Christmas Countdown 2 : Christmas Tree#24- Last Minute

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.

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

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A November project

A few years ago, I began scheduling into my day, the routine of a daily art practice.... seven years later, I still love #the100dayproject and am a strong advocate of "create something, anything, every day" . In more recent years, I haven't been content with a mere 100 days and have often pursued shorter /or longer projects requiring some daily attention. For example, I completed 145 days of slow stitching my garden and then another 60 day random cross stitch garden.... but that's a digression.... This month, I am being far more practical... I still like to send and give Christmas cards, but am always getting them in the post very late, and trying to make some special unique cards for the family the night before.... so all this month, I am making Christmas cards - just one a day. By 30 November, I should have some to choose from for posting within Australia and for giving in December. Here are my first 4 days .... If you're wondering why bother ...

Christmas Countdown 15 : Christmas Tree #11 - Disposable

Plastic cups https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/christmas-stem-ideas-kids/ Advent Blog : Day 11 - Disposable We are all so much more conscious about ridding our landfills and oceans of plastic waste. For Christmas, here is a way to use up some of those disposable items which seem to multiply at holiday parties and celebrations, or perhaps you have just been saving them up for a creative use.... Who would have thought coffee pods would make such stylish Christmas trees ? ... Add caption If you don't have one of those machines, then perhaps you have coffee on the run - Starbucks or Nescafe ? from https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/369858188126737920/ Nescafe cups https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/72761350208620530/ The disposable cups don' t have to be brand names to work well as materials for Christmas trees. Taking an engineering approach to plastic cup trees seems to be the answer for a more ornate result. from https:...

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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