Candy Corn Wreath Tutorial

Candy Corn is to Halloween like Santa is to Christmas!  You have to experience candy corn or Halloween just isn't Halloween!  Not only is candy corn yummy to eat, it's colors are some of my most favorite!  I wanted to do something with candy corns and a Candy Corn Wreath is what I got!

I didn't want to have to spend any money either, so I rummaged around in my craft closet and wood supplies.  After some searching, I found all of this!

I cut out the candy corns on masonite board using a band saw.  If you don't have the wood or tools to cut wood, you can use the foamy paper stuff...any color will do because we are going to cover it with CUTE candy cornish paper!  I made a candy corn shape template, traced it onto my different paper color choices and cut them out.  I distressed the edges with an orange colored ink.

Now, glue them onto the wood.  I just used a glue stick but Mod Podge works great too.

Once all candy corns are completed, pull out the hot glue gun!  Now, glue all those bad boys to a wreath.  I am sure a foam wreath will work well.  Like I said, I just used what I had in my closet!

I found a piece of fall garland that was the perfect length.  Seriously, how lucky can one get?  I made a circle out of the garland and placed the wreath on top, pulling the stems through to make it look full.

To fill in the gaps, cut six or more long pieces of coordinating fabric.  Wrap them around the garland and wreath.  Not only does this fill in the gaps, but it hides the wire on the wreath.  It was still looking kind of blah in the center and this cream paper with black flowers gave it just the kick it needed.  I cut a circle and glued it to the back of the wreath.

Just like that....that's what the back looks like.

Now, put up your candy corn wreath and enjoy the Spirit of Halloween!

back to school treats

So, some of you are already in school, some are about to start. Where ever you are in this season, here are some treats to make with your kiddos and to again reaffirm your cool status! Seriouly, you will be getting some "those are awesome" comments.

Aren't these just the coolest crayons you have ever seen? I think so, the biggest plus is that you get to EAT them. Yes, eat them: Edible Crayons.

Howie helped me make edible crayons (pretzels with their ends dipped in candy melts, covered with a paper label). They were SUPER cool,(I keep saying that, but they were cool,) loved making these, and my son did too!We just loved the outcome. They were so life like and the kids had a blast eating them. Here is one for your file: old school paper chain. We counted down the days till school by tearing off a chain each day. I can tell you this was a hit. No school like the old school.

I just had to make a cute Back to School wreath, using a variation of the burlap one Tator Tots and Jello makes.Lastly, the Back to School fairy left a brown bag with lots of school supplies in it.

Just had to share some fun back to school ideas. I had good intentions of making school bus cookies or some kind of school sugar cookie, but I just ran out of time! Next year. Oh, and we said goodbye to summer by making Flip Flop cookies (Family Fun Magazine). These were very yummy since they were milano cookies. Mmmmmm. Loved them.

Goodbye Summer, Welcome Fall and Back to School!

A Wreath From Pages of a Book?

I have seen them before and often wondered why??  And, now I know!  They are lots of fun to make, cheap, and much cuter in person than in picture.  Especially when you are looking at my pictures...because I have the WORST camera of all time and I hate it.  (This is a whole other story).  Wanna make one?  Follow these directions here.  I made mine differently by making scrolls, tying together with twine and using hot glue to attach them to a circular wire wreath.  I added a simple bow and hung it on my wreath frame. 

Wreath frame you say?  What is that?  Well check this out here.  I made this about a month ago and it is great!  I have it hanging on the wall at the end of my hallway.  I painted mine black, distressed the edges with sandpaper, and glazed over it.  It looks amazing!  The best part about that project was it was completely FREE!  We had some leftover bead board and moulding from our kitchen project. I love FREE craft projects.

Now, back to the wreath.  You have to check out all the different styles out there.  If you know you want to make one, but aren't sure which style, just google book page wreath, click on images and your bound to find one you like!

Double Duty

I love crafts that can do double duty and be used again, in this case, for two holidays: Memorial Day and then again for the 4th of July.

