My Re-Purposed Ornaments & The Tale Of A Christmas Tree in a Crock
December 15, 2013
On November 3, 2013, I made and posted my first re-purposed Christmas tree ornaments.
The ornaments were met with a good response on Pinterest and on my blog, so I decided then to continue to find cheap items to re-purpose at the thrift shops, and start a blog series. I also challenged myself to decorate an entire Christmas tree with re-purposed ornaments.
Some of the ornaments were more popular than others but all in all, I was quite happy with how the ornaments turned out and your response.
Before I knew it, it was December and time to put up a Christmas tree. At one point during the fall, I had talked to my husband about helping me dump the garden dirt out of one of my galvanized laundry tubs so I could wash it up to use for our tree. He didn't like the idea of the dirty old thing in the house, and of course there was partridge and deer hunting and deer hunting preparation weekends. Before long, along came a Minnesota winter with below zero temps right off the bat, and the dirt was frozen in the laundry tubs and cleaning them up outside was not to be.
It was also pretty clear to me by then that decorating a whole tree with re-purposed ornaments was no small task. In fact pretty daunting! Our six foot tall, pre-lit, artificial tree was looking pretty HUGE! I usually put a ton of decorations on it.
Time for Plan B. I will buy a real, small tree. My ever frugal husband wondered why we needed to spend money on a real tree when we had a perfectly good artificial tree in the attic. Talks (arguments) went on for a couple of weeks until he finally relented, and went out and purchased a four foot tall Fraser Fir one day while I was at work. It was a very nice little tree that I wanted to put in a five gallon crock on a little stool. This also met with opposition, but yesterday, we finally had a meeting of the minds and figured out a way to put a pail inside the cracked crock, fill it with stones and water and add a Christmas tree.
Is this the end of the story? NO! The little Fraser Fir that had been sitting in a huge red plastic 5 gallon tree stand on the floor (with water) was dropping needles at a very alarming rate. You couldn't touch it at all. It was overly dry. My husband went back to Menards where he purchased the tree, and they said to return it. By this time, the trees were very picked over, and he came home with a much smaller Fraser Fir.
And, the Fraser Fir got even smaller when he pruned off too many bottom limbs to fit it in the crock. To make this long story shorter...The tree is up. The tree is in a crock. The tree is decorated with re-purposed ornaments! My husband is still not a fan of blogging, but we are over it!
The five gallon crock on a stool with a smallish Fraser fir.
Let's recap the re-purposed ornaments:
Some of the ornaments were more popular than others but all in all, I was quite happy with how the ornaments turned out and your response.
Before I knew it, it was December and time to put up a Christmas tree. At one point during the fall, I had talked to my husband about helping me dump the garden dirt out of one of my galvanized laundry tubs so I could wash it up to use for our tree. He didn't like the idea of the dirty old thing in the house, and of course there was partridge and deer hunting and deer hunting preparation weekends. Before long, along came a Minnesota winter with below zero temps right off the bat, and the dirt was frozen in the laundry tubs and cleaning them up outside was not to be.
It was also pretty clear to me by then that decorating a whole tree with re-purposed ornaments was no small task. In fact pretty daunting! Our six foot tall, pre-lit, artificial tree was looking pretty HUGE! I usually put a ton of decorations on it.
Time for Plan B. I will buy a real, small tree. My ever frugal husband wondered why we needed to spend money on a real tree when we had a perfectly good artificial tree in the attic. Talks (arguments) went on for a couple of weeks until he finally relented, and went out and purchased a four foot tall Fraser Fir one day while I was at work. It was a very nice little tree that I wanted to put in a five gallon crock on a little stool. This also met with opposition, but yesterday, we finally had a meeting of the minds and figured out a way to put a pail inside the cracked crock, fill it with stones and water and add a Christmas tree.
