Harvest Tree

Fall means a change in decorations for the year-round Credit Tree, and this might be our favorite incarnation yet!

Pam added the sunflowers back in august for a late-summer look, but we loved them so much, we kept them through Halloween AND Fall!  Pumpkins from Garden Ridge add a touch of Harvest orange, while two Fall scarecrows hang from the branches.  A rope-like ribbon was tied into a bow and woven throughout the limbs.  Fall reed sprigs add some height to the top of the tree.

We sure do hate to see this one go, but we are excited to see what Christmas brings to the Credit Department!

Paper Bag Pumpkins on Safari

Many of you will remember the paper bag pumpkins we created last year using lunch bags, orange and green paint, raffia, newspaper, and brown construction paper.  This year, fall decorations are taken to a whole new level with leopard and zebra patterns.

Anyone who knows Shara well is aware of her love for everything mod podge.  We often joke that she would mod podge her own husband if only he would stand still long enough.  Those who are close to her also know, that her love of this glue-like substance can only be outdone by her love of animal prints.  Hence, the hybrid animal print paper bag pumpkin.

The instructions remain simple - see our October 2011 blog detailing the original - http://craftycreditclerks.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-decorations.html.  In place of the orange paint, you simply mod podge leopard/zebra tissue paper onto the outside of each bag.  Choosing a heavier paper bag is important for this project, as you will have to wet the bag slightly to help the tissue paper to adhere. 

For the pumpkin stems, our President and EVP made a wonderful suggestion - cinnamon sticks.  They are much sturdier than construction paper and, when broken in half, give off a wonderful fall smell.  Following, you will see close-ups of the pumpkin stems:

Shara's creativity was the crafty showcase of our fall Ladies' Night Out event.  These pumpkins acted as the centerpiece for each table and were given away through a number lottery at the end of the night.  The women absolutely loved them and Shara has been kept busy in the weeks since with new order requests! 

Western Money Tree and 30+ Club Event

Western Money Tree

One of the most popular giveaways at the 30+ Club dinner each year has to be the themed money tree.  We would like to think that this is due to our outstanding creativity, but we must concede that the $50 attached TO the tree probably has more to do with it.  As stated in previous posts, this year's theme was Oklahoma/Western and we believe we did a good job representing that in this prize.

As you can see, the tree is made up of a single, bare tree branch, accented with western Christmas ornaments, barbed wire garland, and the all-important money stars.  Crafty boss, Pam, came up with the idea for the bandana ties, and origami expert, Joyce, created each star out of five, two-dollar bills.  The barrel container was purchased at half-price and flower foam was glued in to secure the branch.  Garden moss and colorful western confetti hide the base of the tree.  All supplies were purchased from Hobby Lobby in the flower, party, and Christmas sections.  Holliann's husband, David, was responsible for securing the tree branch from the elm in their back yard :)

30+ Club Event Photos

Following, you will find a picture of all the crafts made for the dinner and a picture of the actual tables at the event:

 

Boots, Tree, and Hat





Here you can see the centerpieces set up on the tables.  Our fellow committee members did a wonderful job selecting black table linens - the dark color made everything really pop!  The bandana party bags contain home-made jam (Christmas and Peach) made by the 30+ Club committee members. 



As you can see, coworker and fellow committee member, Bryan, was most pleased with the results!



30 + Club "Oklahoma-Themed" Centerpieces

For those of you that were with us this time last year, you will remember that our bank hosts a dinner to honor all of the customers who have been loyal to our business for thirty years or more.  The theme of this year's dinner is Oklahoma (imagine that!) and Shara and Holliann were very excited to design the table centerpieces.  Each centerpiece is unique, and will be given away as a gift to one customer at each table at the end of the evening.

We decided to use cowboy boots and cowboy hats as the vessels for fall flower arrangements.  Each autumn bouquet contains some of the following:

Sunflowers
Chrysanthemums
Twigs
Cattails
Fall Leaves
Green Moss

And of course, wheat!  (O-o-o-o-ok-lahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.  Where the waving WHEAT can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain!)

