Christmas Sled

 I don't know if you are like me, I love thinking about Christmas in the summer, but once it is really time to start getting ready for it I start to feel pressured.  I have a lot of little projects either in the works, or in my head to do for my space at Paris Flea Market.  So I figured I better get moving if I am going to get them in to sell.
This sled is the first one done.  I found it at a yard sale in September, along with a chair that I revamped and sold with my Wild Child Tamed desk.  I spent $12 for the two.  I immediately knew what I would do with it, so then it was just a matter of finding a couple more things at garage sales and putting it all together.
    First I painted the sled with my leftover, leftover paint that was originally for our outdoor furniture this summer, then watered down for a wash on my planter chair.  Amazing how far paint can go!  I had found a wreath at a garage sale for $.50 that I figured would work, and a bow at another.  We have pine cones galore at our house, so I picked up three bags of them (yes my husband thinks I'm nuts) and experimented with de-gooing  them.  First I tried soaking them in vinegar water for awhile, it worked but they smelled horrid.  Then I baked them on a foil lined sheet in a low oven for a half hour or so, this worked but was a little dangerous since the sap is so volatile.  Then my husband came up with a great idea to do them on the barbeque.  He just put one burner on low and put the cones on the other side with the burners off.  So I took a couple of the big pine cones and attached them to the wreath (it already had the small cones on it - Bonus!), added the bow and tied it up to the sled with a twist tie.  I needed rope for the sled but all I had was some twine, so hubby took 3 strands, clamped them in the vise, hooked the other end to a drill and made some rope.  He is so smart.  Here is my sled, hanging on our trapper shed.  I wish it could stay there, but it is already at the store for sale.  I hope someone will enjoy it.

Partying with:
beyond the picket fence