My Africa Christmas Tree

My Africa stick Christmas tree

I have a painting over my fireplace and with the heat coming up the wall did not want to expose it to too much heat. Needless to say, there it was a WIDE OPEN SPACE.

In previous years I had a wreath or up but felt nostalgic and had this yearning for "home" so I decided to bring a bit of my roots home for Christmas and do something a little different.

I saw something similar online and loved the idea so I added my little Africa spin to it. With the help of my husband we searched for sticks and after a fruitless search of way too dry sticks he decided to cut some fresh branches. This made him feel more comfortable as the wood was wet and less prone to catch fire. Not that I was concerned, the fire is not even close to the mantel.

I had some ornaments and also clay letters my sister made that I used to decorate the tree. I made the burlap and feather stockings a few years ago and thought it would add to my theme. the star was just a few sticks I attached first with a glue gun and then secures them with wire. All the sticks were attached to each other using wire.





I glued the letters to rustic looking burlap ribbon.

They are in Afrikaans and spell LIEFDE - LOVE, HOOP - HOPE, GELOOF- FAITH, VREDE-PEACE

Some of the ornaments are made from wire and beads that are sold on some of the street corners for tourists.

I added a Jacaranda pod. This is from one of the most beautiful flowering trees in South-Africa, but nit indigenous to SA. The have light purple flowers that bloom in October, the beginning of spring and the streets are lined with them where I grew up. It brings back beautiful memories.

Weather worm for the door-draft - Recycled jeans!

With the beginning of winter we have a few drafty doors. I decided to make use of he old worn-out jeans I saved for projects and make a weather worm to stop the drafts.




I used the pant legs. I needed at least 40 inches and luckily I am tall so they made it to 42 inches.


                                                           

 


Because of the shape of the pants I was not able to cut them into perfect rectangles as I needed most of the length.

I separated the legs and cut the backside loose from the rest. I removed the belt loops and opened the bottom seams and them I cut the legs into as straight of a rectangle as possible.

 

I sewed the jeans into a tube (right sides together ), turned them inside out and then sewed another line about 1 inch from the seam for the rice. I sewed the one side closes and started to full th little tube with rice using a funnel.

 

I was a little difficult to get the rice all the way down, there may an easier way but I will have to explore ways to find out. For now, this works. After the rice tube was filled, I stuffed the body with scrap fabrics and old re-cycled cut-up t-shirts that has seen better days. ( I believe in no wastage )

 

The rice weighs it down to keep the worm right there in front of the door were he is supposed to be. After stuffing the worm, I sewed the top end closed to keep the stuffing and rice in.

Good use of old jeans to keep the draft out and the warm air inside.