New Christmas Tree Skirt

Posted on by vpdairies

I’m slowly redoing my home with mid-century modern furniture and accessories. So far, the living room and dining room are looking pretty good. I still need more accessories but I can do that slowly so I can get the pieces I really want.

As part of the make-over, I decided I needed to think about changing up my Christmas decorations too. The first thing I thought about was my Christmas tree. After all, the tree is the show piece of everyone’s Christmas decorations.

My first purchase? A silver tinsel tree. That was the iconic tree of the time period. There was no way I could afford a real antique one — mid-century modern is so freaking expensive. I started looking online for a reproduction. Ugh! The ones that look most like the originals are still too way expensive too, even a smaller one that would fit nicely in my apartment. I’m going to have to save up for one of those.

What I did find was an inexpensive one on Amazon, it is no longer available so I can’t provide a link. I also started looking for a tree topper. I knew I wanted one of the atomic looking ones. Again, the real thing was out of my price range. However, I was luckier finding a really great reproduction. I found a great 11 ½ inch starburst on Amazon. I was worried that it wouldn’t look as good as I hoped. However, it is perfect.

Then I got out the ornaments I used last year. While not being particularly MCM, I found they looked just fine. I’ll eventually get new ones but these will work this year.

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Finally, the only thing missing was a great tree shirt. I couldn’t find any originals, within or outside my price range. I looked for reproductions but the few I could find still were not within my price range. So I decided to make my own. I started looking for mid-century modern fabric to use. While there is quite a bit of MCM fabric out there, the amount of Christmas fabric is limited. I couldn’t find anything I liked. The piece that kept coming up in all my searches was this piece with birds sitting on a limb with an orange background. I mean, really, orange? For Christmas? I love orange. I love mid-century modern. But I do not love mid-century modern orange Christmas fabric!

So, after doing more research, I decided I would make one out of felt. I knew I was going to be really busy at work, so I went to my old standby (and favorite) retailer, Amazon. I purchased the following materials:

My idea was to make the skirt itself from the red felt and then use the multi-colored swatches to make cutouts of mid-century modern ornaments to place around the skirt. I figured it would take me “no time at all” to have the tree skirt finished and under the tree. Oh boy, was I wrong. Cutting out the skirt turned out to the easiest part of this little endeavor.

First, I measured how far far I wanted the tree skirt to hang. I decided on 12 inches. Then I cut a piece of the red felt that would be large enough for the size I wanted. I folded it in half, half again, and then again until I had a nice little triangle that would make it easy to cut a circle. Using the tape measure, I measured out 12 inches along the edge. I cut along that edge to make the circle. I then cut off the tip of the triangle to make the hole for the tree trunk. I unfolded the circle and trimmed any unevenness in the outer circle so it was nice and round. Finally, I cut from the outer edge to the middle to make the opening so I could put it around the tree. That took all of about 30 minutes.

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Then I started working on the ornaments. I did a lot of researched, looking for what ornaments looked like during that time period. Then I tried to cut them out and decorating them freehand…with mixed results. A few turned out okay, the rest looked like total crap. I was really disappointed. So much for thinking it was going to be easy.

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So, I started looking for printable ornament patterns. I found a number I really liked and went to print them out.

Aannnddd, my printer decided it wasn’t going to recognize the color ink cartridge. I couldn’t print them out even though I had it set for black only. UGH!!!!!! With Christmas being so close, I really wanted to finish the tree skirt.

So I resigned myself to going to Just using it plain and working on it again after Christmas.

In the meantime, I was also collecting a few other MCM Christmas decorations. I found a couple of felt stockings on Amazon that were kind of cute. When I got them, I thought they were cute, not great, but would be good enough for now. But then I went to Lowe’s, I found some I really wanted. So, I snapped up two at 50% off along with a matching door mat.

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I was going to just throw the two felt ones away (I’d only bad $2-3 for them) since the loop was already looking like crap because I used tape to hold them to the front of my TV credenza. But the more I looked at them, the more I thought that I could use the figurines (Santa and a reindeer) on the front for my tree skirt.

I cut out the reindeer, Santa, the candy cane, and the Ho! Ho! Ho!.

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I placed those around the tree skirt, as well as the few ornaments I thought were decent.

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After gluing everything down. I placed it back under the tree. It looks fairly nice and, overall, I like it.

Is it want I want forever? Definitely not. But it’s cute enough that I now have the time to find the PERFECT tree skirt.

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DIY Washi Tape Storage

Posted on by vpdairies

If you remember the post glue gun storage, I said that I was going to be making washi tape storage that would coordinate with it.

It took me a while to get back to it but I finally got back to it. This is what I needed for my washi tape storage:

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(You can see the glue gun storage in the background.)

  • 8×10 picture frames
  • Rule
  • Utility knife
  • Set of three storage baskets, blue
  • Small easel
  • Double-sided tape
  • Glue gun and glue sticks
  • Craft paper (same as I used for the glue gun storage)

The first thing I did was take apart the picture frame.

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I used the back piece to measure the background paper. So that the cuts were very clean, I used the utility knife.

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put double-sided tape all over the back of the paper to adhere it to the back of the picture frame, like I did for the glue gun storage.

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I put the picture frame back together, using the glass but not the ‘picture’ that comes with the frame. I used the glass so I’d have something to glue the baskets to. Then I ran a line of hot glue around the back to make sure the back didn’t fall out.

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I put the picture frame in the easel just to see what it would look like. Thankfully, I did because it pointed out a few things.

