Decoration---ing & Fence Dancing!

This is one half of my house, literally. This is the view from our added on bedroom doorway---of the living room. It looks out towards the porch on the south side of our house. I was considering putting up a Christmas Chair again this year. 

Hubby watches TV from the folding chair. There is our drying rack next to the cabin heater. Charlie sits in sunlight. To the left is the loveseat. That is it. We can't social distance in our house. If I got sick, I'd have to quarantine outside somehow. That means using the horse trailer with a plug in for heat [let's say it would be colder than a witch's you-know-what and using the outhouse while prepping meals and doing chores?]....Yes our house is that little that we would breath the same air no matter what.

Anyway, that aside...

This is the other half of the house. Photo taken from the fridge. The oven and sink are to the left out of sight.

There is a half story upstairs but that is only used for storage or when we have company. And we haven't had company since February 2020. I keep my ever growing supply of toys, baskets, tea cups, and other items used for Still Life Photography in one of the rooms. Sometimes the items are neatly stored away and other times it appears as if a tornado has hit the room.

I don't know if I will do the Chair/Tree this year or not. Last year it was boxes that I decorated. You know, wooden dynamite boxes, sulfuric acid box, a nuts and bolts box, and an ancient nesting box that my MIL had. I am not conventional at all. Things just sort of start coming together. I put things in place and then tear it apart and start again.

I gather sticks and weeds to make winter bouquets. I even found some dead birch branches to do 'something' with. I'm not sure yet. But I am looking for some pine boughs to make something with too. 

I explained this nonsensical method to my 30 something nephew. I get an idea in my head and then I just go into some sort of zone. I grab things together and don't think too much of what I am doing. I rearrange, mess around, rearrange some more and then there it is. Sometimes it is a disaster and sometimes it works. My mind gets into some kind of otherworld Zone and it keeps moving along. I can't stop it until I make a creation of some sort.

So I picked up sticks in the yard. There are always branches falling from the trees. Sometimes I just chuck them into the burn pile. Today I gathered the more interesting ones and stuck them in my now much faded and dead looking flower garden. I thought, hmmmmmmmm....they could hold a string of lights!

Honest, it will look much nicer with a fresh snowfall on it. But I am very pleased with my outdoor lighting effort. There is only one other household that could possibly even see it.
The neighbors at the top of the ridge.

Below is a reindeer metal thingy that a lady gave me years ago. It is creepy in a way and it is supposed to be a Christmas Card Holder. I've repurposed it to be a yard 'decorate'. No problem. I am odd I will admit it.

The head nods up and down and back and forth, it had a tendency to tip over startle my husband and old Jack Russell Terrier....so for years it was remanded to the shed in purgatory. I brought it back out to add to my flower garden, I had a friend drill holes in the base so I can use spikes to hold the 'Moose/Deer' in place.

He/she is still a bit on the creepy side, but people often ask me what the hell is that supposed to be?

Hey, why not? Even the UPS guy was like...what the heck? Yeah. If it gets a reaction like that, it is worth keeping around!

Do you...

Recall the Fence Feud? I went out and rearranged all the ghosts and the Stick People. I made sure that my movements were not within camera range from the other side of the fence.

So to my surprise, the dude on the other side moved the camera to point onto my property. I suppose to see what I was doing. I wandered there just after sunrise on Friday morning.

So I thought for a moment and then decided to give them a show. Really I thought about pulling off my old patched coveralls and peeing right there so he could see my butt. However I decided to have a bit more fun.

I slowly put my camera down and then began to sway back and forth with my arms raised. Then I turned and slowly waved my arms up and down. I kneeled on the ground [facing away from the camera] and raised my head and arms as if in prayer to some unseen god of the forest. Then fell flat on the forest floor and writhed as if possessed.

When I got up I Cursed their side of The Woods. Angry Face, throwing invisible and voiceless curses in the direction of the camera. I really don't know how to make a curse, but I had to make it look good!

I am giggling here. His camera was pointing into the morning sun so the photos this person will get will be silhouettes. 

Hunting season ends tomorrow at sundown. 

This Spring, I am fixing the fence and attaching No Hunting signs to it. 

I don't think this person knows how much entertainment he has provided this old lady with during the Pandemic.

 

Christmas Chair...

I decided to go all wooden this year. Driftwood from Lake Michigan found while hiking with good friends. Odd looking roots found while walking in the woods. Old wooden boxes, sewing drawers, the old kitchen drawer from before the remodel.
A green bench from Donna's Daughter's in Coon Valley.

I like this because I will probably redesign things several times over the next few weeks. I like setting it up as if I am going to do Still Life photography with it. Last year I painted a few branches and I used the old Christmas tree to adorn the chair.
This year I'm going to see if I can avoid the green tree and do a non traditional decoration.
The branches I cut while walking with Charlie last week. The grape vine wreath was something I've always wanted to try. And this year I did it. I am leaving it plain though.
Toss in a few birch branches I found on the ground and....well, I am ready!

