Christmas decorations

Mr D and I are spending our first Christmas together (previously we were always in different parts of the globe) and decided to start our own Christmas traditions. One that I hope to carry on forward is making my own decorations. 

I was faced with the dilemma: what to have and how to have it on the cheap? I couldn’t carry on considering myself a creative person if I didn’t have an idea, so thankfully I still can.

I got a small Christmas tree from the charity shop where I volunteer and while I was there the other week I was looking around for inspiration. Sadly the decorations on sale there weren’t that interesting… I don’t like tinsel all that much and most baubles just look cheap and boring… If you want something interesting or pretty you do have to invest some money… or make your own! It’s been a while since I had any handmade project (possibly since knitting a bunch of scarves last Winter), so this was perfect to get back on that horse.

So while I was looking around I spotted this music sheet book collection, from 1953. I had already looked at them wondering what projects I could be using them for so I had an epiphany… why not use their pages to make decorations for my tree? So I got 2 of them (they are cheap and not valuable, otherwise I’d feel  guilty about tearing them apart) and it was enough to make all I wanted and some more. I’m going to think up a few more projects for these wonderful pages! I also plan to do something with the covers as the patterns are so beautiful in their 50’s style. Suggestions accepted.

After deciding on the music paper, I decided I needed some lights and some mini baubles to go with it, in red, as it is one of my favourite colours. I found the berry lights in the bargain shop in town (they kind of reminded me of a set I remember from when I was a child), the mini baubles were from Ebay and the little mini Dorothy heels were a chance find in the supermarket. Anyone who knows me long enough knows I have a soft spot for red shoes, especially if they are glittery, so they had to come home with me.

So, yesterday afternoon I sat on the floor, surrounded myself with all the stuff I was going to need and set myself to work. I won’t bore everyone with too many DIY details, all I made was pretty simple and doesn’t require much explanation. 

As I still had a lot of paper left I decided to make a bigger paper chain for the boring window, as well as a star. The star looks complicated but in reality it is not – you can find the tutorial here. It’s nothing special but it kept me busy for a few hours, while watching Beginners and Made in Dagenham. (both are good, the first is quite sad, about a 38 year old graphic artist who learns his father is gay and has terminal cancer, the second an inspirational true story about female Ford factory workers in 1968, going on strike for equal pay).

I then decided the tree needed something on the top and found this tutorial. I added the little heart sequin as  a nice finishing touch. It’s not perfect but I think it looks good as a whole. I also made a few smaller ones to decorate the gifts I wrapped.

So this is what I busied myself with yesterday afternoon, proving that for under 15 pounds you can have some fun and decent Christmas decorations.