tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41478117906603382632024-03-14T01:36:21.419-04:00{un}closeted craftertutorials, projects and inspiration for crafts... from the least likely crafter! Never thought I'd be into this sort of thing - yet here we are. :) Still a beginner, but I hope that what I share can help convert other unlikely candidates into crafters. :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-30416681013895045902013-08-11T22:21:00.003-04:002013-08-11T22:23:15.143-04:00Easy Blinged-Out Photo Frame: under $5 per frame!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">DIY Blinged-Out Photo Frames</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Part of the reason that </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've been so MIA on my blog entries this summer is that I was VERY busy for awhile in preparation for my sister's wedding! It was an amazing day!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNaMdT7Y24G17XrtvjrAUvMps2MwgkByqYoHsniEu49lY9xK2V-Ob7Mm9IJ0wrHifjETNddCIkH3lODaplK74lDt3SLmMgx0fZNp9ysLd9WNQTmyw-V9cSa1FW88pP-FOdWrUjeds4eNQ/s640/blogger-image--788547763.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNaMdT7Y24G17XrtvjrAUvMps2MwgkByqYoHsniEu49lY9xK2V-Ob7Mm9IJ0wrHifjETNddCIkH3lODaplK74lDt3SLmMgx0fZNp9ysLd9WNQTmyw-V9cSa1FW88pP-FOdWrUjeds4eNQ/s400/blogger-image--788547763.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The following project was actually her inspiration, and I assisted her in creating them. At her bridal shower and wedding, she wanted to showcase a feature called "Meet the Maids." Each frame showed a photo of one of her bridesmaids, along with a paragraph about the special relationship she shares with her. It was a really touching and cute addition to the events, and frames cost less than $5 each to make! Can't go wrong with that!</span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Supplies:</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. "Bling on a roll" (first photo below)- this had adhesive on the back of miniature rhinestones in a continuous roll that could be cut to size. Can be found at a craft store like A.C. Moore. Each roll was on clearance and cost under $3 - score!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. 4x6 photo frames with sides wide enough to accomodate the "bling" that you purchase. The black "wooden" frames were purchased at Dollar Tree!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeH0fIjOyjb4UyPxSTgo_C-ihpdUB5MxaUa_CRXuoI5mB-gHi7_v6vOuvp1unV8NBZrS-LjoP1O9di38d-nTjQR8qBZsz2LpyblE4lmVinaAww7baL-nBS2hkiQp_G1kd7ztCG3HHs_AF/s640/blogger-image--533511018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeH0fIjOyjb4UyPxSTgo_C-ihpdUB5MxaUa_CRXuoI5mB-gHi7_v6vOuvp1unV8NBZrS-LjoP1O9di38d-nTjQR8qBZsz2LpyblE4lmVinaAww7baL-nBS2hkiQp_G1kd7ztCG3HHs_AF/s640/blogger-image--533511018.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2iQS8nX2H3OYemBPsymFZaMPtj-u4aN2cTG4X7wWSDXW6t2jRar2cZJaFyniGuQ42RCPZRyjNGpNlBGS8-IRHO7tqPtLMiX9enMFq_q4zAt4SbWaEWrlsJnD_uJNqNB7lUBu2dyQG13t/s640/blogger-image--540594075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2iQS8nX2H3OYemBPsymFZaMPtj-u4aN2cTG4X7wWSDXW6t2jRar2cZJaFyniGuQ42RCPZRyjNGpNlBGS8-IRHO7tqPtLMiX9enMFq_q4zAt4SbWaEWrlsJnD_uJNqNB7lUBu2dyQG13t/s640/blogger-image--540594075.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNaMdT7Y24G17XrtvjrAUvMps2MwgkByqYoHsniEu49lY9xK2V-Ob7Mm9IJ0wrHifjETNddCIkH3lODaplK74lDt3SLmMgx0fZNp9ysLd9WNQTmyw-V9cSa1FW88pP-FOdWrUjeds4eNQ/s640/blogger-image--788547763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNaMdT7Y24G17XrtvjrAUvMps2MwgkByqYoHsniEu49lY9xK2V-Ob7Mm9IJ0wrHifjETNddCIkH3lODaplK74lDt3SLmMgx0fZNp9ysLd9WNQTmyw-V9cSa1FW88pP-FOdWrUjeds4eNQ/s640/blogger-image--788547763.jpg" /> </a></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Instructions:</span></span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Measure each side of your photo frame. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. Cut four strips of your "bling on a roll" to match the sizes of each side you are decorating.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. Very carefully lay down and adhere your "bling" to each side of your photo frame. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ta-da!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The photo below shows the finished product - the frames WITH the personalized notes about each bridesmaid displayed (that portion of the project not part of this blog post). This very simple DIY project really added a special touch to otherwise boring photo frames. </span></span><u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWu45GeBMGePi5YY7yBjgs3KCje78driv4OxImiRalt6LQIan7Bme37tTfzWqCy7KIW2Qgdbv1OWajGDvuMD_ziLDRY1i8nbOOn0BbgzFkVywc_tR-FX-_tbMmIggp3iSYwICEOjF9YX4/s1600/IMG_4816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWu45GeBMGePi5YY7yBjgs3KCje78driv4OxImiRalt6LQIan7Bme37tTfzWqCy7KIW2Qgdbv1OWajGDvuMD_ziLDRY1i8nbOOn0BbgzFkVywc_tR-FX-_tbMmIggp3iSYwICEOjF9YX4/s640/IMG_4816.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-51326134190416064372013-08-11T21:53:00.004-04:002013-08-11T21:55:12.188-04:00Ribbon Topiary:)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrAkwTiqLWvMheOOqdsJHTt6HjMmm4oIcniP3h_gP8IZewjM40DTlInMS5Oas7BHN3tdQkcTNJXv6hc9vIz6k-twSwc-sHkbMG7vzlNiVwFKZMk88K8mgLe1n3GTjitKgUigbDA2TYa36/s640/blogger-image-1738563694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">Spring Ribbon Topiary</span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrAkwTiqLWvMheOOqdsJHTt6HjMmm4oIcniP3h_gP8IZewjM40DTlInMS5Oas7BHN3tdQkcTNJXv6hc9vIz6k-twSwc-sHkbMG7vzlNiVwFKZMk88K8mgLe1n3GTjitKgUigbDA2TYa36/s640/blogger-image-1738563694.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrAkwTiqLWvMheOOqdsJHTt6HjMmm4oIcniP3h_gP8IZewjM40DTlInMS5Oas7BHN3tdQkcTNJXv6hc9vIz6k-twSwc-sHkbMG7vzlNiVwFKZMk88K8mgLe1n3GTjitKgUigbDA2TYa36/s320/blogger-image-1738563694.jpg" width="240" /></a></span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">The inspiration for / instructions you will need to re-create the ribbon sphere portion of this craft is going to be found by reading up on how I make my ribbon wreaths: <a href="http://unclosetedcrafter.blogspot.com/2013/02/lucky-wreath-yes-another-wreath.html" target="_blank">here.</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">The list of supplies and other steps in making this topiary can be found below.</span></span></span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">Supplies:</span></span></span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">1. Small styrofoam ball (I honestly don't remember what size I got, it was so long ago! I'm sorry!- about 2x the size of a baseball).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">2. Various ribbon in whatever theme/colors you'd like. Grosgrain ribbon is best and I recommend you avoid sheer ribbon. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">3. Mini pail / decorative container for the base of your topiary. Mine is a $1 metal bucket from the dollar bin at Target.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">4. Fake grass, paper or plastic - this was easy to find around Easter.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">5. Wooden dowel, 5/8'' or 1/2'' thick and about one foot in length (can be cut to your needs).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">6. Acrylic paint and a medium size brush</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">7. Styrofoam block (enough to stick in the container you have chosen).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">8. Super glue</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">9. Dressmaker pins </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><u><b>Instructions</b></u></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">1. Take the wooden dowel and poke a hole in the bottom center of your styrofoam ball. Take the dowel out of the hole. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">2. Follow the technique for creating the ribbon loops (4'' long) and pinning them on the ball by referencing my previous post: <a href="http://unclosetedcrafter.blogspot.com/2013/02/lucky-wreath-yes-another-wreath.html" target="_blank">here.</a><u><b> </b></u>Do not cover the hole that you made.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">3. Use desired acrylic paint to paint your wooden dowel and let it dry.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">4. When ball is covered, put a couple drops of super glue in the hole and push the wooden dowel into the hole.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">5. Cut your styrofoam block to fit snugly inside your pail / canister / base for your topiary. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">6. Put some super glue in the bottom of the container and push the block on top of the glue. Let dry for one minute.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">7. Take the dowel (with ball already attached on other end) and push a hole into the center of your styrofoam base. You may remove the dowel and put some glue inside there before putting the dowel back in permanently.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">8. Use fake grass to hide styrofoam / fill your canister and give it the look of grass at the base of your topiary. </span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-64087915893090228812013-05-08T21:00:00.001-04:002013-05-08T22:45:12.199-04:00crafty & creative bridal shower!