Anthropologie Winter Display Event: Cardboard Ornaments

I have been so excited to share this post with you. I found out on October 30 that it was again time for the Anthropologie Winter Display event. The timing for these events sneaked up on me this year. Last year I was registered and so excited to go and then the morning of the event, I got busy and forgot to go. I was crushed. So sad.

When I realized it was on again this year I quickly found out that I was behind the eight ball because most of the dates had already past. I was lucky enough to find two classes in my area still available (imagine that within an hour of my house there are at least 10 stores). So I picked one, called first thing the next morning and was thrilled to get a seat at the table.

We made decorations for the store holiday tree using single faced corrugated cardboard sheets. Cut into long pennant shaped strips, you can make all kinds of different designs. A paper clip is all that is needed to create the hooks on the ends. We used a glue gun to attach the paper clip to the edge of the widest end of the cut cardboard. Then using the glue gun you do a few inches at a time and roll it up towards the skinny end. You can also make doubles by attaching paper clips to both ends and then hooking another ornament's paper clip onto one end. A small cardboard cover on the paper clips made them even more festive. It was amazing how no two ornaments ever really looked alike.

With more than a dozen people participating it was amazing to see all the variations on a theme and the different ways you could glue, attach together and paint these simple strips into charming ornaments for the tree.

 We had a selection of metallic paints in golds and bronzes which beautifully complimented the kraft brown paper. There were equally as many shiny, sparkling personalities at the table too. Along with all the tools we needed there was fun conversation, encouragement and laughter.

Here are the ornaments that I made. I painted all of them even though in these photos it doesn't look like it. The darker ones are actually painted bronze with gold highlights. The all gold seem to stand out a little more, at least in the photos.

I am hoping that some time during the next couple of months I can pop back down to Torrance and see the decorated tree and maybe even find one of two of my ornaments. The store was so kind to send us away with a little goody bag with supplies so we can make a few of these at home. I am looking forward to making them with The Bug. I think she'll like this project.

So that was my fun adventure at the Anthropologie Winter Display event. I've already made a note in my phone calendar to start watching for dates come the beginning of October.

all images by kalanicut