Category: DIY Projects | View all recent posts
Wednesday, December, 16, 2009
DIY: Winter Wedding Wreath
Laurie Cinotto of La La Laurie shares all the info on making the beautiful Winter Wedding Wreath...have fun everyone!!
Materials:
Four birch branches of equal length (approximately 15 inches long)
Fabric coated wire
A few Bay Berry (or other type of berry) branches
Several sprigs of Juniper
One sheet of ivory or white felt
Five nails
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Hammer
Floral clippers
Fine point marker
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Instructions for the Felt Poinsettias:
1. Download your Poinsettia Petal Template by clicking here.
2. Print the template out on a heavy card stock. Carefully cut it out with your scissors.
3. Trace around your petal template using your marker on the felt. Trace 5 - 6 petals for each flower.
4. Arrange 5 - 6 petals into a flower shape, with the bottom points of each petal overlapping. (see image A)
5. Take your hammer, and drive the nail in the center of your flower, through your overlapped petal points. ( If you like, use a scrap of wood under your flower to protect your work surface while hammering) Slide the petals up the nail, so they rest just under the nail head.
6. Flip the flower over and put a glob of hot glue on the back of the bloom to keep it from sliding down the nail. (see image B)
7. Flip the flower over again, and carefully squirt a large dot of glue in the center of the bloom. Take a few berries, and drop them into the glue to create your flower center. (see image C)
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Instructions for the Wreath Frame:
1. Form your four birch branches into a square with the ends overlapping. (see image D)
2. Bind each of your corners tightly, using your wire. If your corners are a little wiggly, reinforce them by carefully squirting a little hot glue where the branches overlap. (see image E)
3. Cut several berry branches approximately 17 inches long (slightly longer than your birch segments)
4. Lay the branches around your birch frame, and carefully attach them with your glue gun. (see image F)
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5. Snip several bits of Juniper, and tuck them into the branches. Concentrate the Juniper in the corners of the frame, and leave some of the bare branches showing. Secure the Juniper with a little hot glue. (see image G)
6. Attach your felt flowers to the wreath using hot glue. (see image H)
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| 7. Personalize your wreath! I glued a vintage wedding cake topper and a few tiny felt bird to mine. Glue or wire in a few ornaments, miniature framed photos, or anything you like to make it your own! (see image I)
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| Thanks Laurie for another great DIY....we look forward to your next visit....guys, make certain you stop by Laurie's site to see more of her fun and beautiful DIY projects!
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Tuesday, November, 24, 2009
DIY - Apple Chair Swag
Laurie shares all the info with us....have fun guys!!
What You'll Need:
8 - 10 small apples (I used Granny Smiths)
Bailing wire
6 yards of ribbon or trim (3 different styles)
Wire Cutters
Scissors
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Instructions:
1. Select 8 apples (or so) and line them with the smaller ones on the ends, and the larger in the middle. (see image A)
2. Cut a 3 foot length of bailing wire using your wire cutters. Make a loop at one end, and twist the tail around to close and secure. (see image B)
3. Take your first apple and run the wire through the upper half, centered on the stem. Slide it down the wire until it meets the loop. (see image C)
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4. One by one, carefully string the apples on the wire in the order in which you arranged them in step one. (see images D, E and F )
5. Make a loop with the remaining wire. Twist to secure. (see image G) Trim away any extra wire.
6. Cut six lengths of ribbon, roughly one yard each. Gather three ribbons and tie them to one end of your apple swag. (see image H)
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| 7. Gather the remaining three ribbons and attach them to the other end of the swag.
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8. Hang your swag across the back of your chair. You can dress the Bride and Groom's chairs, all the chairs at the head table, or the entire room.
The swags can be made several days in advance if stored in a cool place.
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| Thanks Laurie for stopping by today....as always...another beautiful and fun DIY for us...we look forward to your next visit....xoxo
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Wednesday, November, 11, 2009
DIY - Mossy Monogram
What You'll Need:
Thick, but malleable Aluminum Wire (I used Oasis brand 6 gauge Mega Wire)
A spool of Green Floral Wire
A bag of Sphagnum Moss
A bunch of Privet Berry (available September - October ) (Seeded Eucalyptus would work too, and it's available year round.
Hen and Chick plants
Wire cutters
Floral clippers or floral knife
Before You Get Started: Moss is messy! Cover your work surface with newsprint or butcher paper before you begin.
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1. Use your wire cutters to cut a 4 foot (or so) length of heavy aluminum wire.
