Sunday, November 21, 2010

Newspaper Ornaments

This holiday season I have dedicated one corner in the living room to be completely color free. Our Holiday colors are usually various shades of turquoise, blue and silver with little hits of pink and gold. But this one corner is my little holiday escape.
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It all started when I saw these adorable ornaments at Anthropologie and decided I can probably make them for a fraction of the price.
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While out treasure hunting I picked up this cute deer because it looked easy enough to wrap in paper (no sharp edges and a simple form). I also picked up an old box of ornaments for $1 to attempt in the event my deer bombed.
Photobucket The book was in a 5/$1 pile and didn't appear to make good reading since the last pages were missing. I didn't want perfect scissor cuts so I turned to a trusted old trick for perfectly straight yet torn edges: a wet paint brush. Wet a small brush and draw your line, then tear in about 5 seconds for a perfectly ripped edge.
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For a variety of looks I covered a few balls completely with the paper after soaking it briefly in 50/50 water-glue mix. Basically, I paper machiered the ornaments.
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For other ones I opted to just do a ring about it
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or a few rounds for a mix of old paper and shiny silver.
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My little deer turned out perfectly and will be appearing in a future post!
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For our ornaments, I wanted to display them seperately from the regular tree so I went out in the yard and clipped a branch off one of the lilac trees.
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I shoved it into an urn I wasn't using and piled white pebbles around it to be sure it was steady and then we were ready to add our ornaments!
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In the theme of our old book ornaments I switched the painting out for an old framed book plate.
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A couple of stray chandelier crystals add a little extra sparkle and we were done!
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Not too perfect, not too full, just the perfect amount of holiday dazzle for the minimalist in me!
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And that's our quiet holiday corner. How about you? What are you colors for the season? Do you stick with the same colors every year?

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love it! Thanks for the inspiration!

This year, everything is pink and gold. Think Victorian Christmas ;)

corners of my life said...

Your "cleverness" continues to amaze me!

Audra said...

As always it looks great Miss Holly! Can't wait to see the rest of your decor....I can't ever get enough of your style or your home.

Michael Wurm Jr said...

love it, love it, love it!

i actually just saw in some catalog (maybe west elm?) where they covered a tree branch, like yours, with book pages. then hung ornaments.

where do you peoeple come up with these ideas!? genius!

thanks for sharing holly!!

Chrissie said...

Great ornaments! I really love the deer, can't wait to hear more about it!

Megan // Honey We're Home said...

How gorgeous! It looks like a beautiful magazine photo!

Loui♥ said...

Holly..
just adorable!!
so simple!
understately elegant!
perfect!!
it "speaks" quiet!
hugs..
Loui♥

Linda in AZ * said...

* Sooooo "FRESH"... so "NOW"... so FUN!!! Thanks for sharing, Holly!

Linda in AZ *
bellesmom1234@comcast.net

Paint Me White said...

Simple but cute Holly. Love this look. Hay head over to my blog and check out the wreath my daughter and I made on the weekend. Sandy xx

Tiffany said...

I'm more the hodge podge Christmas type with lots of ecclectic stuff going on that we've collected over the years...but this looks awesome! Love the way the wrapped balls turned out...and the deer is also so clever!

Tiffany
www.noordinaryhomestead.com

the thrifty ba said...

fantastic!

Anonymous said...

I love it. Great idea, I can't wait to see more of your stuff.

jandjhome said...

I love this! I want to make some ornaments this year. I had seen something similar at West Elm and was wondering if I could do it. I will be trying this soon.

Anonymous said...

Fun ornaments, and I LOVE your branch tree with the ornaments. Love it.

Krista said...

Beautiful. You are so creative!

Little Lovables said...

Very pretty! I usually do the aqua and red, with lots of white.

Some years, I do just white and silver. I would continue to do that, but now that my children are older and love to pick out Christmas decorations and we get them as gifts, i have to add the color in.

Sixty-Fifth Avenue said...

Perfection!! Very pretty Holly, I'm doing a poject with some branches too.

kara@elements-interiors.net said...

