Wreath - How To, Sort Of

So, I have posted on the right side of the blog the top pages visited. They were all mostly related to Halloween costumes and then a post that includes a onesie with a Richard Scarry character on it. In the past month or so my wreath I made last year has joined the list.

A few months ago on Pinterest my cousin pinned a wreath that looks a LOT like this one. Crazy thing? It wasn't mine. It wasn't anyone I knew and she didn't know me. The look a little different, but the stars were lining up in some crazy way last January because we made and posted them around the same time.  Anyway, I commented on her post about how like-minded we were and that I liked how the wide tulle on hers looked better than mine and linked back here. So, I think people are coming here from that link. I really don't know, but not that many people read the blog, so that's all I can figure.

I don't know if that has happened to you before (not necessarily though a blog, but just generally), but I have seen it and experienced it a few times. I read several sewing blogs. It seems like often some of my favorites will happen to post about the same exact idea. I don't believe they are copying each other, there is just something in the air. One blogger even commented on it once, though I can't remember which.

I remember when I was in high school I used to think of these ideas and have my mom make them for me. (Both of my parents are very creative and skilled. Growing up I loved that they could take my ideas and make them a reality...maybe more on that in another post.) Anyway, my mom had all this terry cloth fabric and I thought it would be awesome to make some PJ pants out of them, so my mom and I made those along with a pair that had ric-rac for the drawstring and beads on the end. (I don't recommned ric-rac for a drawstring, too hard to pull.) Anyway, a month or so later, I saw terry vloth pajamas in the store. So, was my idea my own or one I had just seen and forgot? That just can't be answered. 

So, back to the wreath, as far as I know, I didn't copy anyone on this idea and if I did see it somewhere and used it, I would definitely give credit to whomever inspired me. That's just what I do. Now, the reason I am even writing about this is to sort of show how my wreath is constructed. I tried to make it like this one from Kelly Hicks Design, but the tulle was NOT fanning like hers. Let me back up - supplies I used:

foam wreath thing

• 2 packages of snowflake ornaments from Target
• 1 roll of white tulle from JoAnn fabrics
• glue gun
• pins

 I first wrapped the foam ring in tulle and glued it down and the beginning and end. Then I glued down my snowflakes. 

 If you see my original post, I had planned on that being my wreath, but it looked lame. So, I tried the pretty ruffles like the Kelly Hicks wreath linked above. It wouldn't work. So, I just made fans.

 I can't remember the dimensions of each tulle piece, but you could play around with what you think looks best.

I pinned each fan into the foam. If I did it again I would choose all white pins instead of just whatever I pulled from the pin cushion.  I filled it with fans until I ran out of tulle. And that's that. It really is easy.

Update on the Wreath

I know you guys are just dying to know what I ended up doing with the wreath. (I know you aren't, but I still wanted to share.)

If my husband said it was too plain, than that certainly meant that it was. So, I added the rest of the tulle on, inspired by this wreath that my sister had pinned on Pinterest. I ended up just folding the tulle like fans and pinning it in.

So, here's the final product! I still don't love it, but I like it much better!

EDIT 1/11/13 - I just added a sort of "how to" to the blog since I have been getting so many visits to this post.  Go HERE.

Wreath=Done

 I got the wreath done and on the door.

I don't love it. It seems to plain, but I really have no idea what I am doing. Suggestions?

Stars and Stripes

Um, hi. I have gone missing again. At least I have been working on projects while ignoring you. :) I've never been great at having cutesy things on my door, but I like the look of a nice wreath, etc. It seems like I get more and more happy for the 4th of July every year and I've finally done something to show my feelings...

It's simplistic, but does the trick. And It was easy and cheap! I just bought a 4 pack of flags at Wal-Mart for $1 (or where ever you like, but some have less in the pack for the same cost), removed the "pole" and glued the flags on a ribbon. The fabric star in the middle I plan to replace with something a little studier, or maybe fabric again but double-sided to make it stronger and less likely to curl on the edges.

The little banner on the door was definitely a great addition to the two measly flags hanging out by the steps. Someday I'd love to have a bigger house and decorate it all nice and have the fun patriotic swag banners outside from Flag Day to Independence day. But for now, I am happy with how I have set up our doorstep.

Eastery Window

I was recently visiting a blog I had never been to called Be Different Act Normal. Among many cute ideas they had posted was this one of an Easter egg garland they found on Family Chic. I thought it was such a fun and easy idea. And who doesn't have too many plastic eggs sitting around from years past? So, I took this idea and made it work for me.

 Last Saturday it was in the 70s here and truly spring had arrived. There were blossoms on the neighbor's tree and some of my daffodils were in bloom, so I thought it was a good time to get decorated for Easter. I did no decorating last year, so I figured I had to this year. (Plus, my kids are ultra excited about it thanks to a fun Easter egg hunt we do at my parents' house every year.)

So. if you clicked on either of the links above you'd see that the garland was made with yarn snapped between the eggs. Very simple. I didn't have any pastel yarn and didn't want to go out and buy any, so I changed the idea. I have a lot of ribbon you'd use for wrapping gifts in colors that I never use. I knew it wouldn't curve all nice like yarn can, so I made mine as strips.

Just lay the ribbon across the open egg and snap shut. 

Then you will probably have to bend the ribbon a bit if you use wide stuff like I did. This probably won't be a problem for thinner ribbon and probably not for fabric ribbon or yarn either.

Then add another in the same fashion at whatever distance you like and keep adding until it is as long as you want it to be.

And ta-da, easy Easter decorating!

And still pretty (maybe even more so) when it snows the next day! 

I know spring is wild, but a 40+ temperature drop resulting in snow in 12 hours? Wow! It's gone now, in case you were wondering...