Vintage holiday decor

Easy tree ornaments made from dictionary pages

Holiday season! And I am here with my hand decorated ornaments I made a year ago. Probably won't show you anything new, but you can grab the idea for your holiday project or just for a craft with children. They look great on the tree - instant vintage look!

 

To make them I used  plastic balls like these:

So "before" ornaments weren't even with the smooth surface.  All the other materials you need are an old Webster dictionary that you can find in any goodwill or thrift store and a Mod Podge glue. First you will have to rip or cut dictionary pages into small stripes or any other shapes {ripping will give you thinner edges which helps better attaching and smoother transition from piece to piece}. Then just brush the glue onto pieces {both sides} and start covering the ball all around {you can put glue on the ball too}. You will get the creative mess on your working space but result is worth it :) 

To decorate more I cut off the dictionary illustrations and glued them on the ornaments. I think the pine cones look especially great for the occasion :) 

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DIY backdrop or how to make barn wood

How to make backdrop or barn wood quick and easy! 

{basic photography tips for handmade products}

I think this tutorial will be very helpful for crafters who are opening their online shop for the first time. To have a success in sales you need to present your product in the very best way; if you don't have a great pictures, I mean "wow" pictures, you can just give up the idea of selling online. I work on it right now, trying to do my best and still learning. There are basic rules to follow:

•  Invest in tripod, shouldn't be the most expansive one: buy used one or ask friends if they have one they don't need. It almost impossible to make image absolutely clear without tripod. 
{here are lots of choices}
• Use a white sheet of paper for backdrop, it changes quality of pictures instantly and brings it to the new level too.
  
   See how I made a progress using white paper as a backdrop in this post
• Use indirect sun light, to avoid strong shadows. Natural light is a must and is the best! - unless you are professional photographer :) 
• Use decorative backdrops and other objects that are in the same theme group to attract your customer by showing how the product fits to interior. For example (bucia.livemaster.ru) : 
  
  
  

So today I want to show you how to make such a backdrop very quick and easy using faux barn wood! PIN now and do it tonight :) 

To make it you will need:

1. Cedar planks, pick the "ugliest" one with chips and wholes
2. Dark wood stain
3. White and blue chalk paint (can be any paint you have)
4. Two small skinny planks to attach wood pieces together 1x0,5 inch. 
5. Screws and screw driver or drill. 

Depending on the size of the backdrop you want pick your planks in the local hardware store. Cut them in needed amount of planks.

Then stain both sides and the visible edges of future product with the old sock or something like that. Don't forget rubber gloves to keep your hands clean. When stain is dry apply paint roughly with a brush , don't care about accuracy here. Make sure you leave the stain peeking through, especially on the edges. Look the picture below. This way you won't need to sand it later, which cuts the amount of  time you use.

Now do the same but  with different colour on the other side of the planks.I used duck egg blue and old white. After the paint is dry attach boards together with 1x0,5 in planks. See the picture below. I found screws that were bluish colour already, probably some anti-rust coating, and this was handy :)

You can play with colours and patterns, I liked mine like as it is. Plus you can use both sides. You can do all blue side and all white side as well. 

And here it's done. 

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How do you improve your photos? Are you a handmader with the online store, share your experience, please!