Snowflake Ornaments

I love Christmas trees. The lights. The colors. The smell. The ornaments! Choosing the right ornaments for your tree is a must if you're looking for a matching decor in your home. A lovely Christmas tree isn't necessarily an expensive project. I like to see it as the perfect opportunity to get creative and see what happens.

These days I've been working on something special for our tree. Something that matches my pine cone wreath. So we're talking silver and red. Aren't they yummy colors for Xmas?

Making these ornaments for your own tree is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Ready to learn how?

1. Get the basic ornament at your craft store.

There are generally different options for you to choose.

Mine were 1 dollar each.

2. Paint the ornament (your choice of color).

I chose silver.

3. Spread glue and glitter.

Glitter should be the same color as the paint.

Ok.

I'll admit it. There's a step 4.

4. Hang it and enjoy!

P.S. This is an excellent DIY project to make with kids: it's both easy and fun, a perfect way to get them involved with the holiday decorations.

Hope you have a great day making them with your family!

I'm posting this at

Pennywise Presents at Infarrantly Creative
Holiday Linky Party at The Inspired Room
Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design
DIY OrnamentParty at Centsational Girl
The DIY Showoff Holiday Highlighs
It's So Very Cheri
DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land

A Little Piece of Heaven

I love Christmas time of year:

happy spirits,

amazing decorations,

joyful songs playing everywhere,

the cold weather...

and hot drinks to keep our bodies warm

(and our houses smelling like Christmas!!!!)

That's when I know Christmas is right around the corner.

The other day, we invited my parents and in-laws over to our house for a little dinner. My mom suggested I made hot punch for our guests. I was shocked! You know, this is my first year as a "housewife", and I'm learning as I go. I don't do great cooking -just regular, easy things- besides, my husband's excellent in that deparment. Make traditional Mexican hot punch, for the very first time, to serve my in-laws? I'd better think twice!

Surprise is I made the most wonderful hot punch (and I'm not kidding, this is what my guests said ;). Credit goes to my mom, for telling me how to do it, and sharing her little secrets.

Now it's my time to share with you! If I could do it, you sure can.

I guess the biggest challenge here is getting all of the ingredients. Depending on where you live, it might be difficult to find all of them.

The beauty of this punch, though, is you can skip the ingredients you can't find.

It will still taste great.

Ingredients

1 cup dried hibiscus

3 or 4 guavas

10 tamarind pods

1 peeled apple

10 crabapples

1/2 lbs peeled sugar cane

(in chunks)

6 prunes

1/2 cup raisins

1/2  cup sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

water

The Secret Recipe

Place the crabapples in a pot with water and bring it to boil.

Turn off heat. Once cool, take off peels.

{tip: don't throw away water}

Put 4 cups of water in another pot and turn heat to high.

Add hibiscus flowers.

Cover the pot.

Meanwhile slice and cut the apple into squares, and quarter guavas.

Once it has boiled, take out the hibiscus flowers.

Add: 3 liters of water.

Put in the rest of the ingredients:

peeled crabapples (with their water),

tamarind pods,

guavas and apple,

prunes and raisins,

chunked sugar cane,

cinnamon sticks,

and sugar.

Let it boil. Once it has boiled, turn heat to low.

Simmer for an hour.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

{tip: you can also add a little rum}

If you make this in advance, try reheating it in your stove at least 15 minutes before you serve it. This will make your house smell like Christmas, and it will taste like Heaven!

Joining

Holiday Linky Party at The Inspired Room

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design

DIY Day at a Soft Place to Land

Pine Cone Wreath

I've had Christmas wreaths on my mind for the last few weeks. They are so lively and welcoming. I knew I wanted to make one for the holidays. Our first Christmas wreath. Exciting!

I didn't want to spend the big bucks on it, though. And I wanted it to be eco-friendly (there's something in me thinking where will things end up when they're no longer used, and it never leaves me alone!). So last weekend I was thinking about it when it finally hit me.

Aren't pine cones lovely?

This project begun with a trip to the park. Well worth it all by itself.

We were hanging out with my husband's family, so everybody helped me pick up pine cones (such a lovely gesture, thanks!).

It was a fine and fun day.

And finally, I was able to work on them yesterday afternoon. I'm excited to share the results with you!!

{My inspiration for this project was Eddie Ross' ornament wreath (if you haven't checked it out, I strongly recommend you to; it's beautiful and easy). }

Supplies:

50 small sized pine cones.

Craft paint (your choice of color).

Wire rings (available at craft supply stores).

A hanger.

A paintbrush.

Hot glue gun.

Ribbons.

How to:

Paint your pine cones (you can go natural too if you wish).

I chose a silver tone for my decorations, so that's what I used to paint them.

I only painted the tips. (I spent a wonderful afternoon with my mom and daughter doing this ;)

{They're lovely just like this.}

Hot glue the wire rings to the top of the pine cone.

Bend the hanger into a circle.

Untwist the end of the hanger and string one pine cone at a time.

Twist the hanger again to close the circle.

Hot glue a ribbon to cover the hook end of the hanger.

Make a simple bow out of color coordinating ribbons.

Hot glue it to the wreath.

Enjoy!

I'm liking this so much, I'm thinking about making a few to give as presents to my family and friends. I seriously can't stop staring at it: my first Xmas wreath!

Best of all: easy on my pocket.

Sharing this with Funky Junk Interiors

The Inspired Room

 

Blue Cricket Design

Mustard Seed Creations furniture feature friday

Infarrantly Creative's pennywise present party.

And Kimba's A Soft Place to Land DIY Party

Finding fabulous frugalicious Friday

Thank you girls for hosting these amazing parties!!!!

Looking at the Sky

Hi there! I just wanted to share with you some pictures I took today. Isn't the sky amazing? I love the clouds and the perfect shade of blue.

I've been working on a great Christmas project these couple of days. Can't wait to show you!!!

Cable Drawings

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"

I think there's no better way of describing the following pictures. Sometimes we face difficulties when designing (or just living). This talented artist shows that with a little creativity, "problems" CAN become our allies (and get excellent results!).

This is all work of artist Maisie Maud Broadhead. Talk about inspiration!