It's Christmas - Christmas tree #25

Advent Blog Day 25  - MERRY CHRISTMAS 
Here is my own contribution to the unusual Christmas trees. My tree this year is a wire tree with all 193 stick dolls I made for the "Stitched Up" exhibition, celebrating the lives of 193 girls, inmates of the  Newcastle Industrial School 1867-1871 (a NSW government welfare institution).  The safety pins as hangers  are deliberate  as the girls had to work at "stitching" while they were at the school, so at Christmas they have some time off - no sewing, safety pins will do. 

Thank you for following this Advent Blog these last 25 days.... 

Christmas Countdown 2 : Christmas Tree#24- Last Minute

Branch with Christmas ornaments 

Advent Blog Day 24 - Last Minute. 
I have a friend who always says " If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would get done!"  Today's post is for the 'last minuters' and  the busy -  some great ideas with spectacular results, all using materials you can find easily around the home  and assemble quickly with minimum equipment....  

Go for a quick walk and find some branches or collect some bits of wood from your garden or shed.... just a single branch with a few shop bought decorations  or some acrylic paint can create some magical effects. 

Branch with lights 

Bits of wood decorated with paint 

Wood, string and a few ornaments 

Most people I know have balls of wool, yarn or string in a stash at home , just stack them up and there's a Christmas tree like no other in your neighbourhood.  In fact, you only need one ball of string or yarn to make a small table top tree. 

Woollen yarn - ready for knitting 

Balls of wool 

Tutorial - Table top tree with one ball of yarn 

For paper lovers - forget using the paper doilies for Christmas fare  and don't throw out  those magazines and  newspapers... 

Paper doilies in a window 

 Magazine pages and newspapers 

Or look amongst your office supplies for those sticky notes , or for a really personal Christmas tree , use some family photos with lights to impress your relatives. 

Sticky notes ( post it notes) 

Family photos 

Party balloons could be the answer to your last minute festive tree or  just suspend  from the ceiling some of those baubles you have in your Christmas decorations box.

Balloons and more balloons 

Suspended Christmas baubles 

Chalkboard tree 

 One of my favourite last minute Christmas trees does involve  a little bit of effort  - this chalkboard tree could be decorated with stickers or handmade paper ornaments to make it truly festive and sparkly. This  chalkboard 'diy" tree does mean, however,  painting a wall with chalkboard (blackboard) paint first, unless of course you already have a wall like this . 

I like this idea because not only can you create your own Christmas tree, but you can create a whole scene, regardless of the weather outside. 

 Chalkboard Christmas Scene 

 Oh and  I wish I hadn't sent off my coffee mug stand  to the charity shop last week.... 

Wooden coffee mug stand  - I used to have one just like this! 

I am a little sad writing this today, as tomorrow is the last of the Advent blog for another year.... there are so many more crazy, bizarre,unusual, beautiful and exotic Christmas trees to share but we have run out of days. Hope you have enjoyed this little exploration of Christmas tree ideas ... I have. Please join me for one last post tomorrow. 

Christmas Countdown 3 ; Christmas tree # 23 - Mannequins and Motors

Mannequin  and Mercedes Benz logo Christmas trees 

Advent Blog Day 23 - Mannequins and Motors ... or...
What does a Mannequin have in common with a Mercedes Benz?  I have been in such a dilemma as I have so few days left and so many Christmas trees I want to feature.  So, in the spirit of balance today, I've combined a couple of categories into the theme of Mannequins and Motors -   winsome wonders and winning wheels .... 

Mannequin and motor oil   Christmas trees 

Hubcaps and Mannequin Christmas trees 

Not satisfied with auto parts? Decorate with the whole car.... 

Mannequin and Mini Cooper cars Christmas trees 

And tyres seem to be a popular choice and somehow they go beautifully with these 'green' mannequin trees... 

Tyres and red ribbons 

Tyres and baubles on mannequin Christmas trees 

Red bird  wire form and sparkly tyres  Christmas trees

Who would have thought trees could be created from road signs and traffic controllers? 

Road signs/licence plates  and Mannequin Christmas trees 

Traffic controllers (Witches' Hats ) and red baubles

And just a little more sparkle - 

Silver hub caps and mannequin trees 

As there are only a couple of days to Christmas , here is a  short video instruction on how to create your own  dress form Christmas Tree. 

And the answer to the question - Mannequins and Mercedes Benz don't have much in common at all , except they make great Christmas trees. Tomorrow - a Christmas Eve special.

Christmas Countdown 4: Christmas tree #22 - Ribbons and Lace

Red and Green Ribbon Christmas tree 

Advent Blog Day 22 - Ribbons and Lace
Yesterday it was the bizarre, today's nothing but pretty! Today's Christmas tree ideas are for all my sewing friends and family who I know have lots of bits of  ribbons and lace in their stashes.  All these ideas are easy to assemble, so there's still time to create one before next Tuesday. Many of the links in the photo captions are "how to" files. 

Black and White Christmas Tree

These folded ribbon trees make beautiful table trees and are so simple to make.

Ribbon Christmas Tree in progress 

Other very easy to make ribbon trees are wrapped around a cone shape. Lights and beaded embellishments add some sparkle to the simplicity of design.

Wrapped with ribbon and lights 

Horizontal wraps 

Small Christmas tree ornaments are a great way to use very short lengths of ribbon.

Hanging Ribbon Trees 

Scrap Ribbon Tree 

 More romantic Christmas trees are created with lace. The vintage look can be achieved easily with soft  and subtle colours and textures.

 Pink lace and Vintage lace and doilies 

Lace with a gold trim and Guipure lace flowers 

Cotton Lace Tree 

Lace Christmas Trees 

Somehow the trees look so much more special when the lace is handmade ....

Free standing tree - tatting 

Green and white tatted tree 

Machine made lace Tree 

Battenberg lace tree 

While most of today's trees are smaller and would make great tabletop trees, the following one is over 7 feet ( 2 metres) tall and the ulitmate in romantic - made from lace and ribbons  from wedding gowns. 

Wedding dresses lace Christmas tree 

So few days left and so many many more unusual Christmas trees to share .... see you here tomorrow ...