Studio Wreath Redo

You know how much we love to use the 'undo' and 'redo' keys on our laptops?  Well, I decided to redo my studio wreath and add more flowers.  Let me know what you think.

It now has flowers all the way around it.

Here's the original wreath:

...and here it is now:

I have 2 and they're both hanging inside.  I just took this outside to get a better photo of it.  So, tell me what you think.  Should I add some butterflies?  It has a lot of lace from the Artisan Embellishment Kit, but it doesn't show up very much in the photo.

I have been so busy this week in my studio.
After getting the retiring list and then my brand new catalog (goes live on May 31), I marked all the retiring products from the current catalog and then started pouring over the new catalog.  I like it, I like it, I like it... a lot!  I just sang that.  Could you hear me?

In preparation for my Left-Overs Party (class) on this Sunday afternoon, I pulled out all the retiring stamps and accessories.  I then studied the layout of the new catalog.  The stamps are organized a little bit differently than in the current one.  I relabeled and resorted all my stamps and put them away according to the new format.  I will have to get used to everything being moved a bit.

Now, I'm off to play with the new stamps and products that I got in my pre-order.  You'll be seeing some sneak peeks very soon!  I'm happy now that I did the work first.  I will enjoy my creating just that much more!

- 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 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.

A Ribbon Wrapped Wreath

Here's a wreath I just finished.  I actually made 2 of them, to hang behind the bar in my studio.  I've used fabric and embossed CS for the flowers, with antique brads for the centers.  The wreath base is wrapped in our new 2-tone Basic Gray ribbon.

I also used some of the beautiful lace from our Artisan Embellishment Kit.  It's under the flowers.

Tip:
I followed a tip I found on Pinterest, to hang my wreaths.  I used a hook mounted upside down on the inside of the cabinet doors.  You loop the ribbon over the hook and then it goes over the top of the door.  This is a great solution for hiding a hook you don't really want to show and there's no damage to your cabinet doors.

By the way, the ribbon is absolutely yummy and it's very easy to work with it.  You'll love it!

I feel like I've been running to catch a bus and falling further and further behind.  Do you ever feel like that?  I have a chunk of time --- today, tomorrow and Wed. --- and I am bound and determined to spend these 3 days working like a dog.  Let's see what all I can get done.  All I need to do is ... oh, I don't even want to list it all.  It does include a lot of creating and, hopefully, finishing up my taxes - so my husband won't kill me.

Have a great day.  That puff of smoke was just me --- taking off on the run to charge into 3 intense work days.  I'm calling it Day 1 of my Work Like a Dog mission.  It will be fun (well not so much, when it comes to taxes); it will be madly insane; it will be busy... and, hopefully, it will be amazingly productive!!!  Have a good day.  Check back tomorrow and see how I'm doing:)  Oh, and while you're waiting, take a tour of my studio.  I could use the company.

- 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.

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.

Sneak Peek at Wrapping up Christmas

I had so much fun at my Open House yesterday.  Everyone was busy making lots of fun cards for Christmas and I got to see a few people who hadn't been here for a while.  That's always fun.  Everyone enjoyed the projects and the goodies and visiting with each other.  With all my Christmas decorations up, it just really put us into the Christmas spirit!

Here's a little sneak peek today at what we'll be making this Friday at my Wrapping up Christmas class.  This class will focus on a few super elegant cards, some tags and gift card holders --- all to help you wrap up your Christmas preparations.

It's difficult to see it, but there is a shimmer mist over the embossed flower and the entire front of the card.  To add even more elegance, I used a sponge dauber and covered the embossed vanilla layer with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.

I like to stamp the envelope to coordinate with the card, too.  I stamp the lower left corner on the front and then add something to the flap on the back, too.  By using black and vanilla, it just gives off a special elegance.

 

Come back soon for more Christmas fun.  Have a great day and a great week!