the one thing i miss about NOT having christmas decorations up anymore, is the glowing lights from the tree. and the ones i had on the greenery above my fireplace. i miss them. a lot. in fact, my mantle looks so incredibly boring right now. partially, because i can't remember what i had up there before christmas. so it's pretty bare. lol! but i do have a few things that have been created for christmas decor, that are sticking around all year. 

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my yarn balls. i was at michaels one day, and came across the yarn section. i felt this need to buy some. which is just weird, since i don't knit or anything. it was cheap, so i picked up a few things of it. i've been reading jennifer's blog for the past year or so. or should i say, i've been stalking her blog. lol! just love seeing and reading about her home decor projects. she has me adding touches of turquoise to my decor lately. lol! so she had this post, showing some christmas decorations she had made. and it made me remember some styrofoam balls i had, from a project that never happened. so i came up with the idea to just wrap the yarn around the balls. i'm sure this isn't anything new or genious. but i thought i was pretty cool! the buttons balls seemed fun. but they weren't. i can make 6 large yarn balls while watching a 30 minute show on the DVR. and yet 1 tiny button ball took me just as long. which is why there are only 2 of them. lol! i just tossed these into a large iron bowl i picked up at walmart for like $10 (although i really dispise that store with all of my being). this now sits on my kitchen island. so cute.

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my button tree it all it's glory! now, this tree took me FOREVER to make. lol! these were all the rage about two years ago, right around christmas. i had decided to do mine in more autumn colors, since it would match my house better. browns, reds, greens, yellows, pinks, and oranges. gorgeous! ok, i actually don't have any orange or pink in my house. maybe i should. i have had this displayed for 2 years now, upstairs. i decided to bring it down to the kitchen, where we could enjoy it more. i wish i had the patience to do more of these. since we all know i own about a trillion buttons 😉

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19 responses to “not just for the holidays”

  1. Marissa Avatar
    Marissa

    Thanks for sharing! The balls and tree are really cute- and the iron bowl- love it! I feel the same way about Wal-mart, but it looks like you scored!

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  2. Sandi N. Avatar
    Sandi N.

    Laura
    Wow…what a great idea! I love how you made these. I really love how the tree turned out.
    Jennifer’s blog. Here colors are so inspiring. I need to update a few things around here now:)
    Sandi N.

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  3. JosieK Avatar
    JosieK

    Wonderful idea..thanks for sharing it.. I have a huge button collection..mostly vintage buttons. I have so many glass and mother of pearl buttons, that would make a great tree.
    My mind is racing with ideas!
    Thank you again Laura!
    xo

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  4. krolski (kathy) Avatar
    krolski (kathy)

    Love the button tree! Too cool! Off to check out Jennifer’s blog now.

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  5. qsogirl Avatar

    wow, that button tree is fantastic! i might have to try and make one now… 😉

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  6. alicia.king Avatar

    I love the yarn balls!

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  7. Sierra Avatar

    Someday I’m going to make one of those awesome button trees! I love it!
    My great-Gram made something like the button balls but they were Christmas ornaments. Very vintage! I love them.

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  8. Mary Lynn Avatar
    Mary Lynn

    Great idea. When I was younger we use to put sequins on the styrofoam balls. They would make for some really cute ornaments

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  9. Lynda p Avatar
    Lynda p

    I love live love ur yarn balls! U got too OCD with mine. And now that I see urs, I think o can do it. Omg, I was @ a thrift store wed & saw a metal wire bowl (smaller) & I put it back! Ugh I’m gonna go back & see if it’s still there. Inhave fall colors thru my house too. I’m gonna check out that blog & see what’s new. Thnx for sharing!

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  10. Sara Rossi Avatar

    So pretty! I like the fact that you can keep the balls out all year long! And the button tree is my favorite (considering how many I made it’s not surprising)! Might have to make a “valentine” themed one…..

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  11. Laura T. Avatar

    Love those ideas … I actually have a bowl of balls (that sounds a bit funny) on my dining room table, but I love the yarn balls so much better. That tree is adorable too, but I could see me losing my patience in putting one together.

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  12. Bethany Avatar

    those are both gorgeous creations!!! can you tell me how you did the tree??? i LOVE it!!! & I bought a couple of the styrofoam trees over the xmas season, but never got around to decorating them FOR xmas — & this would be even better 🙂 so, can u tell me if you glued the buttons? or are the pearls on the buttons like little stick pins?
    its just so cute!!! TFS Laura!!!
    take care!
    hope you are having a fab new year so far :)♥

    Like

  13. Diana Avatar

    Holly cow that tree looks like a LOT of work!–cute though! Fun idea with the yarn balls–we have a bunch of yarn right now 11 year old DD was making loom hats like crazy for christmas. 🙂

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  14. Carla Avatar

    love all the yarn balls and the button tree!! Super cute. OK, I was stalking Jennifer’s blog last night too looking for house decorating. LOL!! She does have great style!

    Like

  15. Rhonda Steed Avatar

    the yarn balls look great!!! I love the button tree too! I did some last year and you are right they take FOREVER!!! So I added some other trees into the mix. Glitter, sequins, beads, music, etc. Mine are only Christmas though. Love that yours is up all year!!
    (And i LOVE Jennifer’s blog!! I wish she’d come and decorate my home for me!)

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  16. Suzanne Avatar

    Love the idea of the yarn balls! Thanks for the link. Beautiful ideas! The tree is absolutely beautiful. I can see you spent a lot of time, and it looks fantastic!

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  17. wendy myers Avatar

    I miss the glow from my tree too! I love the yard bowl idea. I need to work on my mantle appearance as well, they look so bare after Christmas the whole house does.

    Like

  18. Janet Avatar
    Janet

    Hi Laura! Back from Washington DC and was hoping for a new blog post- yippee there was 2..I LOVE< LOVE your tree, you wil have to post how to start that project- top, bottom..I am going to do this with my DD. Love the colors too, and you know the yarn balls is a favortie with everyone. If you have some older fibers. MAke a ball with them too- make for some great texture- the eyelash fibers are pretty great too.
    Off to read post #2..yippee!

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  19. Yvonne Winters Avatar
    Yvonne Winters

    wow! these ideas are great! The yarn balls may be simple, but I can’t believe how cool they look in the bowl. The tree is great too… I’d love to tackle one of those, but i guess i’ll just take your word for it! 🙂

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