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This year presented the opportunity to decorate a second tree in our home – something I’ve dreamed of doing for awhile. I realized, however, that it would need a tree skirt. Rather than run out and buy one I thought I would try my hand at a diy Christmas tree skirt made out of materials I already had in my stash.

The process is quite straightforward and your tree skirt can be as plain or fancy as you’d like. Mine is made from vintage linen purchased from a church rummage sale ($3 for a whole box of fabric!) as well as scraps of lace trim from my childhood. The larger lace was the trim to my beloved bed sheet which eventually got a big hole in it. I trimmed the lace off the edges and saved it for probably 15 years, awaiting a future project such as this. The smaller lace was a stash leftover from when my mom used to sew dresses for my dolls. All of these materials combined make it a very special tree skirt for me.

How to Make a DIY Christmas Tree Skirt

Supplies Needed for a DIY Christmas Tree Skirt

Fabric for the top
Amount varies based on desired size. (About 48 inches in diameter is a common medium sized skirt but you should measure and do what works for your space – see directions for how to measure.)

Quilt batting
Or other heavier fabric for the middle layer of the skirt – same amount as top fabric.

Bottom backing fabric
Just a neutral (or not) fabric for the bottom layer. Same amount needed as the other two fabrics.
Could pick something fun for a reversible tree skirt!

Trim, if desired
Lace, ruffles, rick rack, or other embellishments

Fabric scissors

Sewing pins

Measuring tape or yardstick

Sewing machine

Coordinating thread

Directions for a DIY Christmas Tree Skirt

Step 1: Measure for your tree skirt.
Decide what diameter your tree skirt should be and write this number down.
Decide what diameter the center hole should be (for the trunk) and write that number down.
Tree skirts vary greatly in size and depend on the size of the tree and the needs of your space. I made mine on the small side because the cabinet is right next to the tree, but generally a skirt should extend a few inches beyond the bottom set of branches.

Step 2: Prepare the top fabric
(Always iron your fabric first.)
Fold the fabric in quarters (half, then half again).
Find the center fold and mark with a pin.
Measure out from that point the radius (half the diameter) of your tree skirt + 1/2 inch for seam allowance.
Mark that point with a pin.
Continue measuring and marking from one side to the other in an arc shape, always measuring from the center fold.

Step 3: Cut the top fabric.
Cut along your arc shaped pin line from one side to another.
If you feel more comfortable drawing this out with fabric pencil first, do that.

Step 4: Measure and cut the center (trunk) hole.
Repeat steps 2 and 3, but this time for the center (trunk) hole.
This measurement will the be radius (half the diameter) of the center hole measurement you took earlier.

Step 5: Cut the side opening
Unfold your fabric – you should now have a nice circle with a circular center opening.

Cut up one side, just to the center hole, so that you have a slit to get the skirt around the tree.

Step 6: Cut identical pieces from the other fabrics.
Use the top fabric as a pattern to cut identical pieces from both the quilt batting and the bottom backing fabric.

Step 7: Sandwich the layers.
With right sides facing, place the top and bottom layers together. Place the quilt batting layer on top of the top layer.
Place any edge trim you are using in between the top layers. Be sure any ruffles are pointing inward.
Pin in place all around the edge, with 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Step 8: Sew around the edge.
Using a straight stitch on your machine, sew all the way around the edge of the skirt and up one slit. Leave the other side of the slit open for turning.

Step 9: Close up the skirt.
Turn the skirt right side out through the side slit opening. The top fabric and bottom fabric will be separated and the quilt batting will end up sandwiched in the middle.
Tuck under the edges of the side slit opening and sew it shut as close to the edge as possible.

Step 10: Finishing the skirt
Sew on any finishing embellishments such as this extra lace edging. I overlapped it with the larger lace and secured it with a simple straight stitch.

All done! Now wrap it around the base of your tree and enjoy!

I hope you found this tutorial helpful and that you enjoy making your own DIY Christmas tree skirt this season!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

My 5-year-old son wanted to help make this pillow and I thought it would be a great introductory sewing project for him. We worked together to pin, sew, and stuff this Christmas tree pillow, and it was a fun Christmas bonding activity!

