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Sheet Music at Christmastime!
Suggestions for utilizing old or unwanted sheet music.
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (2 votes) 
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ELCBK
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December 1, 2020 - 4:48 am
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https://thegraphicsfairy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Vintage-Winter-Birds-Image-GraphicsFairy.jpg

It's December 1st! 

If you haven't started already, it's time to decorate for the Winter Holidays! 

Sheet Music?

 

I LOVE Christmas Carol's (and all Christmas music) and admit there's a warm spot in my heart for nostalgia at this time of year, so I'd like to share how to use aged/faux-aged Sheet Music to help give an"Old Fashioned" feel to your Christmas Holidays!

🎄Prepare Some Sheet Music

Have any old or unwanted Sheet Music laying around?  

If you're weirded out (like I am) by the thought of destroying any book, even if it's contents are outdated/inaccurate, or if you ever did a dumpster dive to rescue a piece of vintage sheet music (I never went quite that far)... just copy or download some free images to print! 

  • you can also print music out on handmade paper, parchment or vellum 
  • you can carefully burn/darken edges, but WARNING: not if you've already applied something that might be an accelerant! 
  • You can darken edges with distressing inks - apply with a makeup sponge (wear gloves!). 
  • you can also buy printer-ready sheets of cotton and silk fabric to print on (or prepare your own). 

Free Vintage Christmas Sheet Music to Print

Here's a little help with getting a Faux-Aged, vintage look all over the paper.  Personally, before starting this process, I'd slightly dampen (or spritz with water) your paper surface - helps to accept dye for a more natural look. 

  • Don't forget a little extra effort to make edges darker
  • consider using strong, black Chai tea bags (or soak paper in Chai tea bath) for the bonus fragrance! 

How to Use Tea Bags to Age Paper

🎄Glitter Guide

I generally HATE glitter but a little touch can be magic... and messy, if you don't plan ahead (btdt!)... and btw, please DON'T ever use canned spray adhesive, or canned spray glitter, INSIDE your house - spray particles and overspray spread further/quicker than COVID! (lol - no matter how careful you are)  Here's help curtailing loose glitter. 

 

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0113/5192/products/cats_in_Christmas_tree_card_compact.jpg?v=1552683996

 

- Emily 

 

NEXT POST 🎄 I'll share a few suggestions on what to do with your faux-aged or printed vintage Sheet Music! 

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ELCBK
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December 1, 2020 - 7:07 am
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House Covered In Snow Smiley

 

Here's a few ideas to get you started using printed sheet music in your Holiday decor! 

 

🎄Easy Little Trees! 

  • you can make a cardboard cone instead of buying a foam one 
  • before you start to cut, you can treat one side of your paper(what will be underneath) with a transparent gold Floral spray (or brush w/diluted acrylic) 
  • use a pencil to help curl paper edges or wood skewer for tighter curls 

How to Make Sheet Music Christmas Trees

🎄Jane Austen era Honeycomb Ornaments!  

  • try cutting your sheet music shapes with one of the many decorative cutting scissors/shears available online or craft stores.  Please, DON'T use good fabric pinking shears (you'll dull them)!  
  • touch up the edges with glitter (ref post 1) or paint 
  • if no glue gun, use paperclips to hold while glue dries   

🎄Sheet Music Rose!  

  • you don't have to make these on a floral wire stem.  For the bloom without a stem, curl a 5cm long tube from your sheet music scrap - maybe to 5mm or 1/4" dia, then proceed to glue as many petals to the tube as you would the wire stem (make the size you want). 
  • vary the size of the blossom for use on gifts or to hang on a tree 
  • before you cut petals out, try spraying the back of the sheet music with gold floral spray or brush with diluted acrylic paint (add a little acrylic fabric medium to your solution if you want your dried paint to be more flexible). 
  • the process can be used to make Poinsettias, Amaryllis, etc... Just change the petal shape and use the correct amount of petals 

 

🎄Rolled Paper Flower Christmas Ornament!  

  • if you use paper printed on only 1 side with music, print or stamp a fine red design on the blank side 
  • a large version of this ornament makes a beautiful Wreath - especially if you spray 1 side of your sheet music gold (before you cut any shapes), so all insides of your rolled cone shapes are gold 
  • an individual piece of this project (if not flattened) is actually the shape of a Calla Lilly - make a few larger ones, maybe slightly curl back the tip - then add to other paper flowers!