<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well, I've definitely been on blogging hiatus. Things are extremely hectic in my personal life right now: plus there are only about 4 people who read this blog, so I figured it would be OK to back-burner it for awhile. Did you miss me? ;)</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One of the major reasons I've been so busy: my sister is getting married in 2 weeks!!! It's been 18 months in the making, but I'm sure it's going to be an amazing event! Lots of hard work has gone into planning every detail--including some crafty projects that I can start to feature on here soon. A couple of things we made are still secret to be seen on the wedding day. :)</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Her bridal shower was April 20, and as the Matron of Honor, I was largely responsible for making sure it didn't suck (UGH, I'm old!!- matron). The theme of the shower was "a Girly Christmas" - which might make no sense to people: Christmas in April? Well - my sister is Christmas CRAZY- it's her favorite time of year, hands down. She turns into an 8 year old again. Seriously. Also, her finace proposed to her on Christmas Eve 2011, and the proposal was Christmas themed as well. We did a spin on things by creating decor that was "girly" rather than traditional green and red. Mostly pinks, silver and her favorite color: purple!!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Just for fun, I am featuring some photos of the decor/displays/centerpieces for everyone. Just on the off chance that you EVER decide to do a "Girly Christmas" themed party, here are some ideas for you. There isn't an awful lot of actual crafting involved in this post - just a couple of items were created by us for the event. But, I was pretty proud of the outcome - and my sister loved it (the theme was a complete surprise to her ahead of time!). Enjoy and feel free to comment on how absolutely awesome and creative the bridal party is: it was truly a one-of-a-kind shower. :) </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>"GIRLY CHRISTMAS" BRIDAL SHOWER IDEAS:</b></span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJ6OX32uDe1zXpjJ8vsbNzSX-yChfnzCCW4XfqcEQZp1N7_as1tgoeyQSmf0373gLkO-wbZFK85JORs7BT4VZT0N-qvMeaXJUxqmsTOha4ICzqGsrjOf9bwWCZdxNMPwYZb9iVafmS6Xn/s1600/IMG_4791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJ6OX32uDe1zXpjJ8vsbNzSX-yChfnzCCW4XfqcEQZp1N7_as1tgoeyQSmf0373gLkO-wbZFK85JORs7BT4VZT0N-qvMeaXJUxqmsTOha4ICzqGsrjOf9bwWCZdxNMPwYZb9iVafmS6Xn/s320/IMG_4791.JPG" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo from every Christmas she's had.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5z51yfFJzN91kzbwjmvIR-5sdl8mO30TnBc2tvdiG-Or0Lcg5SlaBmjuu2_67c2ZhRoR8hf7ayNQl6m6FaPWsRvJ3Ep0xuirXY9QayTUl6qbnWGf7DrDKBfkmlfElZto0cZPFvpuhSAQ/s1600/IMG_4798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5z51yfFJzN91kzbwjmvIR-5sdl8mO30TnBc2tvdiG-Or0Lcg5SlaBmjuu2_67c2ZhRoR8hf7ayNQl6m6FaPWsRvJ3Ep0xuirXY9QayTUl6qbnWGf7DrDKBfkmlfElZto0cZPFvpuhSAQ/s320/IMG_4798.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Centerpieces: mini tinsel trees, holiday candy, silver votive candles in purple holders. Favors: Holiday candy and Yankee votive candles (Christmas scents).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXrt39EoetPjXXMYb-I-SIxdOt_zqofd_v2IXbIoM3msv6HAMtByI-LVSHccn-VDxseA00OV1gyC1qZKs8qL9iySUTmK0fADcbJcwWDi5ua5ey9lczX02LgoqNcF7MuHBKl9OIRUZpox6/s1600/IMG_4802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXrt39EoetPjXXMYb-I-SIxdOt_zqofd_v2IXbIoM3msv6HAMtByI-LVSHccn-VDxseA00OV1gyC1qZKs8qL9iySUTmK0fADcbJcwWDi5ua5ey9lczX02LgoqNcF7MuHBKl9OIRUZpox6/s320/IMG_4802.JPG" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake, created by Cakes by Karen.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiSXBnLsPun9NJuOGpdl2A_8N86yUUu6Yfo0Lanf4pzUwcCb251m7SCKXyh69ypGUyXahDIb2BD6jviI7rOruc81ShwYE7cXqnY9MEZ5tNRMhCnYqr01kROPKHCCVNo5U89D375QGlPRK/s1600/IMG_4803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiSXBnLsPun9NJuOGpdl2A_8N86yUUu6Yfo0Lanf4pzUwcCb251m7SCKXyh69ypGUyXahDIb2BD6jviI7rOruc81ShwYE7cXqnY9MEZ5tNRMhCnYqr01kROPKHCCVNo5U89D375QGlPRK/s320/IMG_4803.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple, silver, pink galore. Purple Christmas lights- very fun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntlmLwGBpF19R4KF3B2yo5DkXArQaIBnUcFdc6m_1OWblJ4pruH9h_OVjAGZtRtjBVj4f8Ga8LTyb_R0GJGuLLThA43NfAJuev_BpaFjAA2SXSKXGhK7ngkYsHo85FJZD-rYWZOBllzn4/s1600/IMG_4805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntlmLwGBpF19R4KF3B2yo5DkXArQaIBnUcFdc6m_1OWblJ4pruH9h_OVjAGZtRtjBVj4f8Ga8LTyb_R0GJGuLLThA43NfAJuev_BpaFjAA2SXSKXGhK7ngkYsHo85FJZD-rYWZOBllzn4/s320/IMG_4805.JPG" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closer up picture of the centerpieces.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handmade Christmas ornament wreath (by me). Decor for the entry and later a grand prize for a game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzLd8dHhz84uKncp8955liegXMovdmOmgl8NplxfRcGTe1IJhg5yLZisLV2ojou-VWn1Dw1Sbx5O60hljON0LGiyCBnDaP1iahx1EHugOQW50syTDnaK1JxGGt7fByqzvSTLbKNaGltuu/s1600/IMG_4815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzLd8dHhz84uKncp8955liegXMovdmOmgl8NplxfRcGTe1IJhg5yLZisLV2ojou-VWn1Dw1Sbx5O60hljON0LGiyCBnDaP1iahx1EHugOQW50syTDnaK1JxGGt7fByqzvSTLbKNaGltuu/s320/IMG_4815.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guestbook: write your well-wishes on a Christmas ornament for the bride to keep and display on her tree for years to come!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBkBy8hB4U2OOVHGV6TGh1HFRJPRDfXdu8KkFxTFK9Au848mQvd0lmFFll0_D6NVgAqWSpHRlQ9kE1u3DO__Duj11Ne1D8mgVcdNsCZ5fB0m6JmfPz8gFpC1rAZV59US8_TidDkoJjudt/s1600/IMG_4816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBkBy8hB4U2OOVHGV6TGh1HFRJPRDfXdu8KkFxTFK9Au848mQvd0lmFFll0_D6NVgAqWSpHRlQ9kE1u3DO__Duj11Ne1D8mgVcdNsCZ5fB0m6JmfPz8gFpC1rAZV59US8_TidDkoJjudt/s320/IMG_4816.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Meet the Maids" by the bride - table decorated with pre-lit purple tinsel trees, mini candy canes and holiday candy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFez4IBGU765DuPjzfq1HKu2j56yrZD1qIRy7ABt0hcVBwlwTfgpFzAUDr2f5OAPUmzbsMqt2vFFJ9LF-5wC5q_T4k_n9BZDMorqQRXqR5np29-I6qf1I5iiZJ4dd_5xF8NIpyH_6KKay/s1600/IMG_4908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFez4IBGU765DuPjzfq1HKu2j56yrZD1qIRy7ABt0hcVBwlwTfgpFzAUDr2f5OAPUmzbsMqt2vFFJ9LF-5wC5q_T4k_n9BZDMorqQRXqR5np29-I6qf1I5iiZJ4dd_5xF8NIpyH_6KKay/s320/IMG_4908.JPG" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas ornament "guestbook" entries are hung for display.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EERnWSF04CDEPhRejBLwc4wKuHXhfH-QuSHTF8eo6iRhOIPpQPMZNE3-JRM2VLGr_FZmb2R7DI1yAoLLd4DADIKPm-FeQ40AjOzKuGRjCyy8zFHRnCloYq8uToTBduerm9mQzwabXeKj/s1600/IMG_4981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EERnWSF04CDEPhRejBLwc4wKuHXhfH-QuSHTF8eo6iRhOIPpQPMZNE3-JRM2VLGr_FZmb2R7DI1yAoLLd4DADIKPm-FeQ40AjOzKuGRjCyy8zFHRnCloYq8uToTBduerm9mQzwabXeKj/s320/IMG_4981.JPG" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We totally surprised her by having her fiance come in dressed as Santa! It was so funny and cute. :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggABeD7CPO-9sGdJ5eLbSHRnhD5HHWGTALToqWXxhevkLWuLqqWBnR2RmqEBnPY8ZxvwJxjpuFQk-qsmGhfVe0uFwkFGQopea_zZ3MkFeXSgQ6B2jUcpUU34VD23a4Bnwv2eJAIaYG4D9L/s1600/IMG_5014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggABeD7CPO-9sGdJ5eLbSHRnhD5HHWGTALToqWXxhevkLWuLqqWBnR2RmqEBnPY8ZxvwJxjpuFQk-qsmGhfVe0uFwkFGQopea_zZ3MkFeXSgQ6B2jUcpUU34VD23a4Bnwv2eJAIaYG4D9L/s320/IMG_5014.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our games - a Christmas cookie decorating contest!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzr4aB8wlQhPU1iouuI7f08TtUINAD2fqbMu0JfiNwuYzkc0gCO1af94kuvJlNzbWm4cTnp_Toqz9f9mSP5zPjU9NDHo6GmfieulBIOAsZIPPlfP_2TL5t9tsPGU14Xxn9Yxzd-ZqJBAV/s1600/IMG_5020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzr4aB8wlQhPU1iouuI7f08TtUINAD2fqbMu0JfiNwuYzkc0gCO1af94kuvJlNzbWm4cTnp_Toqz9f9mSP5zPjU9NDHo6GmfieulBIOAsZIPPlfP_2TL5t9tsPGU14Xxn9Yxzd-ZqJBAV/s320/IMG_5020.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We provided all the supplies and freshly baked sugar cookies cut out into Christmas shapes: the guests got creative!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm3korVjCg2uQBp6Io5fUprVxHEycSyR-bpLNfnHxmjhgSHYDbfQywos3na0QNglwwVB55RLkRxwa-uzxCQ_rwshIGGpjHDgtLp7MzLKZ0HJL6twLDLGlt80qfMuZg2YMPH7mRrAR5WFN/s1600/IMG_5029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm3korVjCg2uQBp6Io5fUprVxHEycSyR-bpLNfnHxmjhgSHYDbfQywos3na0QNglwwVB55RLkRxwa-uzxCQ_rwshIGGpjHDgtLp7MzLKZ0HJL6twLDLGlt80qfMuZg2YMPH7mRrAR5WFN/s320/IMG_5029.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The four finalists, picked by the bride!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bPLf_diw2ZrTZOyyLtU-6asC-vbJTjQLPptwEPcTtztqhxQ_RIyVkOUHljfPz6o6kYUUKtD_UgVbIxExi8PKXz0bcteHNS0uxYMR1YycQVM4kjhEpGtgRKbxIzOrk2ekXWhAiO3_fDrG/s1600/IMG_5035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bPLf_diw2ZrTZOyyLtU-6asC-vbJTjQLPptwEPcTtztqhxQ_RIyVkOUHljfPz6o6kYUUKtD_UgVbIxExi8PKXz0bcteHNS0uxYMR1YycQVM4kjhEpGtgRKbxIzOrk2ekXWhAiO3_fDrG/s320/IMG_5035.JPG" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand prize winner - she really liked the wreath. :) :) :)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> </b> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-91722498807078104102013-03-31T21:38:00.001-04:002013-04-10T07:30:06.431-04:00Easy Mod Podge Print to CanvasI've been finding some really cute and/or inspirational quotes on the Internet. Often, these "printables" are found in PDF format with accompanying artwork and cool fonts. I have found many on Pinterest (no surprise there!)- I've also found a lot of projects on Pinterest involving Mod Podge. Marry these two ideas and you have my next project!<br />
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First, I downloaded my free printable. Since my color printer isn't the best, I decided I would pay to get it printed. I sent the file to Staples via their Internet site. It was something like 60 cents a page, which I thought was very reasonable!<br />
