Table Top Christmas Topiary

Christmas is quickly approaching, so like many others the day after Thanksgiving I pulled out the tree and decorations.  I then realized that the decorations that worked great in our duplex were not going to work so well in our new place.  I found lots of cute things I wanted like new stockings, hangers for the stockings, and table top decorations for our dining room table. After looking at the prices for all the things I wanted to get, I realized if anyone wanted Christmas presents I better figure out a way to make them. I ran out to Joann's to get my supplies (got great deals since I went the Saturday after Thanksgiving!) and this is what I came up with.

Project number 1 - Table Top Christmas Topiary

As much as I'd love the take the credit for this idea I can't.  I saw it on TipJunkie.  I made a few minor changes, such as I wasn't about to use glass ball ornaments around my house with the children running around.  I probably would have been broken faster than it took me to make it. 

I bought one 4 inch and two 3 inch pots, a 5 inch and two 4 inch foam balls, dowel  rod, and two packages of garland. 

 

Paint your pots,  I choose green and red. 

Finished!

I then covered the foam balls with left over fabric I had from a dress I made.  I used a low temp hot glue gun to get the fabric to stick.

Covered and ready to go!

I couldn't find any plastic ornaments, but I did find this great garland and bonus it was much cheaper than buying ornaments. 

I was hoping to make 3 of these but I miscalculated exactly how much I would need to cover one of the foam balls. It worked out though, I need one of the balls to put in to the flower pot so the topiary would stand up. 

This is the finished product.  Even though it didn't turn out how I planned I think it looks pretty good.  And I was still able to use the smaller flower pot and left over beads from the garland. =)

Project number 2 for the day!

Stocking Hangers.  I was looking for stocking hangers and really was thinking I was going to get the heavy kind that sit on top of the mantel.  Then I started thinking of kids pulling on the stocking and trips to the ER after they get hit in the head by basiclly a paper weight with a hook attached.  Well that wouldn't do.  So in all my online searching I found these.

 

Then I saw the price and figured somebody has had to figure out a way to make these at home.  So I found The Many Faces of Mom's Blog   

So now for less and a buck each I have 8 stocking hangers.  They are so easy to make I decided to make them for when the extended family come we can hang their stockings also.

 

Now I just need to get the stockings made!