Whether youre having your wedding outdoors because it doesnt require as much decorating, or because you know it will be a beautiful day, an outdoor wedding can be lovely. On the other hand, it can be a little challenging. Trying to find d?cor that looks good outside, and wont blow over, plus will give the area a wedding look, can be a little difficult. Think garlands. Not Christmas garlands. Not even flower garlands. Were talking paper sack garland. Doesnt sound that impressive? Youll think otherwise once you see the colorful garlands you make from paper bags.
One of the best things about the paper bag garland is that it can also serve as the party favors for the wedding guests. They dont know their gifts are hanging from the trees, but when they realize it, theyll think it quite charming. Especially when they see how gorgeous the paper bag garland is.
The paper bag garland doesnt necessarily have to hang from the trees. It can be draped on bushes, wrapped around poles, strung along walkways and more. Its very versatile, and when you choose bags which feature your wedding colors, you decorate at the same time you create the party favors. Online you can order plain paper bags cheap. Youll find a huge variety of bags in colors of white, pink, gold, silver, purple, yellow and many other colors. With the large selection available youre sure to find paper bags that matches or coordinates with the colors youve chosen for the wedding. Cut lengths of cord to make the garland. Fill each paper bag with the desired party favors. Some gifts you can place in the bag include candy, cookies, bath salts, a candle, soaps, bath fizzies, hot cocoa packets or other choices. Think about the weather before placing chocolates and similar things in the bags. After placing the objects in the bag, gather the "neck" of the bag, blow into it, and youll create a rounded look. Tie it shut with a ribbon and, if you want, curl the ribbon. First, position a piece of ribbon on the backside of the bag, then tie the main ribbon around the bag and additional ribbon. The additional ribbon piece will be used to hang the bag on the twine and form the garland. Tie the bags on the twine to make the garland. Space them somewhat close together but not so they are touching each other. The punch of color all over the garland instantly gives the yard or other area a wedding touch. As the guests leave remind them to take a bag with them. Remember to keep all the bags within easy reach.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
Belted Napkin Rings
I have a funny way of deciding if I want to do a particular craft or not. Im reading down the list of things Ill need to buy or to do to see if its worth the price and the effort. But some craft projects slay me. They have a huge list of supplies, like 6 different colors of paint, and costly materials youll need besides, and it just isnt worth all that expense. A tiny gnome - no matter how adorable - just isnt worth $30 in supplies and days of painting, drying, and painting some more. Ive lost interest - and money - by then. Id rather do a project which is really fast, turns out something spectacular, and cost very little to make. Whether youre preparing for a wedding reception, a huge outdoor party, or just a quaint gathering with friends, youll have fun creating unusual napkin rings which look like belts. And, the project wont take up a lot of your valuable time nor set you back a bundle of money.
Select grosgrain ribbon or twill tape - or both - to make the little napkin belts. Although you can make the belts any size you want a nice size for them - as well as for the width of the ribbon - is 1 ?" to 2 ?". Cut the ribbon pieces to 9" lengths. Youll need one 9" piece for each napkin. At one end of the ribbon, cut a notch or cut the ribbon at an angle, to create the design you want for the end of the belt.
Purchase two "D" rings to finish. Youll find small ones at a craft store or a place that sells fabric. The rings have the exact shape of a "D" and are generally available in colors of gold, silver, blue, pink and others. The straight side of the ring should be the same size as the width of the chosen ribbon. Stack two "D" rings together and lay them on a table. Take the end of the belt and pass it through the top ring and out through the bottom ring. Pick up the rings and hold them in place while you fold the end of the ribbon under. Glue it in place to secure the rings. Lay a rolled napkin on one belt and thread the end of the belt through both rings. Bring it over the first ring and thread it back through the second ring. Tighten slightly. Make a white belt with gold or silver rings for a wedding or anniversary. Or, use black rings with brown ribbon to make western belts for a childs party. Add gold or silver rings to pink ribbon to create adorable napkin belts for a little girls princess party. It takes just a couple of minutes and a few cents to make each belt but the overall look of the belted napkins looks like a million bucks.
Select grosgrain ribbon or twill tape - or both - to make the little napkin belts. Although you can make the belts any size you want a nice size for them - as well as for the width of the ribbon - is 1 ?" to 2 ?". Cut the ribbon pieces to 9" lengths. Youll need one 9" piece for each napkin. At one end of the ribbon, cut a notch or cut the ribbon at an angle, to create the design you want for the end of the belt.
