Christmas Once a Month Project

I just found this fabulous follow along project at thecraftyquilter.com, what a great idea!

As if I needed any prompting for Christmas crafts, when my list has been ongoing for several years now. : ) This will help to keep me accountable, I hope.

To see what they projects they've conjured up, click the button below to see some of Julie's projects and click here, here and here for the crafts of eamylove who has also joined the fun! They post the Christmas project on the 15th of each month. I missed it this month so I have 3 to catch up on and a fourth for April, stay tuned, I promise to make something new!

Project #1 for the Christmas Once a Month Project: Wooden Filagree Christmas Tree

I love Lands End, yes the clothing company. And yes, who doesn't love the quintessential New England style and feel of it? Who doesn't want to just jump right into the pages? I do!  So I enjoy looking through their catalogs. Specifically however, I really like some of their Christmas Catalog Covers which, over the years, have been downright "file" material. What do I mean? Well. some of their cover art for Christmas has been really clever over the years so I have been known to keep them for future reference for bulletin board ideas, crafts or just because I appreciate the art. Never mind that google can't find them! Oh, well!!

 

But I digress. Case in point, last year's cover is a tree done in Paper Quilling, a craft you can read about here (you have to scroll down a little) but it is not to be confused with this kind of quilling.

 

 

While I was researching, I found out about an uncanny resemblance  from another quiller here . You can read more about her project here. She was inspired by this artist. I really enjoyed looking at her work!  All that to say, my craft does not involve quilling but imitates it in another media.

1. Wooden Filigree Tree

 

2. Martha Stewart Glitter Collection

 

 

3. Martha Stewart Glittering Glue*.

*I took this to mean it was for the verb, "glittering," not as the adjective the glue is glittering, which is yet to be seen.

 

I was originally just going to use Modge Podge for this project because I know it will work. But this adorable little aqua bottle of "glittering glue" from Martha Stewart was $2 or $3.99 which was totally reasonable. So yes, I fell for the cute packaging of the Craft Diva herself.  I only desire maybe .001% of her success, right? Just enough to pay the bills, is that so wrong?

 

 

This craft really didn't take that long to do at all, maybe 30 minutes or less? The fine glitter can be a bit messy but I used a large manila paper under and poured the excess back into the teeny jars. Make sure you wipe the paper with something before starting the next color so they don't get mixed. Then when I was all done, I just wiped the table clean with something damp.

 

Take a look...

 

The glue has a brush attached! Neat! But I needed a smaller brush.

 

I did two different greens and started one color at a time.

 

 

After the 2 greens, I added the gold, wish is was more yellow than gold...

 

 

Red. Thought I'd have more trouble with the colors converging, but no!

 

 

Looks better in natural light.

 

Added orange and blue.

 

All done!

 

Here is the comparison: