12 Days of Christmas (Day Eight)

 

Welcome back to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop (Day Eight)! This hop will take place  November 24th through December 5th. Each of us will be posting something Christmas related each and every day at 8:00am, Eastern time (so for my Pacific Time Zone peeps... that's 5am... But don't worry, you can sleep in, and we'll all be here waiting for you, too!)... for 12 WHOLE DAYS! Let us inspire you to finish up that layout, make some special Christmas cards, or wrap that gift in a fun and festive way. If you've already started, you probably came from Barbara. She is so awesome, isn't she? Let's continue this 12-day crafting party!

Alrighty now and again...  I've said in Day One, I'm starting my portion of the hop with paper things. Things that are simple and easy to do. As with Day Two,  Day Three,  Day Four, Day Five, Day Six, and Day Seven... We are still with the Christmas things meaning all things Christmas! and still with simple [paper] crafts. Today, though... I'm jumping away from paper for a day (or two... or three... who knows?) but still staying simple. One of my favorite things about Christmas in my house is the garland spread around my family room. It all started when I saw something so twinkling and beautiful at a really big commercialized public walk-through Christmas display at the Mission Inn in Riverside... It was GORGEOUS!

I flew home, no... ran home, no... drove home  and hopped on the computer to look up this decorated pine garland. I had to have it. I wanted it throughout my house my family room and found out I'd never ever EVER be able to afford that. It was over $75.00 (that's American dollars folks, and this was over 10 years ago... think INFLATION) for nine feet! So I set about to figure out how to do it in a way that wouldn't kill me hurt my budget too much.

The next year... I stalked went to Walmart and other store several times to find the perfect garland. It was still expensive. My husband said I could just buy a bit each year. Um... yeah... Not gonna work for me. I tried to explain to him the stores that be purchase different styles every year and the little spoiled OCD person that I am had to have every thing just so and our chances of having it match were nil. I was so lucky that the day after Christmas... I was fortunate enough who am I kidding, I was SOOOO lucky! Walmart had a huge amount of the less than stellar pine garland you know the fake stuff for purchase at 75% off. It was plain. But it was a start.

And it sat in bins in my garage rafters for years, untouched.

I added stuff to the bins. I collected shatterproof ornaments... I had over 90 feet I needed to decorate. Don't judge. It takes awhile and I had to get ones that I liked. And remember... I was shopping from the clearance section every year. I collected red ribbons. And I collected lights. I didn't want just any lights. They had to be the pre-programmed chaser lights in multi-color. And lastly, I got a lot of zip-ties cable ties for those of you "have to have the correct name of it type of folk and green floral wire.

And finally, one year...

I clipped the floral wire into 3-inch lengths and looped the wire through each and every single one of those ornaments (it took me a long time!) and then... I stretched it all out the pine garland in case you aren't envisioning like I was, 9 feet at a time throughout the hallways of my house. I laid out a 10-foot strand of lights next to it and zip-tied the lights to the garland (leaving the unlighted end dangling).  I meticulously laid a bunch of ornaments next to it... Yes. They had to be just so. Don't judge me. You know you have POPD, too! Note the meme (picture) from Facebook... if you don't get it...

Then all those ornaments' wires were wrapped around the branches. The next piece of garland was laid out, the lights were plugged in (and the foot of wire was then zip-tied to the preceding set of garland, and then coiled into a bin, completed). And the process started over again. I put four garlands together (36 feet each total, in case you were counting, or adding, or multiplying, or whatever way works for you, because we all know Common Core isn't for everybody. Whatever works for each of us, right?) so it wasn't going to be a pain in the butt to much to handle when "we" (read: my Handy Dandy Husband... I'm short. He's tall. And I'm not climbing up that flippin' ladder to hang it on a 20-foot wall!) put it up. And I did this four times. It was perfect. Again. Don't judge. (See the meme above, if you seriously need to remind yourself.) done and ready for the following year.

I only have the end result in photos. And this is only on here as a project because my 10 year old again pointed out to me it was something I crafted. Duh. I hadn't forgotten, but in my mind it didn't count. And that 10 year old thought other people should know how to save money and do it themselves, too. When the lights go out one year, and you know they will, I'll be switching to LED not because they're economical or energy-saving or anything, but because the brought the yellow back to miniature lights.

See? Now you can do it, too! It only ended up costing me less than $5 for each 9-foot length of finished garland. Because I'm cheap and it took forever to collect it all because I refuse to pay full price for anything. Oh! You wanted to see it lighted? Here ya go!

Just remember, if you do it, too... when you take it out every year, you need to "fluff" it up. The wires all collapse and the garland flattens.

Don't forget... There is more in store for you, so hop along and please comment on each and everybody. 'Cause you know we all love a little love... And BE SURE to check out the "other" Lisa, as she's the one with all the blog candy and sponsor info! Have a great time, and don't forget to come back tomorrow!

Here's the Line Up for Day 8:
  1. Lisa P. - http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com <==== the "other" Lisa!
 ** Anna -http://grumpygrandmacreations.blogspot.com(Guest Designer)
 **Jana - http://www.rhapsodyonpaper.blogspot.com (Guest Designer)...
  2. Madge - http://www.thescrappinlounge.com/blog
  3. Ashley - http://marinewifesscrappinlife.blogspot.com
  4. Sandy - https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/scrapbook-blessings-club-5722003
  5. Elizabeth - http://CraftsByHappyStamper.com
  6. Angela - www.crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com
  7. Alicia - www.goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
  8. Miranda - www.nanasscrapspot.com
  9. Daphne - http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com
10. Rhonda - craftingwithblue.blogspot.com
11. Charmagne - http://www.sanurascraps.blogspot.com
12. Barbara- http://barbarab3.blogspot.com/
13. Lisa F - http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com/ <=== You are HERE!
14. Sharondalyn - Http://www.clippingsbysharondalyn.blogspot.com <=== Next stop!
15. Jessi - http://www.mylifeinartsncrafts.co