Two random thoughts on a cold, wintry December morning:
1. Have you ever listened to all the verses of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear?
2. How do you decorate your mantel for winter?
I know what you’re thinking.
These are deep, introspective thoughts that make you go hmmmm.
Not. 🙂
Last night we sang It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and somewhere between the fourth and fifth verses I had an epiphany.
Right about the part where I sang this:
“Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing
O rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.”
O rest beside the weary road.
Yes, please.
We should all take a page from It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.
Less hurrying and scurrying and making our list and checking it twice and trying to achieve all that holiday perfection.
And more resting and listening to the angels sing.
And decorating my mantel for winter?
I’m all about it.
Here’s an easy garland idea that transitions perfectly.
One minute it’s a Christmas mantel, the next minute it’s a winter wonderland decoration.
You’ve seen these floating around Pinterest before, but here’s my twist with a gold tipped beads and snowball pom poms.
Here’s the easy diy for this bead and pom pom garland.
Bead and Pom Pom Garland
Supplies:
wood beads
gold spray paint
twine
FrogTape
yarn
1. Start with wood beads
You can find these at any craft store.
They come in a variety of sizes with large and small holes.
I just bought everyone they had.
2. Watch a Christmas movie
Especially the one where the girl works at the department store and then Mrs. Miracle shows up and convinces her that the son of the department store (who by the way is having his own challenges with his dad) is the perfect match for her. And then they sell out the entire toy department and give a train track to a solider who just happens to be related to the girl and they all have a Merry Christmas and live happily ever after.
Ooops.
Spoiler alert if you haven’t seen the movie. 🙂
While watching the movie, wrap the beads with FrogTape.
3. Spray paint the beads gold
Let dry.
Remove tape.
Sigh when you look at that perfect line.
4. Make pom poms
I made 10 pom poms for this garland.
All during the same Christmas movie.
These are made out of fuzzy yarn to make them look like snowballs.
5. String pom poms and wooden balls.
I tied a pom pom on the twine.
Next, I strung 5 wooden balls.
And repeat until you have the length of garland you want.
This project took me one Christmas movie and into 45 minutes of the next one.
You know.
The one where they both decorate windows together.
I won’t give the ending away….
….but it rhymes with chappily rever fafter. 🙂
This post was sponsored by FrogTape, but all opinions
on garlands and peace on earth and listening to the angels sing are completely my own.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
I’m so happy to be sharing fireplace and mantel decorating tips with some of my favorite bloggers.
Click on the links below for some more mantel and fireplace inspiration.
STONEGABLE BLOG
THIS is the most adorable garland EVER!! I love it! Merry Christmas sweet friend! ~Sonya
Too funny! Love the garland and I've watched every Christmas Hallmark movie that's been on TV this season - some more than once! I'm addicted and I know the ending of the 2 window decorators! LOL! I'm so glad I found your blog - you have been so inspiring and I love the fact that you live in KY - I'm from Lexington!
Hahahaha... this is really cute, and I, too, have watched the movies you're talking about!
Very simple and neutral but lovely! Merry Christmas to you!
I love the pinecone trees that are on the mantle! I found something similar that I used in my son and daughter in laws "modern" take on the Christmas season. I really like the ones you found as well. I know you are going to just faint when I tell you this,,,but we don't get the Hallmark Channel!! so I have to live vicariously through your version of the stories!! Happy Day pretty lady!!
Where do you spray paint in the winter?
Karianne, You know I love the pom poms! But gold beads, yowza- that took it up a notch! Chris
This pom-pom garland project would be a fun idea with my granddaughter. And the gold beads are so cute!
That straight line, sigh be still my heart! Gorgeous. :)
Oh my those are beautiful and so creative. You amaze me Karianne.
The nuns at school always used to say that idle hands are a devils workshop. So!! I like to do something with my hands as I'm watching TV. Makes me think I'm doing something useful. You can embroider, knit, crochet, macrame -- do they still do that?-- cross-stitch or make pom poms for the mantle. I love multi-tasking although I have made a knit/crochet/macrame project that really didn't end up very well. In fact it turned into a tangled mess. I got too engrossed in the movie and then it got sad so I started to cry and I couldn't see what I was doing. It took me longer to undo it than it did to make the mess :-(
Very pretty KariAnne!!! Pom Poms are on my crafting list of projects with my sweetie next year!....
Um...did I miss the part about how you make a pom pom, and how you attach said pom pom to the twine? I am in the craft-challenged camp, after all!
Did you get an answer about how to make the pom poms? If so, can you forward it to me? Thank you and Merry Christmas!
thanks for the reminder of the beautiful lyrics to It Came Upon A Midnight Clear. Such a reassuring song. And your decor is awesome!
I am so into poms right now for Christmas decorating. I love how this garland combines beads with the poms. Very cute!
Clearly, I need to pay more attention to the Hallmark channel. And believe me, I will be resting on the side of the road once I start my New Year's Resolution of losing 20 pounds. As I try to catch my breath, I definitely will be thinking of those fluffy snowball pom poms and waiting for those angels to sing! Happy Holidays! :)
Yes, let's hear the angels sing together! This verse touches my heart! I was in Shepherd's field in Israel and I cry every time I think about the shepherd's hearing the angels in that field!!! And on a much lighter note... your pom-pom garland is adorable! Perfect right through to spring!!!! Sorry I did not visit yesterday... to much hurrying and scurrying!
Oh my...those beads are so cute with your pom poms ...mine pom pom garland is just pom poms. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!! Blessings, Linda