OS christmas decorations :)

kateandpete

For the tree I was planning on cutting out shapes in salt dough then spraying gold when cooked, also gold sprayed pine cones etc. I've done the salt dough before using a Christmas set of cookie cutters we have and that worked well.

Have also invested in some hessian potato sacks whick I'm going to stick felt letters/figures on to make customised Santa sacks for the kids and if I get time will also have a go at making a wreath from bits of holly/laurel and general greenery from the garden plus pine cones. Having said that I've intended to do so every year for the last 3-4 years now and never got around to it! Would love some (how-to) wreath making advice if anyone has any - not sure if I need wire/oasis etc (sorry if I should start a new thread rather than asking on this..)

Kate

ETA - just looked at other thread - loads of great ideas there and reminded me about some knitting patterns for decorations here: http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/christmas.php
I imagine the crochet site and ravelry may also have some ideas for how to turn odds and ends of yarn into lovely festive decorations

tori.k

i did a shaker style christmas tree a few years back, popcorn strung on cotton looked really good, with gingham fabric hearts and stained glass cinnamon biscuits, took ages to thread tho after Christmas we strung it up on an outside tree for the birds.

JAZ63

Hi,
one year I made shaker style xmas tree decorations too,
I dried some orange slices in the oven for a couple of hours on a low heat, then tied them to the tree with gingham ribbon.
I painted pine cones gold and attatched cotton thread to them to hang them on the tree.
Finally I made pomanders out of oranges.
I poked holes into an orange using a cocktail stick ,then pushed whole cloves into the holes
I completely covered the oranges (i made about 8 of these decorations)
As the orange dries I Keep compacting the cloves.
eventually the orange hardens over the years (it doesnt seem to rot)
these are my favourite as I still use them 18 years later,
I tie a gold or pretty ribbon criss cross style over the pomander ,then hang it from a door handle or a strong branch of the tree ( over the years as it dries out it becomes much lighter in weight)
It gives off a lovely christmassy fragrance even 18 years later

Jazz

rachbc

we've done popcorn garlands, cookie decorations, felt shapes and one year a gingerbread man wreath - a circle of little men all holding hands in a circle - this however disintregrated after some rain!

This year I'm going to collect lots of greenery and do that and big candles

esmf73

Will be doing some dried oranges, some stained glass biscuits and some pomanders. Loved the sound of feeding the threaded popcorn to the birds after Christmas - so might try that too. Plus these are fairly portable as we may well be away from home this christmas visiting sick MIL so will be good to take somethings along with us. Already have candles and am trying to stick to red, green and gold decorations. This year anything that isn't these colours will be spray painted to match!!! Fake tree somewhere in the loft I think and its seen better days so will have to make lots of decorations to cover it all!! Must get some oranges this afternoon.

GixerMoss

Oh wow some wonderfull ideas!! I reall need to pop into boyes/pundland and hunt from xmas cutters down and get the salt dough recipe out

Thanks everyone! itching to get going on it all now but house needs a sort out 1st as at present it looks like home to a small pack of tazmanian devils lol

LJM

there really are some good ideas here has got me thinking like the idea of a gingerbread man wreath

midnightraven3

i didnt plan to make them this year
it just sorta happened, as these things tend to:rotfl:

have fallen into a gingerbread man/woman theme too
so i shall make hearts etc to compliment these





and i made this from the bag the free tree came in (from the toilet paper people)



i have made several more but havent taken pics yet as the light has been so poor here
i have also made my christmas eve (hamper) sacks with gingerbread peeps on too for our 3

Philippa36

I made paper chains with my children one year - I painted A4 pieces of paper different colours using all kinds of metallic/sparkly paints and then cut them out, made the chains and hung them round the room. Even though I say it myself, they looked fab! Much, much better than store bought decorations.

I've also made plain cookie dough shapes and hung them on the tree - don't make them too tasty though or they get pinched!

Shysarah

Midnightraven3 Those are fabulous!!!!

Does anyone have a recipe for salt dough please?
I have loadsa cookie cutters and could make some to hang from door handles etc