Fabric Flowers in a Window Box

Did you try to guess what my mystery object was in my last photo?  If you guessed that it was a part of something very old, you were on the right track.  It's actually a part of an old shutter.  I've had it for years and just love it.  Someone, a long time ago, took some pieces of old wood and attached a little window box to it.  I love when clever people make new things out of something old.  The shutter itself is old and peeling and the latch handle (the mystery object) is rusting and peeling.  I love that look!

I have hung this window box on my porch for several years and usually just stick a few sprigs of artificial flowers in it.  One year, the birds made a fine nest for their eggs and hatched some beautiful babies.  This year, after making so many fun wreaths with my fabric flowers, I had this brainstorm to fill my window box with fabric flowers!  I love, love, love how it turned out.

I cut and added blocks of styrofoam/floral foam (whatever that stuff is:) to fit the box.  Then, I layered artificial moss over it.  I actually lifted it up and added some hot glue in a couple of places.

After adding the brad through all the layers of the flower, I wrapped a floral wire (pieces cut to varying lengths) around the 'legs' of the brad and then twisted the ends together.  To be sure it stayed, I added a dollop of hot glue over the wire loop and the back of the brad.  

I then arranged the flowers in the window box and set them out on my favorite old peely bench to enjoy.  I haven't decided if I will leave them on the bench or hang them on the back wall of the wrap-around porch.

This was a super fun project.  I hope you will take some time to look around your home ... and maybe your garage or attic ... and see if you have anything that you could use for a fabric flower project.  You can go antiquing and junking with a new purpose now, too.  Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of my project.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Burlap, Fabric Flowers and a Mini Tutorial

Today's version of wreath is the one we'll be making on April 24.  I think it is one of my favorites, for sure!  I seem to be going a little wreath crazy, but they are fun to make.

This one starts with a styrofoam base and is wrapped with burlap.

I started out with just 3 flowers, but then ending up adding a couple more.  It looks good both ways, actually.  

I made 2, so that I have more options for where to hang them.  

Here's a close-up of the fabric flowers:

Aren't these cute?  So, here's a little mini tutorial for making the fabric flowers.  I thought I'd share that with you, since I've been showing you a lot of projects with fabric flowers.

Start with the cutting:

• Open a package of our wonderful fabric.
• Choose 1 of the 3 patterns in the package.
• Open it 1/2 way up and cut in half.
• You'll have 2 pieces, each 4 layers thick that are pretty much the same size as the Bigz Fun Flowers die for the Big Shot.  (See photo below.)
• Run 4 layers at a time through the Big Shot, using a CS shim to help make a cleaner cut.
• Remove top plate and snip any threads still attached.  I only have to do this for the smallest flower.
• You'll now have 4 flower pieces of each size.
• Now run the other piece of fabric (4 layers) through and get 4 more pieces of each size.

Here's a look at mine (4 layers) after cutting.  You'll notice that I didn't even iron the fabric because I was in a hurry to take these shots, but it straightens out perfectly when you spritz it.  It would be easier to work with if you ironed first, which I usually do.

Now you're ready to start assembling your flowers:

• Take 2 of each size of the flower pieces and stack them, alternating directions so you can see all the petal points.
• Punch a small hole in the center of the stacked pieces, using the Crop-A-Dile.
• Insert a large brad or skip punching a hole and sew on a button.
• Spritz your flowers with 'Stiffen Quick' and set aside to dry.  I spritz the top and the bottom of the flower, so it's pretty wet at first.
• I like to push mine down into the sections of a mini muffin pan.  It holds them into a rounded shape until they dry.
• Set them aside until they are completely dry.  You can hurry the process along with a heat tool.  Usually, I try to spritz my flowers at the end of my work day in my studio and just let them sit all night.
• Pick up your flowers and fluff them.
• Attach to your project using a hot glue gun.
• Enjoy!

Here's a look at how I leave mine to dry.

Tip:  The 'Stiffen Quick' is quite sticky and tends to clog the nozzle, so remove and rinse it whenever this happens and it will usually start spritzing again.  I clean it thoroughly after each use.

So, there you have it.  It is really a quick and easy project.  It always takes longer to explain it than to do it, so don't be afraid to give it a try.  You can get the 'Stiffen Quick' at your local fabric store.

Right now, I have these 2 wreaths hanging inside, but I often use fabric flowers on our covered front porch.  They seem to hold up pretty well.  I have a couple of wreaths that made it through an entire season and still look brand new, so I think it's fine.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Twigs and Sprigs for My Front Porch

The wreath I shared with you yesterday was just a part of my new display on my front porch.  Today, I'll share with you the rest of it.  I decided to try something new this year --- some sprigs of twigs, for want of a better name.  It's like a floral spray, only it's twigs.  I rather like it.

I found this fabulous roll of burlap ribbon when I was at the fabric store a few days ago.  It's my new BFF.  I tied a strip of ribbon around the top of the twig sprig.  Then, I cut a V in the end of each piece.  Lastly, I added 3 fabric flowers to the top and it's all finished.  The flowers were attached with hot glue.

It's just that fun and easy to make a new arrangement for your porch.  A sprig like this would also be pretty on your front door.

Here's a close-up of the flowers.