How to sew a simple Christmas Tree Pillow

Supplies

• Fabric (amount depends on size of your pillow) – I used a thrifted bed sheet!
• Contrasting fabric for the back (optional – can make the back the same as the front if desired)
• Pencil or fabric marking pencil
• Sewing scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine (can sew by hand if desired but will take far longer)
• Coordinating thread
• Stuffing (fiber fill, etc)
• Needle and thread for hand stitching

Directions

1. Wash, dry, and iron your fabric. This is the least fun part, but trust me, it makes your end product look much better.

2. Fold your fabric in half, right sides together. (I took this photo after the fact, which is why this fabric is so wrinkly looking – the fabric I used for my pillows had been ironed – promise!)

3. Use a pencil to draw half a Christmas tree coming out from the fold. Remember in school when you’d cut out a heart shape – you’d fold the paper in half, then cut half a heart so that when you opened it up it made a whole heart? Yep, same thing here except a Christmas tree! Make the tree whatever size you’d like.

4. Cut out your shape, keeping the fabric folded in half as you do so. You’ll end up with this:

5. Open up your tree and lay it on top of the backing fabric, keeping right sides together.

6. Cut out the backing fabric to match the front fabric.

7. Pin your pieces together in preparation for sewing. Do not pin the bottom – this will be left open for turning and stuffing.

8. Sew all along the sides, about 1/2 inch in from the edge, leaving the very bottom of the tree open.

9. Turn the tree right side out through the opening at the bottom.

10. Stuff with filling to desired firmness/fluffiness. A wooden skewer or dowel rod can be helpful in pushing the stuffing into those tricky corners.

11. Hand stitch the bottom of the tree closed, turning the edges inward to create a clean edge. I used a simple straight stitch (not a whip stitch).

All done!

I hope you enjoyed this simple Christmas sewing project! You can add embellishments to your Christmas tree pillow if you desire. The dollar store had some cute Pom Pom trim that I thought about adding to another pillow, either all around the edges or tacking onto the front as a zigzag garland. Buttons as ornaments would be another really cute addition. I opted for plain trees right now as I have a baby who would love to pull all those decorations off. I also just like the simplicity!

Thanks for reading!

Blessings,
Melissa

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1. Buy your fresh Christmas wreath from a store that has handled it properly.

Any store that sells fresh Christmas wreaths should have them in a cool location, either outside or in a cool indoor spot. Don’t buy one that’s been hanging indoors next to a heating vent where it has most likely been drying out. Check your wreath before purchasing. It should feel flexible and fresh, not at all brittle or crispy, and should smell pleasant and fresh.

I have purchased fresh wreaths from both Trader Joe’s and Costco with good success. The one pictured here is from Trader Joe’s.

2. Immediately soak it in the tub.

As soon as you get your fresh Christmas wreath home from the store, place it in the bathtub (or large container) and fill with enough cold water that the greenery is covered. Be sure to use cold water, not warm! Soak for at least a few hours, or up to 24 hours for maximum effect. Drip dry before hanging.

3. Continued care for your fresh Christmas wreath

To keep your wreath looking its best, mist the back of the wreath with cool water every 2 days or so using a spray bottle.

Decorating a Fresh Christmas Wreath

A fresh Christmas wreath is lovely just as it is, but if you’re looking to dress it up even more, consider wiring in some of the following elements:

• Pinecones
• Dried citrus (oranges, lemons, limes)
• Cinnamon sticks, bundled
• Feathers
• Star anise pods
• Berries such as cranberries or juniper berries
• Velvet or satin ribbon
• Brass bells

I hope you get the opportunity to experience a fresh Christmas wreath this year! The beauty, elegance, and fresh aroma cannot be beat!

Want more Christmas and Winter inspiration? Check out my seasonal page here!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

Each candle represents a different theme of Advent: Hope (purple), Love (purple), Joy (pink) on Gaudete Sunday, and Peace (purple). Sometimes blue is used instead of purple. The center white candle is lit on Christmas and during the Christmas season thereafter until Epiphany. I’m sure each tradition and denomination has its own variations, so just know that I’m speaking generally here from a Western Christian perspective.

Traditionally an Advent wreath is simply a wreath with candle holders in it. However there are many creative and inexpensive ways to make your own Advent wreath (commercial ones can be quite pricey!). Here are 5 simple ways to make your own lovely Advent wreath.

As with any project I share, please use your best judgment and proceed at your own discretion.
Never leave candles unattended and do not burn them all the way down to where the flame could come in contact with decor.

