Monday, August 29, 2016

Logo Inspired Recycle Newspaper Vase - A Hometalk Challenge



I love Hometalk! As a craft blogger, it's my favorite DIY home and garden community site on the internet!  I enjoy the interactions and the responses I receive from my postings, and as one staffer stated, "it's a certain friendliness, willing to help .  .  . and of course, a cozy-homey-ness!"  You just can't get any better than this! So I guess you can imagine how excited I was when the email came  from Hometalk asking us to help with decorating their offices with our diy creations.

We were asked, if possible, to incorporate some element of Hometalk like the color teal, the word, Hometalk, or the logo into our decorative item.  I was inspired by the logo and color.  The five sided design reminded me of a popular weave pattern for a handcrafted newspaper vase, and I kept thinking about using different shades of teal - the gradual blending of different colors into another - that would be perfect for the many tubes involved in making this kind of vase.  A light bulb had gone off, and I knew I had an item I wanted to make.


Materials needed:
Newspaper/skewer stick
Cardboard
Scissors
White tacky glue
Hometalk logo
Acrylic paints - ombre colors
Brushes and or sponges


To Make the Newspaper Tubes:
1. Fold and cut newspaper section into four parts.
2. Open the paper section and place a thin wood skewer stick on the bottom  
    left corner at an acute angle.
    Wrap paper edge over stick and begin rolling the paper with your fingers. 
3. Just before reaching the end, brush on white glue and roll end closed to
    secure.
4.  Make 75 tubes and divide into five different ombre color paint groups of 15 
     tubes.
5.  Place plastic cover over work area and paint the group of tubes in different
     colors.
6.  Let tubes dry completely.



To Make the Vase:
Cut out a four inch Hometalk logo and trace two on cardboard and cut out.






1.  Place one cardboard logo on working surface.
2.  Take five tubes and place on each corner of logo. Place an additional tube  
     on top of one tube.
3.  Glue tubes in place and let dry.
4.  Glue second cardboard logo on top and let dry.  Take a sheet of paper and 
      outline the logo 1/2 inch larger, cut out and glue on bottom.
5.  Cut out corners of paper at each tube.
6.  Apply glue to cut-out edges and fold over, gluing in place.
7.  Glue Hometalk logo on opposite side.
8.  Paint bare side with color of tubes. Let dry.


To Weave:
On painted side of logo, bend the extra tube along edge of shape and over next tube. Take that tube and bend over next tube, and so on.


Continue bending tubes over the next tube along edge, moving around the design.




When tubes become short, simply add glue to tube end and insert new tube into end and let glue dry.



Continue weaving tube over the next tube using one color group at a time until all the colors have been woven into an ombre effect and you are left with short tube ends.

To finish, apply glue to end of last short tubes and insert inside of weave, hiding ends. Cut off any excess ends.


Can you still see the logo in the weave?


How cool is this?


The vase can be sprayed with a sealant to protect the finish.


This is how the bottom looks - after adding the sealant.




I really love how the vase looks and hope the folks at Hometalk love it, too!




Take a little time to enjoy


and

Happy Crafting!




Monday, August 22, 2016

DIY Faux Ornamental Cabbage

With September just around the corner, my thoughts are on creating fall décor. If you're a regular reader, you might have discovered how I love making things out of foam sheets!  The material is so versatile and is easily manipulated with a little bit of heat, texture and color into wonderful inexpensive projects.

Ornamental cabbage is a favorite of mine for fall.  Its' intense shades of purple and green makes a colorful and lasting addition to any decorative arrangement.

See how easy this ornamental cabbage was to make using foam sheets.


Materials:
 White foam sheets
Leaf templates
Scissors
Acrylic paint - purple and green
Sponge brushes
Hot griddle or iron
Hot glue gun
Skewer stick or large tooth pick
Round objects (measuring spoons or small balls)
Soft sponge
Foil
Terra cotta pot/styrofoam/rocks


Make leaf templates in four or five different sizes, from 4 inches to  1/2 inches. Trace on foam sheets and cut out using a ruffle or wavy line effect.  You'll need about thirty petals - five to six in each size.
Lay the petals on a medium heat griddle or iron for a few seconds until the middle fluffs up and curls.

Place foam petals on soft foam and press centers with round objects.


 Curl and manipulate edges with fingers for a wavy, ripple effect.


Paint petals and edges with acrylic paints, beginning with the smaller petals,  in purple and then adding green and purple in variations .  .  .

using small sponges or foam brushes.


To assemble the cabbage, squeeze a small sheet of foil into a ball .  .  .


and hot glue on the small purple petals, covering the foil.

Then, begin gluing on the remaining petals, from small to large, in a clockwise flow, overlapping the layers.


 And finally, add hot glue in bottom of a terra cotta pot and insert foam and filler rocks.


I put paint on the bottom edge of the pot that was suppose to mimic moss .  .  .

and inserted a small wood skewer in the bottom of the faux cabbage and into the foam in the pot, securing with hot glue.


 I'm on my way .  .  . slowly easing into the season, getting ready for fall!

How about you?



Take a little time to enjoy
and
Happy Fall Crafting!







Monday, August 1, 2016

Bow Ribbon Clock - Back to School Time





Hi everybody!  It's Gail @Purple Hues and Me and I'm over on Bowdabrablog showing you how to make this oh so cute bow ribbon clock! 

Do you realize it's that time of year to start getting ready for back to school.  What better way to start off the new school year by being on time!  Why not make an adorable bow ribbon clock so your kids will have no excuse to be late! Have fun putting one together using Bowdabra bows!  So hurry on over and get all the details in my step by step tutorial

It's the perfect creative addition in any little girl's room!