I have had a bee in my bonnet about making these for about 2 weeks now. I was looking at the Martha Stewart December 2012 magazine and saw these centerpieces. I would link to it, but the MSL site is making me crazy rght now. They are called Glittered Tree Stumps on the site. I have had these ornaments for years (and recently received a pug one which is most excellent) and they were aways a bit big and never seemed to make it on the tree. I thought the centerpieces would make lovely gifts. We are keeping three, but the girls are okay giving the rest away.
I ordered the birch pots (I took out the plastic liner and turned them upside down) and started going through our ornament box, pulling out what I had. I was in my happy place making these. I love working in multiples, loving using what I have, and especially love it when unnoticed items get a new focus, because things can just get lost in the holiday decorating rush and there's nothing like a little birch stump to elevate the preciousness of something. I'm now thinking of Portlandia skits.
The whole time I worked on these I was listening to Foreverly, (I streamed it from Rdio) which is so very very good. I like Billie Joe, Norah Jones, and the Everly Brothers a whole lot, so it is a win-win-win.