DIY Live Evergreen Christmas Star Tutorial

My favorite part is that it cost me $2.94! The supplies you’ll need are as follows:

• 5 yardsticks (I bought mine for .98 cents at Lowes)
• Staples
• Floral wire
• Ribbon
• Evergreen branches
• Dark stain or paint (optional)

The directions are quite simple. Form your yardsticks into a star shape. It took some small tweaking/adjusting to get it just right, and I glued the points in place. Once the glue dried a bit, I used my staple gun to secure the ends just a bit more. I stained my yardsticks with black stain (what I had on hand), but you don’t necessarily need to. I just preferred it.

After cutting a bunch of branches from a tree in our forrest, I laid out the largest ones first so I could get a clear shape of the star. I then tweaked/added as needed in order to fill in all the holes. I used floral wire to secure the branches at the tips. I also tied a couple of bottom branches in the middle as well to keep it from shifting too much.

I just kept layering and trimming until it took the shape I liked. I used some ribbon I had on hand to make a bow and wired it onto the star. Voila!

DIY Live Evergreen Christmas Star Tutorial

Side note: The day before I took these pictures it was 72 degrees. #cuethesnow!

Thank you for letting me share with you today! And thank for Jen for inviting me! Have a wonderful holiday!

Thanks Chris!

That star is amazing. I love it!!

Here are a few other ideas of love from Just A Girl: 

Be sure to follow along with Chris at Just A Girl! 

DIY Washer and Dryer Pedestals 

Gorgeous Fall Mantel

How to Convert Pierced Earrings to Clip-On Earrings 

Just A Girl on Pinterest 

Just A Girl on Instagram

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This year I’ve really tried to use everything from our Christmas storage boxes and donate what I don’t need anymore. As I was sorting through everything I came across these old Christmas village houses that I remember buying for my husband and I’s first Christmas together! We didn’t have any money and I’ll never forget walking through Walgreens one night and being desperate to have our little apartment all decorated for the holidays we bought these little houses for $1 each! And they served us well!

These little guys don’t really fit my style anymore but I couldn’t let go of such a cherished memory, so naturally…… I spray painted them ; ). I used Krylon’s Chalky Finish in Ivory, and then once that dried I used the spray snow to give it a little dusting. I almost painted the houses all white, but I wanted a distinction from the paint and the snow.

I didn’t originally plan on turning these into book ends. I honestly wasn’t totally sure what I was going to do with them, so I brought them all inside and set them on a dresser next to a pile of old books. Then using them to hold up my books just kinda happened naturally. And that just so happens to be my favorite way to decorate. I never do good when I have a plan, I do better when I pile stuff up and find the beauty in the chaos!

I still have more of these houses that I’m not sure what to do with, but I’m hoping it will come with time because I love the simplicity of these little snow dusted houses. They make perfect snowy village book ends too!

I hope you enjoyed this simple and quick tutorial. Now, who’s ready to go spray paint something? ; )

Thanks so much for having me over Jen!!

****

Thanks Ashley! What a cute idea to update something that has so much sentimental value! Ashley has great ideas on her blog. Here are a few I know you’ll love:

She has this beautiful DIY Christmas Joy Sign that is so perfect for a mantel!

And how pretty is this Fruit Centerpiece?

And I can’t believe how cute these Drop Cloth Stockings are!

Follow the HAPPY Holidays Event at Tatertots & Jello

all through the holidays with awesome tutorials, recipes, decorating ideas and more from some amazing blogs!

xoxo

The post Happy Holidays: Snowy Village Book Ends appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

Merry Christmas Tatertos and Jello readers! I can’t believe Christmas is only a week away! I’m Anna from Ask Anna and I am anxiously awaiting the “big day” but I’m also doing a mad rush to finish up Christmas presents and bake to my hearts content!

Today I’m going to share with you an easy, to-die-for recipe, for sea salt caramels. I found this recipe last year and I have made it so many times because it’s a hit at every party and get together.

Sea Salt Caramels

{Adapted from this recipe}

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
6 tbsp butter, cut into tablespoons
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt
1 bag 70% Cacao Chocolate chips {I use Ghirardelli}

Preparation:


1. Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.

3. Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.

4. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of salt.

5. Pour into prepared pan and place it in the refrigerator until firm enough to cut.

6. Cut the caramel into small squares or strips with a chef’s knife.

I cut them into pretty small squares because they are very rich.

7. After cutting the caramels place them in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. The colder they are the easier they are to dip in the chocolate.

8. Set aside a small dish with about 1 TBS of sea salt. Having the sea salt right at your fingertips makes it easier to sprinkle on the caramels while they are cooling.

9. Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in the chocolate one at a time.

Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil to set.
 While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely. I like to wait until after I’ve done an entire row of caramels before adding the salt, otherwise the chocolate is still too warm and the salt just melts into the chocolate.

Store them in the freezer and take them out about 15 minutes before serving.

I guarantee your friends and family will love these! My friends love them so much that they actually request them now! Have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all next year!

Anna! Those are amazing – I can’t wait to make some for my neighbors and my kids’ teachers.

So yummy!

Here are some other awesome ideas from Ask Anna:

I love this idea — How to Plan a Bake Day

I’m a little obsessed with this Christmas Light Canvas that Anna made – beautiful!

And we have a Christmas Eve Brunch every year – I love this Yule Log Cake that Anna made. I would love to make it for our brunch!

Plus, Anna has amazing cleaning and organizing ideas. 

Be sure to follow along with Ask Anna in 2013 for ways to make the year even better!! 

HAPPY Holidays!!

xox

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