Baubles & Blessings
Ass Kicking, Beauty | Posted by Jannie on 31 January 2011 @ 10:39 PM 43 Comments
A tray of mirror-ball baubles graces our dining room table.
More baubles and such good gawd adorns the corner table.
Got some golden spirals too.
(All loot for 25 cents on the dollar at Michael’s. Love those after-Christmas sales!)
And what’s all that glitz for?
Why, for the 30 centerpieces for the concert / gala school fundraiser.
This weekend I decorated 12 of the 30 pots.
Jim calls the centerpiece bases “lovely.”
Kelly calls them “weird.”
I call them “Freaking Done!!”
And I think they’re kinda cute, (if I do humbly say so.)
The 8″ flower pots I scored from garden center recycling bins, whooo-hooo.
Then stapled brown satin and stuff on them.
The general artistic plan is to stand a tree branch and several golden spirals in each pot, held in place with stones.
(Branches and stones FREE from nature!)
Then hang varied whimsy in the glittered-up be-sequinned branches.
And see what happens.
With tealights in votive holders on the tables, I think the whole effect will be quite adequate.
Tomorrow I’m heading out to the wild with my branch loppers! Wish me luck.
Friends are coming over Saturday for bauble hanging. TG for the posse!
A tray of mirror-ball baubles graces our dining room table.
18 more bases await my loving creation.
And all is well.
Posted with love by a blogger who is about to hit the hay.
xoxoxoxo
P.S. If YOU have any suggestions for this first-time centerpiece creator, now’s your time to let loose!
THANKS!!
On 1 February 2011 at 1:05 am
cindy said,
Jannie and some craftiness? I like
On 1 February 2011 at 2:31 am
SnaggleTooth said,
I do love Micheals store, n tend to Xmas shop there the most. Looks like you’ve got a big, labor-intensive project ahead of you there. Good thing you enlisted some help!
Don’t know what to tell you about how to decorate things there- but I’m sure you’ll do wonderfully.
What is the occassion you’re decorating for again? When’s the deadline?
Well, have alot of fun, n stay away from Poison Ivy!
On 1 February 2011 at 3:52 am
Lynn said,
You made me laugh out loud, Jannie – calling them “Freaking Done!” and I agree with Jim, they are lovely. Good job, Jannie Muffin!
On 1 February 2011 at 3:59 am
Jannie said,
Hey, Cindy! Who knew, eh? I’d had my fill with the silent auction volunteerism the past few years , so volunteered for something a little more artsy this time. Glad I did!
Hey, Snag! The evening school fundraising live/silent auction musical gala is not until the 12th, so I figured having the little bauble hanging party here on the 5th would motivate me to at least have the pots decorated and the branches procured by then! 4 more days, piece of cake! Raining today, tho, drat. The rain woke me up. So today may just be the inside pot decorating day! Supposed to be dry the rest of the week, tho! And very cold. I’ll be sure to wash my clothes as soon as I get home from branch lopping, in case I’ve stepped in any ivy! Good tip.
xxoo
xxoo
On 1 February 2011 at 4:07 am
Jannie said,
Hi Lynnie. Was typing my other comment when yours came in. You’re getting an early start on the day, as usual! I must zip over to your blog before going back to bed– see if I can beat everyone to first commenter! Yes, freaking done is good!! I can actually decorate a pot every 20 minutes, so I’m looking at just 6 hours for the remaining 18. Piece of cake!
Xxoo
On 1 February 2011 at 5:41 am
G said,
Creativity. In. Action!
On 1 February 2011 at 6:51 am
Betsy Wuebker said,
I am sure they’ll be gorgeous. What’s not to like about a little bling? Nice rich colors, too. Bling, rich, it’s all good!
On 1 February 2011 at 6:58 am
Chris said,
So creative! I love how you’ve re-purposed the pots. The centerpieces are going to be stunning. Now I know why you noticed the Christmas centerpiece.