Hey Holly! Im your newest follower and LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVIN it! I JUST found you as i am new to blogland! I ADORE everything on here! Those are BRILLIANT! WANT! I have an interior design business and blog ...im doing 14 days of xmas trees and would BEYOND ADORE you to visit! I have a Giveaway too

*ENTER CUSTOM FLORAL Give-Away Here *



xoxokara

Kim's Treasures said...

I love this!!! Your little corner looks perfect!!!

Douglas said...

NO! I love changing up colors....and I love the deer. marissa

Anonymous said...

Aw nice! My colors are red and silver usually. But my mom bought me an antique gold star tree topper, so I've gotta figure out how to incorporate the gold as well.

Deb said...

I love this! It's so pretty, simple, and fun. I think I might even be ablt to attempt this myself. thanks!

bagfashionista said...

that looks amazing!

i wasn't really planning on pulling out xmas deco since it'll just be me by my lonesome this xmas (long story, that starts with the big D word) but i may attempt this if i feel ambitious!

Emma said...

That looks beautiful. A very calming corner!

Sandra said...

Gorgeous. My tree is a very traditional tree filled with all kinds of ornaments from those that my children made in Vacation Bible School to more expensive collectible ornaments. Love the memories that go along with the ornaments. xoxo

Laura said...

what a lovely job. your quiet holiday corner is inspiring.

Amanda said...

Holly, it's not going to be any surprise to you that I love this, since I have been known to love everything you do. Shhhh, don't tell. ;) I've noticed myself leaning toward the much more minimalist end of things than ever. Last year, we did silver and (brace yourself)... RED! Although I see it lovely as ever in other peoples homes, it didn't feel right for me here. Soooo, I'm warning you now, I'm taking TONS of inspiration and down right copying a few of your ideas you shared last year. Silver, blue, turquoise, white and touches of gold even. The reindeer you glittered (found a brand new bare one at Goodwill TONIGHT for 1.50), copying it. The ribbon, copying it. The mercury glass candle holders on your mantle, I had to find them and I just received ones I ordered from Anthro on clearance!!! I'll get to posting soon. As always, thank you for sharing your lovely ideas with all of us, and particularly my sometimes less than creative self. :D

Itchin' Stitchin' said...

Love it! I adore your lanterns too!! Every year I usually go with purple, red, and gold - but this year I am shaking it up - not sure yet what it will be :)

Design-Therapy said...

Woohoow holiday season is upon us! Looks great Holly!

Soul Pretty said...

You are one crafty lady...I was looking at old books in the thrift store yesterday...they were just .25 each and I could find a reason to buy them...Man, wish I had saw your post...

Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia said...

This is fabulous! I just love your little white corner!
XO
Kristin

beachy in the burbs said...

You are so creative! Love how it turned out and love the simple white and silver.

Ruffled Snob said...

YAY for a craft we can do at my annual ornament swap!!! Thanks for the clever little idea...

Pam @ Frippery said...

Total inspiration!!! Thanks, Pam

Crisp Interiors said...

I love your ornaments. Might just have to try some myself tomorrow after all the cooking is done!
You're truly an inspiration, Holly!
Happiest of Thanksgivings to you!

Emily @ Crisp Interiors
www.crispinteriors.blogspot.com
http://crispinteriors.goodsie.com

Sarah Elizabeth said...

I love the newspaper ornaments and deer! So creative and organic looking. We're doing red, silver, and gold for our Christmas theme.

Laura Murray Photography said...

Hi!! Just discovered your blog. LOVE IT. I seriously spent over an hour going through the majority of your posts... so inspirational and absolutely my style! AND, I actually took the idea from this post and recreated it in my home... posted about it on my blog http://lauramurrayphotography.com/blog/?p=1265
Thanks!! Will keep following :)

Glamour Drops said...

Good gracious this is clever! The deer has a completely different look - puts the emphasis back on the shape without any "colour". Reminds me of the Expressionists who challenged the notion of having trees always painted in green. Delighted to find your blog, too, via Hey Look.

decoguy said...

I know this post is about the newspaper ornament which I have to say is great but i must ask about the lights! they look like wire baskets made in to lamp covers. Is it? They look beautiful

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing, our present wrapping theme this year is newspaper tied up with coloured bakers twine, so these newspaper ornaments will fit in nicely.
Have a blessed Christmas
Tanya

 
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