DIY Decorative Tree for All Seasons

I decided to make a DIY tree to display my Christmas Tree YoYo Ornaments for my first craft fair in America. In the past, I have not put as much effort as I should have in my display, because I was always focused on making more items to sell. This year, I was determined to make something special for my display.

When I was in Hudson, Quebec during the summer, I went shopping at my favourite store, Facade. I had been there many times, but during this shopping trip, I noticed the decorative tree displayed in the store. 

During the summer it was decorated with a flower garland consisting of a variety of colours, however when I returned in September, I snapped a few pictures of the tree which was decorated for the Fall season.

Once I retuned to home to Florida, I had to think about how I was going to make this tree. I had some white wire hangers I knew I could use for the branches. I was sure I would need to buy a wooden dowel for the trunk, but I wasn't sure how I was going to make the base of the tree.

My husband and I went to Home Depot and we asked an associate at the store for their opinion about the best way to make secure the base of the tree. He suggested concrete and we thought this idea made sense, so we bought a bag of concrete and a wooden dowel.

I had already bought a white, metal container at JoAnnes which worked fine to hold the concrete. We poured the concreted in the container as well as the water, following the directions on the bag. We placed the dowel in the concrete and held it there until the concrete thickened. We let it dry for about 36 hours, just to make sure it was completely dry.

I painted the dowel with white paint once the concrete was dry.

Then, my husband drilled some holes in the dowel, big enough to fit three wire hangers. He made sure to drill the holes in different directions so that some branches were facing forward and some to the side. We only drilled three holes, but we could have done more.

I arranged the wire branches, bending them into shape. 

At JoAnne's, I bought a garland with tiny bells as well as garland with white, glossy styrofoam balls. I wrapped pieces for the garlands around the wire branches using white stem wrap tape. This was the most time consuming part of the project.

For the top of the tree I decided to put a star because my Christmas Tree YoYo ornaments were for Christmas. The star can be replaced with an ornament that can rest on a metal wire. My husband drilled a small hole in the top of the dowel and in the hole he secured a small piece of the wire from the hanger. I was then able to poke the wire through the decoration so it stayed in place at the top of the tree.

I made a garland from small balls of fabric and beads. The other garlands I purchased at JoAnnes. 

For the base, I wanted something other than just a white, metal container, so when I was at JoAnnes, I saw a canvas container and thought it was perfect. I then bought some straw to cover the concrete and decorative bird to nestle at the base of the tree.

Just like at Facade, this tree can be decorated for each season. I was glad my husband was able to help me. I am sure if I had to use the drill myself, I would have figured it out. For now, I will stick with my sewing machine and glue gun.

Upcycled & Knitted Coasters

Coasters are a great project to use up scrap yarn and fabric. What is fun with a set of coasters is that each one can be unique. These coasters remind me of Summer, enjoying a cup of coffee early in the morning on the porch, or a glass of wine while watching the sun set on the beach.

T-Shirt Braided Coaster
I had quite a few white t-shirts that were either ripped or stained and I did not want to throw them out. There are many projects you can make using old t-shirts, but I chose to make braided coasters. Once I made the t-shirt yarn (there are many tutorials available on the web) I incorporated some cotton yarn into the braid to add some colour and use up my odds and ends. I sewed the braid using a slip stitch in order to form a circle.  To finish the bottom, which is not necessary, but I thought it would look nice, I glued some felt on the bottom just a tad smaller than the diameter of the coaster. These coaters are quite thick, great for large glasses like beer mugs or ice water that have a lot of condensation.

Knitted Coaster with Crocheted Border

What I love about these coasters is that I mixed and matched the yarn. I doubled up on the yarn using a seed stitch and then crocheted a border. Since these coasters are knitted, there are some small holes, but because the yarn is doubled, this provides enough protection from heat from drinks such as coffee or tea. These coasters are not as thick as the braided coasters, but they are flatter, which is good for wine glasses. For the braided coasters you will need a sturdy glass or mug. 

Embroidered Coaster
The fabric that I used for these coasters was from a duvet cover that was faded by the sun. The fabric was expensive so I could not see it go to waste, or just sit in the closet, plus I loved the palm tree pattern. For the sections that weren't faded I was able to make decorative pillows. Since the fabric pattern had enough spacing between the palm trees, I was able to fit  one palm tree on each coaster. The duvet cover was custom made with three layers, just like a quilt which added extra thickness, perfect for a coaster or pot holder. I wanted the palm tree to stand out, so I embroidered an outline stitch around it. For the bottom of the coasters, I cut some matching fabric the same size as the top square. I actually used some fabric from the bed skirt which had also been faded by the sun. I placed the squares right sides facing, sewed around the square leaving an opening to turn it inside out and then closed the opening using a slip stitch.