DIY Christmas Paper Ornament 

https://theczech.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/cat18.jpg

 

- Emily 

 

NEXT POST 🎄 Just a couple last suggestions!

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ELCBK
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December 1, 2020 - 10:15 am
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https://songbook1.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/happy-holidays-snowy-day.gif?w=472&h=339

 

Here's my last few suggestions to help keep music in everyone's thoughts during the Holidays using sheet music. 

 

🎄 Simple Candle Decor! 

Just cut a piece of your sheet music so it wraps around the circumference of each candle - make sure the paper is not higher than the actual candle (fire hazard).  Cut maybe up to a 2" wide fancy ribbon or lace, same length as the paper, layer around the middle - then secure it all in place with a thin piece of raffia or 1/4" ribbon (tie in bow or knot).  

  • group 3 or 5 candles of different height and circumference
  • try printing your music on parchment or even vellum, you want the glow through the candle to be strong - so don't use super thick paper 
  • tuck a sprig of evergreen behind the raffia or 1/4" ribbon and maybe attach a Christmas gift tag or small ornament. 

🎄 Or, try a different look! 

This method uses printed tissue sheet music, you melt into the wax!   

Making Christmas Sheet Music Candles

 

🎄 Découpage Stags!  

Buy a pair of plastic Reindeer (or paper pulp Stags from the craft store).  Tear up your printed sheet music into 2.5cm wide strips and glue (overlap) pieces of the strips to cover the form. Use White Elmers glue or Modge Podge, etc... 

  • for a glossier/smooth finish, after completely dry, you can apply a light coat of the glue or acrylic sealer overall 
  • accent antlers with gold or black craft paint and/or glitter (ref 1st post). 

🎄 Origami Star!  

  • you only need one printed side of the paper for this - great gift ornament
  • it would be wonderful in a larger size!  Draw out some of your own music on larger pieces of paper, or use spray adhesive to adhere your sheet music on a larger piece cut from a roll of butcher paper (just DON'T spray adhesive INSIDE your house) - or just have your sheet music enlarged on bigger paper (lol)
  • punch a hole in 1 tip and hang from your tree  
  • warning!  Making these stars will make you feel like a kid again! 

CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT Sheet Music Origami Stars

 

 

🎄 Kusadama Flower!  

  • these look really nice if the final edges are pat with a black or red stamp pad, but you can always use glitter (refer to 1st post) 
  • use single flowers to decorate gifts or make a Christmas bouquet
  • once you try 1, or make more!   

  

 

🎄 Kusadama Ball Ornament or Topiary!

You can glue the flowers together, making a ball - or, if glued to a 1/4" wood dowel, it becomes a fabulous Topiary! 

Make A Kusudama Ball - wikiHow

 

🎄 Easy Origami Tree Gift Wrapping!  

  • use tips from above to make larger sheet music in the proportions needed to wrap your specific gift 
  • pretty sure you only need paper printed on 1 side for this
  • this would be a great project to hit with a couple shots of spray pearl/shimmer type paint (check online craft stores) 

 

Maybe Also Try:

🎄 Christmas Cardboard, Foamboard or Thin Wood Cutout Ornaments! 

Before you cut anything out, spray 1 side of your cardboard (or wood, foamboard) with adhesive (not in the house) - I like 3M repositionable spray.  Attach a sheet of music to the sticky side of the cardboard side - start a corner, then smooth down as you go.  Repeat with the remaining side.  Trace out your silhouettes, then cut away the excess (sharp blade or scissors).  Apply paint and/or glitter to finish the edge. 

  • might find you can buy ready made die cuts at the craft store - just brush (or spray) with glue, lay glue side down on back of music and cut away excess.  Repeat with other side.  Finish edge with paint/glitter.
  • punch a small hole to hang on the tree or use as a gift tag
  • sheet music-covered cutouts can also be staggered/layered over a donut-shaped base cut of foamboard, thin chipboard or hardboard (cover that with sheet music, too) for a Wreath.  Hot glue the pieces in place.
  • Use a variety of sizes of cutouts with just 1 shape, or a variety of shapes. 
  • try mixing subtle differences found in aged music with a spark of energy from newer, bright white sheet music! 
  • Go a step further and decorate the wreath with some red or green plastic cookie cutters (can also be painted to look like old tin), then add a few personal items that make your own Holiday special.  Maybe cut out some musical note shapes, painted black (or gold) or symbols used in musical notation - add a few to the wreath.  Add a bow if you like.