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I bought the supplies I needed at the craft store - an 8x10 canvas; a bottle of Mod Podge (matte finish); a small foam brush and a bottle of blue acrylic paint. When all was said and done, I spent less than $15 (and the Mod Podge can be used for many other projects!)<br />
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Essentially, I wanted to adhere my print to canvas for display or hanging - this, of course, an alternative to framing it. I like how if you do it right, your print ends up looking like it was printed directly on the canvas. This is reminiscent of wall art you can buy at a store like Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond. <br />
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Directions:<br />
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1. Paint your canvas. I did the sides and border, since my print was going to cover the entire front. <br />
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2. While that dried, I trimmed the sides of my print. It was 8x11 and my canvas was 8x10. Using a ruler and Exacto knife helped make the cuts straight and smooth. <br />
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3. Use the sponge brush to apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the entire front of the canvas. <br />
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4. Gently lay your print on the front of the canvas. Smooth the bubbles of the paper with the sides and palm of your hand. <br />
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5. Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on the top of your print to seal it and add a nice sheen to the top when it dries. I left it overnight- this ensured that it dried completely, and any small bubbles somehow disappeared! Not sure how that happens, but I had read online that it does- then I saw it for myself!<br />
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I put the finished product in my therapy office. I didn't hang it because my walls are pretty well decorated- but it added some needed color to my side table. I've had clients comment about its vibrant color, but especially about the message the quote sends. <br />
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This would also be an easy and appreciated gift to give. Try it out and see!<br />
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<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAy6Zi4GpcJLH1WV588-H4e2BTUpGFhGkI18cELhJTDzJMbax_fXPPXB70nlXhJmTMzwbRB2Wq45nTtpu8rpiKUDp-mg3P277kRafObhxh21L08EjH5KvXV7GLQ_AJhNPrzCtqvZm1hPu/s640/blogger-image--1807160824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAy6Zi4GpcJLH1WV588-H4e2BTUpGFhGkI18cELhJTDzJMbax_fXPPXB70nlXhJmTMzwbRB2Wq45nTtpu8rpiKUDp-mg3P277kRafObhxh21L08EjH5KvXV7GLQ_AJhNPrzCtqvZm1hPu/s640/blogger-image--1807160824.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-46980225532553534052013-03-26T21:43:00.001-04:002013-03-26T21:43:17.804-04:00Spring Tulle Wreath - SO Colorful!<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yes I know, another wreath. But I did take a wreath break for awhile, so hopefully you're feeling ready for another. :) Once again, I found the original idea for this on Pinterest - I really liked how this one came out, and thought the DIY was very easy to follow. See the post that inspired my spring wreath by going <a href="http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/10/how-to-make-a-tulle-wreath-halloween-edition/" target="_blank">here.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This one was fairly easy compared to the other wreaths I've made. I decided this one would showcase colors that I felt represent spring and Easter. As usual, the post is organized as follows: a photo of the final project; a list of necessary supplies; step-by-step DIY guide and then photos that I took at various stages of the project.</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Supplies:</span></b></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6" rolls of tulle. I had six total rolls - some were 15 yards and some were 25 yards. I ended up having plenty leftover.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">10" styrofoam wreath. The tulle really expands the size of your wreath, so an 8 or 10 inch wreath is going to yield a good size wreath (mine ended up being about 14'').</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Scissors</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ruler</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ribbon to hang your finished wreath</span></li>
</ul>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Instructions:</span></b></u><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. Cut your tulle at the desired length. If you like the size of my wreath, I cut each piece of tulle at about 22 inches long. I would cut 4 pieces of each color (except my glitter tulle- for that I only did two at a time). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. Fold your piece of tulle in half. Loop this piece of tulle around your wreath and pull the loose ends through the loop. The original DIY can explain this better than I see to be able to word it; hopefully you can tell how I did it by looking at the photos, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Repeat, repeat, repeat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">4. Push your tulle as close together as you'd like. I liked mine to be really full, so I definitely pushed the tulle very tightly as I went around the wreath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">5. Choose a coordinating ribbon and loop around the top of the wreath - knot and tie a bow!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">TIP: Do NOT buy glitter tulle unless you are prepared to have a HUGE mess. I'm not joking - the glitter got EVERYWHERE. I will not be using it if I make another tulle wreath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Simple, right?? Do any combination of colors for the season or a specific holiday- you could also jazz it up by adding embellishments. Be creative with it and I think you'll like the end product! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-8450091762805567102013-03-14T09:43:00.001-04:002013-08-11T22:22:19.128-04:005 Minute, $5 Spring Craft!<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This one is simple and cheap - can't beat that! To add a nice pop of color and floral cheer to your home, make one or several to display on tabletops. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Painted Mason Jar with Faux Flowers</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Supplies:</span></b></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">-Mason Jar or similar (mine was purchased at the Dollar Tree)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">-Acrylic paint (as shown; from craft store this was 87 cents)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Faux flowers (I chose hydrangeas from the craft store and used a coupon. They often have choices of fake flowers at a dollar store that you could use)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">-Newspaper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">-Optional: foam brush and hair dryer. </span><br />
<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></b></u>
<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Instructions:</span></b></u><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Steps are shown in the photographs at the bottom of this blog entry.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. Take off the jar of the lid. You won't be needing it; you can save it for something else if you want but I discarded. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. Squeeze acrylic paint in your mason jar. Once a thin later covers the bottom, stop squeezing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Slowly turn the jar upside down, sideways and around to coat the inside of the jar. The paint is thick and moves slowly, so be patient. You may need to add more, but really give it a chance to get coated with that first small amount you put in before you add more. Too much paint makes a mess later. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">4. Once the jar is fully coated inside, turn it upside down on the newspaper. Wait about a minute. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">5. Lift the jar from the newspaper and use the foam brush (or a wet paper towel, or your finger) to wipe the excess paint that has dripped along the rim. If you see a lot of paint pooling in the bottom of your jar, you need to repeat this step until there is barely any that drips out when you hold it upside down (this is why I said less is more for the paint :))</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6. If you'd like, you can blow dry the inside of the jar for a couple of minutes. It starts the drying process, but would take a very long time to dry it this way completely. Because....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">7. You will need to set it right-side up for about 24 hours until it's completely dry. When the paint has coated the inside and the rim is free of any excess paint drips (AND you don't have a pool of paint hanging out in the bottom)- THEN you are ready for this step. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">8. When the jar is dry inside, place your faux flowers inside and find a spot to show off your work!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">OK, so technically this project takes a day before it's done...but the actual work does only take about 5 minutes. The rest is letting paint dry (exciting). I think I'll make another with lavender paint for the main floor bathroom. Let me know if you enjoy this craft and if you do one, please share pictures with us! Happy spring! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-52473315802618676012013-03-06T22:02:00.002-05:002013-03-06T22:04:09.762-05:00Easter candle holder<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As is the case with most of the crafts I've tried, I found my inspiration for this Easter project on Pinterest. Shocking, I know! The original can be found <a href="http://thecsiproject.com/2011/03/15/easter-candle-holderguest-post-by-jcs-loft/" target="_blank">here</a>. It should be noted, however,that I made some changes to the DIY provided in the original post. The biggest change is that I bought and decorated my own wooden Easter eggs; the original author says that she bought hers (and that they are plastic! They are so cutely decorated; unfortunately the only plastic eggs I could find looked cheap and kid-like). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Below, you will find a supply list, step-by-step directions, photos I took during the process, and photos of the final product. I hope you enjoy and give it a try, too!</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Supplies:</span></b></u><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Two unfinished wooden circles from the craft supply store (to serve as the top and bottom of the candle holder).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">At least 3 wooden eggs, unfinished.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1/4'' diameter wooden dowel, unfinished.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Acrylic paint in various colors.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Various size paint brushes, especially small ones for detail work.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Acrylic seal clear coat (your choice of matte or glossy finish).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Drill with 1/4'' drill bit.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Glue gun or wood glue.</span></li>
</ul>
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Begin by choosing a solid color to paint both wooden circles. Paint one side; allow to dry completely. Turn over and paint other side; allow to dry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Drill a 1/4'' hole in the center of each circle, about halfway deep.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. If you would like, you can paint other colors/designs or put a faux finish on the circles, which will now serve as the base and top of your candle holder. I sponge painted yellow lightly on top of the robin's egg blue that I had chosen as a base color.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">4. Drill a 1/4'' hole through the center of your wooden eggs. NOTE: This was NOT an easy task. I actually delegated the drilling tasks to my husband. :) He started with a smaller drill bit and drilled a smaller sized hole all the way through the egg; then he went back and widened the hole with the 1/4'' drill bit. He did this in order to reduce the chances of the wood splitting- he also drilled slowly and carefully, which I definitely recommend you do as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">5. Paint your eggs! This was the fun part. Apply a base coat, and allow it to dry completely. Then, get creative and decorate your eggs with as many colors and patterns as you'd like! Again, wait for the eggs to dry completely before moving on to the next step.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6. Put a small drop of glue from your glue gun or wood glue into the hole in your candle holder base.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">7. Insert the wooden dowel into this hole in the base.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">8. Slide your 3 wooden eggs onto the wooden dowel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">9. Leave about 1/2'' of dowel sticking out of the hole from the top egg; the rest of the dowel can be cut off and discarded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">10. Repeat step 6 with the other wooden circle (serving as the top).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">11. Slide on to the top part where the 1/2'' of wooden dowel is sticking out. It should sit fairly flush with the tip of your top egg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">12. Spray with clear coat in a well-ventilated area: once it's dry, choose a candle and a place to display your masterpiece! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-30284771411632322432013-02-26T21:25:00.008-05:002013-02-26T21:25:58.453-05:00wedding party hangers: guest post!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
You're in for a real treat! Not only is this a non-wreath post (FINALLY!), this craft and DIY is courtesy of my sister! Unlike me, she's always been very crafty. She has been into scrapbooking for years, always making such creative and cute books. I may be a little biased, but my favorite is the scrapbook she made of my wedding. :) </div>
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Now, as hard as it is for me to believe, it's my sister's turn to get married. She is and always will be my LITTLE sister (we're seven years apart), so it boggles my mind that she's an adult now. The big day is fast approaching: May 25th! We have done a couple of DIY crafts for the event so far- some still in progress. This craft was actually one we didn't know Julie was making: personalized wooden hangers for the bridesmaids! When our dresses arrived at the bridal shop, she had displayed them all on our own hangers. I immediately commented that they were so cute: she got them on Etsy, right?? I had seen them on Etsy, and how nice of her to buy them for us! </div>
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To my surprise, she made them herself! Despite her crafty nature, I seriously was taken aback for a few seconds that she made them herself. They're so nice, and personalized with the main wedding color, title of each girl, and each girl's first name. </div>
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I asked if we could please feature these here, because I bet a lot of brides would like to do this for their girls. So, here is the surprisingly simple DIY: enjoy!</div>
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<u><b>Supplies:</b></u></div>
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<li>Desired number of wood hangers (1 per member of bridal party)</li>
<li>Big pack of black <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1361929922_0">scrapbook stickers</span> </li>
<li>Desired color sparkly paint by <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1361929922_1">Martha Stewart</span> (found at A.C. Moore) - my sister chose purple, which is the same as her main wedding color</li>
<li>Medium sized paint brushes </li>
<li>Desired color ribbon (recommend it matches the sparkle paint)</li>
</ul>
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<u><b>Instructions:</b></u></div>
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Step One: Place stickers on the hangers in this order: title- name- wedding date</div>
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Ex: Mine says... Matron of Honor Emily 05.25.13 </div>
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Step Two: Paint the entire surface of the hanger with the glitter paint. It's okay to use paint over top of the stickers. Be sure to let the paint dry completely before moving to the next step.<br />
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Step Three: Tie ribbon around the top of the hanger (metal hanger part).</div>
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Step Four: This comes verbatim from my sister: "Ta da! :-)" LOL...oh, that's my sister! ;)</div>
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Below are photos of some of the supplies used and the hangers during various points in the process.</div>
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Total time for the project was 4-5 hours with the help of her lovely fiance (yes, somehow she got him to partake in crafting! He's a keeper! :))</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Go ahead and make your own- your bridesmaids will love them (we totally do!)</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-22834305307435406242013-02-24T22:09:00.002-05:002013-02-24T22:09:30.272-05:00lucky wreath (yes, another wreath!)<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Another wreath post, but this one is timely since I'm catching up and actually posting BEFORE the holiday passes!</div>
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This is a St. Patrick's Day themed ribbon wreath. The idea of a ribbon wreath was inspired by <a href="http://www.sheskindacrafty.com/2011/01/valentine-ribbon-wreath.html" target="_blank">this blog post </a>and Pinterest find. I really liked the idea of choosing different kinds, colors and patterns of ribbon to convey a theme. I don't know about you, but when I go to the craft store and roam the ribbon aisles, I'm strangely mesmerized at all the choices. Maybe it's this horribly grey winter that make the endless spools of color splash so exciting, lol! </div>
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Anyway, my weird affinity for ribbons aside, I decided on a St. Patrick's Day wreath. My husband's favorite color is green, and he's extremely Irish, so I thought this was a nice wreath to display on our front door. Here is the finished wreath - then, keep reading for the DIY! After which you will go and make your own!</div>
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<u><b>Supplies: </b></u></div>
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<li>12" extruded Styrofoam wreath</li>
