Try-it Tuesday: Spray Painted Twigmas Tree

Last week, during an ill-advised trip to Hancock Fabrics with all 5 kids (tiny baskets that barely hold one car seat, much less two, breakable objects everywhere, nothing intentionally entertaining for small children…yeah, not particularly smart), I came across these pretty ornaments.

I loved the delicate lacy pattern, reminiscent of snowflake designs, so much so that, after deciding against them even though I’d stood there staring at them for 5 full minutes while keeping my two-year-old from smashing every one of the (156) fragile objects within her reach…I finally had to come back to them (after finding the rest of the things I needed, waiting while Simon put back all the spools of thread he was busy “admiring,” and peeling Della off the ground where she’d prostrated herself in a fit of passion at not being allowed to buy and consume three bags of Sour Patch Kids).

They don’t match my tree at all (the tree link is old, but, considering that my kids decorated the tree this year while I fed babies and wept watched, it’s a better representation of our tree’s true colors).

But they were 60% off (before Christmas!!), I loved them, and there were only 10 left, so into my basket they went.

Of course, then I had to find something to do with them.

So, I decided to go with something we have an abundance around here, and that would be sticks.

Plus, they’re free, so after many careful calculations, I came up with the conclusion that 60% off + FREE = a very cheap Christmas decoration. Now, that’s my kind of math!

Okay, so the spray paint wasn’t free, but I did already have it in my stash, so it felt free.

I left the rubber band on while I coated my twigs with glossy white and then dug around in my collection of vases until I found one that would work.

I pilfered the Epsom salt from the votive displays from this past summer’s dinner party, then hung my ornaments wherever I could find a branch to hold them.

And this is the end result.

It took less than 30 minutes.

And it adds waaaaaay more than 30 minutes worth of sparkle and prettiness to the bench nook in my living room.

If you’ve got any sticks lying around to make your own twigmas tree, I heartily recommend it.

Love.

Trees are, by far, my favorite Christmas decoration, not only because they’re pretty (and versatile!), but because they are such a tangible reminder of the reason Jesus came to this earth as a little baby.

Associating the tree that he died on with his birth might seem like a macabre way to celebrate Christmas, but, really, it’s the most hopeful symbol I can think of.

Why? Because he didn’t stay dead on that tree, and his final sacrifice is my ultimate salvation.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

What’s your favorite Christmas decoration?