Spring Wreath

Yeah! Today is the first day of Spring! And to welcome the season I have an easy Spring Wreath for you to make. 

It was made with items that I already had on hand...so more or less for free.

I purchased the tulips several years ago from the dollar store. I think that I bought eight bunches at a dollar each, then snipped them apart using some old tin snips.The grapevine wreaths I've had for about ten years...and keep changing them to suit my mood and season. The ribbon I got at Walmart two years ago at an after Easter sale for just a dollar. There was fifteen feet of ribbon on the roll and I used it all except for about two inches. Shown in the picture below are two pipe cleaners (chenille stems) one for each wreath that I had on hand from another project. Divide the tulips and start weaving them into the grapevine base. I used seven per side, leaving about two inches for the ribbon in between (fourteen for each wreath, twenty-eight total). No glue needed!

Cut the ribbon in two equal pieces.  Make four loops of ribbon to make the bow, then cut the ribbon,  take the rest of that piece and use it for the tails on the bow. Wrap it around the loops (two on each side) and secure in the back with one pipe cleaner. Secure the pipe cleaner to the grapevine wreath. Cut the ends of the tails on the diagonal and tweak the ribbon to show some movement.

Here are the finished wreaths guarded by Tilly my Havanese guard dog. She might lick you to death! So quick and easy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May the road rise up to meet you...
I love St. Pat's day...do you? Maybe I'll eat some potato soup or not. The only day of the year when I'm very Irish and so is this teapot - a little wear'n of the green...

Use a felt tip marker to draw a shamrock or other Irish design (a Celtic Knot?) on a porcelain dish or teapot. Make the design as simple or fancy as you would like. Remove it with a cotton ball dipped in denatured alcohol and you are ready for your next work of art. 

I machine embroidered two kitchen towels this year. The design "Shamrock Bow" ATG2517 is available at Ann the Gran - changed the red bow to a blue-green to go with my kitchen better. These will be used for spring and maybe summer, too.

That is all I did for St. Patrick's Day. Still makes me smile.

Make your pillow shams look more expensive...

Have you ever purchased one of those mini duvet cover sets and been disappointed in the pillow shams? Especially the micro-fiber ones. They have a tendency to droop and look old even when new. If you can sew a straight (or almost straight line) here is a tutorial for an easy fix.

Before...

Now after...

And a side by side comparison. Right sham transformed! 

All that you need to do is add some batting to the inside.

Items needed for this easy fix:
Pillow sham in need of a make-over
Thread to match the pillow sham
Sewing machine
Batting
Scissors
Iron
Ironing board

Here is how:

Start by ripping out the stitching that creates the flange of the sham. Usually about two inches from the edge of the sham.

Rip it out - all the way around the sham. 

Then turn the sham inside out and press. 

Proceed by measureing the size of the sham. Mine was 30 inches by 25 inches. You will need to cut batting to fit whatever size your measurement is.  


Choose your favorite batting...a crib size should be more than enough for two shams. 

Place your cut batting on the inside front of the sham (on top of the front side when it is turned inside out).

Sew around the sham completely, just shy of the stitch line that holds the sham together. I recommend using a larger stitch (basting type). Turn the sham right side out and press just the edge.

Now sew the flange line (the stitch line that you ripped out in the beginning). You should be able to see where the stitches were and sew over the original line. Use a smaller stitch similar to the one you removed. Pop your pillow in and you are done.

Here is the finished project again...

A little bit of tranquility...

Kalaloch Beach - Washington Coast - in the fog. Photoshop can be so much fun! This reminds me of a John Ebner watercolor, if only!

Valentine Wreath

Valentine's Day is almost here! Can you believe it? Today I have a quick and easy wreath tutorial using items you might already have. I'm sure you have seen versions of this wreath around the web...hope you like my version and find my tutorial easy to follow. There are several options to make this wreath completely your own!

Items Needed:
Cardboard  (Amazon Box?)
Scissors
Coffee Filters (about 65 total - 35 pink and 30 white. Wreath size approximately 14 inches by across by 11 inches tall by 2 inches wide to fill in) 
Permanent Double Sided Tape
Optional Items:
Rotary Cutter
Self Healing Mat
Freezer Paper
Red Food Color
Low Temp Glue Gun
Tabs From Two Soda/Beer Cans (no judgement here!)
Ribbon

Step One - optional: Color your coffee filters...they only take a few minutes to dry.

Use a small bowl and add a few drops of red food coloring then add some water and mix well. Just dip the fluted edges of the filters (10 or so at a time) in the bowl and watch the color move up. Separate and place on paper towels to dry. Note: If you make a larger cardboard form you will need more coffee filters.

Step Two - optional: Cut the fluted edges into petals as pictured below.

This makes the filters look a little like roses when they are gathered and placed on the cardboard form. Iron the filters if needed then stack them together and cut away!  You get a slightly different look when you don't do this step. Note: You can also use natural colored coffee filters.

Step Three - optional: Make the template for the cardboard form.

My finished template is approximately 14 inches across by 11 inches tall by 2 inches wide.  Cut out the template, iron to the cardboard and mark with a pencil or marker. (I like the pencil better because it makes a tiny indent for your rotary cutter...just a little easier.)

Step Four: Make the cardboard form.

If not using a template make a heart shape approximately 14 inches across by 11 inches tall by 2 inches wide. Cut out the cardboard using a rotary cutter or scissors. Note: If you make a larger cardboard form or one to fill in completely you will need more coffee filters.


Step Five - optional: Make the hangers for attaching the ribbon to hang the heart.

Yippee, you get to use your low temp glue gun. Bend your two soda tabs slightly and glue the portion without the hole to the cardboard form. Make sure to have the hole side of the tab on the top and place on the top portion of the heart with the hole flared away from the cardboard. Use lots and lots of glue and let it dry before proceeding.

Step Six: Gather the filters and make a flower shape.

Step Seven: Tape to cardboard form.

Apply your permanent double sided tape to the cardboard form then press a gathered filter onto the tape. Continue taping then gathering and pressing more filters until the form is completely covered in the design of your choice.

Step Eight - optional: Add ribbon to hang the heart.

I used two pieces of 1/2 inch satin ribbon, each about 22 inches long. If you skip this step then just push your cardboard onto your nail, still cute.

Step Nine: Admire!

I would love to see a photo of your finished wreath!