Advent Wreath #1: In a Bowl

For this wreath I found the biggest ironstone bowl I had. I cut pieces of floral foam to fit in the bottom of the bowl and scraped out circles with a butter knife to hold the candles where I wanted them. Then I filled in with Spanish moss, foraged pine cones, and dried oranges.

I love all the color and texture!

Create your own!

Advent Wreath #2: Wintry Neutral

This is actually the wreath I used for my family last year. The base is a vintage mirror I painted white – I love the pretty edge details and the way the mirror reflects the candlelight. The candles are being held by a metal candle holder ring I found in the Target dollar spot a few years ago. I disassembled a small glittery wreath my mom was getting rid of and tucked the pieces around the perimeter of the mirror.

For this particular wreath I used all white candles with a pillar candle in the center. I only had 2 of each height of taper, so just pretend they’re all the same height…although it does add a little extra interest I suppose.

Wreath #3: Traditional

This wreath is the most traditional of the bunch. Into an existing wreath I tucked little baby food jars full of sugar to hold the candles and a small ironstone bowl in the center to hold the pillar candle. If you want this wreath to be easily transportable, place it on top of a piece of wood or other sturdy tray.

Wreath #4: Wood Block

This one was probably the most fun to make. I got to use my husband’s drill press for it! This little chunk of wood is from our beloved backyard tree which we had to take down several years ago. I used calipers to measure the diameter of the candles, then drilled evenly spaced holes down the center of the wood.

I had to make the holes slightly larger than the candles, so I took little bits of my kids’ play dough and put it in each hole to help stick the candle in place. It worked great. You could just as easily use stick tack or a similar substance. A few sprigs of fresh greenery, pinecones, and dried oranges give it some added interest. Personally I think just the wood block by itself could look really cool in a minimalist sort of way too.

Wreath #5: Outside the Wreath (Box)

A rustic wooden box, like this one I got from Vintage Market Days, makes a neat cottage style Advent wreath.

I filled it with faux stems from the Target dollar spot (this year, 2022), cinnamon sticks, and pinecones. The baby food jars full of sugar are holding the candles in place, and dried Spanish moss is filling in the gaps and looking rustically lovely.

I hope this gave you some inspiration to create an Advent wreath of your own this year! I’d love to hear about your Advent traditions – drop me a comment below!

Blessings,
Melissa

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A little hymnic reflection for this Christmastide:

“See, amid the winter’s snow,
born for us on earth below,
see the tender Lamb appears,
promised from eternal years.

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Lo, within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies;
He, who throned in height sublime,
sits amid the cherubim!

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
what your joyful news today;
wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep?

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels singing ‘Peace on earth’
told us of the Savior’s birth.

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Sacred Infant, all divine,
what a tender love was Thine;
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this!

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

“Teach, O teach us, Holy Child,
by Thy face so meek and mild,
teach us to resemble Thee
in Thy sweet humility!

Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

A blessed Christmastide and a happy New Year to you all!

Here are a few ideas that you don’t have to order and wait to have delivered! All of them can be found at your local grocery store, big box store, or made right at home.

For Kids:

• Snacks
  • Fancy Applesauce Pouches (I hardly ever buy these because they’re expensive, so they’re a treat!)
  • Fun Bags of Trail Mix – Start with nuts or pretzels (No nuts for little littles!), add in some dried fruit like golden raisins or dried berries, then make it colorful with red & green M&M’s or Mini Pastel Candies – put in little cellophane bags tied with curly ribbon!
  • Christmas Chocolates or Candies
  • Packets of hot chocolate + little bags of mini marshmallows
• Stickers – less than $1 at Walmart, Target, or the Dollar Store
• Play dough – either store bought or homemade
• Activity Books like “Water Wow,” coloring books, or puzzle/maze books – for older kids crosswords, Sudoku, or Logic puzzles – you can typically find these in the magazine aisle of grocery stores, at Walgreens, or bookstores
• Gift Card or Tickets, along with a note that you’ll take them on a date to that place – as simple or big as you like: out for a smoothie, go ice skating, museum, etc.
• Mini Seed-Starting kit: tiny clay pot(s) + packet of seeds + baggie of dirt + a little shovel – tie it all up with a bow and your kids can start germinating the seeds indoors in a few weeks, then eventually transfer outside in the Spring (be sure to “harden off” the plants when transferring!)
• Mini baking kit: Wooden spoon + cookie mix + tube of shelf-stable icing + fun sprinkles
• Notebook/journal + colorful pens or markers
• Fun flavors of lip balm