2. Shape the wire into the desired letter (see image A). Trim away any extra wire.
3. At all points where the aluminum wire intersects, bind with your floral wire. (see image B)
4. Snip your Privitt Berries into small bits using your floral clippers or knife. (see image C)
5. Take a small piece of moss, and wrap it around the end of the wire letter. Wrap your floral wire around the moss several times to secure. (see image D)
6. Add a small bit of your Privit Berry on the moss, and wrap with wire. (see image E) Add more moss, and wrap again. Continue around the wire letter, alternating moss and berries, until it's completely covered. (see image F)
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7. Cut several 6 inch lengths of floral wire (one for each hen or chick). Wrap the middle of the wire strand around the root of the hen or chick. (see image G)
8. Use the wire tails to attach the hens and chicks to your mossy monogram. (see image H)
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| And here's the the "Mossy Monogram"....so cute.....I love it!
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Notes:
You can make your monogram several days in advance. Hit it with a mist of water to keep it fresh.
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| Isn't this the cutest DIY...!.....thanks so much for stopping by today Laurie and guys, please make sure you visit Laurie's site....she ROCKS!!
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Wednesday, October, 28, 2009
DIY - Fabulous Fall Textures
Autumn offers an amazing abundance of color and texture. Not just in flowers, but in foliages, seed pods, fruits and berries. By using lots of these seasonal offerings, you can create a very lush and colorful centerpiece without using a lot of flowers. Using less flowers, generally means you'll spend less money.
Some of the products I used for the arrangement was purchased at my local flower market. I also was able to harvest many foliages from my own yard.
Look around your yard and neighborhood. Mother Nature has a lot to offer this time of year!
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What You Need:
15 stems of assorted fall foliages such as:
Smoke Bush, Weigela, and Peony foliage
5 stems (roughly) of textural elements such as:
Hydrangea, berries, seed pods
5 stems of a focal flower such as:
Roses or any other larger, round flower.
10 stems of a linear element such as:
Purple Millet, Broom Corn or Cattails
3 apples ( Aurora Golden Galas)
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A shallow cylinder vase 7" in diameter
Clear floral tape
A cardboard box with an open top (slightly larger than your vase) (an 8 x 8 floral delivery box works perfectly)
A large sheet of decorative paper (you could also use wall paper)
1/4 inch clear floral tape
Double sided tape
Floralife or similar fresh flower food
Bamboo skewers
Scissors
Floral clippers
Before You Get Started:
Fill a bucket with fresh, warm water and fresh flower food (read the package for amount). Strip the lower leaves from your stems, trim the ends of your flowers and foliages and place them in the water. Allow the flowers and foliages to drink for awhile before arranging.
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Part One: Arranging the flowers.
1. Use your 1/4" clear floral tape to tape a grid across the top of the vase. The tape lines of the grid should be about 1.5 inches apart and the tape should be pulled tight. Tape around the exterior of the vase, right along the top edge, to secure your grid. This grid will offer support and make arranging in a shallow vase with a large opening much, much easier. (see image A)
2. Add the appropriate amount of flower food to your vase, then fill your vase with water.
3. Strip the lower leaves off your hydrangeas, trim the ends so they are just long enough to nearly touch the bottom of the vase and insert them in at an angle, through the grid, and into the water. Add your remaining hydrangeas evenly around the vase. (see image B)
4. Add your larger leafed foliages, Smoke Bush and Weigela, next. Like the hydrangeas, you'll be stripping the lower leaves. You don't want any foliage beneath the water line. Leaves in the water, turn the water murky and reduce the life of your arrangement. Evenly distribute the foliages until the vase is nearly full, and the tape grid disappears. (see images C an D)
5. Clean the lower foliage from your roses and remove any bruised outer "guard" petals and add the roses to the arrangement. (see image E and F)
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6. Next, add the linear element, the Purple Millet. You'll want to cut these stems slightly longer than the other leave and flowers so they break out of the roundness of the arrangement. (see image G)
7. Cut your bamboo skewers so they're roughly 6" long. Stick a skewer into the bottom of each apple and add the apples to the arrangement. (see images H and I)
8. Lastly, add your peony foliage. Like the millet, keep the stems a little longer to add more depth and dimension to the arrangement. This will help it look more loose and natural. (see image J)
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Part two : The Box
9. Cut a band of paper the same height as the box, and wrap it around the box perimeter. (see image K)
10. Use your double stick tape to attach the paper to the box. (see image L)
11. Drop your vase arrangement carefully into the box and enjoy! (see image M)
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Project Notes:
1. It's best not to transport your arrangements to the wedding in these boxes. Pack them separately, and add the flowers to the boxes when you are ready to place them on the tables.
2. Mix it up! Try different papers and different flowers. Your centerpieces don't have to all be identical.
3. Brides, don't take on your flowers by yourself. Flowers, of course, are perishable so arrangements have to be made the day of, or day or two before your wedding. Farm this task out to your crafty friends! You can do all the decision making, flower order and shopping, but delegate out the actual flower arranging.
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Laurie, thanks SO much for sharing this beautiful DIY with us...and how perfect for the season!!
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