Here is a dog food can that was painted and decorated last year. This year I took a chunk of wood and a napkin with a snowman on it...I did Mod Podge and crackle on the chunk of wood, then glued it to a stick. Viola! Fun decoration with no real money spent!

I like this. Non traditional and unique.

And very different from the past few years:

At least that is how I am planning it!

I'm going with less glitz and very few ornaments too. Basically I thought it would be fun to set it up as small 'sets' for Still Life Photography.

This year I bought some floral foam to use for the branches and some of the sticks. I moved the boxes around and put boxes inside of boxes. I even found what might have been an old handmade silverware organizer and used that.
I was going to paint it, but decided to leave it alone.

And then there was Charlie who had to get involved. Well, he watched until I started draping garland beads over him.
Then he looked at me and away from the camera. As if to say "Ho hum."

And then as if to say "Hmmm, I'm not too sure about this whole thing."

"Puhleese. I am too dignified for this."

"Well perhaps this scarf is better. Can you believe it, I'm only as big as the bear next to me."

"And there you got it, scarf and beads. I am the bomb."

The chair is behind Charlie. More shots coming later.
Charlie has been so good through all of this and seems to not mind getting dressed up.

Christmas Chair, it is that time again...

This year the *chair* is going in a different spot. I thought I'd do something different again.

It begins with a worn out chair, the same one I tried to refinish years ago. I gave up on it because it had so many layers of paint on it. The crack in the seat just got worse and worse. I tried to glue it but it fell apart. I left the chair in the little red shed to be forgotten.
Until I was sparked with an odd idea.

Things have changed since I first pulled out that ugly chair.

I don't ever start with a plan. This year I had collected sticks while walking with Morris. I looked for odd sticks and ordinary sticks. I added knobbin' knockers to my sticks and painted them.
I wasn't exactly sure why, but I thought eventually they might be useful.

I used small twigs from those awful Buckthorn trees, painted and stuck in an old fancy sewing machine drawer with lights and ribbons.

Prancing ponies on Branches.

I used small rocks in a plastic pot that I spray painted gold. The rocks just didn't hold the branches in place. Finally I used elbow macaroni in plastic bags to tuck around the branches in the pot. Steady as she goes! The baggies are hidden by a dynamite crate that is in front of it.

A piece of Driftwood from a photography trip I took with some good friends this past April. It just begged to be with the old wooden crates.

The Christmas Chair. Here it is with the carousel horse.

That space under the chair. Lights, bottles, ribbons, and a bead garland.

I've collected ribbons over the years that were unique or just plain beautiful. I use them as part of the decorations.

This year I brought in the Gnome.
I wanted an Elf on the Shelf to have some fun with. However while walking about in Westby last weekend I happened upon this Gnome.

Elf on the Shelf. Hmmm.

Well, I have the Gnome in the Home. 
I think he will be very active in moving around the house this year....
Here he is ... I imagine, talking with one of the Toy Bears.

Here is a shot from last night. I've already moved things around again and set them up differently.
The process of my decorations is generally ever changing.

And the Gnome?
He is always up to something....

Happy Decorating!

Sticks and some stones

It looked warm and toasty the other day, but looks can be deceiving. I went for a walk into the valley because it was so windy 'on top' of the ridge.
I was browsing for some interesting 'sticks' for my winter collection of 'stuff'.

I sat by the creek and listened to the wind above. By sitting very still I was able to glimpse trout again. I wonder where they go when it gets really cold?
I thought about how my Grandmother Pearl used to take us for walks and we'd collect milkweed pods and nobbin' knockers.

I gathered a bunch of small stones from the creek bottom to take home. I wasn't exactly sure what I'd do with them, but I took them anyway.

Yes, a self shot. Camera on a tripod with a timer.
I was filling my pockets with small stones.

I did figure out what I would do with them later. I painted a plastic flower pot gold and put the rocks in it. They will help stabilize the small branches I put in them.

These are some of the branches I've already done. I'm stacking them in a corner right now until I figure out how to work them in with the Christmas Chair and old crates I have.

I found one bunch of Milkweed pods and need to find another. I'd like to give some to one of my friends so she can have a 'winter bouquet' too.

I discovered that spray paint holds dried Yarrow together and keeps the Self Heal plant together also.

I have a couple of more ideas for some leftover boards. "Ho Ho Ho!", "Snow", and "Thanks".
I think I rearrange my little bundled sticks every day. I haven't settled on how or where I'm going to use them. However they look pretty neat inside an old wooden sewing machine drawer.

I will have to get a photo of that soon.