Baubles, and Jannie’s creative mind, loving spirit, and work-ethic, WILL and DO bless many. xo
On 1 February 2011 at 7:12 am
Tess The Bold Life said,
Jannie,
How fun and creative. Used to do a lot of that stuff when the kids were small or should I say when I was younger! Findin’ a shoe box today!
On 1 February 2011 at 7:51 am
secret agent woman said,
I like them, but “done” is, I’m sure, the best part for you!
On 1 February 2011 at 10:23 am
Aimee said,
Very pretty! I love the idea with the branches, especially the “free” part
On 1 February 2011 at 10:49 am
Jannie said,
Hey, G! That’s it. Kinda designing and creating as I go. We’ll see how they turn out. Hopefully wonderfully whimsical and wildly wistful.
Hey, Betsy! Well, the main coordinator got the shiny baubles and I ran with he general color scheme. And for sure I’ll show you all the finished product!
Hey, Chris! Yes, I am all about centerpieces these days. And never have I noticed tree branches as I have lately! And gee, wouldn’t you know I’ll be lopping them on about the coldest days of the year yet, brr. TG for my Canadian blood!
Hey, Tess, whooooo, yes, I am glad for the creative end of the spectrum this year. And goody, yay, whooo-hooooo. Shoes for Jannie to run and run and run. SO excited. THANKS again in advance.
Hey, Secret Agent Woman! And done-done done will sure put a smile on my face. have the other 18 pots washed, dried and ready to start on after I post this comment!
Hey, Aimee!! One cool centerpiece I Googled is this one… http://www.cupidsarrowweddings.net/image_uploads/DSC01333.JPG Imagination’s the only limit! Well, I think I’ll mosey on to the dining room and get to them!
xoxoxoxo
xooxoxox
On 1 February 2011 at 11:31 am
Jennifer Susannah Devore said,
Les choses dorees! J’adore le choses dorees! J’adore aussi faire les p’tites chose belles pour la maison … pas chere et de la nature, aussi? C’est la meilleure. Continuez faisant le monde plus beau! (Dans un autre sujet, est-ce que trop tot pour un Guinness ce matin? Mmmmm.)
On 1 February 2011 at 11:58 am
Alice Audrey said,
I want to see pictures when you get them all set up. I’ll bet it looks fantastic.
On 1 February 2011 at 12:46 pm
Chris Edgar said,
I wish I could tell you I’m a veteran centerpiece artiste and that my advice on this subject has credibility, but I cannot. I will say that all of the items in the bottom picture look good enough to eat, however, and I am guessing that is a good sign when it comes to centerpiece design — unless I suppose you are worried about people popping those mini-mirror balls like bon-bons.
On 1 February 2011 at 1:16 pm
Jannie said,
Dear, Chere Jennifer… Jennifer wrote in French… Golden things! I love golden things, which sounds so lovely in French d’oree (golden) and adore… She also loves making little nature things for the house, adding “it’s The best! And it sure freaking is, Jennifer! Nature is such a lovely invention. Now, as to is it too early for a Guiness in the morning? Well, it’s cocktail hour in Ireland!
Hey, Alice Audrey. I hope so! So far, so good. But I need to upgrade to a better stapler, I think! Mine gave up the ghost. Back to Walmart in a while!
Chriiiiis, ya made me laugh! What a surprise.
As long as they don’t pop those baubles as some people pop bubble wrap, they can pop them all they want to! 
I just ate a lovely cesar salad.
And have spaghetti sauce on simmering in browned ground beef. 2 jars of Ragu I made at home myself.
Jannie Ragu Funster — that’s me!! 
Jimmy likes the tri-color swirl pasta, so that’s what we’s all gettin’!
xoxoxo
On 1 February 2011 at 1:36 pm
sheila said,
Pritty Pritty!!!!!!!! How’s about a big glass vase, put some bobbles in there in the bottom couple inches and they can hold up some sticks from outside. Pussy Willows maybe in the spring!
On 1 February 2011 at 1:58 pm
Aimee said,
Wow..that one is gorgeous. Thank goodness for Google hey?