For Adults:

• Snacks / Drinks
  • Bag of Coffee + Biscotti
  • Box of tea + package of shortbread cookies
  • Hot chocolate + mini marshmallows (optional tiny bottle of amaretto to add!)
  • Dipping oil (available at many grocery stores or Homegoods) + crusty breadsticks or mini loaf of bread
  • Nests of dried handmade pasta wrapped in cellophane bags and tied with ribbon (thank you to my sister-in-law for that idea)
  • Little jar of jam/jelly + bag of biscuit mix
  • Bag of homemade cookies or other treats
  • In-shell nuts + a small nutcracker (not the decorative kind – a real one)
  • Christmas chocolates or candies
• Gift cards (most people enjoy being able to pick out things they like!)
• Framed photo, quote, or Bible verse (wrap in tissue paper and tie with ribbon)
• Soothing hand lotion or body wash
• Cozy socks
• Fun notepads + pens
• Stress ball or putty
• Tickets to go somewhere on a date (can purchase online & instantly print at home)
• Game – Deck of cards, Uno, Skip Bo, etc.
• Book of crossword puzzles or Sudoku
• Coupons for around the house tasks (e.g. “When you redeem this coupon I’ll ___” (wash the dishes, cook dinner, clean the bathroom) – but obviously you have to make it something that wouldn’t be your normal task anyway!)
• Mini succulent plant in a pot (can usually find these at Home Depot / Lowes)
• Fun thrift store find – a pretty vintage teacup, etc. (Just make sure the stocking is handled with care, of course!)

I hope you found this useful and inspiring if you still need to come up with some stocking stuffers!

What’s your status – are you all done and ready to go for Christmas?

Somehow as one grows older, it seems, the magic can begin to fade with each passing year as rationalism, skepticism, and the responsibilities of life take hold. Christmas may even become a burdensome list of to-dos, a reminder of financial strain and broken relationships, or even a stressful challenge to outdo oneself from the year before.

And yet, if we pause…really pause…and reconsider our perspective…what is it really all about? I’m not looking to give you a Charlie Brown Christmas moment here. I’m looking for you to let this sink in and apply to your life:

The very God of the universe came to earth to become like us, to live like us, to suffer like us…to fulfill all the promises and laws given by God throughout the history of time…to bear the punishment of every single sin every person would ever commit…to miraculously rise from death as only God can…all for YOU – for me – for all of us.

Take that in for a moment.

It’s not just about a sweet baby in the manger – it’s about Almighty God coming to earth to begin His mission to save YOU. The shadow of the cross was already looming over the manger the day of His birth – He was here for a purpose – one He fulfilled perfectly and fully.

As we live in that awesome reality, a different kind of Christmas joy emerges – not one of magical twinkling lights (though they are pretty) – but one of holy awe. Christ would do all this for ME? Yes, because He loves you more than you could ever grasp, however undeserving you may feel.

This Christmas I pray you stand in awe, in true peace and joy, and in an excitement that does not die out after the Christmas season is over – because this joy is eternal.

Botanical prints shown are available as a free download here.

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Or maybe they transport us even further back than we can remember – to an era of carved tools, furniture, and toys – when everything was handmade and nothing was plastic or mass-produced.

Either way, simple wooden houses evoke a sense of calm and charm.

Here is how I made this set of 3 primitive wooden houses for $0.

(Disclaimer: I already had the necessary supplies on hand – if you don’t, it will cost a little money, but not too much)

I found some wood in my husband’s scrap pile and drew the house shapes on them with pencil.

My husband cut them out for me since I don’t do power saws (I have legit reasons for not doing so, not just fear).

For reference, my houses ended up being approximately 14″ x 8.5″ x 1.5″ for the large one and 8″ x 5″ x 1.5″ for the small ones.

I painted all sides of them white with Rustoleum “Chalked” Paint in “Linen White.” (already had it on hand).

Then, using a ruler and pencil, I lightly drew the design: a straight line across to mark off the roof area and roughly penciled in somewhat straight lines for the windows and door. I didn’t worry about making them too straight or perfect – I wanted them to have character!

I then painted in the windows and the roof with Fusion Mineral Paint “Coal Black” (again, already had it).

Let it dry completely.

Finally, I used Fusion Mineral Paint’s aging wax along with a wax brush over the entirety of each house.

This was my first time using furniture wax – I’m definitely no pro – but it’s pretty straightforward and from what I hear, the more you practice the more you are able to control little nuances in the appearance.

