DIY Mid Century Christmas Putz Houses

It's that time of year again, and this year we've got some pretty sweet DIY projects headed your way. We're super excited to share this one with you– inspired by our trip to LA and Palm Springs this summer, we took the classic Christmas 'putz houses' and gave 'em a modern, mid century twist!

Now before you freak out and say, 'Gosh... you're insane for cutting and building these mini houses... get a life already!' We'll partially agree in saying there could have been a better way of spending our time than spending a day making these houses, but on the other hand– these are freaking adorable and we reject your judgement, hah!

The best part about these is that there are templates online that you can print out to make whatever style house you want. Heck, go ahead and build an entire modern little village if you're feeling up for it! (*Side note, this woman is amazing and took the time to upload a bunch of different styles, so check 'em out!)

Um, look at this adorable little A-frame. We'll be moving in in 3-2-1...

These are simple to build once you have the template. We traced and cut ours out of the backs of old cereal boxes– cardboard sturdy enough to stand up without flopping over, but not so thick that you can't cut or fold without freaking out and throwing it across the room.

Mini bottle brush trees make anything look adorable and festive AF, so we definitely planted them with every putz house. For a more modern look, get some neon-colored trees, or just stick with the classic evergreen, cause it's Christmas.

For a little extra touch, we covered the backside of the 'windows' with some tracing paper, and placed a battery operated tea light inside each house for that cozy Christmas glow.

Adorable, right?!

Of course we made a mini paper car. Gotta get places, am I right?

We can't all be lucky enough to live in Palm Springs, but at least we can pretend with these lil' putz houses. Here's to the start of another holiday season! 

Make sure you share your DIY's with us if you try them using #rayandablog– can't wait to see what you all come up with!

DIY CERAMIC DOODLE ORNAMENTS

I don't know about you, but we've been making homemade ornaments since we were in grade school, and let's face it– they weren't all Instagram worthy to put it lightly. Now that we're older and can hold a marker the correct way, it's time to revisit the handmade ornament. 

All you'll need for this one is some paint pens and baker's twine. Doodle a festive word, some classic snowflakes, or maybe even a sassy holiday phrase. The possibilities are endless, and these ornaments are super cheap so you don't have to limit your imagination!

And it wouldn't be a DIY without Butternut, who turns out to be quite the natural model. Not currently taking any gigs, but one day he'll make it big. Until then, happy holidays, and happy crafting!

We'd love to see your creations– share them on Instagram and tag us @rayandablog

#doodlealltheway

DIY Mini Pumpkins (and a giveaway!)

It's just something about this time of year that makes us want to buy all the pumpkins. During October it's easy to spend more money on said pumpkins than on food. It's not sad– it's for the blog folks...

Our mission– take all the cool pinned ideas we've seen and put our own twist on them! And let's face it... no one really wants to dump out pumpkin guts, so these are all no cutting-no gluing-sewing-no crying-required.

A little bit of spray paint goes a long way. That's the easiest way to transform your pumpkin from mehhh to glam. Stick on some letter stickers, and you've reached a whole new level my friend. 

Sharpies are among the best inventions ever known to mankind. With a little imagination and a steady hand, (hold on the coffee before you do these, we learned the hard way) you'll have a killer customized pumpkin in no time at all!

We're also hosting a little giveaway– 3 lucky winners will each receive one of these customized pumpkins from yours truly, but you have to...

1. Follow us on Instagram (@rayandablog)

2. Comment on our post (this is where we'll pull your name!) 

3. Like us on Facebook! And we love your comments, so send them our way!

Got it? We can't wait to see your pumpkin makeovers, and select our winners! You have until next Wednesday, October 26 to enter!

#paintyopumpkin

CHRISTMAS JAMS

So, tomorrow is Christmas, and it's supposed to be way way warmer than we’re used to in southeast PA. Since we haven't had any snow this season, we have relied on Christmas albums to get us in the holiday spirit. Here’s a list of our favorite Christmas albums that really get us in the festive mood!

  
Let it Snow Baby, Let it Reindeer - Relient K

Christmas Eve and Other Stories - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Songs for Christmas - Sufjan Stevens

A Very She & Him Christmas - She & Him

That's Christmas to Me - Pentatonix

What are your favorite Christmas songs and albums? We’d love some new tunes to add to our holiday playlist for next year!   

#christmassingalong