DIY Winter Branches with Epsom Salts!

Today, I'm going to share a tutorial that I'm super excited about!

As I shared before, I am not the best at interior decorating...I LOVE it, but I'm not that great at it!  

When I was making my snowy wine bottles, I was trying to figure out what to put IN them. The tutorial I saw had some pretty silver ferns in them, but I didn't feel like purchasing anything new.  So I decided to follow a similar process as I did with the wine bottles, but with branches from my front yard!

So I took the kids outside and we started collecting :)

I really love what the end result was, and here's how you can make them too!

What you'll need:

• branches from your yard
• spray paint in white or silver
• Mod Podge or spray adhesive
• Epsom salts
• white or silver glitter
• acrylic sealer spray

Step 1.

Collect branches of any size and shape - the sturdier, the better!  Avoid the teeny thin branches that bend over when you hold them up.

Let them dry out if they are moist.

Step 2.

Spray paint the branches silver or white. Cheap paint is fine!  Let them dry completely on each side after spraying.

Step 3.

While your branches are drying, mix Epsom salts with glitter.  I used the same ratio that I used with my wine bottles - 1/2 C salts and 1/2 tsp of glitter.

Step 4.

Once they are dry, paint Mod Podge onto the branches (or spray with adhesive if you're using a spray).  Make sure to get every inch covered!

Step 5.

While the Mod Podge is still wet, lay the branches in the salts and pour more salts on top - press the salts onto the branches if you can, it will help them stick better!

Make sure the branches are completely covered with the salts and glitter.

Step 6.

Lay the branches on a flat surface to dry completely.

Step 7.

Once dry, spray each side of each branch with acrylic sealer.  This needs to be done in a well ventilated area - it STINKS!  Let them all dry for at least a day.

Now you're done!  Enjoy your beautiful wintery branches!!!  Arrange them in your snowy wine bottles if you made them, or any other vase, mason jar, or container you like to have out for decorating during Christmas!

DIY "Snowy Wine Bottle" Christmas Decor

 This year I actually put some of my favorite Pinterest crafts to the test!

I LOVE Pinterest...mostly because it is somewhat fulfilling to "pin" something even though I didn't actually MAKE anything!

Well I have seen Epsom salt crafts for a couple years during Christmas time and this year I decided to try a couple!

Let me tell ya...Epsom salts really DO look like snow!  Or frost...they look wintery :)

So I'll share how I made my Snowy Wine Bottles! (Original tutorial here)

What you'll need for this craft:

• Wine Bottles (or any bottles you'd like) - the labels must be cleaned off.  I like to use lemon essential oil to help get them off.
• White or silver spray paint
• Epsom Salts
• White or silver glitter
• Mod Podge
• Acrylic Sealer

Again, for my crafts this year, I didn't take pictures of each step...so sorry!

Step 1. After washing and drying the bottles, spray paint them white or silver.  Apply a few coats and let dry overnight.

Step 2. Mix your Epsom salts and glitter.  You can add as much as you want, I added a 1/2 tsp or so of glitter to about 1/2 cup of salts.  Make sure you have enough salts for the bottles to roll in!

Step 3. Brush Mod Podge onto the area of your bottle you want to be "snowy."

Step 4. While Mod Podge is still wet, roll bottle in Epsom salts, making sure it is covered in salts.  Once all Mod Podge is covered with salts/glitter mixture, set aside to dry overnight (or several hours)

Step 5. Once Mod Podge is completely dry, carefully spray "snowy" area with a few coats of acrylic sealant. Let dry overnight.  If you skip this step, you'll have salts falling off your bottles pretty quick!

Step 6. Once acrylic sealant has dried, they're done!  Now you can decide what to fill them with!  They look awesome on a mantle or as a centerpiece too!

Enjoy your beautiful snowy AND glittery bottles!  I used wine bottles and a few iced coffee bottles and I really like the variety of shapes and sizes.

Stay tuned to see what I filled my bottles with - DIY snowy branches!

DIY Christmas Advent Activity Calendar

It's that time!!!

December!

Winter!

CHRISTMAS!

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE the Christmas season!  While the absolute most important thing to remember is our precious gift of our Savior Jesus, I truly love everything else that comes with it (aside from all the materialistic mumbo jumbo).

One thing I'm obsessed with is Christmas decorating...my husband can attest to the fact that ever since we've been married, I've spent hours decorating our house for Christmas during the week of Thanksgiving.

