Garland Featured by Newlyweds:North

Stephanie over at Newlyweds:North (now called Olive & Tate) just featured our hand-etched maple snowflake garland on her beautiful Christmas mantle!  Be sure to check out the full post for more pictures and details.  

PS - She's also shared a special coupon code that's good until January 1st! ;) 

Photo credit:  Newlyweds:North

Newlyweds:North Favorite Etsy Shops

Stephanie over at Newlyweds:North (now called Olive & Tate) put together a list of some of her favorite Etsy shops and we're honored to say that Birch Landing Home made the cut!  Be sure to check out her post and all the other wonderful shops featured :) 

Photo credit:  Newlyweds:North

Our First Real Christmas Tree

This year was the first year my husband and I have been able to get a real live Christmas tree.  Before, we were in an apartment, then we got a puppy, then we had a baby... so this year we were finally able to get a real tree!  

To commemorate this special event I had my husband cut a slice off the end of our Christmas tree and I turned it into a special hand-etched snowflake ornament for us.  It's a little big and a little lopsided, but it'll be a special keepsake of our first real tree.  On the back I wrote "Our First Christmas Tree - 2014."  

DIY Simple Christmas Swag

Maybe I'm cheap, but it always hurts buying Christmas wreaths every year.  It's so easy to drop $40-50 just to buy two wreaths for the front and back doors, only to throw them out not long after New Year's.  Starting last year I got tired of throwing that money away and decided to make my own super-simple swag for our doors.  

We're lucky enough to have a lot of hemlock trees behind our house, so I took some clippers and headed out to trim back some branches that needed to be cut anyways.  Our dog followed me out to "help" - and by help I mean run around with a branch I cut.  If you don't have suitable trees in your yard you may be able to get away with using the trimmings off your Christmas tree or you can buy bundles of hemlock or fir tree at the grocery or craft store for pretty cheap.  

I made some smaller cuttings and started fanning them out, making a rough diamond shape.  

Once it was getting close to what I wanted, I used some hand clippers to trim long pieces back into shape.  If you have holly or other greenery you want to add, now would be when to do it.  

Once I was pretty happy with it, I used some craft wire to bundle it together.  You want to make it pretty tight so none of your branches slide out over time as you open and close the door.  Use some extra wire to make a loop at the back for hanging.  

Now add your bow.  I had our bows made at the local garden center a few years ago.  They had spools and spools of different fabric ribbon available, I picked the pattern I wanted and they made me up a couple of matching bows.  I think they cost me $7 each, but I reuse them every year so it was definitely worth it!  These bows have some wire in the back to attach it to the swag.  After you add the bow, do any final trimming of the greenery.  

This finished swag cost me nothing this year since I already had all the materials, and that's just fine by me ;)

Proud to say: As seen in Martha Stewart Living Magazine!

Pinch me, I must be dreaming... 

Honored, thrilled, and amazed to be able to say that a photo of our hand-etched maple snowflakes is featured in the December issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine!  You can find us right on page 8.  

To celebrate, I'm offering 20% off everything in my Etsy shop through Nov. 24th, just use the coupon code MARTHA at checkout.  Please visit our shop and help us celebrate!   

Coupon code expires 11/24/14. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just be over here framing this magazine..

DIY Button Easter Basket

I've never really liked the cheesy Easter baskets they push at the big box stores.  You know, the cheaply-made dyed ones.. the ones you always seem to need to re-buy every year because they're so easily damaged?  Not to mention, they're pretty boring.  This year I decided to make a special one for our daughter.  I LOVE buttons and thought that would make a very adorable theme for decorating an Easter basket.  | This post contains affiliate links |
 

Materials: 

• willow basket
• buttons
• heavy button thread
• sewing needle
   

How-to:

I started with a sturdy willow basket (we purchased ours off Amazon, but you could get one just about anywhere), and used a needle strung with heavy button thread to "sew" the buttons to the basket.  Really I'm just tying them on, but the needle makes it a lot easier to thread the string around a few times.  

"Sewing" the buttons to the basket.

Once I felt as though the button was good and secure (we don't want them coming off, remember they can be a choking hazard), I tied off the thread with a couple knots and cut off the excess string.  

Sewing one of the last buttons on. 

This project took less than half an hour and now we have a cute, special Easter basket to use for years to come!  

Looking for more Easter ideas?  Check out our other Easter posts:  

• Young Toddler Easter Basket Ideas
• Chicken-Themed Easter Basket