how-to winter projects - grace grits and gardening

I’m excited to show you this dried orange slice garland I made a few days ago. For some time, I’ve wanted to decorate with orange slice garland. I love the primitive, Americana look of it and believe it complements our old house better than super shiny tinsel. I imagine this type of garland adorned the March family Christmas tree. (March family as in Little Women.)

Can’t you just see the girls gathered around the tree with a fire blazing? Jo writes on her latest play, Beth silently reads poetry, Meg helps Marmee sew Union Army uniforms, and Amy stares out the window wishing she had a pocket full of money.

Sometimes I really do think I was born in the wrong century, not that I would dare accept a do-over should one be offered. No, I like hot showers and good coffee and Sonic ice too much for that. So I’ll be perfectly content with an old (renovated) house, my well-loved copy of Little Women, and my version of homemade garland instead.

Anyway, I LOVE how this Christmas craft turned out. My garlands are now festooning the bookshelf, draping the mantel, hanging like ornaments from the front porch tree. Each night when the sun goes down, a spot of brightness lingers.

I think I’ll leave my natural orange slice garlands up all through winter, too. Considering that in literature the color orange (and orange fruit) symbolizes enthusiasm, optimism, happiness, and creativity—what better way to start the new year?Continue Reading

I’ve been adding a bit of holly, jolly to our home by creating winter wonderlands. This is a super simple project, y’all. If you’ve been feeling Grinch-like and haven’t summoned the energy to delve into full blown Christmas decorating, make a tiny, dreamy winter wonderland. In no time, the Christmas spirit will find you. Complete with sugarplums and jingle bells and Santa himself.

Promise.

How-to: dreamy winter wonderland:

Dig out your favorite small ornaments, teeny plastic toys, and vintage holiday decorations. The idea is to design a small wintry vignette, much like a Christmas version of the fairy gardens I see on Pinterest yet never make.
Buy a box of snow from your local craft store or use something on hand. I imagine cotton, sugar, glitter, confetti, shredded paper, snippets of rosemary or other greenery will work nicely for the frosty groundcover.
Gather a few small containers. I used silver platters, tin trays, a glass compote, and garden cloches. Use your imagination. Search your cabinets for small dishes and pieces of pottery. That shallow plant saucer in the garage would make a great base.
Channel your younger self. You remember her, right? She waited for Santa, studied the Sears Wish Book, and dreamed of her favorite toys. She left carrots for Dasher and Dancer and Rudolph. That younger self.
Put your dreamy winter wonderland together with a theme in mind. A theme will tie together the elements of your creation. I used favorite Christmas carols.

Really, that’s all there is to it.

Once you make your first dreamy winter wonderland, you’ll make another. Eventually, you’ll have to stop yourself before your entire house is filled with dreamy little wonderlands. Not that one can have too much dreamy or wonder.

Take a Peek:

I used my blue compote to create Blue Christmas. The house was made by my artist friend, Beth Macre. It’s a tiny replica of our Fayetteville home. This little world reminds me of those antique mercury glass ornaments with enchanted dioramas built in.

Let it Snow is nothing more than a silver tray, a few bottle brush trees, and a sprinkle of mica snow. This simple display makes a festive vignette on my coffee table.

Frosty the Snowman adds whimsy in the powder room. A dusting of snow keeps him happy. Most of the trees and ornaments I use, including those in this wonderland, are no more than a couple of inches tall.

Winter Wonderland has always been one of my favorite Christmas songs, so I created my own little winter wonderland in a glass cloche. The base is flat which makes for easy arranging of snow and trees. Consider it a deconstructed snow globe. In other words, not to be shaken.

This vintage Santa is from my childhood. Emphasis on vintage. One of the reindeer has gone missing. Santa’s sleigh could use a fresh coat of paint. The rusty tray looks like a rooftop if you use your imagination.

Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn’t go love this?

Silent Night makes me extra happy, the song and the birthday of Christ. Several years ago, my friend, Jenny, lived in Rotterdam. She brought me the star ornament from the Netherland Christmas market. (I taped it to the top of the glass dome with regular Scotch tape.) I bought the sweet lamb in Iceland last summer. My son made baby Jesus when he was in Kindergarten. Heavenly and peaceful. Yes. I think so.

Other tips / ideas:

Add a small strand of battery-powered lights to make your scene come alive.
Build your dreamy winter wonderland inside a decorative lantern or terrarium.
If the bottom of your container is curved make it level by adding a piece of cardboard. Snow covers a variety of sins.
Create a woodland wonderland using small pinecones, twigs and acorns with bird / owl ornaments and white feathers instead of snow.
If you prefer, secure the components of your wonderland with adhesive putty.

For the Little Ones:

With a bit of supervision, the youngest of Santa’s helpers can create wonderlands in shoe boxes and cigar boxes to better contain the glittery snow. Can’t you see a dreamy winter wonderland made with Legos and Star Wars characters? Little People (are they still a thing?) and Matchbox cars? Of course, these wonderlands can’t be shaken like snow globes, but displayed on the mantle or bookcase, Santa will be sure to notice right when he comes down the chimney.

Seriously, I bet I could come up with fifty more ideas. Yes, this is what I do when I should be working on my next book.

Only 7 more sleeps!

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Create a dreamy winter wonderland this Christmas #craft #vintage [/tweetthis]

P.S. This is the snow I used.