Junk'le Bells

A picture of my 30 year old son with Buffy, our dog!

I just use left over ribbon for ties

They really brighten up packages, especially if you use more plain wrapping...





For awhile now, after Christmas , when I have those wonderful, unscheduled days left before school begins, I take down all my Christmas cards and make them into gift tags for the next year. Very relaxing, while allowing me some quite time to think about each person and the uplifting messages on each card.






So this is my entry for this month's Junk'le Bells. Jill wants to get ahead start on some crafts for Christmas, so she has challenged herself by making a fun party where we can

share what we are working on through the year. Great idea, Jill! I really don't make crafts to

sell full time, just occasionally for local charity craft shows, so this is just something that might

make cute tags for home use or pricing.

But, now, I say... let's bring on SPRING!
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Don't forget my Priorlives Party on April 16th!

Extreme Tree Trim

Don't forget to click on any picture that you would like to enlarge... The darling baby wash tub I bought at Winnie and Tallulah's from Mindy, a dealer there. 

Also, notice the framed picture of the footprint Rudolph to the left, that is my grand daughter's and my first craft together, she was only 2 months old, what a sweet, tiny foot. This was a surprise for Mommy and Daddy.

Designer tree ready for the show.... 

See story of how it was made.

The vintage button snow flakes I made for the sale....

For the Christmas show I wanted a really cool designer-like tree, but not the price-tag, so I began messing with this old 6 foot tree I've had for years, from the $ General store. First, I thought I'd see if I could bleach it, to make it a little different looking, well it didn't bleach, but it did make the metal parts rusty. So, I decided I would give it an extreme trim, so the ornaments, we are selling, would stand out. I trimmed all the needles down to the nubs. It took awhile and I first thought I might just have some branches to stick in the washtub, but you know us junkers we are nothing if not determined, or stubborn.

Some of the keyboard and snowflake ornaments for the show...

After the extreme trim, I ran crystals and lights up the middle with crystals on most of the branches.I put the lights on where it can still be taken apart and put back together easily.

After the show in my T.V. room

Got Present??? 

Not so subtle subliminal message. Ho Ho Ho...

topper just old rusty wires, word cards, and Christmas balls with more crystals, of course.

Lezlee

The potting tables Josh makes. I was trying to bling it up a little for Christmas.





Old bottle and button bouquets




Crusty old soap dish, notice the red dice tell the date, 25, Merry Christmas!






Glittery ice letters... Dressing up my potting table for Christmas, love the buttons...got them at Canton, First Monday...Not really the right kind for my button bouquets, though.




This is just a Nativity from the Dollar Store. It is placed on a cake stand. The screen in the background was a great little junk find... The Come let us adore him sign from $ store also, but it looked rich.




In the
Spring this might have garden tools hanging from it, but now it is lit for Christmas, with red berries from the yard...

School Christmas Reception

Close up of School House Cloche, the red flower ornament Suzette found is spectacular!





This is the side view...


view from above....Suzette painted and glittered, until everything coordinated, just right.



Don't you just love this part of the Mabank Village?




Another cloche. I made this little church . The little village trees and people were from the dollar store. The marble topped, brass base stand was found for a buck at a garage sale and repainted.



This cloche is for sale at The Victorian Lady Tea Room...It is really stunning in person, kind of hard to photograph

Playing with Junk!!!

Having maybe 60 people over the next day for Thanksgiving, nor rain, sleet or snow could have kept me from going to the Christmas Remembrance at Winnie and Tallulah's, on the square in Athens, Texas. Meandering through the wonderland of talent over there further inspires me to create a nest for myself from tattered, torn, soft and well-loved possessions with Prior lives to tell.

LOOKY what I found and brought home!!! The perfect sized washtub. I almost bought a normal sized one, a couple of weeks ago, for a tree I am making, but somehow it didn't seem Just Right, now I own Just Right :)... Thanks, Mindy... Also Curious Goods had the cutest scrabble ornaments that I needed... It was the perfect respite before the marathon cooking. Eventually baby wash tub will hold magazines or the tree I am making, but for now I must play. Red trimmed children skates hang on a tiny red chippy clamp. I tossed in all the greenery with lights, but will make it less busy when finished. The old trumpet William left forgotten many years in a shed when football took over...It looks as if it has been through a war. It and the dirty green frame are a work in progress. At Christmas it will hold Christmas greenery and Christmas music, but will easily change with the seasons. Joshua tried his hand at keyboard ornaments for the show on the 12th. What do you think??? I made the snowflake ones from vintage buttons, rusty wire, and crystal bling...just a few of my favorite things. Thanks Lezlee

Christmas Past

Would some one come over the Sunday after Thanksgiving and put up my tree...???

I've been kind of busy being a Grandma to Aubrey... It won't be difficult. I've even given you pictures to go by.

Who ever helps will be my favorite! (not really I just look really young in this picture, so I wanted to include it)

Lights off, Lights on!!!

Jeremy, I'll let you put
on the lights!!!
You and Josh
don't have to argue about it!

Well, William you actually do look busy, carving at Nancy' house. So, how about it? Who wants to help decorate the tree?

Aimee can't she's so busy in college, now! (but you are coming home for Thanksgiving, aren't you?)

Jacob, CAN YOU HEAR ME????

Come on Jared, you don't look That busy!

Come on, don't just sit there grinning, help me out!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!!