Okay, that's enough to get anyone started with using sheet music for Holiday decor! 

https://i4.glitter-graphics.org/pub/1822/1822324imvv8xoi4l.gif

 

- Emily

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ELCBK
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December 4, 2020 - 4:06 pm
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Sorry,

Just found some of my links were bad - now fixed (I hope)! 

Plus, I edited some places to be clearer (lol). 

 

https://thegraphicsfairy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/16-All-Things-Beautiful-Sheet-Music-Ornaments.jpg

 

🎄 Here's another idea! 

Stamp your paper with Christmas designs before you print the sheet music on the paper.  Use the final printed paper to cover cardboard or wood cutouts (ref post 3)

- Emily

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Ilona
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December 5, 2020 - 4:40 pm
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@ELCBK 

Wow!!  Thank you so much for these ideas! ❤️❤️

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ELCBK
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December 6, 2020 - 1:24 am
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https://hative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/mason-jar-lid-ornaments/36-mason-jar-lid-ornaments-christmas-decoration.jpg @Ilona -

Hope you get to try some!  I've been doing a few of these projects with my little Grandchildren. 😊 

 

🎄 Ornaments that use Mason Jar lid rings or old Cookie Cutters! 

Cookie Cutters and Jar lids can also be painted cream color, then distressed with a little sandpaper for a "Shabby Chic" look (no photos).  Drill a small hole where you can attach a ribbon to hang.  Then cut out pieces of Sheet Music (printed on heavy paper or card stock) to insert/glue in back.  Add an old piece of costume jewelry or other bauble and a ribbon bow, etc...

 

Piian Räpellykset: 1. luukku: Rosette-koriste - Music ...Image Enlarger

 

🎄 Sheet Music Rosette Ornaments! 

These are easy, even for my little Grandchildren. 

You can pleat ribbon for the center, add a few nice beads, a button, or make a little Christmas collage/medallion to add in the center with glue or needle and thread. 

Antique Music Rosette Ornament - Tutorial

Pleated Christmas Sheet Music Rosette

 

🎄 More Sheet Music Candles!

I like to combine the Sheet Music on Candles with a little tree bark (not from live trees) like this - also, wrap around a fine wire (can be twisted) with a few small sparkly beads to glisten!

Faux Bark-Wrapped Candles

 

Even these little votive candles are a nice touch with the scalloped edges. 

https://www.celebratingholidays.com/Pictures/Christmas/candlesheetmusic.jpg

 

- Emily

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Mark
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December 7, 2020 - 2:29 am
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Very cool,

 

Thanks

Mark

Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.

Albert Sammons

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ELCBK
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November 29, 2021 - 3:10 am
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https://www.lovethispic.com/uploaded_images/218284-Hello-December.png

Only a couple days until it's December again! 

 

I'll be busy making ornaments and coloring Christmas Cards with the Grandkids this week, but Kevin will have to help them decorate the tree and make cookies - I'm just not up for that, this year. 

I checked all the previous links to make sure they work. 😊 

 

https://centsationalstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/music-sheet-star-ornament.jpg

 

🎄 Here's a new tutorial, using sheet music for a 3D star ornament! 

Vintage Paper Star Ornament

 

...add a touch of Sheet Music this Holiday Season!

- Emily

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ELCBK
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December 6, 2021 - 12:59 am
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Merry Christmas PNG Clipart

I just found a great site with 14 different printable, Sheet Music Boxes! 

At "Artby Jean", these are FREE to print, cutout & fold - good for jewelry or small trinkets! 

Printable Vintage Sheet Music Boxes - Artby Jean

Some examples:

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9Xm1rX4MS1M/TSFyE9IxvGI/AAAAAAABGOE/uwZUnc0SYgU/s1600/MW-006.jpgMW-004.jpgMW-001.jpgMW-009.jpg

 

...and many more! 🎜🎝♪

 

- Emily

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ELCBK
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December 12, 2022 - 3:51 pm
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https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2e/0b/ae/2e0baee7a636e1f13057e31be300894f--christmas-sheet-music-vintage-sheet-music.jpg

It's THAT time again! 

I was getting some projects together for when the Grandkids come over to trim our tree - ran across a great new site with more ideas for using old, or printed, sheet music! 

Upcycled Sheet Music Crafts from Dishfunctional Designs

 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/26/99/342699b06957ab344bd9bc0b063bcede.jpg

Happy Holiday Crafting!  

- Emily  

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