Purchase two "D" rings to finish. Youll find small ones at a craft store or a place that sells fabric. The rings have the exact shape of a "D" and are generally available in colors of gold, silver, blue, pink and others. The straight side of the ring should be the same size as the width of the chosen ribbon. Stack two "D" rings together and lay them on a table. Take the end of the belt and pass it through the top ring and out through the bottom ring. Pick up the rings and hold them in place while you fold the end of the ribbon under. Glue it in place to secure the rings. Lay a rolled napkin on one belt and thread the end of the belt through both rings. Bring it over the first ring and thread it back through the second ring. Tighten slightly. Make a white belt with gold or silver rings for a wedding or anniversary. Or, use black rings with brown ribbon to make western belts for a childs party. Add gold or silver rings to pink ribbon to create adorable napkin belts for a little girls princess party. It takes just a couple of minutes and a few cents to make each belt but the overall look of the belted napkins looks like a million bucks.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Hourglass Bedside Table
If you love having things in your home that no one else has youll truly appreciate an hourglass bedside table that you can make yourself. Dont need a bedside table? Make one to use as a plant stand, or even one to use as a small, breakfast nook table. The unusual table, with its hourglass shape, creates a unique and beautiful accent in most any room of the house.Large home improvement stores sell Quik-tubes; theyre cardboard tubes made for creating concrete pillars. Purchase one of the cardboard tubes in the diameter you want for the table. Youll also need one circle of wood, which is thick and large, and another circle of wood, which is thinner and smaller. The larger piece will be the top of the table, with the smaller piece acting as the bottom.Lay the smaller piece of wood on the floor and center the cardboard tube on it. Draw around it and move the tube out of the way for now. Screw small chunks of wood into the bottom, staying inside the circle youve drawn. Position each of four wooden chunks around the circle, evenly spaced, and right next to the drawn lines. Cut the tube to the length you want, stand it back up, over the top of the wood chunks, and screw the tube to the chunks to connect the bottom stand.Do the top in the same manner. Draw a circle on the underside, screw in four chunks, then set the top on the tube, and screw the top edges of the tube to the chunks of wood. Paint the entire table - stand, tube, and all.The hourglass shape is made when you use your choice of ribbon, vinyl, or similar material. Youll need many wide strips to create the look. One way to get cheap and colorful ones is to use plastic party streamers. Lay one short end of the material against the side edge of the table, and use upholstery tacks at each corner to secure it. Lay the next one beside that one, and put in the two tacks. Continue to do this until you go all the way around the edge of the tabletop with the streamers and tacks. Cut each streamer to be long enough to go down to the floor, and halfway back up again.After the streamers are attached to the top, gather them together around the tube, and tie a ribbon or cord around it all. Then, pull the end of each streamer down to the bottom board, and glue them to the underside. Pull them tight without putting extreme pressure on the middle tie.The hourglass table isnt all that hard to build and can be used in many ways. The round wooden pieces are available in a huge assortment of sizes so you can build just the table you want.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Dozens of Wedding Dresses Anyone Can Make
Im going to tell you a little secret: when it comes to making your own wedding dress, if you choose the right fabric, the rest is too easy. You dont need a complicated pattern to produce a fancy wedding gown; the material practically makes the gown for you. When you choose elegant fabric, and a simplistic design, your wedding dress can look high-dollar when its actually very inexpensive. With the right fabric chosen there are any number of beautiful wedding gowns that you can create.
One easy gown is made when you wrap the fabric around you. Cut it to be five inches longer than needed for a close fit, just below the underarms, and above the breasts. Cut the fabric to go to the floor, or much shorter. Fold the top edge under and sew a piece of quarter-inch elastic around the top. Slightly tug the elastic as you sew to gently gather the fabric. Stitch the side seam and hem the gown.
Make the above gown different in many different ways. Sew a short piece of elastic between the breasts, to create a gathered bodice. Or, make a fitted bodice, with a zipper in the back, and elastic between the breasts. Tack on a silk flower at the top end of the elastic to embellish. Cut a slit up the side of the gown, or make the dress short and add a length of sheer lace around the hemline. Sew on straps, which can be anything from pieces of ribbon, to spaghetti straps, to wide, fabric straps, or have no straps at all. Change the waistline in many ways, too. Sew elastic around the waist for one look. Sew it higher up for an empire waist. Instead of elastic, tie a wide ribbon around the waist to accent the wedding dress. Or, gather many narrow pieces of ribbon, and tie them all at once, around the waist. Wrap the fabric around you, sew the elastic around the top of the bodice, and then turn the dress into one with a train. Instead of making a side seam, make a back seam, but make it only from the top of the bodice, to an area near the tailbone. Cut a large triangle of fabric for the train. The triangle should be one with a long point, and a rounded bottom. Pin the point into the place where the back seam ends, and sew the sides of the triangle to the sides of the open seam edges. You can have your choice of dozens and dozens of gown designs, simply by combining various looks for the dress. Each different thing you do to it, whether it be making a dress short or long, strapless or not, elasticized or fitted, makes one dress totally different than the others.