<li>7 or 8 different kinds of corresponding types of ribbon. I didn't pay attention to how big the spools were, I'm sorry! I was able to make two wreaths with the amount of ribbon you see below. </li>
<li>TIP: The best kind of ribbon for this project is grosgrain. Wire ribbon is okay, and actually is easy to shape into a loop. I do NOT recommend sheer ribbon; that was very problematic for me. Also, variety is good in terms of how thick your ribbon is, but the more thin ribbon you buy, the more it takes to cover the wreath.</li>
<li>Dressmaker pins</li>
<li>Decorative element if desired (mine was a glitter foam cutout that says "Lucky" and a corresponding glitter shamrock. Only $1 at A.C. Moore!)</li>
<li>Glue gun</li>
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<u><b>Instructions:</b></u></div>
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Step One: Wrap your wreath with one of your ribbon choices. The thicker the ribbon, the less you waste on this part. I say waste because you will barely be able to see this when the wreath is covered in ribbon. It's better than leaving it white underneath, though, which is definitely visible if you miss any spots. I used a solid green grosgrain ribbon because it was cheap and wrapped easily. Use your hot glue gun to glue the ribbon on at the start and ending of your wrapping it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQidGXxVKEmSiCGIPrPFVHlvISl40x3UzpFRswtx6y-pkkbbJTNBswm-ozGPOShT3NziuotAtCvXIykfv8aP4UpLs5p-X2PHX-ggrBokjmCra0TkYD95UDhBP3eju2aEFP7wY9_2QrAZpa/s640/blogger-image-212817394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQidGXxVKEmSiCGIPrPFVHlvISl40x3UzpFRswtx6y-pkkbbJTNBswm-ozGPOShT3NziuotAtCvXIykfv8aP4UpLs5p-X2PHX-ggrBokjmCra0TkYD95UDhBP3eju2aEFP7wY9_2QrAZpa/s640/blogger-image-212817394.jpg" /></a> </div>
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Step Two: Cut your lengths of ribbon. I found conflicting posts online regarding how long the strips should be. For my first wreath, I made them 4" long each. For my second one, I did 5.5" each. I think 5" would have been ideal in terms of the ribbon being easier to pin but not too droopy on the wreath. Start by cutting 20 pieces of each type of ribbon you bought. The photo below shows the 4" cut pieces before I started pinning them on.</div>
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Step Three: This step is optional. I did not do it for the first wreath. I thought it would be an extra unneeded step. I was wrong. You see, looping the ribbon (especially if it's just 4" long) and pinning it to the wreath can be tricky at times. You get one side pinned and then the loop comes undone. It was maddening at times! So, for the second wreath I decided to glue the ribbon loops shut before I pinned them on. Again, I originally thought this step would be a waste of time, but it saved me frustration and a string of curse words later on! :) All you need is to form a loop with your ribbon and use your glue gun to put a small dot of glue on each corner to keep it closed. It sets quickly. The photo below was taken when I made my second wreath- these are the 5.5" lengths of ribbon, glued into loops before I began pinning. </div>
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Step Four: Place any decorative elements on your wreath in the beginning. You will be working around them with the ribbon loops; you don't want to glue the decoration on top of perfectly nice ribbon loops. It won't be super sturdy and it's a waste of (now flattened) ribbon. Use super glue or a glue gun to adhere your decoration in place.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Step Five: Pin the loops onto your wreath. You need to cover the front, outer circle and inner circle only. The back is left uncovered. Alternate your ribbon evenly. For example, I would pin one of each kind of ribbon, then started over again. This way, there was a fairly equal amount of each ribbon type/pattern on the wreath when finished. I used two pins per loop to keep the ribbon securely in place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Step Six: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Cut
a length of ribbon in the same color scheme as your wreath. You will be
doubling it over, so make it twice as long as you want your hanger to
be. I wanted to use one of the two special St. Patty's Day ribbons I had, so that I could really showcase the theme. I cut it about 12" inches long and folded it over. Then I
pinned the open ends to the back of the wreath using 4 dressmaker pins,
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Below, you will see both versions of the wreath. You can decide for yourself if you like the one with shorter loops (thus more ribbon loops needed), or the one with longer loops (thus less ribbon loops needed). I will say that I like the one with the shorter loops better, BUT I liked that the longer loop ribbon took me about an hour less to complete. Total approximate time for this project is 4 hours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I went crazy and bought spring colored/themed ribbon, so look for that in upcoming weeks! For now, I'm going to step away from wreaths, though (as promised!)- a couple new posts will be coming over the next 2-3 days, so stay tuned. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If you make (or have made) a ribbon wreath, please post a link so that we can see it- I love seeing all the different versions that people make! :) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUCJfub7H5AaOuqM5n-plo3AkBTZ2Ed5cj2cF83PDWOf_4IWc6b42RHJ1CptgSz7AFKmhqDLsy1Cjv65GYaGDKfSfdqHv8SL5CrJh170qqW3NAmIE-l92TesjrglkoNnpDnDM6KkCTs6T/s640/blogger-image--1757176146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUCJfub7H5AaOuqM5n-plo3AkBTZ2Ed5cj2cF83PDWOf_4IWc6b42RHJ1CptgSz7AFKmhqDLsy1Cjv65GYaGDKfSfdqHv8SL5CrJh170qqW3NAmIE-l92TesjrglkoNnpDnDM6KkCTs6T/s640/blogger-image--1757176146.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-58387669889034065062013-02-23T10:03:00.002-05:002013-08-11T21:55:57.494-04:00pinked felt wreath<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
By this point, any visitors to my blog probably think I only make wreaths, lol! There is some truth to this, as the majority of the projects I've done so far have been wreaths. That's where I felt a "comfort zone" for a bit- not to mention that I found so many on Pinterest that were cute!</div>
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I do promise that soon, we will move from wreaths to some home decor, signs, Mod Podge projects and wedding DIY projects. Those are still in progress, though, and I've already completed two more types of wreaths that are super easy and fun to make. I'm sure you'll want to try these, so stick with me and my wreath posts a little while longer. :)</div>
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This next wreath is one I made for Valentine's Day. It has a very simple supply and instruction list. I won't lie, though- it is time consuming. It's something you can work on while you watch TV at night, though, so that makes it go pretty quickly. </div>
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Here's the finished product:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDkeAP2cHHkS4svl7O-q1hlP2TJaOqi-OEZYsGhNWswreLQYD3qveLCt5r6OAuDkiW9TdEdrc0Ki6Fz3FGmPujAUOqrpam6VMrtrLjXz9cHR4wl0P_I4NBj9R2eBaEuDlQhHV-99n7p0y/s640/blogger-image--1894991492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDkeAP2cHHkS4svl7O-q1hlP2TJaOqi-OEZYsGhNWswreLQYD3qveLCt5r6OAuDkiW9TdEdrc0Ki6Fz3FGmPujAUOqrpam6VMrtrLjXz9cHR4wl0P_I4NBj9R2eBaEuDlQhHV-99n7p0y/s400/blogger-image--1894991492.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">List of supplies:</span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 yard of felt - for V-Day, I chose pink and a purple-ish pink for my sister's wreath. You could choose any color depending on the holiday or season you want the wreath to represent!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dressmaker pins</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">12" extruded styrofoam wreath (an extruded foam wreath holds pins very well)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3" circle template: I used a plastic cup that had an opening 3" across. You could make a template out of cardboard, but to get a perfect circle, just find something around the house that's about the right size (mug, cup, cans in your pantry)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pinking shears</li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Glue gun</li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pencil </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Decorative element - mine was a glitter heart that I found at a local craft store</span></li>
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<u><b>Instructions</b></u></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Step One:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Use a pencil to trace circles on the felt. I cut the felt into smaller pieces to make it easier to move around, and it's easier to cut later when it's not one in-tact big yard of material.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3BTi8F8EUJlethy_tfnVsaDqm6s0pJF8TZBYtstCJrOP-pSb454InLF-w9IxNpTVHbN9kyoKY97uhQ94Avn7PFm4u7vn_szYxmGWY_GtGi6d3GdYM1bzrudDWEL9KBLE2jiOicIlS158/s640/blogger-image-887353942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3BTi8F8EUJlethy_tfnVsaDqm6s0pJF8TZBYtstCJrOP-pSb454InLF-w9IxNpTVHbN9kyoKY97uhQ94Avn7PFm4u7vn_szYxmGWY_GtGi6d3GdYM1bzrudDWEL9KBLE2jiOicIlS158/s640/blogger-image-887353942.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Step Two:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Use pinking shears to cut out your circles. You will need a LOT of circles - you'll use about 3/4 of your yard for a 12" wreath. I estimate I traced and cut over 200 circles for this wreath - no joke! So settle in for awhile; steps 1 and 2 take a lot of time.</span><br />