Another thing he can attest to...I'm not awesome at decorating.  

There are SO many things that I love, but I'm never able to combine all my decorations into a cohesive theme...except...all sorts of Christmas...stuff!

Well this year I was DETERMINED to do better!  And I think I did...it also took me alot longer to put it all together ;)

I won't even consider showing pictures of different parts of our house...because when I say it's "better,"  I mean it's "better" than it WAS.  Nothing close to other mommy blogs!  haha

A few new things I made this year I'm really excited about and I'd like to share how you can make them yourselves!

Today, I'll share our Advent Calendar.

We've made one every year, and put it together in different ways, but this year I finally made one that can be reused next year!

I got my inspiration and basic instructions from this blog.

We love our advent calendars because it's a really cool way for the family to do a bunch of fun stuff together!  Some activities are simple, some are special and a big surprise!  Others are about giving to others and we always have opportunity to share what Christmas is REALLY about!

If you'd like to make a calendar like this, here's what you'll need:

• Foam Poster Board
• 6" scrapbook paper in desired pattern (any size will work, but this size is easiest to fold into the 4" pockets!)
• Tags or labels for countdown numbers on each slot! 
• Letters for "Days Until Christmas" at the top
• Activity "tags" tied with ribbon
• Staples or thumbtacks
• Hot glue gun
• Glue stick

I apologize for not taking pictures of each step!  It's actually pretty simple though :)

Here it goes.

Step 1. Fold 24 pieces of 6" paper into 4" pockets.  This is done by folding in three sides, gluing them, and leaving the top open.

**You don't have to worry about the pockets being usable.  When you attach the "pockets" to the board, you'll just slide your tags in against the board.  You can glue down those three sides completely to keep it flat.

• You can also cut regular size scrapbook paper into 4 squares, and proceed with the folding from there.

Step 2.  Attach appropriate numbers to outside of pockets with a glue stick.  I used these labels, and you can fill in the numbers before printing!

Step 3.  Prepare your desired title and letters.  This could EASILY be done with vinyl if you have a cricut machine, I used some cool glitter letters that I've had FOREVER and never used.  I happened to have some cute matching decorative pieces to add as well.  I attached the letters with a glue gun.

Step 4.  Align your pockets on your board, making sure you have enough room for them all!  I like starting at the bottom of the board with #24 and working our way up.  I suggest setting them up tentatively before attaching them.

Step 5.  Attach your pockets.  I used a stapler, the tutorial I saw suggested thumbtacks.  I didn't have any, so a stapler it was!  It actually looks really subtle.

Step 6. Add any embellishments that you'd like!  I had some stickers and used some fun glitter embellishments.

Step 7. Make your activity list!  I make my list of ideas, then get my regular calendar out and schedule each activity.  Keep your list so you can reference it before the kids take their tag out each day!

Step 8. Write out or print activities on tags.  I actually typed them on small labels, then glued them to my tags that I cut out with a tag shaped cutter.  You can easily just write them out as well!

Step 9. Punch a hole in each tag and tie a ribbon, yarn, or twine through each one and put in appropriate pocket!

You'll be left with your own version of this!

Enjoy your calendar that can be used year after year with new activities each year!

If you need ideas for activities, here's what we have planned for this year:

• Go see Christmas lights
• Make a Christmas countdown chain
• Pick some toys to donate
• Take change to Salvation Army bell ringers
• Go to the MALL!
• Surprise movie night - watch Santa Clause 3 (for surprise movie night, we don't tell them it's movie night until they're IN bed.  It's a fun surprise and we only do it a few times each year)
• Dress up like a princess for dinner
• Make Christmas cards for relatives
• Make Christmas cookies
• Take Christmas cookies to mail lady and trash man
• Eat dinner by candlelight
• Help mom with some homemade gifts
• Open Christmas Jammies on Christmas Eve!
• Help mom wrap Christmas gifts
• Google how people celebrate Christmas in other countries
• Make a bed in the living room at watch Polar Express
• Make a Christmas card and gift for Daddy
• Roast marshmallows!
• Rent Charlie Brown Christmas (they've never seen it!)
• Fill Daddy's stocking
• Take a trip to the store to pick out a special treat
• Read the story of Jesus's birth on Christmas morning

Google "advent activities" and you'll get a lot more options!

Enjoy!  Stay tuned for how I made our "snowy wine bottles" in the next post!