I have received some early Christmas gifts, gifts that were cleverly and loving crafted by the giver, so I wanted to share them with you.
Coat Hanger Ornaments
The first two are some Christmas decorations that my dad made.
Both the angel body (above) and the star (below) are made from plastic coat hangers and zip ties. So creative! Since these are made with plastic they are suitable for either indoor or outdoor decorating. I added the lights since I planned on displaying them outdoors.
Incidentally, I hadn’t told my dad that I been looking for an angel ornament to hang outside but had not seen any in the stores I had visited. It is the perfect gift.
Broom Corn Ornament
The other hand crafted gift (pictured below) came from my neighbor.
This lovely decorative broom is even more special because some of the components are things that we grew on our farm.
It was one day this past fall when our neighbors Matt and Karen stopped by the farm for a visit. Karen asked if she could collect some pinecones for some crafts that she was working on. After I showed her the tree where the pinecones were most plentiful, and she collected as many as she wanted, we walked back to the barn where my husband handed her a bunch of broom corn and said, “see what you can do with this.”
What is broom corn you ask? The short answer is that it is the plant that makes up the base for the above broom decoration.
A longer explanation is that broom corn is not really corn at all. It is a variety of sorghum that has historically been grown for use in making brooms. Out of curiosity my husband picked up a couple packets at a yard sale last year and planted them along the garden fence this past spring.
Broom corn grows very tall. Some of ours reached about twelve or thirteen feet, but I have read it can grow as tall as 18 feet (5.4864 meters). Unlike corn the seed does not grow on a cob. They grow on branches at the top of the plant.
When cut and dried these branches become very stiff. It is these branches that are used for making brooms. The video below show the broom making process.
Nowadays broom corn is more commonly used as a decorative plant, put in vases or turned into decorations like the one Karen made.
Speaking of Karen’s creation I also want to point out that the flower in the arrangement, just to the left of the two pine cones, is actually made out of a portion of pinecone which was cut near the bottom then painted. How clever!
I’ll close with a thank you to Dad and Karen for these wonderful gifts and to you for taking the time to read my posts.
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People are so very clever and creative. I admire people who come up with the original ideas and share them with others. My pinterest and YouTube boards are full of crafts I want to try !
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Ah you are one of those creative people. I always admire seeing you creations.
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Such great ideas…..I loved them all! Your dad is very talented. Those would all sell well at craft sales.
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I agree, I think they would sell well and they don’t cost much to make but there were no craft sales this year. Dad likes to do crafts to keep his hands and mind busy. He has been making rosaries for the past few years as well.
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Keep it in mind for the future! He could build his inventory up while staying busy during the pandemic!
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Such creativity–I love the corn broom but your dad’s displays really blew me away! Wonderful!
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He started making snow flake ornaments last year then did starts and angels this year. I think he found tutorials on line.
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Merry Christmas 🎄 & best wishes in “2021”
Love your posts!!
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Thank you Rebecca. Merry Christmas to you!
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How nice and creative … your Christmas decor, from the creative items featured today as well as the special ornaments you featured in your last few posts, all help to make the season special and will for years to come. Merry Christmas to you and your family Ruth.
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Thank you Linda and we wish you a very Merry Christmas as well.
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Thank you Ruth!
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Now I know creativity runs in the family. Does your dad sell those? I think the angel and the star are absolutely gorgeous.
The broom made me smile. Reminded me of my grandma, who used to make these (brooms) a lot back in the day.
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When my friend asked dad how much he would charge for an angel he said just enough to cover the materials. He enjoys making them and it keeps him busy.
I’m glad this brought back found memories for you.
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Very, very creative! Thanks for sharing your dad’s and Karen’s ingenuity.
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