Monday, January 23, 2012

The First Wreath of 2012


I saw this wreath in the Sweet Paul magazine, and I thought it was a great idea for a free, diy wreath. So, I picked out some paper and warmed up my scissors for a whole lot of leaf cutting.
Sweet Paul

Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures while I was putting the wreath together. Luckily, this is a very simple project that you can probably do a number of ways. Here's how I put mine together.

Step one:
Select your paper. I laid out a few different color schemes based on the paper I already had. I thought these blues with white were wintery. Plus, my 24 pack of Martha Stewart glitter has all these colors.

Step two:
Make a template leaf. Figure out the size and shape you'd like.

Step three:
Either trace out your leaf template 40 or 50 time, or just do it the way I did (aka the impatient method) and use the template as a cutting guide. I held the template on the paper to be cut in one hand and cut around the template using my scissors in the other hand. It worked out surprisingly well.

Step four:
Add glitter to some or all of the leaves. This step is optional, of course, but come on, you know you want to.



Step five:
Buy a cardboard wreath form or cut one out of an old box. I opted for the latter. My wreath is almost a foot in diameter, for reference.

Step six:
Once the glitter is dry on your leaves, use your glue gun or school glue or whatever you have on hand to start putting down leaves. My method was to glue down the first leaf just at the 'base' of the leaf (the opposite of the pointy side of the leaf), then I tucked the next leaf under the first one to hide the 'base' of the second leaf. I just alternated colors, angles and glittering of the leaves as I went around. When I had my wreath filled in, I went back and secured the tips of the leaves with a little more glue.

Step seven:
Glue a ribbon to the back of the wreath form to hang it. Voila! An inexpensive treat for you to see every time you walk in your front door – or wherever you decide to hang it.

Isn't Mother Nature great? We've had hardly any snow at all this winter, but she sent down a few flurries just in time for this picture.  

Thursday, January 19, 2012

There is nothing wrong with your computer screen. Do not attempt to adjust the picture.


Yes, I am painting my table hot pink! Actually, it's more of a magenta, but in the tray, it looks neon pink. I'm pretty excited! I've been wanting to paint my table pink for a while. My (totally awesome and laid back) husband gave me the go-ahead when I first came up with the idea, but I got stuck in a bit of hand-wringing over the decision. I bought this table at a garage sale almost two years ago with the intention of painting it, but I could never decide on the right color. Then one day, I saw a picture from a television makeover show where they painted the dining room table the hottest of hot pinks, and I was in love. 
Unknown - Sorry!

But, who has a pink table? Nobody I know – so I waited. And waited. And waited. But, I never found another color I got excited about, so I said 'why not?' and took the plunge.

Now, at the very least, I won't be lying on my deathbed many years from now, wondering what it would have been like to have a bright magenta table. I might regret this decision somewhere down the line, but at least I'll have taken a chance.

I'll post the pictures as soon as I finish up! This color is going to need a lot of coats before it comes out right, so stay tuned.  
Etsy - Lisa