Christmas Wreath

 

This was last year's Christmas wicker wreath design. I reused the decorations in my window display this year and in the living room decorations.

I went with more traditional and natural decorations this year.

 It came out much better than I thought, so I was very thrilled. Plus the cats didn't try to kill it this year, so WOOHOO!

Need to figure out what to do for the "new year" look.....

Falling 2012

I have a wicker wreath that I redesign every season to hang in my room.

I get to enjoy the season in my room all the time this way. I don't like to do the same design as I did last year. I allows me to flex my design muscles. This year I didn't change up my fall design that much, but enough that I don't feel like its the same.

Last year I used two leaf ropes from Michaels.

This year I wanted to do leaves, but with more pops of color and other season items.

I took down my Spring wreath.

I wrapped the wreath in the fall leaf ropes  (new ones from Michaels. Used the old ones outside).

I then added a pumpkin feature and several flower mums.

I had intended to stop at this point. I liked seeing the wicker through the leaves, but it felt bottom heavy this way, so I went all out.

This is my completed wreath. I have my pops of orange and still have features of the season. You can't tell from my pictures, but the leaf ropes have different colors and some are velvet. Gives it a different texture look in-person.

Pumpkin Cat

Fall brings us Halloween and Halloween brings us pumpkins. We like having pumpkins around, but I'm not always a fan of carving them. Mostly because the weather up here (Colorado) is cold and snowy at this time of year. Hell it almost always snows ON Halloween.

This year I decided to just draw a design on it. I went online and found a angry cat design and printed it out. I cut it out and traced the design onto my pumpkin.

Looks good outside too. I drew over it a few times to make sure you could see it pretty well.

Nice way to have your Halloween feel with out the mess. Works for me!

Felt Flower Ball

I found this picture on The Idea Room for felt flower balls. She found it from Design*Sponge.

Its very easy to make and can be made into other things besides a ball. Design*Sponge made a wreath with this idea, so don't feel confined to one set form.

Supplies needed:

Felt- about 16 (Hobby Lobby sells them 4 for a $1, so its about $4 in total)

Pins

Ribbon (about 8 to 12 inches)

Styrofoam ball (sizes can vary, but the larger the size the more felt you need)

Scissors (small or large depends on how much pain you want to be in)

Circle for cut out

Marking pencil (or pen)

Items I used:

I got the pencil for it, but turns out felt sucks to write on, so I used a pen to make it easier to see.

You can use a cup, or canning top. If you use black you could use a canning top and stamp it on a white Ink Stamp to leave trace cut outs. Just have to be careful to make sure no white is left once you cut it out. Same thing for me with a dark pen on the blue felt.

First take any wrapping off styrofoam ball. Keep the ball away from the felt, as the styrofoam has a way of shedding.

Second I found it easiest to fold my felt in half  horizontally and then in half again vertically. Tracing now will give you 4 circles and less work. I used a larger scissors to cut them out as it was thicker.

*Tip* Will cause pain in the hand if you use a small scissors for this part)

Once you have cut out the once traced circle you can unfold the felt. If you trace a circle in between the two cut outs on the left and right upper corners you will be able to get another 4 circles, and therefore not wasting too much of the felt.

*Tip* I cut squares out of the extra felt to use for backing on pins I create. Waste not want not. No point in throwing away good felt.

I would say do as many as you feel your hand can take. I did a about 16 at a time to rest my hand.

Take a circle and fold it in half. Then fold it in half again. This will be what is pinned to the ball.

 

Once you have folded it over twice, place a pin through the tip at the bottom and place into the ball.

Continue to do this until the entire ball is covered. Do feel that you have to cram them together. Leave a little open space, so that they felt petal (folded piecing being pinned down) can spread out a little. Just be sure to not have any of the styrofoam showing through.

Once completely covered pick a location you want to pin the ribbon from which it will hang. Then cut a section of ribbon. Mine was about 12 inches long. You can pick longer or shorter depending on how you want to hang it.

Now take on end of the ribbon and pin it to the ball. I used two on each end to make it more secure. Do this to the other end of the ribbon.
*Tip* Try going at an angle to create a more secure pinning.
*Tip* Pin as close to the over end as to not push aside the felt petals.

You now have a finished Felt Flower Ball.

Give it a shot! Let me know how it goes. I would love to see them. Don't be afraid to be creative with them. I will be doing another one in two color combos and one with glitter felt.