Supplies needed:

a 2x2 board from lowes or home depot, comes in 8' lengths

2x4 (i used left over piece from another project that was lying around the house)

paint (used a color called vanilla)

scrapbook paper

and embellishments

Ok, here comes the real technical part (ya right!). Cut two of the bottom lengths of the 2x2 12". Then the other three cuts are roughly 8.5" making sure the 2x4 piece fills the space nicely. I know totally confusing and I kind of don't understand from my own description, but lucky for you I have a photo which explains it all.

This photo shows you what it looks like broken down, in parts. It is a stackable flag.

Then sand, paint and cover with strips of scrapbook paper (using spray adhesive or Mod Podge) and embellishments. I used some paint to ink the edges since I didn't have a red ink stamp. Could do with less paint on the project, the ink pad might work better, but here's to using what I had on hand.

Hey, this is Julie now!  But just for a second.  Tara, the little sweetie that she is, cut me out some wood and paper strips so I could make one too!  I just wanted to add my picture to her post because I think they are so cute and patriotic.  I LOVE our country!

Back to Tara.....

Here's another double duty craft. Look familiar? It should, click here and here for details.

Keep them up and use it for month of July too!

Mother's Day Gift Idea

Mother's Day is coming - May 9th to be exact! 

I was trying to decide what to get my mother this year because really she has everything!  She doesn't enjoy mani's and pedi's because she is to shy to show anyone her feet, she is allergic to real flowers and perfume, when she wants something she just gets it! So I had to put my thinking cap on again this year.  My mom always has something hanging on her front door and this idea came to me.

Supplies:

1 barnwood frame

1 piece of scrapbook paper

Vinyl lettering

1 giant gerber daisy

small flowers and fillers

hot glue and glue gun

I measured my "fillers" to be the length I wanted and tied them off with some twine.

Use a hot glue gun to attach it to the frame.

Clip of the stem of the gerber daisy and hot glue to the frame covering the base of the fillers.

Attach scrapbook paper inside the frame and apply vinyl lettering.

Simple as that!

The frame can stand on it's on.  Say like on a entry table?  Or maybe even attach some burlap with a staple gun to the back and hang on your front door.....like this!

(Please forgive the horrible ness of this picture.  My camera was being stubborn!)

Happy Mothers' Day to all the great Mothers out there!

Felt/Fleece Easter Wreath

Remember when the Idea Room showed you how to make the heart wreath made out of felt? Well, we took the same idea and made a pastel easter wreath.

Supplies needed: felt circles (three inch) from desired colors, (hint! pastel yellow and green are nearly impossible to find, believe me, I hunted down each store in town, plus the internet. So we opted to use fleece too. It worked out great! The yellow and green are fleece, the others felt. Save yourself LOTS of time by reading this, trust me.) Styrofoam wreath (I can find these at the dollar store now!), straight pins and ribbon to hang it once you are done.

Same instructions as before, fold the circles into quarters and pin them onto the wreath. A bunch of us got together and the kids played while we made the wreaths. Thanks to Jenn for having this super awesome lazer cutter that cut the circles for us, seriously, saved tons of time. If you don't have a super cool friend like Jenn, then the good old fashioned way of tracing and cutting them out by hand will do.

**Note** We tried to be frugal. Each person that did the wreath, supplied one of the colors. We each bought a yard of one color (used our 40% off at Joann's). turned out, after equally dividing the circles into five groups, we had enough to complete our wreaths and oodles left over. I might be able to make another wreath or some of the ball ideas from The Idea Room or even her topiary. So if you don't want that much left over, I bet 1/2 yard is ample.

Super easy, even the kids helped. Lyla liked to put the pins in the Styrofoam wreath.

Tara, Hillary, Julie, and Jenn. We missed you Martha.

Frame a Face

Having fun, being silly, getting together, kids playing well........

the best kinds of crafting days.

LOVED the colors and how it turned out. So bright and spring-y. Mine will stay up a little after Easter because it makes me so happy.

Happy Easter Everyone!