To get Maria Makes updates delivered to your inbox, subscribe via email here.
I'm sorry it's been so long since my last craft post! One of my goals for this year is to do more crafting, so stay tuned for some upcoming projects!
When my mom texted me a picture of this gorgeous sled, told me her neighbor was going to put it out with the trash (Thanks Janie!), and asked me if i wanted it -- of course my answer was YES!!! I wasn't sure if I wanted to paint it or just decorate it, but I knew for sure that I wanted to do something with it!
I hit Michaels, armed with coups of course, and looked for greens and ribbon to dress it up. Turns out, if you want to make a sled like this yourself, the hardest part is actually finding a sled! The rest is SUPER easy. It seriously took about 15 minutes. And since the sled was free, the whole thing cost me $8!
Easy Vintage Holiday Sled
Materials
old wooden sled
wired ribbon (or a pre-made bow)
artificial greens or a wreath
berries, jingle bells, ice skates or any other decorations you'd like to add
twine or floral wire
Instructions
Find an old wooden sled somewhere! Places to check: flea markets, ebay, craigslist, other websites, neighbor's garbage :)
If your sled is in bad shape, you could sand it and paint it - but I thought this one was perfectly worn. I love the aged wood and the rust, so I didn't do anything to it.
Hit your favorite craft store in search of things to add to your sled! I found 2 artificial pine branches that I liked together -- one with pine cones and one with red berries. Both were kind of shimmery.
Find a pre-made bow that you like, OR buy some wired ribbon. My friend Debbie helped me with the bow. If you want to make your own, check out this easy tutorial.
To attach the greens, bend the ends of the wire into an "L" shape and put them through the top of the sled.
Next, you will want to hide the ends of the greens with your bow. I used twine (looped through the back of the bow) to attach the bow to the sled.
Once you have it securely in place, "fluff" your bow, filling out the shape and rounding the loops. Cut the ends of the ribbon at a 45 degree angle or in a "V" shape.
Voila! Your vintage christmas decoration is complete and ready to display.