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As you can see, the picture frame leans back pretty far. I don’t like the look of this. I don’t like it one little bit.  I have to find a way to get to sit more upright.

I’d planned on gluing the first basket on the bottom of the frame.

Welllllll, that’s not going to work because the bottom of the frame is inside the easel. Time to rethink the basket placement.

I don’t know if you can see it in this picture very well but the front part of the easel was wonky. While one side of the front brace rested on the table, the other side did not. UGH! Why didn’t I check that before putting in my basket? Or maybe I did and it got bent while it was in the bag…who knows. But now I have a problem to solve.

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So, I got out the tools and started pounding and twisting and squeezing. It got a little better, enough that I’m good with it.

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I still need to make it sit more upright…thinking….thinking. But at least it is sitting flat against the table.

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After doing a lot of thinking, I located a small piece foam. It wasn’t ever thick but I thought it was big enough to cut in half. I the first half to the back of the frame and then glued the second half to it. I’m concerned that it won’t be thick enough to make a big enough difference but we’ll give it a try.

 

I then glue the baskets to the frame. I forgot to take pictures of the whole process…of course. But here is a picture of all them already on. I tried to put enough space between each basket so that I could easily get the rolls of washi tape in and out. I think it looks pretty nice.

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This is what it looks like with all my washi tape in it. I tried to group them by color, starting with the lighter ones on the top row and the black/brown ones in the bottom basket.

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I didn’t get a picture of the angle of the frame but I think it still leans back to far. I need to find something else to glue to the back to make it stand up straighter.

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Thinking…Thinking…Thinking

Update

I found something to add to the back of the frame so it will stand up straighter. It’s a piece of Styrofoam.

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After gluing it to the back, the storage stands up pretty nicely. I’m really loving this now.

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And finally, here’s a picture of the glue gun storage next to the washi storage. I think they look nice together. 🙂 However, I just noticed that the top basket is a little crooked…I’m going to have fix it fairly soon because it will drive me nuts until I do.

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DIY Glue Gun Storage

Posted on by vpdairies

As I get more into crafting, I have started setting up a small corner of my bedroom as my crafting area. I’ve purchased a whole bunch of things for area, which you’ll see in other posts.

Two things I really need is something to store my glue gun in when it is still warm and something for my washi tape. I decided to tackle the glue gun first.

I looked on Pinterest and YouTube to see what I could DIY. I found one I really liked that used items I could buy from the Dollar Tree. One of the required items was a plastic napkin holder. However, no matter how many times I went looking for it, I could never find the napkin holder. I found all the other items but not the napkin holder. So, I went looking for another idea. I found it on coupontoprovide’s YouTube station. I already had most of the items, the only thing I’d need from the Dollar Tree was a picture frame.

Well, today I finally got around to making the holder.

I pulled together everything I needed:

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  • Picture frames – I show two here. The 5×7 is for the glue gun storage and the 8×10 is for washi tape storage.
    According to couponstoprovide’s directions, I was supposed to use a 3×5 frame but I wanted something a little larger so I could see more of background since that is how it will coordinate washi tape storage.
  • Ruler
  • Needles and thread
  • Silicon pot holder, green
  • Glue gun and glue sticks
  • Craft paper – I pulled a few options. I wanted the background for the glue gun and washi tap storage options to match. I have the green pot holder and blue baskets for the washi tape.

The first thing I did was take apart the picture frame. I set aside the glass because I won’t be using it in this project but I want to save it to use in another project sometime in the future (maybe).

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I used the back piece to measure the background paper. I decided on the multicolored chevron. I used the utility knife so the cuts were very clean.

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I put double-sided tape all over the back of the paper to adhere it to the back of the picture frame.

Now I needed work on the two pockets. First, I needed to cut the silicon potholder in half. I found the middle by using my mat. Then I used my ruler to make sure the cut was straight and made the cut using the utility knife.

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Now, I needed to make each half into a pocket. I started by rolling the first half into a tube and sewing the two sides together.

Then, I sewed the bottom together.

This was actually easier than I thought it would be. I just had to find the right needle and a pretty strong thread. The first needle I picked was nice and heavy but it had a blunt point, which I figured would be difficult to push through the silicone and would definitely not make it through the back of the picture frame. So, I found another one that had a nice sharp point and  heavy enough.

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I finished the second pocket. I placed both pockets on the backing to figure out where to place them. So far I’m liking what I think this will look like.

To sew through the back of the picture frame, I pushed the needle through the front out the back, but I wanted the thread knot to be in the back, so after I made the hole, I withdrew the needle and used the hole to push it through from the back. It was pretty each to push the needle through from the front to back but much harder from back to front, mostly because I couldn’t see where it was going to come out. I ended up making the holes from the front when I needed to come through from the back. After I got the top sewn down, I repeated the process with the bottom of the packet.

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After I repeated the whole thing for the 2nd pocket, I put some hot glue on the back to secure the knots.

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Then I had to put the frame back together. I put the back in the frame and ran a line of glue around the edge to make sure it didn’t fall out.

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Then I put in the cardboard and matting from the front to add bulk for the metal closures. I also ran another bead of glue around the edge of the cardboard piece for even more security and put the piece of matting over that to cover all the messy stuff. And finally, I pushed the little metal brackets back down to hold everything in.

So, what do you think of the final product?

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I really like it. It holds a nice supply of glue sticks and my glue gun very nicely. The really nice thing is that I can put the glue gun in the pocket while it is still warm since it is silicone. And it any glue drips in it, I can just scope it out once it is cool. And I think it looks really nice on the corner of my desk (close to the outlet).