DIY Christmas Tree

It isn't that I don't like a real Christmas tree, the look, the scent and all those decorations but this year I wanted to do something a little different.  I looked on line for ideas for alternatives to Christmas trees but nothing inspired me.  I stood in the middle of my painting studio and figured that there had to be something on hand that would serve as my tree this year.  Leaning in a corner were four simple wooden easels.  I took three and fashioned them together into a cone shape.  I love when an idea starts sparking....

Christmas Tree using 3 wooden artist easels
My Turquoise Kettle Life

I tied the easels together using twine, then strung the mini light around and wrapped several meters of white tulle over the lights.  The finishing touch was a star which I suspended from the ceiling to hang over the top of the tree.  Yes, its a little off beat but it might just be the perfect Christmas tree for an artist.

I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas; a time of laughter and love; and may the spirit of Christmas reside in our hearts all year long.

Thank you for visiting My Turquoise Kettle Life.

Merry Christmas,
Sandra

DIY Zipper Jewelry

Its December 23rd... two days until the Christmas gifts are placed beneath the tree.  I wanted to give you a sneak preview of my DIY zipper necklace.  For Christmas our family does a gift exchange which I love; it cuts down on the shopping and the gift has to be hand-made.  While some family members find the DIY idea challenging (and it can be depending on who's name you've chosen) I love it.  This year I stumbled across zipper jewelry on line and decided to give it a try.  I roughly copied one that I found at inspiration-of-the-nation.com It was quite simple and quick to make.  

There are several good videos on line that outline the various processes for making zipper jewelry from easy to complex.  I wanted something simple so I bought my zipper by the meter, cut away the excess fabric that runs along the size of the zipper teeth, swirled the zipper into circles and used a hot glue gun to hold everything in place.  The most challenging part of this project was trying to avoid the necklace from sticking to the work surface and not burning my finger tips with the hot glue. There is a black felt backing that hides all the raggedy edges and excess glue.  Jewelry joiners, clasp and ribbon add the finishing touches.  

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today.

Wishing you a wonderful and creative day,

Sandra