Getting creative for Christmas

Our daughter was born in August and last week was my first week back to work.  I don't know what I was thinking going back the week before Christmas!!!  It wasn't until the weekend before I went back to work that I even started on my Christmas gifts.

Why? you ask...

I really don't have an answer for you now because now it seems like I had all the time in the world, but I am pretty sure I have been exhausted the past 3 1/2 months that I have been home with a newborn and a 3 year old.  I started taking both kids to daycare to get them back into a routine before going back to work, but that still didn't help with my exhaustion-all I wanted to do was go home and go to sleep after dropping them off.

But I did start them and did finish them....at least for the local relatives, still have at least one (maybe two) more to make.  I saw these hand trees a while back and put them on my Pinterest account, and I LOVE the way they turned out.

I used old canvases that Nolan painted on but have been laying around waiting to be used for something.  I covered the fronts with burlap, wrapping it around and super-gluing it on the back.  Then using scrap fabric I had on hand, I cut out both the children's hands to make the trunk of the tree and bush.  I used Mod Podge to glue the "trunks" on the burlap, then cut out leaves and flower buds out of more scrap fabric I had.  Basically this project didn't cost me anything (except for time...which is a hot commodity with 2 kids) and I had so much fun making them.  I can't wait to make a bigger one to put up in our house!

Here is the before canvas painted by my son:

and here is the finished project.

Hope you enjoy.  Have a great Tuesday everyone!