Countdown to Christmas Vignette #1

Greetings!  As we look forward to Christmas, I have decided to share some photographs from my home tour last Saturday.  I took a lot of pictures before the tour, so I will be splitting them up into different posts (vignettes) as we countdown to Christmas.  Guests were greeted by a wreath on my front door that I spiffed up with a bow made from ribbon that was on clearance from Walmart last year for $2.00 a roll.  I knew it needed something, and I didn't have any red ribbon on hand, so I used the green.  I really like how it turned out.  I also added three sprigs of green, glittered berries from the Dollar tree.

Before guests reached the door, they walked past an "open" sign that I made from materials that I found around my house and yard...





I thought it would match well with the monogrammed plague that I showed you how to make in this post.



I knew I was on to something when I found these garden hooks in my backyard that the previous owner had used to train clematis.


I found an old, round, wooden trivet in my basement that I had picked up at the thrift store long ago.  It looked like it came from the 1970's and it had a recipe on it.  (sorry no before picture).  I spray painted it white.  After it dried, I found a font I liked and typed the word open.  I made it the exact size that I wanted on the computer screen.  Instead of printing it out, I held a piece of paper over the screen and lightly traced it in pencil!  Then I used the same technique I use on this sign, to transfer the word to the plaque.



Oddly enough, there was already a hole in the top, so all I had to do was thread some twine through it and tie it to the garden hook!



Oh yeah, and can you believe that we got a new roof the day before the tour began?!  The roof had been damaged from hurricane Sandy.   I  couldn't believe how  calm I was through it all!  We didn't know for sure when the roofer would be able to do it because he was so busy.  But thankfully when he called Wed. night to say that he was ready, he said it wouldn't take more than a couple of days, and he promised it would be done and  cleaned up before the tour!