Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Simple Fall project to share!

This is a repost of a very simple Fall project that I made last year and shared as a new blogger. Since natural elements continue to be so in this year, I wanted to share this again. I hope you enjoy it.

So a project that begins with a dead tree branch is one of my favorite pieces of artwork right now in our home...really! It is a simple piece that makes me smile when I think about the trip into the woods with my friend Jodi and our daughters, Kara and Sydney, searching for the perfect branch. We started out just looking for the right size. You know, something that would fit inside the bottle and not tip over once we made the table top displays.  Then we started to appreciate the shapes, the colors, the bits of lichen and tiny pine cones still attached.  It became hard to choose, and we collected so many they barely fit into her car!
Once we got home, I filled a vintage inspired bottle with popcorn to add some color and to help hold the branch in place.  I decorated the bottle with some coffee stained cheesecloth, an old chain and vintage clip on earring.  
Now I was ready to decorate. I had so much fun rummaging through all my junk looking for items to hang on my tree.  I used more vintage clip on earrings, some vintage drawer hardware and skeleton keys.  The possibilities are endless. You could try some vintage cookie cutters, spools, tins, watch parts, small bottles, little nests, flashcards...you name it.
I was in a fall mood and decided to add a few inspired words to my tree as well. I had picked up a pad of what appears to be a vintage receipt book. Perhaps for a farmer's market? I punched hearts in some and a random decorative shape in others then added words like "grace," "thanks," and "love."  Here's a close up of the paper ephemera -
I love the simplicity of this project.  The only things I had to purchase were a bottle from Ikea and the popcorn.  It is a great way to display some small pieces I had collected that were stored away in cigar boxes. And, the pieces can still be recycled for other projects. Nothing is permanently attached. You can even add odds and ends. I plan to use the tree project as a centerpiece on Thanksgiving, but it has earned a permanent place in our home.
Special thanks to Sheri Deluke Photography for photographing this project.  Thanks for stopping by today my friends. I appreciate your sweet comments and follows so much! xoxo  Linking up to -

Photobucket

26 comments:

  1. That's a good one Vicki! I love the look. Happy Fall!~

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi, Vicki, what a nice memory you have every time you glance at the "tree" you remember your friend and your
    children and that day spent looking for the perfect
    branch. I like all of your little items hanging from it
    and I'm starting to really like paper ephemera, especially vintage and vintage images.
    Warm Regards,
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Vicki,
    I loved this idea last year and I STILL do! :) Remember I did acorns (glittered ones)? I love using branches too! And using the red twig dogwood is pretty around Christmas-just by itself! Oh, aren't the possibilities endless? I love it!
    Thanks for sharing this again. It gets me in the mood!
    Hugs,
    Sonya

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is really cute..reminds me of taking the kiddos on " scavenger hunts" when they were little and then making something with our finds!!they really enjoyed it..They grow up way too fast..

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a wonderful and fun project.... your always so inspiring!!!
    hugs~~~ Daphne

    ReplyDelete
  6. LOVE this, Vicki! and the photography is just wonderful! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Vicky,
    very simple but so breathtaking ! thanks for sharing ! have a great week! hugs lilraggedyangie

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh I love your tree Vicki!! The bottle with the popcorn is the perfect foundation. So glad you "reran" this episode for those of us who just relatively recently joined the blogging world. I always have meant to go back and read the archived posts of the blogs I follow and "catch up," but, yeah - RIGHT! Barely keeping up with the dailies! Have a great evening! Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is SO cute, Vicki. I missed it last year! Great job!

    XO,
    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  10. How fun, Vicki! I love how you do so many projects with your children...makes for great memories...XO

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great idea...I like the tag with the word LOVE on it...what a great idea for Thanksgiving (this weekend here in Canada!) the tags could have the words of THANKS for our family!...Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Vicki
    I have curly willow branches up all year and decorate it as the seasons change. I love branches/nature items!
    I like the popcorn in the bottle to hold the branches.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Prim Blessings
    Robin

    ReplyDelete
  13. Brilliant idea to use popcorn for the foundation. I love all the embellishments.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love this so much! I use branches myself and theyre the best for projects such as these! Sweet!

    Hugs,

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love your tree. So many details.

    Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your tree branch is fabulous and will work throughout the entire year. I adore your creation. I am glad you shared it with us. Fabulous Fall to you...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Vicki,
    I love natural elements in the house, branches, pine cones, river rocks, shells, anything! What a great project, it turned out fabulous and is one of those that has endless possibilities!
    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a wonderful project!! It's adorable.

    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  19. Vicki, thank you for your kind words of congratulations...Girl, I can't keep up with you, it is fun though isn't it. I guess we will have to do inside projects today with all of this rain!

    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love this project! I am thinking that my house is in need of one. Badly! And thanks for sharing again; I wasn't around this time last year, so it's new to me.
    xo, Anita

    ReplyDelete
  21. Simple is the best. I like the corn in the bottle idea. Great visual!
    Thanks for stopping by. It means so much!
    xxx Liz

    ReplyDelete
  22. Yes, yes, yes, this is the kind of fall project I love, simple, fun, able to be done is a variety of ways with great results! Thanks for sharing this great idea!
    ~Scarlett
    ps-my cubby organizer came in!!! yessssss!!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Dear Vicki, I love how your branch looks altered and vintage in colour and - love all you hang on it, such a wonderful idea, that I can also use in my shop :)
    Thanks , and hugs,Dorthe

    ReplyDelete
  24. this is a perfect fall vignette! so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Love this little display. I too have those piles of treasures. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  26. Parabéns por belos projetos!! Vim aqui através do Blog da Cindy... Abraços!

    ReplyDelete