DIY Christmas Staircase Garland for $25!

 There's nothing that makes a house more cozy than the Christmas season. With so many decor options at hand, it can sometimes be overwhelming to decide which areas of the house to decorate while leaving other areas on the back-burner, especially if you're on a budget like me. It goes without saying that the living room is always the epicenter of everything Christmas. Thus, choose focal points in this room that you & your guests will notice first. My staircase is the most focal part of my living room. If the same goes for you & you have $25 to spare, then this DIY will definitely interest you! Why buy those overpriced, overrated, boring looking garlands in store when you can blow those out of the water with this one? ;)

You will need the following materials:

Garland $2.99 - Michael's

Poinsettias $2.50: Michael's has the best ones!

Garland Ties $2.50 - Wal*Mart

Ornament Balls $4.98 - Wal*Mart

Mini Lights $2.99 - Target

Ribbon $2.47 - Wal*Mart

Glitter Stems $0.74 each - Michael's
Pine Cone bag - $2.50 each - Michael's

*Note: sale + coupon price shown above*

Measure your staircase in order to determine how long of a garland you should purchase. My staircase measured 5 feet long & I purchased a 7 foot long garland. Take the garland and weave it in between the railings. Secure it with the garland ties. I did one on each end & two in the middle. Secure your ornament balls with the ornament wire and place them as shown below. Alternate colors & finishes (glitter, matte, shiny) throughout. Don't forget the backside!

Taking the poinsettias, detach them from their stems.

 Then, taking your ornament wire, slide it in-between the bottom of the flower & plastic stem, as shown:

Proceed to secure each poinsettia to the garland with the ornament wire. The cream poinsettias add warmth to this piece. In my opinion it is what makes it unique & cozy.

Next, take the individual glitter stem pieces and simply slide them into the garland - alternate colors throughout. You can secure them with ornament wire if you like, but it is not necessary.

Take your string of lights, plug them in, and place it to your liking. I suggest having them lit while you weave them onto the garland so that you can maximize the amount of surface area to be covered in lights & to ensure you do not miss any spots.

Add your ribbon of choice (I suggest a sheer ribbon - it makes the lights pop more!) & some pine cones and you are done! So simple & inexpensive, but it most certainly doesn't look that way ;)

 

 Here are some close-up shots for more detailed placement.

It's also a great place to add your stockings!

 

 And for impromptu Christmas card pictures ;)

I had such a fun time creating this & I hope you do as well! If you re-create this DIY, please leave a photo in the comment section below - I'd love to see them! Share this with your family & friends!

Craft Beer-Inspired Christmas Wreath Tutorial

Being a self-proclaimed craft beer snob, when I saw that Michael's had glittery hop stems this year I immediately knew I had to incorporate them into my front door Christmas wreath. I love that they add that little something extra to your stereotypical holiday accent pieces & they are SUPER AFFORDABLE! We are talking in the cent-denomination people!! In fact, this project only cost me ~$15! + I still have material leftover for other holiday projects!

Michael's - $0.66 each. I used 4 - 3 silver and 1 gold.

I used a grapevine wreath (Hobby Lobby - $2.50) as the base, wire cutters to trim each piece off its corresponding stem, and a hot glue gun to secure everything. My placement technique is the same one I have used in all of my previous DIY wreath tutorials. I will link a video tutorial I did going in-depth on my process here >> https://youtu.be/YFkrSZOUmAs As shown in the image below, combining different colors & textures within the evergreen-color family allows each piece to compliment one another.

Left & middle - Michaels - $3.99 each. Right - Hobby Lobby - $2.50

This in combination with the bright, glittery accents prevents the overall piece from falling flat to the eye. Don't forget to add some pine cones!

All from Hobby Lobby - $0.75 each

After layering and mixing all of these materials, your wreath should look something like this:

Close-ups:

DIY Rustic Autumn Wreath UNDER $10!

