Christmas Door Decor - The Old Oaken Bucket

Making use of Primitive 

Garden Artifacts for Christmas Decorations

One of my finds this summer on the west end of Eureka Springs, Arkansas was a great old wooden bucket.  It was painted a lime green and I knew I must invest in it as they are hard to find.  I wasn't sure just how I would use it but knew something would trip my fancy.

Sure enough this Christmas season presented just the right opportunity.  My sister in law in Wilmington North Carolina shipped me a big box of large pine cones that fall to the ground from massive pine trees near her home. I've kept them by the front door in a planter all year long but wasn't happy with their destination.  

The Old Oaken Bucket

I used a leftover bow from last year's decorations, the pine cones and an outdoor all weather battery candle to the old bucket. Below the pine cones I stuffed left over fake greenery as a filler.  I have placed the bucket by our front door decorations.  You will also find those outdoor decorations in another blog here.  

I've also collected many old watering cans over the past two years as garden decorations.  Placing artificial poinsettias in one that has a wash of red paint was a great touch for the back patio.  Its easy to view out the back hearth room glass door.   

Old Watering Can Re-purposed for Christmas

Just a View Out The Hearth Room Door

How to Glitter a Champagne Bottle

A year ago I stumbled on a blog that had a photo of a glitter champagne bottle while trying to come up with ideas for a New Year's Eve party. Ever since I have been hooked! My friends raved about the bottle and I decided for the next year I would gift glittered champagne bottle to anyone who invited me to their birthday party! The reception has been great, and I have made about a dozen of these now. They are really easy to do, but they take a little time.

Supplies:

• Champagne bottle - preferable with a gold foil top
• Gold spray paint
• Blue painter's tape
• Modge Podge or glue
• Small paintbrush
• Newspaper
• Glitter!

Step 1: Use painter's (blue) tape to cover anything on your bottle you don't want glittered. I have the top foil and most of the label glitter free. But you can glitter over the label if you want! I choose Piper Sonoma champagne mostly because it has a gold foil topper and it looks nice with gold glitter.

Step 2: Spray paint your bottle with gold paint. Just a quick light coat is good enough. If you skip this step, the final product just doesn't look as polished and you can see some of the dark bottle through the glitter.  Let it dry.

 Step 3: Choose your glue method - Modge Podge/glue or a spray adhesive. I've used both methods and typically stick with modge podge. If you use the spray adhesive, you must be quick as it will dry fast. Cover the bottle with your glue. When using Modge Podge/glue I apply it with a brush.

Step 4: Immediately, while the glue is still wet, sprinkle with glitter. I hold the bottle over a box or plate to collect to excess glitter - there will be a lot. I can reuse the excess glitter. I sprinkle over several times to cover the entire bottle really well.

Step 5: The bottle will feel rough after this and glitter will flake off, even when the glue dries. Let it get somewhat dry. Next, we seal it!

Step 6: To seal on the glitter, cover the bottle with another thick layer of Modge Podge/glue. It goes on white and looks like this - but it will dry clear. When it dries, the glitter will not flake off and makes the bottles much more usable. If you skip this step, glitter will get everywhere you bottle goes.

Finished Product! Glitter Champagne ready for gifting

Step 7: Peel off the painter's (blue) tape and let the bottle completely dry. They should feel smooth, no longer rough and the glitter should not flake off. They are ready for service and gifting! 

To learn how to make the Glitter Initial Tag hanging from the bottle on the right, CLICK HERE.