But for all intents and purposes, I just lightly brushed it on with the wax brush, then buffed it off in a circular motion using one of my husband’s old cotton socks on my hand. At one point I had it talking like a sock puppet – ha!

The aging wax really makes such a huge difference! It gets down in all the little grooves, toning down the stark white and adding tons of character.

Just note that it takes furniture wax 30 days to fully cure (or whatever your particular product states – just read the directions).

I chose to paint mine white this time, but I really want to make another set in deep blue at some point!

(The tutorial for the twig trees pictured can be found here.)

I hope this has inspired you to create some of your own little charming, primitive wooden houses! If you make them, I’d love to see – feel free to send me a photo or tag me on social media!

Blessings,
Melissa

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I’ve always loved the look of simple Scandinavian Christmas stick trees. Do you know the kind I mean? I’ve seen them at Homegoods and actually have one with red berries and little pinecones attached to it – it’s my favorite.

I decided to make my own using things we already had.

This project cost me a grand total of $0.

First, I stripped all the needles off the branches. I determined which ones would make good “trunks” and found ones of varying length for the horizontal branches.

I used a hand saw to trim any branches that needed shortening.

I laid them all out how I wanted them, then hot-glued on the branches. I have to tell you – the hot glue is not super sturdy. If you pull on the branches they will pop off, so if you want something more durable, I would suggest using wood glue and clamping them down while they dry.

Then my husband cut slices of logs for me from our log pile. The logs were leftover from when we had our tree taken down last year.

He drilled little holes partway into slice for the tree trunks to rest in.

I then hot-glued the trees into the wood slices.

To paint, I used Rustoleum “Chalked” paint in “Linen White” since I already had it on hand. I used a dry-brush technique: basically just keep very little paint on the brush and run it gently over the branches so that the paint does not completely cover. I feel like this gives it a rustic snowed-on effect.

Done! That simple!

Here’s a supply list if you’d like to give it a try yourself:

Branches of varying lengths and thicknesses
Log slices
Hand saw
Drill & appropriately sized bits
Hot glue & refill sticks
White chalk paint
Paintbrush

I’d love to know if you try this project – please send me a photo or tag me on social media!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

Last year I found this sweater at Goodwill. I thought it would be cute for Christmastime…

…except that I got home and discovered that it not only fit me poorly but also had a big hole in the neck!

I loved the pattern and knew it could be used for something, so naturally it sat in my basement for a year.

Until now… (Cue energetic, dramatic music)

This was a simple one-evening-after-the-kids-were-in-bed project. My favorite kind!

Tutorial

Supplies:

Old Sweater
Paper
Scissors (these are my favorite fabric shears)
Sharpie
Hot Glue Gun & Refill Sticks
Fiber Fill (or similar)
Needle & Thread

To make it easier to work (and less likely I’d accidentally cut through both layers of sweater), I cut slits up the sides and folded the back under. That way it would be like working with a single piece of fabric.

I cut out a little heart from paper – you know, where you fold the paper in half and cut a half-heart along the seam so it’s symmetrical?

Then traced the heart many times on the sweater using a sharpie- sometimes on the Fair Isle pattern, sometimes on the little heart pattern. I found it easier to dab “dots” rather than drag a line, as that may move the fabric as you’re tracing.

Trace 2 hearts for every 1 heart you want on the garland.

Cut them out, just inside the line so you don’t see the sharpie on your heart.

Now hot glue 2 halves together with wrong sides facing inward. Hot glue seems to work well as it also acts kind of like fray check in holding the fibers together at the edges. You could certainly sew the halves together and use fray check on the edges, but I didn’t want to go there.

Leave a little gap and stuff with fiber fill – as much or little as you want.

Repeat for all the hearts.

Now to string them together. Thread a needle with doubled-over thread and knot the end.

Push the needle all the way through from one side of a heart to the other. Keep the thread in the upper half of the heart so it hangs straight on the string. Like this:

Repeat for the rest. I alternated the two patterns, as you can see below.

Done – hang it up and enjoy! I was super fancy and used masking tape to hang mine. (That little house garland is from the Target Dollarspot.)

These would also be super cute as bowl filler – don’t string them and just put them in a little wooden bowl – so fun! Also perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Hope you enjoy! If you try this project, please tag me on social media or send a pic my way – I’d love to see!

Blessings,
Melissa

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