Holiday Archives - Page 8 of 8

Patriotic Wooden Flag

My porch feels complete now that I have this patriotic wooden flag hanging beside my front door. I found the idea from Tatertots and Jello and just had to make my own. I absolutely could not resist. But as I always say, the fun in crafts and projects is that you can admire someone else’s creation but change it some to make it your own. That is just the beauty of creativity!

There are so many different ideas and ways to create a wooden flag, but this one was like none that I had ever seen before. The polka dots and stripes add an extra flair to the traditional stars as well. Who doesn’t love some good polka dots either? I know I do.

Let’s get started now. You will not regret this project.

Supplies needed:

1”x2”x8’ piece of wood- You will need a total of 3.

Measuring tape

Miter saw or a handy husband that can cut wood easily

*I have to give a shout out to my husband here for helping me so much. He was willing to cut the wood pieces into the sections I needed. If you do the cutting yourself, just be sure to be very careful with any power tools. Thanks again honey!

Painter’s tape

Circle/dot stickers- I found mine at the dollar store.

Spray paint- Red, white, and blue

Wooden stars- Mine are ½”, and I found them at Michaels. These are the same stars that I used for my Patriotic Flag Yarn Wreath.

*The picture below is actually showing my wood once it has been cut. I did not want anyone to be confused.

Molding- I found a piece of decorative molding that was left in our garage from the previous homeowner that worked great.

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Eye hooks

Needle nose pliers

Drill

Patriotic ribbon

To begin with, you will of course need to divide your wood pieces into sections. Measure each wood piece into a 3’ section, another 3’ section, and then a 2’ section.

Using your miter saw, cut the wood at the correct measurements. You will have six 3’ sections and three 2’ sections. You will need all of the 2’ sections and then five 3’ sections.

Also cut your piece of molding into a 1’ section.

At this point, take a break to lay out your wood pieces and decide what colors and design you want to use.

I painted one 3’ piece red and two 2’ pieces red.

I painted one 3’ section navy blue and one 2’ section and three 3’ sections white.

I chose to use painter’s tape and dot circles on the four white pieces to add something extra.

Once the white was completely dry, I painted over the white and stickers/tape with either red or navy blue. Once the paint was dry, I then peeled off the painter’s tape and stickers to expose the polka dots and stripes.

Next paint your piece of molding navy blue and your wooden stars white.

Once they are both completely dry, hot glue gun your stars onto the molding in any design you choose.

Now you are ready to drill several holes into the wood pieces which is where you will insert the eye hooks in order to attach your flag pieces together.

I laid out the wood pieces first in my design and then marked where to drill with a black ink pen. This extra step will make it much easier to drill.

First drill a hole on the top of each end of one of the red 2’ pieces which is where you will add the ribbon to hang.

On the bottom of this same red piece, you will need to drill a total of 7 holes being sure to space the holes evenly before drilling.

Drill two holes on the top of the piece of molding and two holes on the bottom of it.

Then go ahead and drill a hole in the top of the remaining wood pieces.

Before inserting your eye hooks into the holes, use needle nose pliers to open the hook just enough to be able to attach two of them together.

Insert the eye hooks in each hole by twisting them until firmly in place.

On the top 2’ red piece, thread one end of the ribbon through and tie in a tight double knot to secure in place strong enough to hang the flag.

You may need an extra set of hands at this point to hold the flag where you would like to hang it while you measure how long the ribbon needs to be.

Go ahead and cut the ribbon and thread the other end through the other eye hook and again tie in a tight double knot.

Now for the fun part of attaching all the wood pieces together to see that final product come together. Attach by hooking the eye hooks together. You may need to turn them once finished in order for your wood to hang flat and not twist. Once the hooks are in the correct position, you may want to use the needle nose pliers to tighten the hooks again to keep them together.

Last but of course not least, it is time to hang your beautiful piece of artwork. I hung mine on my front porch beside the front door. I cannot wait for our cook-out to show everyone. This is definitely also a conversation piece.

Another great thing I love about this project is that it can be used multiple times throughout the year for not only Fourth of July but also Labor Day and Memorial Day and many more.

I hope you enjoy making yours and the fun you will have while doing so. It really takes your porch to another level for this fun holiday. But as always and most importantly, enjoy the little things in life whether it’s this wooden flag or time spent with your family this holiday perhaps watching fireworks.

Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.

June 30, 2014/by Bethany

DIY & Crafts, Holiday

Patriotic Flag Yarn Wreath

Show off your American pride this 4^th of July with a patriotic flag yarn wreath. One of my favorite things about holidays and seasons of the year is being able to change my wreath on my front door for every occasion. My husband and I have an annual cook-out at our house which makes it even more fun to decorate. I will definitely post more pictures of the cook-out and different décor items later. My husband is fantastic with the smoker. I can’t get enough of the smoked BBQ ribs, chicken, and even brisket. I must be hungry talking about all this food so back to the wreath right?

