Burlap & Birch Bark Pretties

I have been enjoying creating with natural materials this year, I would like to share two ideas that I came up with that you may enjoy. 

Recycled Burlap Tree

This tree is made from an old potatoe sack or for those who are old enough to remember {a brin bag}.I know you could use landscape burlap or buy burlap ribbon both would work fine.
I first made a cone from cardboard or you could use any type of cone. I then cut strips of burlap and frayed the bottom edge, then using hot glue in a few places, I wound it around the tree.
Thats it.To easy eh?



Faux Birch Bark Candles

I just love birch bark decorations but in the past I have wrapped the bark around a candle and never did light it because  I was to afraid of fire. This year I got this bright idea, my honey cut a log up in different lengths for me  and I carried on from there. All I did was paint the tops off white, then stick  half a tooth pick in a hole that he had drilled for me.
Could anything be easier? He also cut some larger ones that I surrounded with greenery.

       

Victoria Harbour Hen House

Harbour Hen House

Look what we made !

Look what we made ! 

You might ask what is it? 

Well it's a display piece for our local Food Town grocery store, to go up over the egg and milk counters.

The coup is made from recycled barn board and chicken wire, 

the chickens my husband cut out for me on his band-saw and I painted them.

What fun we had ! 

Next we are going to make a cow.....wont that be fun?

There' s Bess, Gert , Hattie and Mert but Maud wouldn't sit down to get her picture took.

Some things I made to make the display look less stranded.

Now doesn't that look better?

Our other display, up over the vegetable section, with cocky Mr. Red Rooster showing off, as usual. 

  This is my dilemma, will Mr. Rooster  find his way ,over to the other side of the store at night, when there is no one around and be up to no good? How would it look, if all of a sudden, the Foodland staff are greeted in the morning with a flock of baby chicks? Could we be held responsible for any mess they might make? It doesn't bare thinking about, does it ?

It sure makes life interesting, to say the least.

Our latest display over the meat department.

Check out the other Chickens and Roosters at the Inspirational Avenue weekly challenge.

Hi Ladies!!!
It's Cindy from Cottage Remnant....I have hijacked my moms blog so I can post her their
wonderful chicken coop.

Our Trip To Manitoulin Island

Swinging bridge at Little Current

We finally found a piece of time, to visit our favourite place to get away to. Manitoulin Island. A little wedge of land, between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, that , thanks to it's inhabitants, new and old, manages to preserve the good life.

This bridge is very old and swings on it's center support, on the hour, to allow boats to pass through in and out of the North Channel. The only other way on the island, is a one hour, forty-five minute ferry ride from Tobermory.

I could fill pages of reasons why we love this place so much but this time up we decided to take some pictures of some of the old abandoned places that appeal to us. When we started visiting
forty years ago these places were very beautiful in their rustic way. We regret not taking their pictures when we first saw them but we still wanted to capture their charm.

Welcome to Manitoulin

Little House on Hwy. 6

This dear little old house, along Hwy 6, use to have very unusual diamond shaped shingles and lovely cedar shakes. Time has taken it's tole and stolen most of it's charm but we still love it. Notice the antique well driller in front of the barn? I've always wondered if, maybe the inability to find water caused the family to give up and move away. I guess we'll never know.

Anglican Church and Lighthouse at Manitowaning

This beautiful church and  lighthouse are in the lovely town of Manitowaning, and because it's located on a back street one can visit the town and not even see it. If you're ever there be sure to look it up, it's well worth the effort.
The restaurant in the next picture is a great place for a burger and fries and has a friendly staff to make you glad you came.

The Musky Widow

Coming down  highway #6 the next place we come to is the lovely township of Tehkummah. It is blessed with rolling hills, beautiful farmland, framed with cedar trees and cedar rail fences, and meandering through it, is the gentle Blue Jay Creek.

The Blue Jay Creek

The day we took this picture, the rainbow trout were fighting their way up the little rapids and we enjoyed watching them as we sat in the van, eating our picnic lunch.

A Dear Little Empty House

Oh how I would love to open this gate and wander around this dear little place.

One Of The Many Empty Old Houses

A Pair of Sandhill  Cranes

This pair of Sandhill cranes didn't appreciate our watching them. They are ancient birds that call Manitoulin their home. When they fly south, you can seldom see them but if you have very sensitive ears, like my Cliff has, then sometimes, you might hear them.Their call is an eerie sound that can cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand at attention.

Frosty Frollics...our winter carnival

Cliff and our creation

Finished

Getting our display ready for the sale

Cliff and I had decided to take some of our creations to our local Frosty Frollics Winter Carnival. After hearing that they didn't have a sign to use, I volunteered to paint one on an old sign that we owned. I had no idea just how long it would take the two of us to trace and paint it but the outcome was well worth our trouble. We made it very generic so it could be used for other craft sales around the township.We had intended to make a few new things for our sale but the sign took up all our time. Ah well!  

My Barbed Wire Wreath

  My Barbwire Wreath

This Barbwire Wreath I've made, is created from recycled wire, from my friend Dougie's farm, at Langmans Corners, near Wasaga Beach, Ontario. The star is from my husbands workshop, made from 100 year old Canadian white pine from the old Swan homestead and the raffia is from the buck store (China).....couldn't find Canadian raffia LOL.

I've pictured this wreath in my minds eye for a long time .I've wanted to create it ever since I saw a old roll of wire hanging on a fence post, on an abandoned farm on Manitoulin Island.

If you should decide to make this wreath please be very careful, the old wire is very breakable
and can spring out and hurt you as you work with it. Safety glasses would be a good idea and ask for danger pay.