Merry Merry!

Whatever your Christmas looks like...

May it bring you Peace

Warmth, and Kindness.....

Merry Merry

Christmas,

Maria

Whimsical Dutch-Inspired Christmas Centerpiece

I have a dear friend in The Netherlands

and it has influenced my Junker's eye the past few years.

I now seem to have a radar for windmills and wooden shoes.

I try very hard to not get carried away and impulsive

with my purchases, since there is a plethora

of Dutch souvenirs in the thrift store.

I recently acquired 2 pairs of clogs at the auction,

but didn't have immediate plans for them.

The smaller ones got a bad paint job,

which displayed a poor attempt to improve the 

existing Dutch scenery. Since sanding wasn't helping,

I decided to work some chalk paint magic + distressing instead.

But I didn't stop there.

Ta Da!

I was originally thinking of fitting a small

windmill next to the tree, but then I had an epiphany!

Why not make the tree the windmill?

And really, any excuse to use more mercury beads 

is a win as far as I'm concerned!

The beads are threaded onto thin pipe cleaners,

which I wired together 

then tucked into the treetop with hot glue.

Lots of fun crafty items in this piece.

A little classic, a little kitsch,

and lots of German glass glitter.

The mini Dutch people were from a package

of NOS mini European people from Meyer Imports.

Apparently they were used for snow globes.

I knew they had to join this ensemble.

I secured everything well enough to sell,
but I think I've grown a bit attached to it.
Maybe I'll have to just make more then...:-)


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@MagiaMiaEtsy

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Antique Tin Christmas Centerpiece + Kitschy Reflector Flowers

I know a great many of us are addicted to old tins.

Whenever I can creatively decorate with one, it's a treat.

When I bought this tin, I pictured it with a bottle brush tree in it. 

Well I couldn't just leave it at that. 

Playing with vintage elements is so much fun, and so rewarding to give new life to old treasures. Probably my favorite part is the flower that basically created itself.

Can mercury glass balls, antique metalized tinsel garland,

lacquered holly, and old light reflectors ever be a bad thing?

I think not!

Just for fun, I accentuated some corroded spots
with bronze mica, for a little extra zing...

This Christmas flower is so simple, but with so much instant impact! 

It's the teensiest of tart tins, with a pipecleaner stem of green mercury beads 

hot-glued to it, then backed with the inner layer of a double light reflector. 

Wish I had a bunch more of these tiny tins!

Oh look, more flowers are growing...;-) 

Metallic flowers growing in metal grass on a metal dirt mound. 

Looks like something from the Jetsons....

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@MagiaMiaEtsy

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