This wreath is also inexpensive to make with only a few supplies. I also love being able to make it once and then reuse it every year if I want to. So let’s get started.

You will need:

Straw wreath with plastic wrapping still intact or Styrofoam wreath- I find that Styrofoam tends to cost much more for some strange reason.

Yarn- red, white, and navy

Wooden stars- I used ½ inch stars that I found at Michaels. You could also use white star-shaped buttons or just plain white buttons.

White spray paint

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Patriotic ribbon

Scissors

I chose to use a straw wreath because it was so much cheaper than the styrofoam. Be sure the plastic wrapping is still intact as I said before or you will not be able to wrap the yarn around and make it look clean.

After getting started wrapping the yarn, I could definitely see how the Styrofoam would have been some easier due to some bumps in the straw wreath, but it turned out still looking great. I counted it as an opportunity to put my patience to the test.

Before you start wrapping the yarn around the wreath, you may want to use a marker to mark the wreath in four quarters on the outside. This will help you to know when to stop and start the next color of yarn.

I started with red yarn at the 12 o’clock position. I wrapped it around once and then tied it in a knot on the back to keep it in place. My yarn stayed in place pretty good, but if you want to you could use hot glue gun to glue the knot in place.

Continue wrapping your yarn around the wreath until you have ¼ of the wreath covered in red yarn. And by continue wrapping, I do mean wrap and wrap and wrap until you think you cannot wrap anymore. Lol!

Be patient at this point as it does take some time to cover the wreath. I sat down and watched some of my favorite shows on the DVR and got caught up on those while making this.

Also do not get too frustrated while wrapping the yarn especially if you are a perfectionist like myself. Once you have wrapped the yarn several times, you will start to get the hang of things. The yarn may want to move some making it seem as if the straw wreath is not being covered completely and will show through the yarn some. Just keep going. I promise it will cover completely the more you keep going. I found myself also going back and double wrapping some sections where needed and that also helped. Once your wreath is completely finished, you can also use the hot glue gun to glue certain spots of yarn in place to keep it from moving and showing the yarn.

Once ¼ of the wreath is covered in red yarn, cut the yarn but leave enough to tie a knot on the back to keep it from unraveling. I double knotted mine and also wrapped it around another piece of yarn on the back to secure it in place.

Now start by securing your white yarn in place at the 3 o’clock position just as you did with the red yarn.

Wrap the white yarn another ¼ of the wreath stopping at the 6 o’clock position and securing the yarn with a knot.

Do the same thing again with the red yarn until you have finished wrapping up to the 9 o’clock position.

Next you will use your navy yarn to wrap the remaining portion of the wreath. I chose navy because I just liked the color but of course a bright blue or royal blue would also work as well.

Once the wreath is completely covered and you have tied and secured the navy yarn, you can now check your wreath to see if there are any places that need to be tweaked or glued in place.

There is nothing like an American flag with those white shining stars. Spray paint your wooden stars. I didn’t pick any particular number but just laid some out on my wreath before painting in order to figure out how many I would need. (Skip this step if you are using white buttons.)

Once your stars are dried completely, lay them out on your wreath until you have the perfect layout you like. Then glue them down using your hot glue gun. Be sure to not put too much glue on the star or the glue will run out the sides of the star when you push it down and will show.

The last step that really adds that perfect little touch is a patriotic ribbon to hang your wreath with. You could just directly sit your wreath on the wreath hanger, but because the wreath is smaller than my normal size I wanted it to hang a little lower on my door. Plus the ribbon just tops it off.

I chose a red, white, and blue striped ribbon. Hold your ribbon around your wreath and then hold up against the door and wreath hanger to measure how long you will want your ribbon to be. If you want to tie a bow at the top of the ribbon, then of course be sure to leave extra ribbon to allow room to tie it. I chose to leave it simple because I did not want anything to take away from the stars and the actual wreath.

Put some glue on the end of one ribbon and then lay the other end of the ribbon on top of it to glue it together in place.

Be sure that your ribbon is looped around your wreath before gluing the ends together. I almost forgot to do this very important step which would not help me at all. At least my blonde roots did not kick in that time.

Once your glue has dried, the wait is finally over. You can now hang your wreath and enjoy the beautiful patriotic colors this 4^th of July.

Enjoy your holiday. Be sure to eat some smoked ribs, indulge in some homemade peach ice cream, and watch some beautiful fireworks. But most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy the little things in life!

Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.

