Share Your Holiday Decorations
Here is our dining room sideboard showing the cholla branch arrangement I came up with a few days ago. Cholla is a cactus, and when we were in southern New Mexico a few months ago, we picked up a bunch of the dead branches. They are full of naturally occuring cylindrical holes. People use cholla wood to make crosses, jewelry, etc. But it was fun to come up with this little basket of holiday cheer. There is some smell of pine because of the boughs added to the basket. I had to wrap the lights three times to get it anywhere near right. I balanced some little round ornaments in the open ends of the branches. I'm feeling the Christmas magic now that there are lights and decorations throughout the house.
How about you? Have any holiday decorations to share? Do you like wrapping presents? If you have one you wrapped that brings a smile, we'd love to see it. Something about the sight of wrapped presents always makes me happy -- probably because the wrapping signals the near completion of such a project, other than delivering the gift to its recipient. Being a paper nut, I love to shop for pretty gift wrap. When I was a kid, my mother used to take me to Lord and Taylors the day after Christmas, where we make a mad dash for the discounted decorative gift wrap paper. Hope some of you will post creative holiday photos here at this wonderfully collaborative website, HWT.
Tags: Christmas, creativity, decorations, gifts, holidays
Views: 60
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Beth Jukuri on -
My brother sent me this Manger about 25 years ago when he was in the Marines. He bought it in England. It is sitting on a table that my husband redid. It was an old table we found in the Barn...and he broke ceramic tiles and made a mosaic design. I love them both....the guys too :)
And this is my latest Mitten Tree. I love this one, for the energy is much more Alive and Determined, she knows who she is and is very confident. The Mitten tree is mismatched mittens, ones who are strays etc. I feel like I belong on the tree for I am estranged from my family. I no longer feel the weight of the loneliness or feeling so forlorn. This quilt is showing me that my energy inside is much Lighter and with a bounce. This is hanging up on my wall....but this is a better picture of it...outside.
Keddy, I love your unique branch, lights and bough arrangement. I am wanting to experiment with Crosses, it sounds like you found the perfect branches.
Thanks for inspiring us to share.
May you have a great Holiday Season.
Beth
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Permalink Reply by Keddy Ann Outlaw on -
So good to see your images, Beth. I love your mitten tree theme. It reminds me a little of bottle trees, though your symbolism is different. I'm always amazed by the pictures you are able to craft with cloth. And I strongly relate to your statement that your art reflects your inner energy; I feel like that about collage too. Art can be amazing, can't it? Here's to creativity, well applied to holidays!
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Permalink Reply by Beth Jukuri on
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What is the meaning of the bottle tree. I have seen a few and love them. Thanks for your understanding...I too find Art simply amazing in how it comes to be.
Beth
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Permalink Reply by Beth Jukuri on
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Keddy, my daughter took this picture of an empty church, one that I had made into cards for my Christmas letters. I love the many symbolisms that can be found by looking at this picture...
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Permalink Reply by Kay Van Hoesen on -
What a beautiful church.
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Permalink Reply by Keddy Ann Outlaw on
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According to African legend, the bottles attract evil spirits, which are drawn to the bursts of sunlit color. The spirits then become trapped inside the bottles, their voices heard moaning as the wind passes by. Though the legend that the bottles trap evil spirits is widely accepted, some believe that the bottles hold the spirits of their ancestors, while others contend that the bottle tree grants wishes.
source -The Campus Chronicle", Savannah college of Art and Design
I've seen bottle trees in the South mostly, including African American neighborhoods here in Houston.
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Permalink Reply by Beth Jukuri on
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Thanks so much for the backstory. I will work on my own Spirit catching tree! A tree of wishes! I will be on the hunt for cool colored bottles, and then work on the perfect tree. I have seen them up here in Northern Michigan....one was in a garden on my mail route. Another at a cottage on the Lake. Cool. Love the idea behind the bottle trees.
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Permalink Reply by Devin on -
Bottle trees are cool! I made one a year ago using a 4x4x8 post, 10" nails for limbs, and recyled bottles.
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Permalink Reply by Kay Van Hoesen on
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Beth, the manger scene is beautiful, and your mitten quilt is exquisite. More than anything else, though, I love what it represents. The freedom to be mismatched and still fit in. Perfect! YAY! You're inspiring lots of other folks who are estranged from their families; sometimes it's tough at Christmas, but I feel happiness in this piece.
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Permalink Reply by Kay Van Hoesen on
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I LOVE this arrangement, Keddy! It's beautiful! I have no photos to share, because I typically don't decorate for Christmas. But I love looking at other's creativity, and THIS is FAB!
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Permalink Reply by Beth Jukuri on
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In the past many years I decorated but mostly for the kids...or because it was the thing to do. This year I felt lighter, and I have no expectations of the tree and decorations to LIFT my spirit. In the past, Christmas had to fulfill so many expectations....raise the level of happy. This year, I came to christmas happy. Below, are my four children...last Sunday they were all here for dinner, spaghetti and we 'posed' for Christmas Pictures. I watched and listened to them laughing and getting along so well. It was Christmas early...for in their smiles shows love and peace. I told them this picture is all the Christmas I need.
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Permalink Reply by Kay Van Hoesen on
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oh my gosh, Beth. That is such a lovely message. Your children are beautiful. I know you feel blessed to have them, and they sure are lucky to have you for a mom! As a sidebar, it sure does look like winter in this photo!
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