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As you can see below, here are what your cut felt circles will look like. The ridged edges really add visual interest and depth to the wreath. You could just use regular fabric scissors, but I do highly recommend using pinking shears. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3g8CO5LdPe7CWmNfAsVCu6AIGx9e9Clq6g9GdGDt56u2JlDU_3e7Qe4vFM8yAC4mwO2Mq_hV3Wryz2c7Y65whIJNUdDc2KF1lFJ0ReXIuejN7GO3-D-YiIyGjmjZJx2SzJLxnLVwN6Zy/s1600/blogger-image--684107743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3g8CO5LdPe7CWmNfAsVCu6AIGx9e9Clq6g9GdGDt56u2JlDU_3e7Qe4vFM8yAC4mwO2Mq_hV3Wryz2c7Y65whIJNUdDc2KF1lFJ0ReXIuejN7GO3-D-YiIyGjmjZJx2SzJLxnLVwN6Zy/s400/blogger-image--684107743.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Step Three:</b> Fold a felt circle in half, as shown in the photo.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDb0s2nNrIaA1TM8oG1Ic-zz0F8MaD9efa4B76YXtzWK7URaeyUsK0y9XPOUf9SlrNOay1WnO5iGJjqblNn23OP30G9F76Wzk6lF6NVNwAKQ3BlSfRyCAhImgylfpdtf6ZD1K_2vBver3g/s1600/blogger-image--921804361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDb0s2nNrIaA1TM8oG1Ic-zz0F8MaD9efa4B76YXtzWK7URaeyUsK0y9XPOUf9SlrNOay1WnO5iGJjqblNn23OP30G9F76Wzk6lF6NVNwAKQ3BlSfRyCAhImgylfpdtf6ZD1K_2vBver3g/s640/blogger-image--921804361.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Step Four: </b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Push a dressmaker pin through the bottom of the folded felt circle, about 1/2 inch from the bottom (as shown in the photo).</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Step Five (Through Step 200 :)): </b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pin your felt folded circle to the wreath. You will only need to cover the front, outer circle and inner circle of the wreath - the back is left undone, since it won't be seen when it's hanging. Some tips when you are doing your pinning: you can turn the circles in different directions to make the wreath look more interesting. For example, with the folded part facing left, facing right, facing down, etc. It's kind of hard to describe, but you'll see when you start doing it. Also, pin your circles extremely close to one another. The idea here is that you won't see any of the white wreath underneath when you're done.</span><br />
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<b>Step 201: </b>Use your hot glue gun or super glue to attach your accessory anywhere on the wreath. In my case, it was a super cute glitter heart from the craft store.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Step 202:</b> Cut a length of ribbon in the same color scheme as your wreath. You will be doubling it over, so make it twice as long as you want your hanger to be. I love the ribbon I found - it's a grosgrain pink and white polka dot ribbon. I cut it about 12" inches long and folded it over. Then I pinned the open ends to the back of the wreath using 4 dressmaker pins, and I was done!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Once again, the finished wreath! I ended up making two of these and gave both away. By the time I was done, I didn't want to make one for myself because they're so time-consuming!! :) I'll have to go back to it later when I'm not quite as burnt out with this particular project. I estimate spending 8 hours on each wreath. Well worth it, though (I think!) - what do you think?</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Credit to: all things simple, the blog that provided me with the original inspiration and DIY to make a <a href="http://www.onesimplehome.com/2011/01/pinked-felt-wreath.html" target="_blank">pinked felt wreath.</a></i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-49277200039484381432013-02-14T22:16:00.000-05:002013-02-23T09:28:30.761-05:00Christmas Ornament Wreaths: {re}visited<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As promised in my </span><a href="http://unclosetedcrafter.blogspot.com/2013/02/first-craft-christmas-ornament-wreath.html" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;" target="_blank">first post about Christmas ornament wreaths</a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">, here is more information on how to make these festive decorations. </span><br />
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When I made my <a href="http://unclosetedcrafter.blogspot.com/2013/02/first-craft-christmas-ornament-wreath.html" target="_blank">first wreath</a>, I noticed a couple of things that posed a challenge. First, I added garland/extras to the wreath at the very end. This was a mistake, because by that time the wreath was very full. It wasn't easy to navigate tiny open spaces to hot glue these sprigs and glittery leaves! </div>
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Also, I learned that it might have been better to have more than two sizes or Christmas ornaments. As I filled in the wreath, I did have empty spaces where the ornaments I had just wouldn't fit. I used small and even mini ornaments to solve this problem.</div>
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<u><b>Buying the Ornaments </b></u></div>
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Finally, I did research regarding the best places to get Christmas ornaments for an affordable price. I was lucky because I started this crafting venture in November, which was prime time for ornaments in local big box stores. However, I found that prices varied enough to warrant shopping around, and color choices were minimal at some places. I also found out that whenever possible, it's a good idea to buy a "shatterproof ornament set." This typically consists of 50 or 100 assorted ornaments in a large plastic cylinder. </div>
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The best stores to buy assorted ornament sets are: KMart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot. Most of these sets include ornaments in 2 or 3 different colors, or 2 or 3 shades of the SAME color- and almost always include mostly round ornaments with occasional different shapes thrown in. There are typically assorted sizes Because it was holiday time, these sets were in the $20 range.</div>
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If you are looking for ornaments in large numbers - 25-100 per pack - but you want a single color per pack, the best stores to find these are: Target and Big Lots. These packages are usually more expensive - for example, a pack of 25 silver at Target was $15. I was lucky enough to find a 50 pack of blue ornaments at Big Lots for just $12, but that was AFTER Christmas. </div>
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A really good website for buying color specific ornaments in all sizes, shapes and finishes is <a href="http://www.christmascentral.com/" target="_blank">Christmas Central </a>. I found hot pink ornaments there, which are VERY difficult to find in other stores. </div>
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Remember, when buying your ornaments:</div>
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<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">They should be shatterproof</li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You should get 3-5 different sizes of ornaments</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Don't forget to make sure you have one or two small/"mini" sizes to fill in empty spaces </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">For a 14 inch wreath that is very full, you will need a total of approximately 125 ornaments. Adjust this total for a smaller wreath or if you don't want to make it as full.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I always made sure that I had 50 ornaments that are "medium" sized, or approximately 2.5'' (60mm) around.</span></li>
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<u><b>Making the Wreath: {Re}vised Version</b></u> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">After that first ornament wreath I made for my mother, I made three more: one for my best friend, one for my sister and one for our family. Once again, here are the supplies and instructions for making an ornament wreath. I did make some revisions from the instructions in my first post, to account for some of the new things I learned as I made more wreaths. </span><br />
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<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A straw wreath (14 inches)</li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Shatterproof ornaments. Recommend approx. 125 ornaments, 50 which are "medium" sized, about 25 that are larger, and the rest will be small and mini for fill-ins.</li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Glue sticks </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Glue gun (I "borrowed" my mom's glue gun - my sister pretended she needed it and passed it on to me to use. :))</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ribbon (the wider the better!) It doesn't matter what kind of ribbon it is, but keep in mind that you use it for the wreath hanger, too, so you will want to color coordinate the ribbon. I can't remember how much of it I needed, I'm sorry! To be safe, you could get a 10 yd. spool and I'm fairly certain that will be long enough.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some sort of garland/decoration (glitter spirals, glitter branches/leaves, bead garland)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here is a very brief run-down of
how I made the wreath, followed by progress pictures as I went along.</span><br />
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1. Take the plastic off of your straw wreath.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2.