June 26, 2014/4 Comments/by Bethany

DIY & Crafts, Holiday

A Beautiful Easter and Spring Wreath

With the beautiful rays of sunshine finally peeking their head around the clouds after a long and cold winter, wondering what you should do to dress up your front porch or front door? Why not brighten up your front door with a beautiful Easter and spring wreath. Wreaths are one of my most favorite décor items to make. They are so much fun to change up every season depending on the holiday, season, or to personalize with your family initial. This particular wreath is versatile and can be reused over and over and over. Another reason why I love making wreaths. Once you have bought the wreath, the rest is so inexpensive to continue decorating for every holiday. Instead of hot gluing your decorations to the wreath, I will show you how to attach them where you will be able to remove and save for the next year while your wreath is still in great condition. Enough chatting, let’s get started creating and decorating.

What you will need:

Grapevine wreath- The size is your preference. I would pick one that is large enough though that will not be overlooked on your front door.

Bird’s nest- I actually found my grapevine wreath and artificial bird’s nest together at a yard sale. Have I mentioned I love yard sales? As a side note of advice, yard sales are a great place to find craft items and other items such as furniture or décor for almost nothing but with a little tender, love, and care can be turned into something wonderful. Most craft stores also carry artificial bird’s nest. I did also think about using an actual bird’s nest that I had on my porch last year. Of course, the birds were no longer living in it.

Artificial moss- I was able to find a variety pack of dark brown and green moss at the Dollar Tree. I also used this same pack of moss with a different color in the bag for my Easter Egg Topiary. You can always find a use for craft supplies which lowers your cost as well for each project.

Small artificial eggs or Easter eggs: I found a pack of petite eggs much smaller than the plastic Easter eggs used for Easter egg hunts at the Dollar Tree.

Glue gun and sticks

Floral wire

Ribbon- Use wire edged ribbon only in order for bow to hold its shape and not collapse and lay flat against the wreath.

Pipe cleaner

Fabric

Thread

Now let’s not waste any time getting started. You will absolutely fall in love with this wreath. I will not want to take it down after Easter but will probably leave it up for most of spring and maybe summer too.

First you will need to glue your artificial moss into the bird’s nest. I used the brighter green moss that was in my pack to add a pop of color. When placing your moss to glue it down, be sure to place around the inside walls and not directly in the middle unless you are needing to build up the bottom of the nest so your eggs do not get hidden down in it. You will be gluing eggs on the inside and do not want to cover up all the colorful moss.

Next start placing your eggs into the nest if you want a particular pattern before gluing down. I placed my eggs in randomly while gluing. I did not really want a perfect look.

Your bird’s nest is now complete and ready to be attached to the wreath. First cut approximately two 12 inch pieces of floral wire. You will use the wire to attach the wreath making it easy to remove the bird’s nest when wanting to reuse your wreath for another holiday. You can use hot glue and glue gun to attach, but you will have major issues when trying to remove in the future.

Thread a piece of the floral wire through the bird’s nest on one side of the back and bend into a “U” shape. Do the same with the other piece of floral wire, and thread through the other back side of the bird’s nest.

Now attach your bird nest to the grapevine wreath by twisting each floral wire around the branches of the wreath being sure to continue twisting the wire around until nest is sturdy on the wreath. You may want to start twisting the wire and then check for placement before twisting completely to make it easier if needing to reposition. I placed my nest at the bottom of the wreath at a diagonal angle. Do not place completely horizontal or it will make it difficult to actually see the bright and colorful eggs. I like the look of the angled nest and not being completely vertical.

Tip: After making my wreath, I did find that it would have probably been easier to attach my bird’s nest first to the wreath before decorating with the eggs to avoid messing up the eggs and moss that were glued down.

Now that your eggs and nest are all nestled in, of course you need a big beautiful bow on top. I choose a ribbon that is similar in color and style to burlap. A bright green, blue, pink, yellow, or any other bright color would also be gorgeous to add that extra pop of brightness. Again just be sure to use wire edged ribbon in order for bow to hold its shape and not just end up lying flat against the wreath.

Be patient with making bows. The more you make them, the easier it will become. Getting used to the correct hand position that works best for you when handling the ribbon will also take time. Below I am including step by step pictures to hopefully make it easier for you.

First measure out about 12 inches of ribbon. This will be one of the tails of your final bow. Therefore if you are wanting a shorter or longer tail on your bow depending on the size of the wreath, now is the time to adjust that measurement. Hold your ribbon up against the wreath to help you know what size will work best for you.

Holding the first 12 inches of ribbon in your left hand, pull another 12 inches of ribbon out and fold over about half of it forming one of your first largest loops.

Where your thumb is now holding your first loop in place, measure another 12 inches of ribbon and fold again half of it to form a loop on the left side.

You will use this same concept of measuring and looping at half way of ribbon until all loops are formed depending on how many you want. For my next loop, I measured about 8 inches and folded over holding the ribbon and loop in place with my left hand. Make same 8 inch measurement for the other side.

