DIY Winter Snowflake Garland

Today, on Black Friday, I didn't join all the crazies in lines at the stores and road rage on the road.  Instead, after a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving with my family, I decided to get to work on some DIY Christmas decorations like these beauties. 

I love browsing through catalogs for ideas I can make the cheaper copycat way. I got inspired to make this lacey garland after seeing Land of Nod's Winter Wondergraph Garland below:

 I was convinced I could make a thrifty version of this garland with materials I already had stashed at home. Land of Nod's description says they were made with "coated paper" so I decided to try using wax paper, using a technique I learned when I made my Faux Capiz Shell Chandelier.

Here's what you'll need to make this garland: 

• wax paper
• parchment paper
• iron
• circle cutter or scissors and circle to trace
• white acrylic craft paint
• string or thread
• needle
• round patterned adhesive stencil (I used Martha Stewart's craft line)
• paint pouncer or craft paint brush

First,  iron three squares of wax paper together sandwiched in between two pieces of parchment paper. 

After paper is cool, use circle cutter to make circles a few inches wide ( or trace and cut out circles) I cut out twenty for my garland. 

Then, press your circle stencils to the center of paper circles and paint with pouncer or brush. 

I used two different sizes to create a lacey snowflake pattern. 

Finally, push thread in and out of top of each circle using a sewing needle until each circle is connected for your finished garland. 

You can hang your finished garland in a Christmas tree, across a wall or in a window like I did. I love the delicate look of these in my kitchen window and plan on keeping them up all winter long! 

Thanks for visiting ReMadeSimple! 

p.s. If you loved this idea, please check out the rest of my holiday tutorials here!

Linking up with these parties. 

Pottery Barn Copycat Metallic Pumpkins

If you saw my last post about "acorn bling" you'll know how much I love glamming things up with shiny silver paint.  And adding unexpected punch to the traditional reds, yellows and oranges of fall.

I got inspired to make these pumpkins while browsing one of my favorite sites called Copycat Crafts, looking for some unique fall decorating ideas.

They featured a blogger,  Nice Girl Notes, who didn't feel like paying $24 a pumpkin that Pottery Barn was asking. I didn't either.

Pottery Barn calalog pumpkins

I liked how her version turned out so much I decided to try my own spin on it too.
Here's how I did it:

-Went to Hobby Lobby and bought a few small hard plastic orange pumpkins, like these:

-Bought Rust-oleum Bright Coat Metallic spraypaint (look for the bright shiny silvery-gold caps). This way, they will look more like shiny mercury and not a grayish silver like regular silver spray paint.

-Laid the pumpkins out on newsprint and got ready to paint!

Sprayed one light coat of paint on all pumpkins. Allowed to dry, sprayed another coat and allowed that coat to dry. (About 30 min).

-After the pumpkins were completely dry, I lightly scuffed them with sandpaper (oh, how I love distressing things) to show a hint of the orange underneath.
And...I was done!

shiny pumpkins sitting pretty on my cabinet

Linked up with: Life In The Motherhood Harvest Party

Pottery Barn Style Wedding Chalkboards

I have some friends getting married soon who are doing a vintage-themed wedding and presented me with the request to make "bride and groom" chalkboards, along with a photo from a Pottery Barn calalog showing theirs, to hang on their chairs for their wedding--distressed style, of course! They were fun and simple to do, here's how I did it:

-First, I started with plain wooden photo frames- one was black, one was white. I removed the glass and spray painted it with chalkboard paint, and allowed to dry. (30 min. minimum)
-Then, I painted the white frame with dark brown acrylic craft paint and let dry. Then I painted both with white latex satin paint as the top coat and allowed those to dry.

-After the frames were dry, I took medium grade sand paper and lightly distressed the edges and grooves. I added dark brown paint to the raised areas that would naturally distress to add more detail. I made the "groom" frame more rugged and masculine and the "bride" frame more elegant and feminine.

-The finishing touch was adding ribbon to the cardboard back so that the glass would sit on top of it, sandwiching the ribbon into the frame to make it more secure, and gluing with a low temp glue gun.

Gladly, Ryan and Savannah were as happy with the results as I was. Can't wait to see them displayed

on their wedding day!

Pottery Barn Style Moss Wreath with Cloth Rosettes

I found some cool moss ribbon this spring at Meijer and got inspired to make a spring wreath. I later saw the tutorial for this same wreath on the copycatcrafts blog and found out it was similar to ones sold in Pottery Barn. Well, this one will only cost you around $5 to make, or you can go buy one for $49 at Pottery Barn-your choice!

First,I made the base by tracing two circles into a doughnut shape onto a pizza box and cut them out.
Then,I then wrapped the ribbon tightly around the circles to cover all of the cardboard. I actually didn't need to use any glue because the ribbon texture stuck to itself.

  

I recently discovered making cloth rosettes and am officially addicted! They are so easy and the variety of colors, textures and uses is almost limitless. I made all of mine from fabric using old shirts and ribbon I found around the house.

I recently discovered making cloth rosettes and am officially addicted! (This cool blog called Homemade Ginger had a wreath similar to the one I made and she added some rosettes and twigs to hers-which inspired me too!) They are so easy and the variety of colors, textures and uses is almost limitless. I made all of mine from fabric using old shirts and ribbon I found around the house.

First, cut or tear a long strip of fabric. Then, begin rolling tightly, then roll and twist into a circle, glue gunning into place as needed.

To finish, I glued pin backs to these and stuck them to the wreath. I plan on making new ones and changing out the colors according to the seasons of the year, just for fun and variety!