Hot glue the start of your ribbon to your wreath, then wrap the wreath
(without cutting the ribbon until you're done!) - when done, cut the ribbon
and hot glue the end of the ribbon down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Take ribbon and make a "hanger" for the wreath. Hot glue the ribbon in place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">4. Take the little "metal tops" off of your ornaments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">5.
Make sure the holes at the top of the ornaments are facing down when you adhere them to the wreath (not
visible). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6. Hot glue your ornaments to the ribbon-wrapped wreath. Start by gluing your biggest ornaments around the outside of the entire wreath. You will want to glue them directly to the wreath and also put a dab of glue between two ornaments to hold them together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">7. Add garland/decorations as you go. Before you get too many ornaments on, you should glue these on. They can stick out from the sides and you glue the ornaments around them. It's much easier to add these as you go instead of waiting until the end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">8. You will do the outside ring of the wreath, then a layer on top of that...then you will do a third layer toward the inner circle and the inner circle itself. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here are photos of the three wreaths I made. If you have any questions about the process, please comment! Otherwise, go ahead and give it a try! I seriously had zero experience, art/crafting skills and just a brief online description of how to do this. You can do it, too! :)</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pink/Silver BFF Wreath:</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Purples/Silver Sister Wreath:</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Blues/Silver Family Wreath: </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-58720120528436839642013-02-09T18:05:00.002-05:002013-02-23T09:27:47.246-05:00interest in my pinterest<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've been spending a lot of time on my Pinterest lately, which is a good and bad thing. Bad because Pinterest is extremely addictive and time-consuming. Good because I have found some really cool craft projects and printables that I've pinned for endless hours of future crafting!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Feel free to "follow" my Pinterest account so that you may access these ideas, too! Link below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/bluejeanrein/" target="_blank">Pinterest by Emily / {un}closeted crafter</a> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-48010559717117913362013-02-07T17:08:00.001-05:002013-02-23T09:26:59.447-05:00mini glue gun!Never in a million years did I think I'd get so excited about a glue gun! Lol! Here's the reason I'm getting all worked up about this. <br />
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This is a low temp mini glue gun. First, when I was making my Christmas ornament wreaths, there were a lot of tight spaces that I needed to glue- my regular sized gun wasn't always the best for that and I dripped more glue than I would have liked. Also, I burned myself 3 or 4 times making those wreaths- badly!!<br />
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The glue gun I just invested in should help with those issues. It was $9.99 at AC Moore, included 10 mini glue sticks, a glue drip pad and I had a 40% off coupon. Since it's low temp, the gun doesn't get as dangerously hot, but it's still hot enough to melt the glue to do its job. I also have some upcoming projects that just need small dabs of glue on sometimes delicate materials. Some projects are secret related to my sister's bridal shower and wedding. I can post those once those events are over in April and May :)<br />
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Anyway, I'm pretty happy with this new tool and, once again, find myself in awe of how excited I could get over a glue gun! I mean, it's super cute too!! See the floral pattern?? I'm not sure who I am anymore, lol....<br />
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Will let everyone know how it works and if it was worth buying. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-20864298240310690802013-02-04T22:42:00.000-05:002013-02-23T09:26:16.002-05:00First Craft: Christmas Ornament Wreath (Part 1, Beginner)<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
November 2012 was my first foray into the "world of crafting." I was inspired by Pinterest and a specific type of wreath I had seen in some of the "big box" stores. </div>
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These wreaths featured multi-colored Christmas ornaments. Some were fuller than others: most definitely the handmade ones! The manufactured versions I saw were sparsely decorated with ornaments, and used filler like tinsel and garland. I was shocked that these were selling for retail between $39.99 and $59.99 for what I'd consider a "medium" size. </div>
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Somewhat spontaneously, I decided I was going to try making my own Christmas ornament wreath based on a "DIY" tutorial I had seen via a post on Pinterest. I had very little concept of how many ornaments I'd need, or how expensive that could be. Thankfully, since it was November, finding the ornaments was easy. Doing the shopping around for the best price was what was most time-consuming, though! Eventually, I found that the following stores had really good deals on packs of shatterproof ornaments: Big Lots, Wal-Mart and Home Depot. You could get 50 to 100 ornaments for around $30. This may sound like a lot of ornaments, but the tutorial told me I would need about 100, so I made sure to buy plenty.</div>
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I decided that I was going to make this wreath for my mom. I thought: if it turns out nicely, she will have something pretty to hang at Christmas (I planned to give it to her as an early present). She's impossible to shop for, so I thought she might appreciate something handmade that was NOT a deformed statue of Kristi Yamaguchi! ;) I also figured that if it turned out to be a disaster, she would A) Pretend to like it or B) I could throw it away and never speak of it to anyone. :)</div>
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I decided on using red, gold and green ornaments because red is her favorite color, and this seemed like a traditional and "safe" choice for this wreath.</div>
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In addition to the ornaments, I needed:</div>
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<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A straw wreath (14 inches)</li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Glue sticks </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Glue gun (I "borrowed" my mom's glue gun - my sister pretended she needed it and passed it on to me to use. :))</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ribbon (the wider the better!)</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some sort of garland/decoration to use in any empty spaces</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I found the wreath, glue sticks and garland at A.C. Moore. I did shop around to see what craft store would have the best deal: we have JoAnn's, A.C. Moore, Michael's and Hobby Lobby locally. Honestly, the prices were very similar at each; I was sure to use a coupon at A.C. Moore that took 40% off the price of my wreath! (They're normally $3.99). Note: these stores will all accept competitor coupons. So, look online, in your newspaper or on an app for your smartphone to get coupons for every time you go to a craft store. Seriously, they ALWAYS have coupons floating around, so there should never be a time you go into a craft store and pay full price! (end of money-saving rant:)).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I did find that the ribbon at the craft stores was more expensive than what I could find elsewhere. Wal-Mart can have slightly lower prices on ribbon. Various dollar stores also carry seasonally decorated/colored ribbon - they had autumn themed rolls when I was there that were, unfortunately, the wrong color for what I needed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I ended up finding a fabulous deal on red sheer wire ribbon at The Christmas Tree Shop. The tutorial said it could be sheer or solid, and the $1.99 price for a huge roll sounded great to me! Unfortunately, I didn't know at the time that I would be doing a crafting blog, or I would have kept better track of exact prices and how much ribbon, etc. I think it was a 10 yard roll and I used about half to wrap the wreath.</span><br />
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Thankfully, I did take photos during my wreath-making process, even though I didn't document every single step. I'll try to be more thorough now what I know people will be reading my instructions (if I ever get anyone to read this blog, that is! :)). Here is a very brief run-down of how I made the wreath, followed by progress pictures as I went along.</div>
