Monday, December 29, 2014

Glitter Coffee Filter Wreath!

Ok guys!

This wreath is HUGE, MESSY, and TIME CONSUMING!

It's also INCREDIBLY AWESOME!!!


See?!

My husband hates it...

It doesn't *ahem* store well...

Ready to make one? You will need:


-a white styrofoam wreath frame.
(mine is 18")
-a bazillion coffee filters
(mine are 2 different sizes...oops...I just alternated and it worked fine)
-mod podge
-glue gun and sticks
-big marker of some sort
-TONS of glitter
(seriously. that little thing in the picture made it one row)

Step One:
Stuff your marker down the center of a coffee filter so it forms this shape:


Step Two:
Take the marker out and hold that shape while you dip it in mod podge and then glitter. I eventually moved the glitter to a paper cup and it worked SO MUCH nicer than the paper plate:


Step Three:
Put the marker back in the coffee filter. Use your glue gun to put glue on just the center circle made by the marker and press it to your wreath frame:


This is where the HUGE MESS begins...

Step Four:
Continue around the entire outside edge of your wreath frame:


Step Five:
Keep going row by row towards the center. It does get easier...:


 ...and eventually Ta-Da:


You could totally leave it like this if you wanted to! It is super glittery (if somewhat difficult to photograph) and looks great already:


But I spent all of 79 cents on this pile of clearance fluff and needed to use it:


I still think it's awesome:


Go make one!!!

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Last Kiwi Post

This is my last Design Team post for Kiwi Lane :(

I am pretty much devastated.

This has been SO much fun and I have LOVED the creative challenge and ALL the Kiwi friends I have made.

Sad times...

On a happier note, here is the layout I made for this month:


The miracle is that all 3 children were not only smiling, but actually LOOKING at the camera! All at once!!!

Make sure you visit Kiwi Lane's blog HERE!

I show you how I made a fun background like this:


And a sparkly poinsettia like this:


And easy photo corners like this:


Go see go see!

Thanks for following me on my Kiwi Lane journey!


Friday, December 19, 2014

Burlap Petal CHRISTMAS Wreath

I couldn't go to the Pinner's Conference a few months ago.

Mostly because I didn't want to...

But I DID want to make this:


Super cute Burlap Petal wreath by the insanely creative girls over at Find it, Make it, Love it!

Luckily for people like me they made a step by step tutorial on their blog HERE.

If anything I say doesn't make sense, try their tutorial instead...

I made a slightly fuller CHRISTMAS version:


I absolutely LOVE it and it was one of the quickest/easiest/best-turning-out-est wreaths I've ever made!

You will need:
*straw wreath form (mine is the big 18" one)
*plain burlap for covering the form
*decorative burlap for your "petals" (I used 40 feet of burlap ribbon)
*something for your bow
*hot glue gun and TONS of sticks
*pins

To make the "petals":

Cut a 5x5 square of burlap:


Fold down the top to make a triangle. Glue the bottom point together:


Fold down one side point to the bottom point. Glue the points together:


Fold down the other side point to the bottom point. Make sure all the points are glued together:


Now the original tutorial had you just make the petal and pin it on, but I needed a bit more durability... so I glued!

Once you have a pretty good pile going (I ended up needing 84), you can start to assemble.

Cover your wreath frame with more burlap:


Start in the center of your wreath. Put glue ONLY on the bottom point of your petal and glue it on. I also put a pin in mine:


Now glue another petal right in front of your first petal, overlapping as much as you like: 


Continue until you have the whole middle row finished. (I had to snip off the bottom tip of my last petal to squeeze it in at the end):


Now start the inner row! Glue/pin one petal between each center petal FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, again overlapping as much as you like:


Just keep gluing/pinning one petal in each gap. The inner row is more crowded, so you'll need to overlap a bit more:


Ok, you probably noticed my petals in the above picture are spaced every-other gap. This is what the original tutorial told me to do. I ended up liking a really-full look better, so I altered (ripped off) my first attempt and ended up with this for the inner row:


The outer row is super easy and by now you've got this down! Glue/pin a petal for every center row gap IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION of the center:


This outside row has a bit more room, so you will need to have less of an overlap:


Here is what everything should look like all done:


The bow is obviously optional, but I like the look! I just used the leftover burlap from wrapping my wreath frame! The Find It, Make It, Love It tutorial has a great tip on how to make a "cheater" bow that is always perfect:


TA-DA!:


Go make your own!

Saturday, December 6, 2014

December Layout

Here is the layout my Close To My Heart scrapbook club will be making in about a week:


We are using the Yuletide Carol Paper Packet, Red Shimmer Trim, and Clear Sparkles.

Really the whole layout was an excuse to make these trees:


Because I love them! They are actually really easy to make with ANY size 1/2 circle. They are always unique and dimensional:


I know what you're thinking, "where are the clear sparkles?"

Well, they're not clear anymore!!!

Close To My Heart now has an awesome line of alcohol markers. To change the color of sparkles, you just color them with your markers! ANY color!!! Let them dry and it's permanent! With my ever-growing marker collection I will never have to buy colored sparkles again!

Happy Scrappin'

Friday, December 5, 2014

Great Gardenia!

Over at Scrapbook Steals they have a weekly Mid-Week-Mojo sketch contest. Once a run of 10 is complete, there is a GRAND PRIZE for everyone who finished all 10 sketches!

Well I actually finished on time!

Here are my 2-page versions of all 10 Gardenia sketches:

Gardenia #1:


Gardenia #2:


Gardenia #3:


Gardenia #4:


Gardenia #5:


Gardenia #6:


Gardenia #7:


Gardenia #8:


Gardenia #9:


Gardenia #10:


Whew!

Honestly I LOVE looking back at a whole bunch of cute accomplishments! Sketches with a deadline "force" me to carve out scrapbooking time... and that is happy time!

Wish me luck!

Gardenia #3-#5

I'm not sure why it took me so long to finish these last 3... but here they are!

Gardenia #3:


My layout:


Close up:


Finally one of the last Father's and Son's layouts! I REALLY stretched my Paper Loft paper! I stamped my little peeps-on-a-stick with an old Close To My Heart Easter set.

Gardenia #4:


My layout:


Close up:


I never think of layout ideas like this on my own! That's why I LOVE sketches!!! It forces me out of my comfort zone and in this case I love the result!

Gardenia #5:


My layout:


Close up:


This one started as an Out On A Limb page kit. It was cute by itself, but with a little extra paper and a different layout it turned out even BETTER! This is my first time chopping a title in half... I'll have to do it again!

And now to enter the Grand Gardenia Contest!