On 1 February 2011 at 7:31 pm
Mama Zen said,
Wow, Jannie! I think they look great!
On 1 February 2011 at 8:00 pm
K and B said,
I LOVE how they turned out. I wish I was that creative! I need to pratice…
Did you get snow in your part of Texas?
On 1 February 2011 at 8:02 pm
Denise@TogetherWeSave said,
Very cute… you are so creative!!
On 1 February 2011 at 9:17 pm
Jannie said,
Sheila, no pussy willows here, boo hoo. I miss those little cuties. LOVE your vase idea. Maybe our Redbuds would be sweet, I bet.
Aimee, you know my name is Jannie Google Funster! But really, yes, it’s just amazing what the Net reveals. And the how-to vide are often blessings.
Ahhhh, thanks Mama Z. Ain’t no thang, really. Just throwing a few things together.
Ahhhh K & B, you could do it too! Just go for it. Art is a process to enjoy getting lost in. The result is just a bonus.
Ahhhh thanks, Denise. But you know what?? I bet you are creative too!! We all are. Make a little time for it and it’s fun, fun,fun.
xxooxxoooxxo
On 1 February 2011 at 9:34 pm
Talon said,
I love your idea – it will be beautiful and shimmery and awesome — like it’s creator.
xx
On 1 February 2011 at 10:32 pm
Patricia said,
Oh they picked the best person for the job on this centerpiece thingy- all the parts are pretty and sightly and dandy and and and then you put them together so nicely…yep I think they will be just lovely and swell… Hope they bring in a pretty penny or two also…
Oh it brings back the memories – I will tell you the biggest mistake was when I got the treasurer job on the cookie sales – yikes did I make a mess of that and it took me hours to achieve that mess and fill in the charts wrong…count the money wrong and then have to pay the mistake out of my own pocket…looks like you got a great deal too…that is way Funster!
On 2 February 2011 at 1:06 am
Liara Covert said,
Love the creative exercise you share. It does not matter the focus of your appreciation. As you reach a place where you offer love and appreciation to everyone and everything equally, then you discover you have the ability to focus into love. You reflect it back to everyone and see blessings wherever you are.
On 2 February 2011 at 12:32 pm
Glenn Buttkus said,
Your creativity knows no boundaries,
and even though the Pea pronounced
the pieces as “weird”, it is Big Jim
who assesses them with appreciative
eyes. Hopefully there is some fun
mixed in with the hard work, and
I am sure you will get lots of oooo’s
and aaahhhs when the pieces are
set up on the 18 tables. And of course
you understand that as the Pea
grows, her judgements and boredom
will have an angst-ridden edge to
them. Good luck with that.
On 2 February 2011 at 1:47 pm
Laura Hegfield said,
shiny sparkly what could be bad?
On 2 February 2011 at 2:32 pm
Paige von Liber said,
You go Artsy Fartsy Girl…so how did they turn out…Show Me the Trees
BB keep an eye out for Mr. Postman cause I think I got the address right this time
On 2 February 2011 at 2:37 pm
Chris Edgar said,
Ha! (re: Jannie Ragu Funster)
On 2 February 2011 at 5:24 pm
Jannie said,
Dearest TALON: Ahhh, how sweet, you lovely creator yourself!! Well, I kinda dove in head first, more like wiggled my toes first into cold water, by offering my contribution as the centerpieces.
But as they come along I feel better and better that they are shaping up nicely. The white stones for the prototype should be about dry now. Gonna bring a naked branch in a finished pot, and a finished branch in a finished pot to school for the Friday assembly to get people excited about the decorating party the following day! I think this just might come together yet!! 
Dearest Patricia. Glad I won’t be doing the treasurer job for this event (or any event!) I’d for sure mess it up. I say, let that kind of thing to the number lovers!