The boots were purchased at local thrift and antique stores for around $14 a pair.  One pair of boots was donated by a coworker. They were stuffed with shredded newspaper to maintain their shape and flower foam was used to secure the flowers and grasses in place.  The moss was used to cover any gaps and to conceal the flower foam.



We all agree - this dark red ropper boot is our favorite!




Shara designed this boot with Pam in mind - she loves sunflowers!

  

The hats were purchased online from the Oriental Trading Company - $21 for a dozen in four colors.  Flower foam was hot-glued into the bottom center of the hats and moss was used to fill.  Pumpkins and other gourds were used in addition to the fall flowers as the hats had more space that needed to be covered.





The teal color of this hat really brings out the bright fall colors of the flowers and gourds!

 All centerpieces will be showcased on black tablecloths with a colored bandanna.

Pam the Visionary

Behind this door, the meeting of two great minds leads to extraordinary creations...  In all seriousness, as you may have guessed by the "Employees Only" sign, this is the door to the Credit Department where Shara and I spend our days... locked up... with only occasional visits from Pam...

Truthfully, we are very fortunate to work for a business that encourages us to use our talents and provides us with the opportunity to showcase our creativity around the bank.  No one is more supportive of us than our boss, Pam.  She throws around ideas with us on all of our projects and is always ready and willing to help if we need her.

This beautiful fall door hanger is a case-in-point.  Shara purchased all the supplies at a local country store, but wasn't really committed as to how to put everything together.  Pam offered up several suggestions, and ended up creating what you see from a fall leaf garland, sunflowers, black beading, and burlap ribbon.

Purchased by Shara - Perfected by Pam :)

Allie Cat Helps Make Paper Bag Pumpkins

Our Bookkeeping Department asked if we would mind making them some fall decorations for the downstairs area.  (Obviously, they were insanely jealous :) )  Shara took one for the team and put together more paper bag pumpkins during her vacation.  While the following pictures DO showcase Shara's mad pumpkin-making skills, it is her helper that really brings the cuteness to this post :)  Meet Allie, Shara's feline protege.  (She is one spoiled girl!)  I must say, I am impressed.  My house would be sporting five pairs of orange/green/purple paw prints!

What You Missed... Because Holliann Never Updates

So has it really been almost a year???  Sadly, yes.  But don't despair!  Just because the blogger took a hiatus, doesn't mean the craftiness stopped!  So here is a quick post to catch you up on all the painting, gluing, decorating, and diapering (yes, we use diapers as a medium!) that took place over the past eleven months or so.

We Brought Frosty Back to Life

For Christmas 2011, we chose to go with a snowman theme in the bank lobbies.  Following, you will see the snowman ornaments we made out of clear glass Christmas balls, paper shred, and T-shirt paint.  Special thanks to our boss, Pam, who gave us the idea after making the ornaments herself with her husband and granddaughter!

We Committed to a

Year-Round Christmas Tree

After four years of working together, Holliann and Shara have acquired quite a bit of "stuff".  They co-own a mini-fridge, a fan (christened Osceola), and, last Christmas, achieved their dream of bringing "home" a five-foot PURPLE Christmas tree.  After spending their first Christmas with the most awesome purple-and-lime-green-decorated tree in the state of Oklahoma, the Credit girls decided it was just too hard to part with their new friend, and the concept of a year-round tree was born.  Following are just a few of the "outfits" the newest member of the Credit Department has worn throughout the year.



The Original - in purple and lime green for Christmas!



Valentine's Day

Halloween - complete with hand-made ornaments by Shara.  Witches' hats are made from ice cream cones, construction paper, and ribbon.  Garland is hand-strung.  Thanks to Pam for the ideas!

 In Which Diapers Are Made Into

Treats and Transportation

We also enjoyed creating various diaper masterpieces for the expectant mothers in our midst!

This Diaper Cake was for our sweet coworker, Ashley.  We didn't know if she was having a boy or a girl, so we decorated for both!

Pam commissioned us to make a Diaper Perambulator for her daughter-in-law's Baby Shower.  This is the result!  The theme was owls and the colors were blues, browns, and greens. 



Side View



Well, that catches us up somewhat!  Look for fall fun in the next few posts!  We will try to be more diligent about updating...