Wednesday, November 29, 2006

My Un-Christmas Tree

OK, I admit it. My blog seems to be turning into some kind of sentimental baby, kitty and personal photo blog. Sorry about that. Just don't feel like writing too much these days, although hopefully I will again soon.

I completed a little wood-working project over the last week and a half. I am not feeling much like celebrating holidays in the traditional way, but I realized I had a lot of cool (not so Christmas-y) ornaments I'd like to hang up. I just didn't want a Christmas tree though. So I saw something similar to this at a store and decided to make my own (and I have to say, mine is, like, 8,000 times cooler).



Each post has wire/beads wrapped around it. Hopefully you can see on this closeup.

I do all my work in the living room. Nice, huh? I have a good vacuum cleaner.


Also, answers to the inevitable questions about my carpet:
Yes, my carpet is really that horrible green (it's actually even brighter and more green in person).
No, I didn't pick it out; it came with the condo.
Yes, I'd love to get rid of it.
Hardwood flooring.
You should have seen it when I first moved in and it was also in the bathroom and the kitchen. It went so nicely with the dark brown particle-board cabinets in the kitchen (see close-up shot above).
The previous owners installed blinds on every window in the same color green. Snazzy.

9 comments:

  1. That is a slamming non-Christmas tree! Nice. When you first described it to me I had NO idea what to envision. Cool!

    Yeah, I know that green carpet. God loves that green carpet, but God also love mosquitos.

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  2. I LOVE your tree creation....you are so wise...you certainly do NOT NEED any other green thing in that condo! hee hee!

    Hope you can come down during Christmas break!

    love,
    pam

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  3. Cool, two people like it so far! Plus my friend Jed, in NYC, so that makes three (and me!)

    I am really happy at how this turned out, even without having all the proper tools (like a bench top drill press, a vise, a workbench...I have a whole wish-list).

    My Dad taught me everything I know about making stuff with wood, and he would be very proud of some of the stuff I did to make this work with the tools I had. And he would be very proud to see the safety goggles and gloves in all that mess, too. :)

    Thanks for your comments.

    Pam, I'd love to be down there at Christmas, so much...but I haven't worked in over a month now, so that looks very impossible at this point. But I'll be back! We'll meet in person soon I hope.

    Peterson....there are so many things God loves, but I fear even that carpet is not among them.

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  4. I love it!

    For Christmas 1994 I wired together 3 two-foot pieces of white PVC pipe in the shape of a teepee. Then wrapped garland and lights around it.

    Its solace came from being uglier and tackier, on its best day, than Charlie Brown's tree on its worst day.

    Yours is adorable... and I'm so into creative holidays.

    I spent Thanksgiving with Gael Garcia Bernal. It wasn't even a planned date... Peterson lent me one of his movies, then I started finding others among my roomie's DVD collection.

    Ahhhh, Gael...

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  5. Cool tree idea! Sorry about the carpeting :-p If it helps, I've found that some reclaimed lumber centers have nice hardwood flooring for much cheaper than if you purchased it brand new. At the very least, it may need to be sanded and refinished, but it is worth the savings.

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  6. So pretty! Way better than I imagined when you described it to me - and ofcourse you would figure out a way to do it all on your own and have it turn out famously!!!

    Is there decent hardwood flooring under the carpet? I mean, since you're obviously on a do-it-yourself mission.... I hear you have a big dumpster out back...

    :) Beck

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  7. cool tree girl i have some cool santa bells that would look great on it !!!!!!!!!!!!!.
    as for me no tree, decorations Im opting to do double shifts christmas day....what more can i say.....short of a miracle repeat of last years christmas day im hoping it will slip by without to much commotion.
    love the creative flair....
    love the carpet...am yes it really is a yummy colour.
    wanna come for an aussie christmas????????

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  8. Steve, I wish you had a picture of that tree. Sounds like your Thanksgiving was nice and quiet just like mine!

    Nonsequitor, thanks for the compliments and thanks also for the tip about the flooring...that sounds like something I'd like to do anyway, just to reuse resources. Someday...either I'll sell or I'll do this. We'll see.

    Beck, hey sweet sis. I'm glad you like the tree. I'll post pics (or e-mail you) of it with ornaments on and in the stand. So far Max and Sophie haven't tried to climb it, so that's good. Re: the floor, this condo was originally built as apartments in 74, so no luck with what's under the carpet. In fact...ugh, when we pulled up the carpet in the kitchen...I don't even want to think about it. Ha. And being on a do-it-myself mission is only because I'm out of work for so long probably. :)

    J, sorry you are doing double shifts but I know it is good money so hopefully it will be OK for you. Yeah, we had fun last Christmas...wish I could come for an Aussie Christmas, but how fun would it be with you working double shifts? ;)

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  9. trust me my friend if you were to even hint at having been here for christmas my double shifts would disappear....maybe next year hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and believe me I am very serious it's time you discovered was oz is all about (besides it's random people) yep christmas was sweet as last year..........the santa bells are my only decorations so far.

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