Measure about 6 inches and fold over to form loop and hold in left hand to keep loop in place.

Measure the same 6 inches and fold in half to form 3^rd loop on left side.

I wanted 4 loops on each side therefore my last loop was measured at about 4 inches and then folded in half again.

Do the same for the left side of the bow.

Now that all your side loops are formed, make a loop in the center of the loops where your thumb has been holding everything in place.

Place one end of a pipe cleaner directly through the center loop you just formed and bend around the whole center section tightly to keep the loops in place and avoid having your ribbon unravel.

Pull the pipe cleaner tight to bunch up the ribbon in the center and then twist the pipe cleaner around itself to secure it in place. I used a brown pipe cleaner that would blend in well with the grapevine wreath. If you choose to use a bright colored ribbon, consider using the same color pipe cleaner that will blend in well and not be noticed easily.

You can now attach your bow to the top of the wreath.

Fluff your loops to make them full and adjust positioning of loops as needed.

I still wanted more color on my wreath and thought a miniature fabric banner would be just adorable. Start by cutting out about 5 triangles with each side measuring about 2 inches. I used 5 triangles, but you may need more or less depending on the size of your wreath.

I used a bright yellow thread to sew my triangles together that happened to already be loaded on my sewing machine. I used a simple straight stitch as well. Start by sewing several inches of thread before loading any fabric to use to attach the banner to the wreath. Insert the first triangle and then leave a small space before sewing the next triangle. Once all triangles have been stitched together, remember to stitch several more inches of thread on the end to attach the banner to the wreath.

If needing pointers on sewing the triangles together while also leaving a space in between, check out the Easter Egg Paper Garland which also uses the same techniques.

Now tie your banner to the branch of the grapevine wreath of each side above the bird’s nest.

Your Easter wreath is now complete and ready to adorn your front door. Enjoy your wreath during Easter dinners and even after Easter Sunday. I will more than likely leave my wreath up through the spring and just make small changes during the summer.

If you decided to make your own, please share below and let me know with your pictures and any fun ideas you may have for an Easter wreath that everyone can enjoy too. Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.

Enjoy your Easter festivities this week with special dinners, Easter egg hunts, Easter parties but never forget to enjoy the small things in life nor our Savior who is the real reason we celebrate this Easter holiday.

April 14, 2014/by Bethany

DIY & Crafts, Holiday

Easter Egg Topiary

What a beautiful way to display those gorgeous artificial Easter eggs by making an Easter egg topiary! We always see those pretty eggs in the stores this time of year but never know how to display them in a new and fun way. This topiary is perfect for Easter décor but would also look great to carry over into spring.

Here is what you will need:

Terracotta flower pots: I made two different sizes. My pots were 4.25 inch and 6 inch.
Styrofoam: I used whatever sizes or shapes I could find for the best price. Who knew styrofoam could be so expensive. For the smaller pot, I found a shape that was 3 7/8 x 2 7/8 x 1 15/16 inches at the Dollar Tree. It fit perfectly in the top of the smaller pot. For the larger pot, I used a cube that measured 3 7/8 inches. The cube was also found at the Dollar Tree. I found a 6 pack of styrofoam balls for the topiary part that will hold the eggs that were 3 inches at Hobby Lobby for very affordable price. I recommend shopping around for the best prices if you intend to make more than one or else the styrofoam will be your most expensive item for this project that ends up not even being seen.
Artificial Easter eggs: I found a string of different colored Easter eggs at Hobby Lobby that you would hang as a banner, but I cut the string and took the Easter eggs and used them. The speckled artificial Easter eggs would also be lovely.
½ inch dowel rod
Hot glue gun with hot glue gun sticks
Craft paint: I used blue for my pots that coordinated with the Easter eggs and white for the dowel rod.
Foam brush
Floral moss or paper grass: I also recommend looking at the Dollar Tree for moss which is where I found mine. This can also be an expensive item at most stores. I just love the Dollar Tree because they have the best items to use for crafts but at such a cheaper price. Who doesn’t love a good bargain?
Ribbon-optional: I did not use any ribbon but it can be used as I will explain below.
Sand paper-optional: I was not able to locate my sand paper at the time when I was making this but would be wonderful to add an aged or vintage look to the pots.

Let’s get started making this wonderful addition to your Easter décor this year.

First paint your terracotta pot so it can be drying while you start on the next step. I chose a light blue that matched my Easter eggs.

I love using foam brushes as they cover a large area at once, are very cheap, and clean very easily. You do not need to worry about painting the bottom of the pot as it will not be seen nor the inside of the pot. Just be sure to paint the top rim though.

Next cut your dowel rod into the size you will need depending on the size of your pot. Of course please be careful when cutting your dowel rod if you choose to cut yourself. I had my husband cut mine with a saw which was very helpful. You could also probably ask someone at your local hardware store to cut for you as well.

