The Everyday Home

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When Life Throws You Sweater Balls!

Filed Under: Christmas, Christmas 2012, Christmas wreaths, mercury glass, mercury glass ornaments., sweater balls, wreaths

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There have been times in my life when
I had to face certain truths.

Hard truths.  Life truths.

Such as….

I look better as a brunette than a blond.
I will never like licorice.
I am not a very good housekeeper.

Those kinds of truths.  

(what did you think I meant?)  😀


Another truth?  I am not very fast when it comes to decorating my home for holidays.

I always seem to be way behind everyone else.

When everyone else is posting pics of their completed trees and mantels…


– and have most likely already started their Christmas baking and writing their Christmas cards….


I am still crafting.  

Cutting up $2 Goodwill cable-knit sweaters
(aka “perfectly good sweaters,” declared my Mama.)  🙂   But they made these really pretty sweater balls.

Yes. Sweater Balls.  They are ALL the rage, or so I told my Mama.  She looked at me in disbelief.  

“Where can you buy them?” she asked.


“I’m not really sure. Maybe LLBean?  But, today, I am making my own sweater balls.”  

“Do they have a purpose?” asked my very practical Southern Mama.

“Well, not really.  Although I guess you could use them to stuff your bras in the Winter time.”

I laughed.  Not my “perfectly good” Southern Mama.  😀

Mama didn’t buy it for one minute, but she grabbed a cut-up circle of $2 Goodwill sweater and an extra needle – and on a quiet Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving, Mother and Daughter crafted a basket load of Sweater Balls.



Cause nothing says Christmas more than a wreath made from $2 Goodwill Sweater Balls.  🙂

I filled the wreath with 3 different sizes of balls made from 3 different sweaters.  Two creamy white sweaters and a pretty, soft blue one.  

I added Dollar Store bells and glittered foam balls.

Mama didn’t stay around to see me make my 
Faux Mercury Glass Balls.




She would have surely thought I had lost my 
ever-loving mind when I took “perfectly good” glass balls and dabbed fingernail polish remover on them with a saturated cotton ball.  

Cause its hard to explain to your Mama why you have gone mud-pie crazy over these 
Faux Mercury Glass Ornaments.  And making her understand that any ornament which exists in my home – that doesn’t walk – will get a good coating of Dollar Store fingernail polish remover.
Cause I am crazy mad for this look right now.

I can’t wait to show her how our craft project turned out.  I am going to hang it in my foyer over a mirror.  I even cut off the sleeve of one of those “perfectly good sweaters” to create a “perfectly good wreath hanger.”  Here in the South, we don’t let nothing go to waste.  🙂

But, I thought I would give you this little sneaky-peeky to let you see what I am up to.  I hung it on my chippy blue door The Hubbs bought me. 


Unlike my Blogging Brethren, I am nowhere close to being finished.  In fact, by the pitiful looking piles of tissue paper and half-spilled bins and pine bough clippings scattered around the house – it looks like there is Holy War (or should I say HOLLY War) going on at The Everyday Home.

But, I LOVE it!  So I hope you enjoy this week full of Sneaky-Peeky’s.  Next week – if I can finish up some more “perfectly good” craft projects – I will be ready for a few big reveals.

xxoo

Sharing with:
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesdays
Heather at Setting for Four for It’s a Party!
DIY Showoff for Holiday Highlights Party
Kristen’s at Kristen’s Creations for Show Us Your Creations
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday
Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits Thursday
Heather/Vanessa @ at the picket fence for Inspiration Friday
Debra at Uncommon Ground for Vintage Inspiration
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage for The Power of Pinning Party






I would be ever so happy – make that “Perfectly Happy” if you pinned any or all of these pics.  Thanks for sharing.  🙂






Comments

  3. Sherry says

    And now I know why you were cutting up perfectly good sweaters, lol! This turned out fabulous. I might have to go see what sweaters I’m ready to part with 😉 I too love the mercury glass look and take awhile to catch up with the Christmas early bird decorators. But I get it done. Sounds like fun crafting with your Mama.

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  4. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    I love the banter between you and your Southern Mama!!! I think your sweater ball decor is GORGEOUS! Love the colors and textures!!!
    If you are behind, I must be still celebrating the 4th of July!!!! I don’t get caught up in the rush!!! I’ll be done and ready by Dec. 23rd!

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  7. Kathysue says

    Barb it looks so pretty hanging on your blue door, but I know you have great plans for your foyer. I am right there with you!! Bins and ribbons and balls in my family room, looking more like a Christmas explosion than a well decorated home. It is early and as I have said before, I am not running in the Christmas race!! Enjoying the process no matter how long it takes me!
    Love this wreath and the soft blues, xo Kathysue

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  16. Designs By Pinky says

    I just LOOOOOVE th sweater balls!!! And thr idea of the fauz mercury glass balls is amazing, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will try this tonight! I am VERY sorry to say I am one of THOSE…..I am almost done decorating and I did my daughters house on Sat. and will be doing my best friends tomorrow. But I enjoy it so much and like to get my house done so I have time to ENJOY IT!!! LOVE that wreath. XO, Pinky

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  18. Petticoat Junktion says

    Hi Barbara, Your sweater wreath looks so cuddly. I’m stopping over and pinning from Debbies party. I don’t think I have the patience to make that wreath. I’m definitely short on patience. I have to do quick crafts. You’re an amazing woman!!

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  21. Kelly says

    First of all, let me just say that I adore this wreath! Now, I just had to share with you what went through my head as I was reading “sweater balls” in your post. It reminded me of the skit on SNL with Alec Baldwin and he was talking about making Sweaty balls in a bakery. I think the person’s last name was Sweaty. Of course, you know where this is going. Anyway, it was a hilarious skit and if you haven’t seen it, you should google it to watch it. You’ll understand now why I laughed. BTW, I have sweater balls on my tree this year too, compliments of Target! LOL

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