Sticks, boxes, paints

What should you do when the weather is wet and cold outside? Well, I suppose some folks would just sit in front of the TV aka the Boob Tube [as my dad called it], I call it the brain drain...
Or sit in front of a play station and stare at a game that unfolds in front of you. [Sorry if I offend anyone who is a gamer. I consider playing video games equivalent to staring mindlessly at a TV. But that is how I was brought up.]

Between writing Morris's last big adventure [He has had a few good days and a few bad days] and chores, cooking..etc..., I've decided to try out some things I've always wanted to do.

Last year while looking for some winter decorations, I ended up at the local floral shop. There was a beautiful display of Stick Decoration. I stood there admiring the sticks in a vase that were colored. There were vases with sticks that had glitter on them and lit up. A little old lady walked up next to me and we both stared at the display.
I said, "It is pretty isn't it?"
She ruminated on that and replied, "If you want to pay that much for sticks I suppose!" She smiled at me and shook her head, "Only a city person would pay that much for sticks."

So last year I gathered some sticks. I put some in vases and used glitter glue as 'fake ice and snow'.  I looked around at images that I searched for under "winter decoration sticks". I found painted branches and sculptures of branches for quite a bit of money.

I have searched our old shed for other odd things and found old boxes. Most are in poor shape, but I've used some as end tables for the couch and the work quite nicely. 

This weekend was wet and cold. Rainy and cold...cold... icky damp cold.
So I decided to entertain myself with a challenge. 
What could I do with sticks? Left over chunks of wood?

I gathered materials and had no idea of what I may do. But things started to come together. I dried a bouquet of Milkweed Pods. During a break in the rain I used some spray paint to coat them. I used silver metallic paint to color a small and interesting branch I found on the side of the road while walking with Morris Friday. I think it was Bittersweet. 

*Note regarding the Milkweed Pods. My grandmother Pearl always decorated her house in the winter with painted Milkweed Pods and 'nobbin knockers', among other dried weeds. 

I've always admired those cute little signs that had "Noel" or some of those neat antiqued looking signs that people put up in their homes. But I never wanted to pay the price for them. 
Bingo! Since I stink at lettering, I'd use the sticks!

And what about those sticks?
Well, I'll get a photo of how that turned out after I put it together.

And that box?

It was a mess when I started, but it will be very useful in my Winter Theme. Let's call it a work in progress.

Here is my Fall/Thanksgiving table.
There is the old kitchen drawer on the bottom. That was the only drawer we had in the kitchen before the remodel. The other little box with three sections? I have no idea what it used to be. I found it in the garage filled with old nails.
The branch with the leaves is unpainted. I stuck it in a small crock filled with marbles and rocks.

Today looks like a fine day to be outside. No rain! The temps aren't supposed to get out of the 30's so it looks like the cold is settling in. 
After two days of being cooped up inside, I feel a hike coming on.

Of course there are chores to do, meals to make, a house to clean... and all of those dull and dreary things.

I need to get Morris out for a few more shots and then I can start his book.
I'm afraid though if I go on a hike I'll be searching for sticks...OH MY!

Something different. Stick Bouquets?

When I went to the grocery store the other day I stopped and looked at some Christmas decorations that the florist had.
They was a huge variety of things.
Little plastic trees that lit up and changed colors. Charlie Brown Trees, and a beautiful glass vase of sticks. 
Sticks.
Sticks that had glitter and snow puffs on them.
$15 for sticks.

I stood looking at the 'sticks' and something clicked in the back of my puny little brain. 
I could do that. I could do that and one better and I could do it for free.

When I got home I dug in the recycle bin and found two tomato sauce jars. I soaked the lids off and spray painted one of them. It really turned out ugly. But I like a challenge.

I went outside and walked to the edge of the yard and woods. I snagged some branches from different trees.

I found a sparkly snow flake and hot glued it to cover up the paint mess. I used silver glitter glue to make gobs of 'snow' on the sticks. And because I intended to give this to my neighbor just for fun, I added some fake jewels to the side of the jar.

After all, you can't just get a glue gun out and not do much gluing.

Something was missing from the bouquets. 
I recall walking with my mom and grandmother to find milkweed pods and 'nobbin' knockers to make a winter bouquet. I think Grandma painted her stems and the milkweed pods to add color and Christmas cheer.

I had an "ahah" moment. I needed to go find some wild things. I donned on my winter coveralls, a hat and gloves...camera bag, nippers, and off Morris and I went. We hit paydirt in the middle of a huge cornfield.
Back home I sorted things out.

Then...I got out the glitter glue again and put some sparkles into the fox tail grass and the other items. Just enough to catch some light but not too much.

This is where I am at right now. I'm a bit undecided about what I'm going to do next. 

I'm going to leave the stick decorations on the kitchen window sill as they are. They are simple. I took some mini tree decorations I had laying around and put them in the bottom of the vases.

I hung soft glittery snow flakes on them and called it good.