Silhouette ornaments + hoops

This is so easy and basic I hate to even call it a tutorial.  Remember when SNL used to do those skits of Martha Stewart taking forever and dragging out really simple kitchen tasks…this is how i feel today..but hey you asked so here is a summary of what i did with silhouette and hoop ornaments.  By the way, thank y’all so much for the kind words about our home.  Each one made me blush!

OK so i mentioned my inspiration was the Juliet Romano tree from years ago.  My initial idea was to do new silhouettes (using the tutorial over at Jones Design Company in the paint.net program) of each family member including grandparents and aunt.  I was going to take their profile pics on Thanksgiving.  I thought it would be fun for the kids to have these one day and also to try to figure out who is who on the tree.  Emily’s tutorial is very simple and well done but i could not figure it out..i don’t have great computer skillz! So i used my hp printer/copier/scanner and copied the four various silhouettes i have of the boys in various sizes. I did it on cardstock and the quality if fine for me.

For frames I bought $1 unpainted wood frames at Michaels (the oval ones are from there) and Hobby Lobby, removed the glass safety (remember i am dealing with a toddler) and then painted.

For paint I used the same color for all frames (including the little ornament frames i found at Hobby Lobby for the top of the tree).  The color is MARTHA STEWART FLAGSTONE from Home Depot..the same color as my hutch.  Once dry I used a papertowel and watered down dark brown craft paint to slightly add a little depth in color..I am pretty sure i did this at the kitchen counter while making Henry a quesadilla one night.  Just wipe on and off..you could use glaze or shoe polish.  Then i slightly very slightly hit edges with fine sandpaper to take off any extra brown etc…I LOVE how the frames turn out..i would suggest an entire gallery wall in this color frames..its very pretty.  And then i glued on some ribbon for hangers and voila!

For the fabric hoops, I simply bought 3 and 4″ inches hoops at Michaels and Hobby Lobby..i had to hit both stores to get enough..i suggest 12-15…they were 79-99 cents each.  I bought half a yard of two different plaids…

Cut squares about 6″, placed in hoop. and trimmed..I did by some new 99 cent scissors at HL so i could get an easy trim on the edges…and added ornaments hooks.

THAT IS IT!

My kind of project.  The hoops would also be so cute with grain sack fabric or a wild Amy butler fabric for a tree in a girls room….it would also be very cute to embroider a silhouette or monogram on the hoop fabric..but i don’t really have time or skills for that project!

Oh and about the canvas over our mantle, it is custom work by Lindsay Letters and she is on maternity leave and not selling the file but hopefully we can work out something for next year.  But good news, Dee at Red Letter Words has a version as well and it comes in two fonts and a lovely gray..check it out here! She has it in gray and red and in two different fonts!

Thanks again for your interest in this simple project..y’all have a MERRY MERRY weekend!