Monday, December 10, 2012

A Rustic Christmas Star


Are you the kind of parent who leaves your preschooler at kids' birthday parties?  I never used to with my first, but now I see it as an opportunity to steal away for 2 hours and get a few things achieved, without all the hoo ha that goes along with dragging a little one around.  My little girl is very confident and with the benefit of an older brother, who has introduced her to the ways of the kiddo world much earlier than he ever was, I feel very confident too, that she is more than able to fend for herself.  However I do draw the line at beach parties.  There is no way I would leave my 4 year old at a party here.  Even with the best intentions, there are too many risks, not to watch her like a hawk.


So what so you do after the polite chit chat amongst the other mums has been exhausted and your little one is following a fairy around on a treasure hunt with a face full of corn chips?  I shall tell you.  You walk around under the gum trees looking for sticks equal in length and diameter that's what.  I'm sure there would have been other more interesting things to do BB....... that's before blogging, but it seems now, any spare moment is spent thinking about the next post.  The funny thing is, as I was stuffing the sticks into the Beach House Brat's beach bag, a new on the scene mum asked me what they were for.  I showed her a rough outline of the star I was going to make with them and said it was for my blog.  

"Your blog?" she said.  "I'm a social media advisor to corporates."  So I found myself chatting to her for the next half an hour about some of the more interesting social media campaigns which had gone wrong for some corporates and how some of them just don't get it.  The potential there is amazing and very interesting and another post in itself.



So when I got the sticks and an over tired but very happy Beach House Brat home,  I fiddled around with them and here's the result.  A very low cost, environmentally friendly rustic Christmas star.  The how to is below, but before I launch into that, I think these would look great tied with Nordic style red ribbon or bakers twine.  I think you could also make smaller ones with tooth picks and bakers' twine.  You could also stick shells or rosemary to it.  You could make a huge one from driftwood for your front door, depending on your decorating theme. 


So you will need 5 sticks, roughly the same size and diameter.  Mine were 25cm.   You will also need some twine. 


Make the first 2 into the shape of the letter "A"


For the cross bar of the "A", you will need to weave it over and under.  At first, I made the mistake of just laying it across like this and the finished product was just not as sturdy.

Don't do it like this.  Weave the cross bar over and under for strength.


It will still work if you don't weave it over and under as you can see here, but it is not as strong.


For the remaining 2 sticks of the star, place them like so, making sure the ends overlap and cross.


Tie them off with your twine of choice (about 15cm) and trim up once you've tied it.


This one may replace the star on my Christmas ladder


Or it may be hung from my chandelier or be placed on the mantel.  I'm not sure as yet.


Right now it is on the ladder and looks right at home with all the other twinkly bits.

Your in Christmas Chaos.  And if you want some help with that, don't forget to check out my Christmas Page here.
Today I am linked up here

18 comments :

  1. We (ie the kids) started to make some of these, but chose to hot glue them together first to make it easier to tie the string and they are still sitting on the back table stringless and ugly- will need to get back to them this week!

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    1. oops forgot to say I would love to do a giant one to put on an outside wall!

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    2. I'm going to do one in driftwood one day.
      Carolyn

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  2. glad you had a good weekend but where has summer gone!
    Love your twig star.
    Fiona x

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  3. I'm off to find some twigs......thanks for the inspiration Carolyn ;O)
    T xx

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  4. looks beautiful.Its funny how something so simple looks so good -love deex

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  5. 'Lovely rustic stars! I'm actually using gourds on my tree this year and love it! These stars would look nice with them. -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

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  6. I LOVE this one hun. So simple, yet so chic - um so you! xx

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  7. So simple but so lovely. I just adore this idea! New follower because of this post and I look forward to seeing your other great ideas. Sharon

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  8. Your stars are so pretty. I had no idea they would be so easy to make.

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  9. It's a lovely and easy idea, and a great way of adding some coastal Christmas to a home. Great inspiration as always Carolyn.

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  10. Love your stars. Can do so much with them. Great idea and inexpensive. I made several of these a few years ago and decorated them somehow, don't remember exactly what I did, something with garlands I think. My daughter kept hers to decorate with for long time. Glad to see somebody else making them so far away. Have you finished all your decorating?
    I'm still making things to give people for gifts. We don't get our Social Security til the day after Christmas so money is an even bigger issue this year than ever. Sorry for being so blunt, life is what it is. Hope your holidays are wonderful. Happy Week

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  11. These are super cute! I might have to make a few since I still have some time. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  12. Very cute! We made some last year with paddle pop sticks ;) love the twigs and story of how it become :) Jo x

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  13. Simple and good idea for XMS decor.

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  14. Oh I love it, such a clever and yet simple idea. I have tons of branches in my back yard from my Chinese elm trees that constantly shed, and never did get around to fall clean-up this year. Too cold to do it now in SE Wisconsin, although today it will get up to 47F, unusual for us this time of year. I am already framing out my tree ideas for 2013 and these stick stars, perhaps painted or glittered up (I love me some glitz and glam), will find a place on that Christmas tree. Thanks for the inspiration and happy holidays!

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