One easy gown is made when you wrap the fabric around you. Cut it to be five inches longer than needed for a close fit, just below the underarms, and above the breasts. Cut the fabric to go to the floor, or much shorter. Fold the top edge under and sew a piece of quarter-inch elastic around the top. Slightly tug the elastic as you sew to gently gather the fabric. Stitch the side seam and hem the gown.
Make the above gown different in many different ways. Sew a short piece of elastic between the breasts, to create a gathered bodice. Or, make a fitted bodice, with a zipper in the back, and elastic between the breasts. Tack on a silk flower at the top end of the elastic to embellish. Cut a slit up the side of the gown, or make the dress short and add a length of sheer lace around the hemline. Sew on straps, which can be anything from pieces of ribbon, to spaghetti straps, to wide, fabric straps, or have no straps at all. Change the waistline in many ways, too. Sew elastic around the waist for one look. Sew it higher up for an empire waist. Instead of elastic, tie a wide ribbon around the waist to accent the wedding dress. Or, gather many narrow pieces of ribbon, and tie them all at once, around the waist. Wrap the fabric around you, sew the elastic around the top of the bodice, and then turn the dress into one with a train. Instead of making a side seam, make a back seam, but make it only from the top of the bodice, to an area near the tailbone. Cut a large triangle of fabric for the train. The triangle should be one with a long point, and a rounded bottom. Pin the point into the place where the back seam ends, and sew the sides of the triangle to the sides of the open seam edges. You can have your choice of dozens and dozens of gown designs, simply by combining various looks for the dress. Each different thing you do to it, whether it be making a dress short or long, strapless or not, elasticized or fitted, makes one dress totally different than the others.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Candy Place Cards, Name Tags and More
The greatest thing about some craft projects is that theyre not all that specific. That is, you put the craft together but it doesnt have just one purpose. You can use the finished project in many ways. Some of these projects might be complicated and others super-easy. Such is the case with a very simple craft that has more than one purpose, is really inexpensive to make, and is suitable for adults and kids alike. Make fake candy and youll have place cards, name tags and much more! The fake candy you make is not so convincing as candy; its not supposed to be. Although the candies youll make dont look real they are adorable and really easy to make. Youll need some cardstock to get started. Choose patterns that resemble those you would see on candy wrappers, like red and white stripes, butterscotch-colored and similar designs. Make all the candies the same or purchase assorted cardstock to make different candies.
Cut oval shapes that are three inches long. Cut one for each place card then poke a hole at each end. Now cut ribbon pieces that are each 6" long. Make all the ribbons the same or use assorted ribbon to make various candies. The ribbon should be 1.5" wide. Cut one ribbon for each place card. At each end of the ribbon, fold it in half, then cut from a short ways up on the fold down to the corner of the ribbon. This creates a "v" shape at the ends of the ribbons and makes a more convincing candy image.
Write the guests names on the cards then thread a ribbon through the holes in each oval. Lay the oval on a table with the name facing you. Put the ribbon through the hole on the right side, across the backside of the oval, then back up through the opposite hole. Make sure the ribbon is not twisted in the back. Fluff the ribbon out on the ends to give it a wrapped candy appearance. You can use the same technique to make other things, too. Make the fake candies and use them as name tags for birthdays, Christmas and other occasions. Or, make a larger candy, write a childs name on it, then use double-sided tape to stick it to a bedroom door. Little kids will even wear the fake candy as a necklace. Simply thread a length of stretch cord through the holes, along with the ribbon, and a girl can just slide it on over her head. You can even make the candies with no names, cover the ovals with colored cellophane, then stick them on picture frames, candles, lampshades and more. Its fun to create the candy theme at special occasions for special people!
Cut oval shapes that are three inches long. Cut one for each place card then poke a hole at each end. Now cut ribbon pieces that are each 6" long. Make all the ribbons the same or use assorted ribbon to make various candies. The ribbon should be 1.5" wide. Cut one ribbon for each place card. At each end of the ribbon, fold it in half, then cut from a short ways up on the fold down to the corner of the ribbon. This creates a "v" shape at the ends of the ribbons and makes a more convincing candy image.
Write the guests names on the cards then thread a ribbon through the holes in each oval. Lay the oval on a table with the name facing you. Put the ribbon through the hole on the right side, across the backside of the oval, then back up through the opposite hole. Make sure the ribbon is not twisted in the back. Fluff the ribbon out on the ends to give it a wrapped candy appearance. You can use the same technique to make other things, too. Make the fake candies and use them as name tags for birthdays, Christmas and other occasions. Or, make a larger candy, write a childs name on it, then use double-sided tape to stick it to a bedroom door. Little kids will even wear the fake candy as a necklace. Simply thread a length of stretch cord through the holes, along with the ribbon, and a girl can just slide it on over her head. You can even make the candies with no names, cover the ovals with colored cellophane, then stick them on picture frames, candles, lampshades and more. Its fun to create the candy theme at special occasions for special people!
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