For today's DIY, I wanted to create something not seen very often in homes or craft stores. My goal was to encompass all your classic, autumnal characteristics, but with a twist - a vertical twist. This tutorial goes beyond your typical circular wreath for this time of year and it is SO simple! My inspiration was this grapevine wreath I found at Hobby Lobby - I'd never seen anything like it! It adds such a perfect rustic-feel to any room :)

You will need the following materials:
Assorted mini pumpkins, acorns, and pine cones - leftover craft materials
Ornament Wire - $0.99 (Wal*Mart)
Wire Cutters
Hot glue gun
Grapevine wreath, shown above - $3.99 full price, $2.39 with coupon (Hobby Lobby)

Maple Leaf Bouquet - $5.99 full price, $2.99 sale price (Michaels)

Wheat Bouquet - $4.99 full price, $2.49 sale price (Michaels)

The materials I found at Michaels were 50% off & I also applied a '25% off your entire purchase' coupon, thus making this project ridiculously inexpensive!

Taking your wire cutters, cut your maple leaves leaving a 1/2 inch stem. Secure them to the front-bottom section with ornament wire. Securing the wire should look like this:

Be sure to leave the back portion of the wreath empty. I did 2 diamond-shaped patterns on the left and right sides & filled in the middle as I saw fit, but you can do as you wish. 

Left Side

Right Side

When the leaf placement is to your liking, go ahead and add mini-pine cones, pumpkins, and acorns using your glue gun.

Next, secure the wheat pieces along the top back of the wreath with ornament wire. Be sure to intermix various hues of brown & beige and stagger them a little. Doing this will add length, foliage, & dimension - it is the most crucial step. Not doing so will leave it falling flat to the eye. 

Back View

Up-Close

Add twine to the back to act as a mount and you are finished!
Hang on a wall in any room for the perfect touch of rustic-bliss;)

If you re-create this DIY, please leave a photo in the comment section below - I'd love to see them! 

Simple How-To Transition from Winter to Spring

With a little less than 6 weeks before Spring starts, I officially have Spring Fever. As I write this, it's a perfect 70 degrees...in the beginning of February...in Colorado. NOT normal at all, especially when an early Spring usually implies a miserable Summer, BUT for now I chose to focus on my desire to add hints of Spring in my home without being in complete denial that we are only halfway through Winter. The keyword there was hints. Add little touches of green in combination with your Winter decor. 

Faux Glass Light Bulb ($0.75) - Hobby Lobby / Babies Breath ($0.75) - Michaels

Faux Succulent ($2.40) - Michaels

Vase ($7.00) - Hobby Lobby / Winter Branches ($3.00) - Michaels

You are simply adding a touch of greenery & life to areas of your home without completely abandoning Winter - it has feelings to, ya know. Add these hints of greenery & life for a simple & clean look without overdoing it or breaking the bank. 

xx, 

Jessica

2 Simple Ways to Add a Touch of Holiday Spirit to Any Room!

The big Christmas statement pieces are easy to tackle - the tree, the garland along the staircase, the stockings hung with care along the fireplace, the front door wreath....but what about those empty nooks & crannies that if left bare are just an eyesore? I give you two easy ways to add a touch of the holiday spirit in any room. The best part - it's ridiculously simple & inexpensive to achieve, and you don't have to take them down after New Years! It's the perfect Saturday project :)

#1 - Decorative Glass Vase Filler

 You will need the following materials:

Small to medium-sized pine cones ($2.50), artificial Christmas stem ($3.99), Winter berries ($0.74), Glass Vase ($5.00), Wire Cutters --> all items found at Michael's on sale and/or with coupon.

Simply trim off pieces of the Winter stem & berries using your wire cutters and fill up the vase to your liking!

 

Voila!

 As you can tell, I did not select your typical holiday-themed material or colors on purpose. I chose more neutral, true-to-Winter colors and textures because it allows me to use it all season long as opposed to changing it out after Christmas or New Years.

#2 - Pillar Candles & Wine Glass Filler

You will need the following materials (minus the cute cat):

Pillar candles $3.00 altogether from Michael's; long stem candle & glass candle holder each $1.00 from Dollar Store; cuddly cat - priceless.

Take your long stem candle and place atop the wine bottle or beer bomber opening. Then light the candle and simply let it melt to your desired height. Tip: select a bottle in which the label has old-looking calligraphy or little hints of the same color as the candle.

Next, take the medium & large pillar candles and secure the burlap around it with either tape or a pin. Also place a second long stem candle into the glass candle holder.

Add some little Christmas accents for extra cuteness & you're finished! :)

 

 

 Altogether these two DIY's cost me no more than $20.00 and took no more than an hour to complete. Re-create them and hashtag it as #jrosehomedecor on Instagram!

xx,
Jessica