since I quickly glued my fingers together. Several times. Just call me "Sticky fingers".

I think the glue guns are the best way to go, just make sure you have enough sticks on hand when you start.

It also did not occur to me until the 3rd tree that I did not need to put glue all over the entire tree, a dot a layer would work just fine.

Oh, hindsight!

However, I am very, very pleased with the outcome.

To top the tree I simply pulled the tip of the mini ornament and then jammed it inside the top of the tree.

I am so happy with how this turned out. Cost is $2.25 a tree. Well worth the investment and I know I will use these in years to come.

Sharing at the usual party places as linked on my link party page, as well as:

Today's Creative Blog
Snap, Craft & Blog
The Shady Porch

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree!

I am so pleased with my Noble Fir Christmas tree. It is 7' tall and so full, and of course it smells divine! This year I was able to place it right in front of my large picture window, so the lights are visible from the street.

My dad was sweet enough to come over and help me get the tree home, as well as put it in the stand for me.

As with any "perfect" Christmas tree, there is bound to be a imperfection somewhere. I found since I am only 5'2" that I didn't properly check out the the upper part of the tree. I found a bit of a sparse area at about 6' and then the tippy top was a bit funny looking. Hmmmm.

So, I got out my clippers, my handy-dandy step ladder and some fake pine greenery.

I trimmed a little here and a little there. Each snip made it look so much better! I felt like Edward Scissorhands!  In retrospect, I should have stopped 4 snips before I did...oh, well! Live and learn, right? I stuffed in the fake greenery in the sparse spots on top, and presto-chango! It looks so much better now!

Andrea came over yesterday morning with Colin and Cason, and they all gave it their seal of approval. In fact, Andrea is not so secretly lusting after my Noble, since her DH brought home a very sparse Silver Tip this year. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if her hubs wound up in the tree stand instead. *snicker*

I hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas decorating! I know I am. What is your favorite part about the Christmas season?

Some thoughts and a prayer request

Today is my step-mom Gale's birthday! I am baking a chocolate cake for her and will frost it with whipped ganache. I will post a tutorial later on the whipped ganache, it is heaven!

It's been a fairly quiet day today, woke up not feeling the best this morning so I skipped the gym, which I hate to do! But I figure one day playing hooky is allowed, right?

I can not get over how beautiful the weather is here today. It's about 69 and normally we are down in the 50's by now. Not that I am complaining at all, but it makes it hard to start getting into the Christmas spirit.

My cousin's daughter, Syerra, is selling Christmas trees for school as part of FFA, so I plan to go get one tomorrow and have my step-sister, Kristen, come over and help me decorate. She offered the other day and I think I will take her up on it!

My Grandma turned 92 last week, which is amazing. She is still in really great shape considering her age, but is starting to get more and more forgetful, which makes me sad. I worry that we won't have many Christmas's left together. I don't like to think about that.

My cousin Darin, Pete's older brother, will be putting insulation in my attic and finishing off the sheet-rocking in my garage sometime next week. I can't wait to have that done. It will be so much easier to keep the garage clean, I still hope to have the front part of it (it is super long) turned into a laundry room some day!

Last, but not least, I do have something on the somber side to share. My friend Heidi, whom I have known since pre-school, is currently taking care of her mother, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer that has spread throughout all her bones in the thoracic region, spine, ribs, sternum, shoulder blades- just everywhere.

At this point in time their goal is to simply manage her pain. Obviously this is very, very hard on Heidi and her step-dad. Please say a prayer for her mother, Ursula, Heidi, and the rest of their family. Ursula has had a very long life, caring for other people as a nurse. She also survived World War II and the Nazi invasions, living in a Danish refugee camp for Germans at the end of the war.

Blessings,