Doily Trees and Star String Art Projects

We’ve been working on a few little Christmas projects around here and I thought I’d share them!  I’m enjoying the fact that the girls are getting old enough (seven and four) to actually do more helping than making messes when we work on something!  I was inspired for this decorating idea by a gumdrop tree I saw in my mother-in-law’s Family Circle magazine.  Very fun and whimsical.  I’m not a “pink” kind of person – probably don’t have even a speck of pink in the decorations in this house other than some stuff in the girl’s bedroom.  But this pink was a lot of fun!

 We started on the paper trees by collecting small twigs, about 8” long, and embedding them in small mounds of play dough, which we allowed to dry. 

  Then we painted the “trunks” and bases pink and sprinkled on some sparkle with glitter while the paint was still wet.  

 Next, pink watercolors and three sizes of paper doilies cut into wedges and glued in layers made the treetops. These were glued to the pink twig trunks.

  Little confetti flowers and ribbon bows at the tippy-tops finished the look.

The gumdrop tree was by far the easiest thing (and the tastiest, just ask Cassie Jo!).  I found really twiggy branches, stuck ‘em in a vase with glass marbles, and the girls stuck the gumdrops on.

I worked on a pattern for a string art star for a while, trying to get the points right and some interesting crisscrossing action going on.  Thank you to my sis-in-law, Alison, for helping in the beginning sketches!  The pattern is HERE as a free printable.

If you want to try this project you will need:

A Board 1”x10”x12”

White Paint

24 Nails - ¾”

Two shades of Embroidery Floss, each 7’ long

Printed Pattern

First paint your board and give it some time to dry.  Carefully center the 8 ½”x11” printed pattern on the board and use tape to secure it. 

Place a nail at each dot making sure they are driven in nice and straight.  Drive them in until there is ¼” sticking out.  (I used the handle of a rubber scraper as a gauge to keep all the heads at the same height.)

Knot the darkest colored floss at nail #1 and follow the numbers wrapping the string in the same direction each time.  Secure thread with a knot at #27.  Press all the threads down the nail shanks onto the board.  

 Now it’s time for the lighter colored floss.  Keep this color near the top at the nail head. 

 Follow the exact same pattern starting at nail #1, only this time wrap the floss around the nail in the opposite direction.  This keeps the two colors of floss from being directly over one another and gives a shadow effect. 

Knot the light floss at #27 and trim the ends.  Tuck any tiny loose ends underneath and keep them there with just a dot of glue.  Now tear the paper pattern out from under the string and you’re finished!

Wishing you a Very Merry December,

                                                            Jessica 

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6