Well, I volunteered, but it’s working out. Was ready to move on from the silent auction duties I’d been helping with for the previous 3 years. The chair lady brought me the brown and gold baubles, sent me a couple photos of tree branch creations for inspiration and off I went. Was lucky to stumble upon all that cool-looking golden stuff and the gorgeous ribbon for not a lot of dollars, the design is just taking place as I go. It will be fun to see the total $$ I put into vis a vis the return. Thought of you as I foraged the recycle bins — how proud of me you’d be! 
We’re hoping for lots and lots of wine-soaked dollars by the end of the night — live and silent auctions too. Just need to get lots of derrieres into lots of seats the night of the 12th! And I’m sure we will.
Wow, Dearest Liara — you are The Queen Of Love Thoughts! Thank you so much for your words, lovely always. Yes, a real exercise for me. And physically too, as I gathered many cute little laughing branches! It’s a lot of fun creating and sharing. And the money is to go to the school’s guitar program. each child starting in Grade 3 gets classical guitar lessons. The concert was to be this Thursday but no power at school today due to the cold, and most likely no school again tomorrow. The concert nice to look forward to in the future.
Dearest Glenn, that last bit made me laugh. Yes, the angst-ridden boredom is beginning.
I think I’ll send her away until she’s 21. Just kidding! Just kidding!! 
Well, yes, a bit of fun mixed in, indeed. And an f-word today when the fabric wouldn’t staple. But all better now!!! 
I’m hoping we can keep one as a souvenir!
Dearest Laura Hegfield. And why do I not picture your warm smile in the candles’ glow amidst much sparkling golden evening laughter? You at the gala amidst the radiance would give the shiny a run for its money!!
Dearest Artsy Fartsy Your Own Self Paige, well, the ptototype shall soon be upon us. Tomorrow I think. Tonight is for dancing.
And Ooooo, you didn’t !!? Did you? I shall go out now in this bitter cold to look for a letter, and if it’s not there, stay by the box until delivery — a la Lance of the Jungle. 
Thank you! I’ve almost got my Christmas cards out now. For 2009!
Dearest Chris, yep, and that was some yummy Ragu last night! Think I’ll be having left-overs tonight. Except I have to cook more noodles — such is life. Just glad I have noodles to cook.
xoxoox
xoxoxo
On 2 February 2011 at 6:38 pm
Belinda said,
This looks like a lot of fun! What makes it even better is you seem to be doing this with a lot of love — your enthusiasm is infectious. Makes me wanna dive into a pit of sparkly, shiny baubles! xox
On 3 February 2011 at 11:42 am
Hilary said,
Hi Jannie .. once I’ve done my Christmas decorations that’s it .. then I don’t have kids, school etc .. on the other hand I spend each week doing flowers for my Mama .. never done so many in my life – 4 years of it coming up?!
Enjoy the bauble, gold twirl, decoration party with some vino no doubt – hope BB’s on hand to do a few odd jobs for you .. love the pictures, the creativity .. and see you soon .. cheers from here .. Hilary oxoxoxo
On 3 February 2011 at 1:11 pm
Jannie said,
Thanks, dear Belinda. The school was really founded on love by loving awesome people. So, have I infectred you to hop up and bedazzle a tree branch??
Hi Hilary!! So funny, I just put up an updated BB header “cafe croissant” and clicked on to see there were now 32 comments, saying to myself “That’s gotta be Hilary!” So glad it was and there’s your shining smile! Your mama must love the flowers. What are her favorites? Yes, almost a full 4 years at this school. Then most likely off on the bus next year! Yes, I’m thinking champagne will be a mite fine drink option for the moms this coming Saturday. And water. And hot cider, I think! Cheezy poofs for the kiddoes and maybe spinach empanadas for all. Not that the parents will be prohibited from the cheezie poof bowl, I mean. Bb’s favorite part is sprinkling the sparkles onto the little runnels of glue! Now…. about those books to arrange neatly on those shelves…
xoxoxoxo to both.
And all!!
ooxx from BB.
On 3 February 2011 at 2:57 pm
Hilary said,
Hiya .. got that eye looking out for me have thee?! BB and Hardwick must be tube writing I think.