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1. Take the plastic off of your straw wreath.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. Hot glue the start of your ribbon to your wreath, then wrap the wreath (without cutting the ribbon until the end!) - when done, cut the ribbon and hot glue the end of the ribbon down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Take ribbon and make a "hanger" for the wreath. Hot glue the ribbon in place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">4. Take the little "metal tops" off of your ornaments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">5. Make sure the holes at the top of the ornaments are facing down (not visible). Hot glue your ornaments to the ribbon-wrapped wreath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6. Add garland/decorations - ta da!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Now, this is an EXTREMELY simplified version of the process! When I made this wreath, I burned myself twice (I have a scar from one burn, still!). I hot glued the wreath to the table on more than one occasion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The entire thing took more than 8 hours to complete.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So I'm definitely acknowledging that it wasn't as straightforward as the process above, but that's the general idea, and I learned some tricks as I went along. I also learned more each time I made another ornament wreath. Yes, I made more - because this one turned out quite nicely, to my surprise. Also, the response when my mom and other people saw it-- wow! I had to make some more for loved ones or they would have disowned me! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In my next blog, part 2, I will share more of the Christmas ornament wreaths I made (with pics). I'll also share some of the lessons learned as I made more wreaths; lessons that made the process a bit easier but also improved the quality of the finished products. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here are the photos from this project: enjoy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo1itel6OXgRTzVg6-B35miuuDJl4r2ggQXAkXqmZAOGCYGbQhK26BLkRTA_dt-Gy9_ros3DlOAW0UoCgWQaQSCr14Ty4u4KCNdIskyAkr2P_Cz_-mCZyP6-gEpJEhr_-2Jd7qsGEbhCV/s1600/IMG_4372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo1itel6OXgRTzVg6-B35miuuDJl4r2ggQXAkXqmZAOGCYGbQhK26BLkRTA_dt-Gy9_ros3DlOAW0UoCgWQaQSCr14Ty4u4KCNdIskyAkr2P_Cz_-mCZyP6-gEpJEhr_-2Jd7qsGEbhCV/s320/IMG_4372.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">P.S. - I did end up trimming the gold garland down considerably before I gave this to my mom. They looked like cat whiskers. :)))</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4147811790660338263.post-84358029009711513832013-02-03T22:41:00.002-05:002013-03-06T21:11:09.990-05:00an {un}likely beginning<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyone who knows me -- who TRULY knows me -- thinks it's hilarious when they find out I've started crafting. Or unbelievable. Or both.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A bit of background: when I was school-aged, I didn't exactly excel in art. Even the most basic skills eluded me. Well, I could color inside the lines - aside from that, I was a disaster in art class.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't believe me? Here is one of my worst (best?) creations. I'll let it sink in.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82nafXh4TZM698rrrR12Zu9DkH8rZyg7OK82kwgzdMbk9sajCJ4sM_tZM9kf9gVd1Q6t2j0-1CxBo1Vtogn56oXWwK-baUxPTi1MzjcmIhvxEq8mug2CxOx1FKNz1Q1aCprk1hyphenhyphenc6fJTq/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82nafXh4TZM698rrrR12Zu9DkH8rZyg7OK82kwgzdMbk9sajCJ4sM_tZM9kf9gVd1Q6t2j0-1CxBo1Vtogn56oXWwK-baUxPTi1MzjcmIhvxEq8mug2CxOx1FKNz1Q1aCprk1hyphenhyphenc6fJTq/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a fine clay creation right here. Any guesses?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBiYb-8wwBWOXUztalTHwwauhWeXfCKd8z5r4BqP21Q1pnuetOEeAEXwplXYQu2wiEU6ytRBgW5eQjsn5nsaSJHH5Cos0liL2GvlI68Ngncq8oE_kcwVjfzI4CzYfMDHdUb9brtoCGubX/s1600/photo%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBiYb-8wwBWOXUztalTHwwauhWeXfCKd8z5r4BqP21Q1pnuetOEeAEXwplXYQu2wiEU6ytRBgW5eQjsn5nsaSJHH5Cos0liL2GvlI68Ngncq8oE_kcwVjfzI4CzYfMDHdUb9brtoCGubX/s1600/photo%25281%2529.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This aerial view will certainly inspire you to "figure" it out...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7qBfFYg9K7HgK85mRTueOWpoKyeHwbHfaVbl2cZWFDpaLIma9xUCiUh6gUna_ph3SNBKG6dqRe8V-vhzEblAGPkvFb4k8qvTj2JcMBjYIKRXkyMvRZLDVYpuyq83yQQLpYcvtmkkowMO/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7qBfFYg9K7HgK85mRTueOWpoKyeHwbHfaVbl2cZWFDpaLIma9xUCiUh6gUna_ph3SNBKG6dqRe8V-vhzEblAGPkvFb4k8qvTj2JcMBjYIKRXkyMvRZLDVYpuyq83yQQLpYcvtmkkowMO/s1600/photo.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her enchanting eyes and luxurious lips aren't helping?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Something tells me that despite its beauty and perfection, you still have no idea what you're looking at. For some reason, I get this reaction a lot when people are exposed to this piece.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is famous figure skater <b>Kristi Yamaguchi,</b> posing gracefully for you. Oh, I assure you that I'm not joking.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With one massive leg outstretched behind her. With disproportionate arms balancing her precariously. Wearing a gorgeous pink skating dress, buttocks accidentally showing as she glides on the "ice."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I was in 5th grade when I created this monster-piece - so, in all fairness, I guess it's not awful for a 10 year old? No... it's really, really awful.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is only one of many pathetic art class creations. I think you get the picture. Back to the story...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It wasn't until high school that I realized I actually had SOME creative ability in the art realm. This is when I learned I could take a decent photograph. I took some classes, both in high school and college. I developed my own film and printed my photos in the darkroom. Some of them were halfway decent. To this day, I enjoy taking pictures, and every now and again I take one that I think could be considered "artsy." Maybe I'll post some in a future blog post (again, as proof :)) - but I need to move on with this story.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">(Again, those who TRULY know me -- and those who end up reading this blog -- will attest to the fact that I am VERY wordy and love to tell stories within stories. I'll try my best to keep it in check. ;)).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fast forward to 2012. There was a lot of time between college ending and 2012 - see, I'm doing much better at cutting to the chase! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Last year is the year I started "dabbling" with crafting. I blame or credit <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, depending on how you look at it. Pinterest is ADDICTIVE. I started browsing the DIY section and I was amazed at what people were capable of creating. This is where I found my first craft idea (more on that in my next post). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It was really a stretch of my imagination to decide I was going to attempt that first craft. I knew my track record with making beautiful art wasn't great. Plus, I had an idea in my head about what constitutes a "crafter" - a stereotype that I think many others have, too. C'mon, you can admit it....you picture Suzy Homemaker "types" of women, or "old ladies," or introverted homebodies. OK, maybe that was just my horrible stereotyping? At any rate, trust me when I say that I am an unlikely candidate to become a crafter. Plus, I was sure that people would make fun of me when they found me out!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hence my decision to keep it secret at first. (Seriously - my Pinterest board with craft ideas is still set to private, and is called "closeted crafter)!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">After the success of my first project (more on that in the next post too, I promise!), I gained the slightest bit of confidence in my ability. Very slight. But, I had learned something from the process of making that first craft that really fueled my interest in continuing.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I learned that I could escape when I crafted. I could focus on and ENJOY what I was doing, without a lot of outside "noise" going on in my mind. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This was incredible, because for that past year (or so), I had been extremely stressed, busy and preoccupied most days. The two biggest reasons? Having and raising our first child (b. May 2011), and opening my own business. Yeah, kind of hectic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, I learned that for me, crafting is a good distraction... it can be a lot more fun than I thought... and I actually don't suck at it! Seriously, against all odds - wait until you see a couple of the things I've made, and I'm hoping you'll agree. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I started this blog because I wanted to share my projects with simple instructions so that you may try to create them, too! I also wanted to dispel the idea that crafting is for a certain "type" of person by telling you my story. Additionally, I want to instill confidence in people that don't have much natural artistic ability - you CAN become a crafter! Follow my blog to find out how!</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16109895251089753364noreply@blogger.com2