Is this the end of the story? NO! The little Fraser Fir that had been sitting in a huge red plastic 5 gallon tree stand on the floor (with water) was dropping needles at a very alarming rate. You couldn't touch it at all. It was overly dry. My husband went back to Menards where he purchased the tree, and they said to return it. By this time, the trees were very picked over, and he came home with a much smaller Fraser Fir.
And, the Fraser Fir got even smaller when he pruned off too many bottom limbs to fit it in the crock. To make this long story shorter...The tree is up. The tree is in a crock. The tree is decorated with re-purposed ornaments! My husband is still not a fan of blogging, but we are over it!
Let's recap the re-purposed ornaments:
For fillers and color, I added some re-purposed crocheted potholders with vintage clothespins.
Not making the "cut" on tree ornaments was my Re-purposed Spatula Snow Shovel. It was just too darn big for the little tree!
The spatula shovel is hanging in the kitchen!
More closeups of the tree ornaments.
Why not throw on a strand of re-purposed pearls too?
The treetop is a re-purposed grater.
There it is, my Christmas tree in a crock, on a stool, with re-purposed ornaments. Not exactly how I pictured it. I am not loving the lights' cord either. I need to do something about that before my Christmas tour and recap. Just glad it's up!
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I don't know why anyone would ever want to buy ornaments when they can make lovely ones like you have shared this year. I also adore your bible stack tree. I gave you a little shout-out on my blog yesterday!
ReplyDeleteTo darn cute!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas for a kitchen Christmas tree. Can't believe how cute the Listerine bottle looks! Great job.
ReplyDeleteI really love the spoon ornaments! My husband feels the same way about crafting and blogging . . . too bad for him! :-)
ReplyDeleteCarlene,
ReplyDeleteI love all your repurposed ornaments. The spoon is awesome. Love that clipboard ornament too.
Kris
Well, I think it's quite adorable! And I'm glad you found a place for the spatula, for it was one of my favs. I also love the button tree in the frame. And I think my very favorite, aside from the spoons, are the zinc lids. Those just floored me when first you showed them. And what is it with men? So glad I don't have one now.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Oh, and I forgot to say I LOVE the grater on top of the tree!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I love it Carlene! The grands would love something like this in the playhouse. Maybe next year. It looks great in the crock! I missed the snow shovel spatula post and it sure is a cutie! The grater on top is so fun!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
The crock is a great idea. An old clean bucket would work too. I pick up buckets at yard sales all the time. I cannot use real trees but I am glad you finally got this small one worked out Carlene. My tree is without ornaments this year because of my bad cat. Happy Christmas, Olive
ReplyDeleteMEN !!! We can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em....!!
ReplyDeleteSorry you are disappointed in your tree but I think it's precious.
I think your tree is adorable and Oh...so cute!!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Cindy
It turned out cute, despite all the roadblocks, Carlene! I dug out my crocheted potholders to use as doilies under my big candlesticks. You've got quite a collection!
ReplyDeleteI love how your tree turned our Carlene! I can certainly see how a 6 foot tree would be quite the undertaking. Love your ornaments, and I think the grater on the top is genius.
ReplyDeleteCarlend ... my favorite ... the little round frame with the red bell. Wish I had a drawer full of those little frames, I would make some ornaments. The tree is very interesting and looks great for your kitchen.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures
What a great idea!
ReplyDeletexo
Coco
It is one of the cutest trees I have seen this year. I'm crazy about the snowman( I think I saw him floating around Pinterest) and the little red potholders. Adorable. I'm sorry it was such a pain to get together but it was worth it.
ReplyDeleteI love your tree, ornaments...and story!! It sounds very familiar! My husband and I have some of the same "discussions" ;)
ReplyDeleteSo cute and clever! The ornaments are all so creative.
ReplyDeleteThe tree looks amazing!
Hugs,
Patti
Wow-you outdid yourself with making (repurposing) all those fun ornaments! I think your tree looks great!
ReplyDeleteSusan