For the smaller pot, I had him cut an 8 inch piece and for the larger pot, a 14 inch piece.

You will need a small hole dug into the styrofoam pieces in order to insert the dowel rod. Using your scissors very carefully, place the sharp and pointed end into the styrofoam and start turning in a twisting motion to form a round hole. Be careful not to twist a hole down and completely through the styrofoam. Stop after about several inches are dug and you feel it will be enough support to hold up dowel rod. You can also use your dowel rod to place inside once hole is started to make for better size. Also do the same with the styrofoam balls just being sure to not go completely through the ball.

Place your styrofoam pieces into your pots. The cube piece has to be trimmed down in order to fit. I used my scissors to first cut the corners off and then the sides. I just kept placing it inside the pot and then trimming again until it fit inside. Cut your styrofoam over a large piece of newspaper or the trash can because this will make a mess of tiny styrofoam pieces.

Now paint those dowel rods. I used white craft paint and a foam brush to paint which worked the easiest. I loved the white and how it kept the colors more simple. I already have a lot of colors in the eggs and did not want to take away from that. Each end of the dowel rod will be in the styrofoam pieces, so do not worry about not painting it completely and also having to hold it while you paint.

Now you may be wondering, am I going to have to hold this dowel rod until it dries so the paint does not smear? Of course not. We cannot be wasting time but must be efficient crafters. Lol! That is why you will want to already have the holes dug in the sytrofoam in order to stand your dowel rod in it to dry.

Go ahead and plug in your glue gun so it can be heating up while we prepare for the next step.

My artificial eggs as I mentioned above were found at Hobby Lobby on a cord to be used for garland. I knew they would work perfect for this. I just cut the string and removed the eggs. You will need quite a few eggs to completely cover the styrofoam ball which is another reason why I chose the garland. Plastic Easter eggs are definitely more affordable but I did not want the plastic look. I have seen many speckled pastel colored eggs that are also very gorgeous and would be beautiful.

You will want to place your dowel rod inside your styrofoam ball and place some glue around the dowel rod where it meets the ball to secure it in place. Be careful not to burn your fingers when using the glue gun. Do not glue your dowel rod in place in the styrofoam bases that are in the terracotta pots until then end or it will make it difficult for you to glue your eggs on.

Now for the fun part of gluing your eggs on the ball. I did not really use any particular pattern but just placed them in random as I glued each one being sure to not place two of the same color directly next to each other. Continuing gluing each egg on until the ball is completely covered.

At this point, some of the styrofoam will still be shining through but that is there the moss or paper grass will come in handy.

I used dark green paper grass which I also found at the Dollar Tree and placed glue in any hole to cover any exposed styrofoam. The paper grass covers the holes perfectly and really gives that extra touch. Continue gluing the paper grass until you have no more space between the eggs. I found that rolling the paper grass around in the palms of my hands helped to keep the paper grass in more of a “wad” and not pieces flying everywhere as it tends to want to do sometimes. (I know my vocabulary is so brilliant. Lol!)

Once you are happy with the look of the ball, place the dowel rod into the styrofoam base and glue around the edge of the dowel rod where it meets the base to secure in place to prevent the dowel rod from toppling over. As this point with the weight of the eggs on the ball and the dowel rod, you will know if your dowel rod is far enough down in the base. If not stable then continue to “drill” hole down with scissors before gluing in place.

You will now need to cover that styrofoam base and hide it. Placing glue in small sections at a time, place your floral moss over the styrofoam until the base is completely covered.

Do one last check on your base and also the ball to be sure no more extra moss or paper grass is needed.

If you would like to add a bow either around the pot or around the dowel rod directly below the ball, this would also be an option. My eggs had a design and glitter on them and did not need any extra detail.

Also I wanted to use sand paper to lightly sand my pots for an aged or vintage look and not so neat and clean appearance but could not find at the moment. This would also just add that extra touch.

I did have several Easter eggs leftover that I used around the bottom of the dowel rod and glued directly onto the moss. It really added that extra touch of cuteness as if the eggs were lying the grass waiting on some eager child to come and find them.

You are now finished and look at what a beautiful new piece you have to add to your Easter décor. I placed one on each end of my mantel and love the way they look. Also hanging on my mantel is my Easter egg paper garland. Hop over there to learn how to make a simple paper garland that is quick, easy, and adds that extra touch. I love the way the two paired together turned out.

Enjoy your Spring weather, this time of Easter and the real reason for our celebrating which is Jesus Christ and the Resurrection, your Easter topiary, and of course the little things in life!

