Wrapping Large Gifts

Have a gift that's too big to wrap easily?  Use a throw blanket (or large piece of fabric) to wrap it!  Just "tape" it shut with clothespins or safety pins.  This saves paper, is more eco friendly, looks festive, won't rip, and the recipient gets a cozy throw too! 

Merry Christmas! 

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

Press Board

We've added a "Press" board to our Pinterest page, here you can keep up-to-date with Birch Landing Home in the news!  

Birch Landing Home in the December, 2014 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

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 ;)

Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday Sale!

Coupon code expires 11/29/14

To celebrate Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday we're offering 20% off everything in the shop today and tomorrow!

Quantities are very limited at this time as my priority is getting all my current orders out ASAP but I am hoping to add some new ornaments by tomorrow.  So shop early and shop often!

Thanks for all the love!

Since a little picture of our Hand-Etched Maple Snowflake Ornaments was featured as the Instagram Favorite in this month's Martha Stewart Living, we've definitely been getting a lot of love!  I can't thank you all enough for the attention and orders you've given my little Etsy shop - thank you, thank you, thank you!  

Since then I've been a busy little bee working on all these awesome orders.  We had a little setback at first as the maples I cut took an eternity to dry for some reason - very frustrating when orders are piling up and you feel like you're just sitting there watching paint dry!  Thankfully we seem to be past that and our orders are getting turned around well within their estimated ship time.  

After the Christmas rush is done I have ideas for more wood products for the shop, including iPhone stands, wooden buttons, and wedding decorations - my favorite!  Can't wait to bring in lots more products in the New Year!