Anything that has a scent – that’s why I’m not so keen on bought flowers .. and now my uncle has gone I don’t have access to a garden .. but perhaps the flat will throw out some goodies – though it doesn’t look too well tended (the garden here). So roses, sweetpeas, narcissi, daffodils, daphne … jasmine .. et al .. but the garden ones preferably
I might just hop in the tube and pop over for Saturday night ..now that’d be fun – and champers too .. a definite thought .. could do with thought transporter?! Too early in the 2000s – for now.
The trouble with sparkles with they get everywhere .. but I’m sure BB and Kelly enjoy them and Mum enjoys doing her arts and crafts with them ..
Enjoy the organising .. sounds a good party to be at .. see you soon agin xoxoxoxo Hilree and from Hardwick .. oooo
On 3 February 2011 at 3:54 pm
Jannie said,
Dearest Hilary, I can understand the fragrant flowers being so alluring. I can smell their delicate loveliness now, just thinking about it. Hyacinth are nice too. Your garden will get there, and much fun to plant and see grow. A container garden on the terrace? Those can be very very uplifting and splendid. Yep, hop the tube, please! But it’s an afternoon party, 2:00 to 4:30. Oh my goodness — yes, our floors are fairly sparkled now, but that’s part of the fun of it. And it’ll clean up and out, eventually!
Yes, got my books halfway organized, I’d say! Looking forward to getting back and finish it. Kelly and I at the library now. And I am going to give myself permission to use this lovely party-readying break to try and visit some of you buddies and comment!
xoxos and lots of hugs!
xo
On 3 February 2011 at 9:43 pm
KB said,
So many pretty things…jealous!
On 4 February 2011 at 2:06 am
Moondustwriter said,
your creations will be beautiful reminds of a renaissance look – classy (like the crafter)
one idea – the green floral foam that comes in cubes will help keep the branch stable – not sure if the rocks / stones can do it on their own. The craft foam crammed in the base ( literally) will allow you to stick whatever you want in the basket
you can reach me if you need to sweetie
love and hugs
On 4 February 2011 at 9:43 am
Jasmine said,
Oh my these centerpieces are lovely! I like how you call them “done”! I helped with the centerpieces of my brothers wedding a few years back and the trend was fish. Stupid fish. We killed so many before we figured out how finicky they were, and I know that is horrible. They wanted beta fish but ended up with calico gold fish instead!
On 4 February 2011 at 10:11 am
Dr. J said,
Beautiful!! Nothing like making our surroundings an art filled world!
PS That Pignose traveling guitar looks awesome!
On 4 February 2011 at 1:49 pm
Jannie said,
Hi KB! Well, I wish I could send you a finished centerpiece but I think it might get damaged on the way to New Zealand!! Finished prototype now up… HERE
Hi Moonie-Moondancer and writer. Yes, tried foam but it dont’ hold and the floral stuff is so costly. Luckily we have plenty of nice little shite stones our front in our landscaping which are working out. You are THE BEST — thanks!!
Hi Jasmine, and welcome! Now one is truly done…. HERE You are so funny – killing fish.
Any photos of the centerpieces??
Hi Dr. J! Our lives in art, eh? LIVE for it!! Yes, I LOVE my pignose. So fun because it has the build-in speaker powered by a 9-V battery. And it’s easier to fret than my acoustic.
xoxoxoxoxo
xoxooxoxox
On 4 February 2011 at 1:58 pm
Prototypically Speaking, in 55 Words | Jannie Funster said,
[...] don’t worry, don’t worry – the decorating / centerpiece transporting posse is coming over [...]
On 4 February 2011 at 9:42 pm
Alice Audrey said,
Don’t they make craft staplers? Or is that just one of my silly fantasies?
On 8 February 2011 at 12:04 am
February 8th Is Very Special Because… | Jannie Funster said,
[...] Oh well, we may buy 1 or 2 of the 30. Plus, I can always make more. I still have plenty of the fixin’s. [...]