April 6, 2014/4 Comments/by Bethany

DIY & Crafts, Holiday

How to Make an Easter Egg Paper Garland

An Easter egg paper garland is the cutest way to add that extra flair to your mantle or other Easter décor. April truly is one of my favorite months for several reasons. I love the spring weather with flowers starting to bloom and showing their pretty faces. Another reason is because it is my wedding anniversary month. I married my wonderful and loving husband Mark on April 30^th. Love you honey! But perhaps the most important reason for April is celebrating Easter and the resurrection of my Savior. Easter is fun to celebrate with the cute decorations, chocolate bunnies, Easter egg hunts, but we must never forget the real reason for Easter and that is to celebrate that our King of Kings is ALIVE because He rose from the dead and overcame death and the grave!

Along with remembering the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is always fun to enjoy the other traditions of baking sweet treats, dying boiled eggs, hunting eggs, and bringing out that Easter décor. A great addition to your Easter décor this year should include an Easter egg paper garland. Paper garland is very popular and is so simple to make for any occasion. Many are usually made with circles, but the oval paper punches that are available make a great Easter egg.

Below are the supplies that you will need:

2 inch oval lever or paper punch- The size is your choice but I only found the oval paper punch in a 2 inch size at Michaels.

Scrapbook paper- Of course pastels are adorable for Easter or any bright colors would also work great for spring. I will be making an Easter egg topiary to go with my Easter décor and used coordinating paper that would match great with that DIY project.

Thread

Sewing machine

Adhesive roller- if needed

First start punching out your eggs with the oval paper punch.

The colors I choose were pastel yellow, pastel pink, pastel blue, bright green, and bright orange. As I mentioned before, these colors coordinate great with an Easter topiary I am making with the same colored eggs. Some of my paper as well had pastel colored designs that added a little touch. The picture below shows the eggs I am using for the topiary and how the paper will coordinate.

Depending on how long you want your paper garland to be will depend on how many ovals to punch out. I just punched out a bunch of ovals with the paper I had. I actually punched out more than I needed for one garland but had such a blast making it that I used the extras to make a second one that was even longer.

If you want an exact pattern of colors or designs, then I suggest laying out the ovals in the order you prefer before you start sewing. Once you do start sewing, this extra step will make it a lot easier.

I did not use any particular pattern but instead just piled my eggs into stacks with each color or design in one stack. Then when I started sewing, I would pick up different eggs to have a more random look.

Now you are ready to use that sewing machine. Make sure you have thread in your machine that will coordinate with your egg colors. I had black in mine and of course needed to switch. I used bright yellow thread. I also used a stitch pattern that was a basic straight line. You may prefer a zig zag pattern for something extra sassy. Sew several inches of thread through before actually placing the oval paper under the foot. You will need several inches of the thread in order to hang your garland when you are finished.

Start by placing your first egg into the machine under the foot. The machine will guide the paper through very easily to aid in having a straight line.

If you want your eggs to hang directly next to each other and to be touching, then immediately start with the next egg. If you prefer a space, then sew several stitches after one egg before sewing the next one.

I did one garland of each kind and both are really cute. I do think I prefer the look of the eggs with the floating appearance where they are spaced out.

Continue inserting your eggs until you have the desired length of your paper garland. Also as we did at the beginning of the garland, stitch several inches of thread at the end to use to hang it.

Another pointer I want to make that caused a little hiccup when I was making mine, is that if you are not using double-sided paper, then be sure to lay 2 eggs against each other and lined up evenly with the design or colored side on the outside where it can be seen. Go ahead and start sewing then with the 2 together with no problem.

What I had to do with one of mine, because I had forgotten until the first one was complete was to go back and attach an egg to the back side on every egg with glue or I just used an adhesive runner and it worked great. On the 2^nd one, I placed two back to back and sewed them together, and it worked great.

If you do not have a sewing machine, then no worries. Do not cry. You can still make this paper garland, but it will just take you a little longer. Instead of sewing the eggs together, you can lay a ribbon, string, or even thread down the middle of an egg and then glue the other egg on top to seal the thread in between the two eggs. You will still have the same look when it’s hung but just may take a little longer.

No matter which method you choose to use, with either a sewing machine or gluing by hand, you will have made a new and simple Easter décor that can be used every year to add that little extra touch. Plus I have to admit, it was a blast to make. I may just be addicted and have to make for every occasion now. The possibilities are truly endless.

Enjoy your paper garland, and as always don’t forget to enjoy the little things in life!

April 4, 2014/3 Comments/by Bethany

DIY & Crafts, Holiday

St. Patrick’s Day Garden Flag

Spring is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate the arrival of warm weather than with a fun holiday. It is never hard to find a reason to celebrate no matter what holiday it may be. St. Patrick’s Day has to be one of those that just makes you smile when you see the adorable leprechauns, pots of gold, rainbows, and wearing green. I reminisce as a child going to school and being sure to wear green to avoid getting pinched. My husband actually has some Irish heritage which makes this holiday even more special.

