CHRISTMAS BALUSTER DOOR DECORATION

Time  was at hand for creating a winter door decoration for Mom's entry door.  I wanted to use the porch balusters that I purchased in New Hampshire from a salvage yard back in 2003.  Ten years later, these vintage balusters have been stored away waiting for the right inspiration.  These decorative wood balusters were used on front porches with gingerbread accents.  See below picture.

In the background, notice the flat sawn porch balusters on the railing of the porch.



 

Even today, you can buy the very same patterns for the balusters on the Internet.  This pattern can be purchased through a company called Touchstone Woodworks.

 

 

I recall Mom telling us stories of visiting her aunt in Iowa when she was young.  This particular aunt lived on a farm.  Mom would wake up in the morning, go into the kitchen and find her Aunt Margaret already had baked pies sitting on the window sill cooling. I could just imagine her aunt having a front porch with balusters like this.



Once the baluster was cleaned thoroughly, it would become the base of the porch door decoration.

 

I found the faux boughs and glittered branches at Michael's.  The boughs are very realistic and I was really drawn to the pine cones attached to the branch.





Because I wanted to have hints of glittered branches interspersed amongst the bough, I pulled them apart creating smaller sprigs.

 

I attached the sprigs to the bough with the glue gun.  The next picture shows the back of the bough.  Notice the glob  of dried glue.  I promise that it won't show in the finished product.

 

 

With just the added glittered sprigs, the boughs have more dimension.

 

 

 Using a hammer, I flattened the end of the bough and drove a nail through it to attach it to the baluster post.

 

 



 

The transformation of the baluster post is coming along.  It is missing something.



To cover the unsightly nail, I wanted to add something that would compliment the shabbiness of the wood.

 

I had some off white satin fabric in my bin. A cummerbund came to mind.  I would create my own. 

 

Initially, I cut a piece of the satin into a 9 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches.

 

Using both the iron and sewing machine, I created my own miniature cummerbund.



Using a staple gun, I attached the cummerbund over the nail.  The satin fabric adds a bit of style to the vintage post.





And the front gives the post a bit of style.         

 

I needed to create a hanger for the post.  Taking about 7 inches of fabric, I sewed a seam and inverted the fabric.

 

 

Using a staple gun, I attached the two ends of the fabric to the back of the post





 

 

 

Hanging the hanger from the vintage mirror reflects the sparkle.

 



I hope the post gives Mom the Christmas cheer to welcome all to her home

I hope the baluster post will give Mom fond memories of visiting her aunt in Iowa.