I made an arrangement for each side of my front window.

I used 4 different colors of flowers altogether, varying each arrangement slightly.

Here's the total arrangement together.

Come back for my next post and I'll share with you a brand new kind of wreath I just made, along with a mini tutorial for making the fabric flowers you've been seeing here.  This is a super special wreath because it is the one we'll be making on April 24!!!  I really think you'll like it.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Fabric AND a Wreath

As promised, I told you I'd be sharing more wreath ideas, as well as more ways to use fabric.  Today's post does it all.

Here is my latest new wreath, sporting fabric flowers made with our Essentials Designer Fabric.

 

This is a very large grapevine wreath and I've hung it over our big window on our front porch.  I attached 5 fabric flowers, using hot glue.  The flowers are held together with our antique brads.

Remember my trip a few days ago to my local fabric store?  I made a great find in burlap!  They now have rolls of burlap ribbon.  I love it!  I used a big piece of it for the bow.  I think it works nicely with the rustic look of the grapevine.  

This is a short post today because I want to get right to work in my studio.  I have a million projects I want to do!  We had a wonderful time at my Hostess Scrapbook Club last night.  We decorated a little journal from the Paper Pumpkin 'Try It' kit and we made a layout using divided page protectors.  I'll be showing you all that up soon, along with several more projects using my new burlap ribbon and more fabric ideas.  So... come back soon so you don't miss out.  Have a great day! 

 *Please Note:
If you would like to make a Spring wreath, you will need to pay to register at least 2 days prior to the class so that I can have all your materials ready for you.

Hang It Up --- Wreaths, Part 1

I love using wreaths to decorate and love making my own.  This week, I'll share some of my latest with you.

This first one is made by wrapping fabric around a styrofoam base.  I used our Summer Smooches Fabric for this one.

The fabric flowers are made with our Fun Flowers Die and the Big Shot.  See my tutorial for making the fabric flowers here.

I used some retired brads I found in my 'stash' for the middle of 2 of the flowers.  The third flower and the opposite side of the wreath have lady bug buttons for embellishment.  I found these in my sewing stash ... oh, yes, I have a stash for that, too.  I'm hopeless:)  

I used my craft and rubber scissors to cut the shank off the back of each button.  It's very easy to do because the buttons are plastic.  I then hot glued the buttons (and the fabric flowers) onto the wreath.  

This next wreath is one of the largest I've made.  Fortunately, I had a sunny day to photograph it outside and the hook was already there, so it worked out well.  This wreath uses the Fun Flowers Die also, to make all the flowers.  I think I have about 15 flowers on this one.  It's a really big wreath.

I used our Essentials Designer Fabric for the flowers.  I got the ribbon from our Sale Rack.  Be sure to check the Sale Rack often, because they have great bargains.  

I used some of our Antique Brads for the centers of the buttons on this wreath.

Come back for my next posts and see more wreaths.  I hope you'll get hung up on them.  Ha, ha --- couldn't resist.

I have my Scraps and Prayers Class tonight and we're making 2 Spring layouts.  I can't wait to share those with you, too. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

You've Been Framed - Part 3 ... a Fun Bulletin Board

A bulletin board can be a very useful item ... in your kitchen, craft room, laundry room, office, teen's room, classroom, child's room ... AND it can certainly be a lot of fun, especially if you get creative with it!  My bulletin board is 'fancied' up with fabric.

Using our Fabric Adhesive, I ironed the fabric directly onto the cork.  It worked beautifully!  I then added some fabric flowers to really brighten it up.  I actually made this bulletin board for my booth (Prairie Treasures) but I liked how it turned out so much that it was very difficult to let it go.  I may have to make another one for myself!

Here it is!

I love it and hope you do, too.  The nice thing is that you could make a project like this take on whatever look you would like, depending on your choice of fabrics and embellishments.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

You've Been Framed - Part 1 ... and ... How to Make Fabric Flowers

This week, I want to share some of my framing projects with you.  Today's project started as a plain, square frame.  I love making projects for home decor and frames are especially fun!

I did it all with fabric!  Did you know that you can iron fabric directly onto cardboard?  It's really easy.  I used our Fabric Adhesive Roll and attached the fabric to a cardboard insert for the inside of the frame.  I love the look of the cheery red with polka dots!

The fabric flowers are made with our Fun Flowers die.  I used 2 of each size of the cut flowers and layered them.  I pierced a hole with our piercing tool and then inserted a brad to hold them together.  Sometimes, I sew a button to the center instead of using a brad.   To fluff them and give them shape, I used a product called Stiffen Quick.  I got them quite wet and then pushed them into a mini muffin pan, so they would hold a more rounded shape as they dried.  I usually speed up the process a bit by using my heat tool on them.  I like to give them plenty of time to dry and then fluff them a bit before attaching.  I used my hot glue gun to attach them to the frame.

I could see a frame like this in a baby's room, a little girl's room, a teen's room, a craft room...

Tell me what you think... and be sure to come back tomorrow and I'll show you a vintage frame I made, using our flower trim.

Don't forget about the Friday 3-4-5 Card Buffet class this Friday night and the Collage Frames class coming up on Feb. 21.  I hope you'll join us for 1 or both of these fun classes.  Have a great day!