In order to welcome in Spring, it is time to starting sprucing up the yard and garden again. Sometimes plants and trees can become gloomy during the winter with the cold weather and snow, but this bright and colorful garden flag I found at Sew Woodsy is sure to be the cure for those winter blues. St. Patrick’s Day may sometimes seem to be overlooked or hard to find specific décor which is why I always say, “Just make it yourself.” You will start to imagine flowers blooming and sunshine glowing with this adorable shamrock flag.

Let’s get started:

First you will need to gather your supplies.

Burlap- I used green 12”x12” burlap sheets that I found at Michael’s but traditional burlap would also be adorable.

Ruler

Scissors

Iron- if needed to smooth out any wrinkles and flatten burlap

Felt or fabric- I used dark green felt for the shamrocks, but you could also use a mixture of different shades of green.

Thread- I liked the way the dark green thread popped off the lime green burlap but any neutral thread color would match as well.

Straight pins

Sewing machine- If you do not own a sewing machine, you could also stitch by hand. There is not a lot of intricate sewing involved so hand stitching shouldn’t become overwhelming or tiresome.

Shamrock template- I found a template from www.kidzone.ws/. If I had a shamrock template for my Cricut that would also work easier to cut out.

Permanent marker

Now that you have all your supplies together, let’s begin the creation.

First you will start with measuring your burlap. Most standard garden flags are about 17” in length and 12” in width. I am using the 12”x12” green burlap sheets therefore my flag is going to be 18”x12”. You may want to also measure your flag stand before starting to be sure these measurement are accurate for your specific stand.

Because my burlap sheets were only 12” in length, I had to piece two together. Instead of measuring the second sheet to be 6” in length making a total of 18”, be sure to measure about 6.5” in order to have enough burlap to overlap when sewing the two pieces together for then a total of 18”. Once measuring is complete, then cut out the second piece of burlap.

*If you are using standard burlap on a roll, then the measuring and cutting will be much easier, and you will need to skip the next step. The bright green burlap was worth the extra step to me for the color.

Once you have your two pieces of burlap, you are ready to pin them together. Just lay your shorter piece directly on top of the longer piece about 0.5” from the top and pin down to make it easier when sewing together.

Next sew together the two pieces making a seam about 6” from the top of your flag. I used a zig-zag seam, but it is really whatever your preference is. You may be thinking a seam across the flag will appear noticeable and awkward, but once you place the shamrocks it will cover most of the seam. Also once the flag is in your garden, it truly isn’t noticeable at all.

*If you are using traditional burlap, at this time you may want to iron your burlap so it will be flat and easier to work with. Most burlap comes in a roll and will not lay flat.

Now sew around the outside of the entire flag except the top side. Later on you will be folding the top over to make a pocket for your flag to hang and will then sew a seam. You will be moving the burlap around frequently, so if it seems that it is wanting to fray easily, no worries. Wait until the very end and then you can trim up the sides. Once it was trimmed, I personally loved the worn look on the edges. If you are looking for a more clean cut, then certainly you could make a hem around the edges.

Then you are ready to make the pocket at the top that will hold the flag on the stand. Measure 2” from the top of your flag, fold over to make crease, and then pin down. You have created the pocket and are now ready to sew across the flag.

Sew length wise across your flag where you have pinned.

You have now created a pocket. *Be sure not to sew your pocket and then sew around the outside of the flag or you will have closed off the edges of the pocket. Then you will not be able to hang your flag silly!

You are now ready to trace your shamrock template onto green felt and then cut it out. I placed 2 shamrocks on my flag, one larger and one smaller. The creativity is up to you what size you want or how many shamrocks you want. That is the beauty of DIY. Just remember that the smaller and more intricate the shamrock, the more difficult it will be when sewing them onto the flag. My larger shamrock measured 9.5 x 8.5 inches. My smaller shamrock was 5 x 4.5 inches.

Once you have traced and cut out your shamrocks, you are now ready to pin them down on your flag. Feel free to place them where you want. Once you have your design the way you like, pin them down on your flag in the center.

Sew around the edge of each shamrock. I used a straight stitch and dark green thread the same color as my felt because I didn’t want the thread to be noticeable and just blend in.

Once your shamrocks are sewn on, remove your pins and your flag is ready to be flown. I couldn’t wait to hang mine on our flag stand and watch it blow in the Spring air that is soon on its way.

Hope your enjoy your flag as much as I do. I will be sure to make many more flags for each season and holiday in the future. They are simple to make and much more creative than most you will find in the store. Happy St. Patrick’s Day and do not forget to enjoy the little things in life.

