Saturday, September 17, 2016

Repurpose Beer Can Flower and Leaf Wreath

This post was featured in "10 Recycling Craft Blogs to Follow" 

I recently found a wonderful site called Terrain that's an offshoot of Anthropologie.  Briefly, Terrain is a celebration of nature and design that highlights a fabulous collection of unusual earthy items. There were so many  things on the site that caught my eye, but I was truly taken with their lovely metal flower and leaf wreath. 

OMG!  Anytime I get a chance to do a knock off of some sort, especially using a freebie like cans - I go for it, as seen here and here.   Oh yes!  So here is how I made my version of their wreath.

Materials:
Aluminum cans
Rustic vine wrapped wire
Utility knife/craft knife
Scissors/pencil
Flower/leaf template
E6000 glue/hot glue
Primer spray paint/acrylic craft paint
Floral stem wire

  • Gather aluminum cans - beer or soda.
  • Find leaf and flower templates (large to small) online, print, and cut out.
  • Carefully cut off the ends of clean cans using  a utility knife. Make a vertical cut with scissors. Cut an even edge, removing any slivers or jagged edges.  Smooth out the curve of the can by rolling on the edge of a table or countertop. You may want to wear gloves for this!

  • Trace the outline of the flower and leaf templates with a pencil .  .  .


and cut out.



  • Leaf texture can be added by placing cut-outs on soft corrugated cardboard (cushion backing) and drawing on lines with a dull pencil point.




  • Do the same for making flowers, cutting out gradually from large to small.
  • Spray primer paint on cut-out and let dry.
  • Then paint cut-outs with an array of acrylic craft paints.
  • Add texture to flower petals by rolling and shaping with a skewer stick.

  • Assemble flowers in layers gluing on with E6000.
  • Glue on short floral stem wire to leaves.
  • Shape rustic vine wrapped wire into a 15 inch circle wreath. 
  • Arrange and glue on finished flowers and leaves onto the wire wreath.




After trying on more flowers (different color) and leaves, I went for a cleaner look with fewer leaves and flowers. 



What a great repurpose use of beer cans! I love how this looks .  .  . and if I hadn't told you, no one would think the flowers and leaves were made from beer cans!

Take a little time to enjoy
and
Happy Crafting!



Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Batiful Halloween Decorations




Thinking about Halloween?  This is Gail @Purple Hues and Me and I'm on Bowdabrablog today showing you how to make "flying" bat decorations using your Bowdabra!  Head on over and check it out! They are super easy to make and will be a hit at any Halloween celebration.  And the best part - they are absolutely BATIFUL!





Enjoy, Have Fun  
and
Keep Crafting with your Bowdabra!