Christmas Decorating: Wooden Letters

A good friend of mine sent me a picture of a wooden letter she found on Pinterest the other day. She was wanting to know if I could make a large loopy bow for her.  Since I have been making boutique bow clippies, I figured the bow would be no problem at all.

What really inspired me was the wooden letter decorated for Christmas.  Now don't get me wrong, I have seen the monogram wreaths, and the wall décor others have made and posted on Pinterest, but something sparked in me and I just had to get my own letters to decorate.

Lets get this straight.... I love to make and create but drawing and painting are not my thing. Never done much of it, and what I have didn't turn out that well. So starting this I knew I was taking a risk.  So it was off to Michaels I went. I picked up some wooden letters ($3.00/ea), paint brushes, acrylic paint (on sale for @ $.89/ea), and some Sharpie paint markers in Green and White ($4.00/ea).

** Make sure you check which acrylic paints you are buying. I accidentally purchased the RED outdoor acrylic paint and I think that the base color didn't turn out so well because I used the wrong type of paint.

Here are the steps I took to create the NOEL display in the picture above.

 

1. Cover the wooden letters in RED acrylic paint. Apply 2 - 3 coats as needed, and allow each coat to dry in between.

2.  Make various size polka dots in GREEN and White using the Sharpie markers.  I found these to be really easy to use, and my circles came out consistent.  If you are experienced with painting, you could easily make the circles with the acrylic paints and a paint brush.

3. Add some small black dots between the white dots and all around the letters.

4. Once the letters dried I added a boutique bow to the top, and attached it by using a glue gun and a small piece of ribbon that ran around the bow and letter.  Click on the boutique bow link for a great tutorial by Supermom vs Me if you aren't familiar with how to make the boutique bow.



I stood the letters up in the window above our front door using the sticky pieces from Command Strips.  That way we don't have to worry about them falling on anyone's head.  They would also look great on a mantle, or even a shelf in the bathroom. 

The possibilities are endless! Create different words, or even just a monogram initial. Add them to a wreath, hang on your Christmas tree, or create for gifts.  Don't forget to explore other colors too!

If you decide to make some of your own, be sure to link up and share yours with us!

Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!

Get Set for Winter with North Face

Winter is right around the corner and has got me thinking about what we need to stay warm this season.  Here on the east coast they are saying it supposed to be a cold one. Last year we were pretty lucky to have a mild winter.

I am sure many people remember the winter season we had a few years ago... even if you didn't live in this area you probably heard how crazy the snow was! I think at one time we had over 24 inches of snow.  That's for sure the most I have ever seen!

So, all thoughts are focused on the must have coat, footwear and accessories to stay WARM and COZY this winter.  What brands do you think of when you are looking for cold gear? Our favorite by far is North Face, the MUST HAVE brand to keep you WARM and COZY.

The North Face Denali Down Jacket is at the top of our MUST HAVE list.  I highly recommend this jacket for anyone looking for something light-weight and still keep you warm.  Not only is this jacket made with the famous North Face fleece, but also has down added to the chest, neck, and arm areas providing additional warmth. The collection includes styles for Men, Women, Boys, and Girls.  Children's jackets are $129 and Adults are $199.

The Classic Denali Jacket is another great option for Men, Women, Boys, and Girls in a variety of colors. The classic style jacket is a FAVE of the Teen's since it is so versatile.  Prices range from $79 for Toddlers, up to $199 for adults.

North Face also has a great selection of footwear. Whether you are looking for snow boots, hiking boots, or running shoes North Face has your answer.  Our TOP PICK is the Men's Ultra 105 GTX XCR Shoe.  There are two colors to choose from, the Alloy Grey/Sienna Orange or the Black/Pewter.  The shoe is made with waterproof and breathable gortex making it a great option for any fall or winter trail running.  North Face has developed a Torque Control™ platform for those who struggle with pronation. Now with the Torque Control, your low arches will be better supported and achieve maximum stability.  This style is only $120.00, very reasonably priced compared to competitor styles.

Make sure you add North Face to the top of your Holiday Shopping list this year.  North Face can be found online and at your local Dicks Sporting Goods, Nordstrom, and Macy's.

Gold Toe: Not your Average Sock

Anyone with a large family can probably agree that the worst part of doing laundry is matching socks.  And when you toss in many different brands of socks, it just adds to the fun!  That's why we are so happy to share Gold Toe socks with you.  Gold Toe has a great selection of socks for everyone!  They have styles for men, women, and children and the selections range from casual, sport, and dress socks.  Gold Toe socks feel and fit great! 

Our absolute favorite part of Gold Toe socks (besides they last a really long time) is the EZ Match system for children.  There are three sizes, and with each size there is an additional gold band around the toe box.  This truly makes matching socks so much easier, and takes the burden out of doing laundry. 

Gold Toe has you covered when it comes to the latest trends for boys.  They not only have the stylish Basketball Crew socks, but they come in several different color options.  We are sure that any boy who keeps up with his fashion trends would love the Basketball Crew socks with the added lime or pink.

For the holidays, we just adore the girls Dressy Turn Cuff Sock. These are such fun frilly socks that all little girls are sure to love.  The sock is not too thick, allowing them to easily be worn with a pair of dress shoes.

Head over to Gold Toe today to check out the latest socks today.  Gold Toe can also be found at JcPenney, Macy's, and Kohls nationwide.