March 17, 2014/by Bethany

DIY & Crafts, Holiday

St. Patrick’s Day Banner

Banners are very popular right but actually have been for many years and seem to be making a come back right now. I remember as a child, every birthday there would be a birthday banner hanging downstairs in my family’s living room. The birthday banner was a guarantee for every member of our family on their special day. When the banner started to become worn and not so cute anymore, we didn’t just throw it out but had to get another one to keep the tradition going. I think banners are perfect for not just birthdays but any occasion.

As I may have mentioned before my husband is Irish, or at least part Irish. I figured a banner that says “Kiss Me I’m Irish” would be perfect since that’s exactly what I like to do to him. Wink wink! Now you could make your banner say anything similar like “Luck of the Irish” which is also on a wood sign hanging over our kitchen door. It could even be just as simple as “Happy St. Patrick’s Day.”

Let’s get started and let the celebrating and creativity begin.

You are going to need several supplies:

Cardstock/Scrapbook paper- I used a variety of green patterned paper.

Paper trimmer

Ribbon- Green or I found my adorable ribbon at Joann with a shamrock pattern.

Alphabet punch out letters- Precut letters are simple and cute but I also considered cutting the letters out with my cricut. It is totally your preference.

Adhesive runner- or some other kind of adhesive for gluing letters to banner

Shamrock template- My template was found at http://www.squidoo.com/free-saint-patricks-day-clip-art-images. You may also choose to cut out a shamrock on a cricut if you would like.

Lip template- This template I found was at http://sweetclipart.com/simple-red-lips-design-870.

Scissors

Pencil

Hot glue gun with glue sticks

To begin you will want to measure out your individual flags that make up the actual banner. This is where creativity really places a huge part. It is your creation so whatever design paper and size you would like is your choice. Feel free to cater my particular selections to your own preference.

Each flag is 6” in length and 4” in width. My scrapbook paper measured 12”x12” so out of each piece of paper, I was able to cut out 6 flags. Using your paper trimmer, which usually has a ruler attached, measure your paper and cut out the flags. Because I wanted my flag to say “Kiss Me I’m Irish” with a set of lips and a shamrock as well, I cut out 15 flags total. I used two different patterns of paper to have the flags for the words “Kiss Me” and the set of lips on one color of paper and “I’m Irish” and the shamrock on another design of paper.

Now punch out your letters to spell what you would like. If you are using the alphabet punch-outs, be careful when punching them through to not tear a letter (I learnt this the hard way. Lol.). My letters are all different sizes and fonts which I didn’t mind but thought it made it look a little more fun instead of formal. If you are wanting that uniform look, then choosing the same font and size would be fine as well.

Another great option would be to use a cricut to cut out the letters.

Trace out your shamrock and set of lip templates on scrapbook paper next. Be sure to use paper that will stand out and not blend in once attached to your flag.

Using an adhesive runner, attach your letters and shapes to each individual flag being sure to spell out your particular phrase. Any adhesive would work fine or even using mod podge. I found the adhesive runner is the simplest and quickest method.

You can be finished with your flags at this step or if you are wanting some extra flair, I suggest using a paper punch. I found the one below at Joann.

I punched the bottom side of my flag and absolutely love the design it created. These type of paper punches are especially easy because you can use the design to the left of the actually punch to line up your paper to ensure you are getting an accurate punch and design (See picture above.).

Instead of using a paper punch, another way to add flair to the flags would be to cut an upside down V shape in the bottom causing a point on each side of the flag at the bottom. The possibilities really are endless! That’s what I love about crafts- the pure creativity.

You will now need to add your ribbon to the top of each flag in order to be able to hang it up. I used a hot glue gun which worked great. I was concerned about the glue coming through the ribbon possible or burning myself but the ribbon I had wasn’t thin and didn’t cause a problem. I have used a more transparent ribbon that was thinner on other projects and found the glue was easy to come through the ribbon and burn my fingers. Use caution when using the glue gun.

Go ahead and line up your flags being sure to spell your phrase correctly before actually gluing to ribbon. I left about 4 inches of ribbon before gluing the first flag in order to have room to hang it. Place a dot of hot glue on each corner at the top and one in the middle. Gently press down the ribbon being sure to line it up straight with the flag. Continue adding each flag and gluing the ribbon to each one. I spaced each flag about 1 inch apart.

Because of the location I was hanging my flag in, I decided to break up my phrase into two separate banners. If you prefer one long banner, great! It really all depends on the space you will be using it for.

Last enjoy your creativity and hang your banner in a special place for everyone to see this St. Patrick’s Day.

Mine is actually hanging behind my kitchen table in the dining room over my set of windows. I find this is a common and fun place to hang my banners because my husband and I normally end up eating some kind of fun food for that holiday as well. The banner just seems to add to the festivities. Another great place to hang your banner would also be on a mantle.

As always, do not forget to enjoy the little things in life!

March 16, 2014/by Bethany