Flowering Prickly Pear Cactus - DIY

Succulents and cacti are all the rage and one of the most popular decorating trends today. You find mostly smaller versions used in almost every type of settings, from elaborate weddings to everyday surroundings. I love the simplicity of these plants and wanted something larger and impactful to display. So being the crafter that I am, decided to make my own faux prickly pear cactus arrangement.

Here's how:

Materials Used:

Foam board - 24"x24" project panels (HomeDepot)

Proxxon hot wire cutter

Sanding block

Acrylic craft paint
Magic marker

Hot glue

Bristles (dollarstore brush)
Toothpicks

Foam sheets (flowers)

Scissors
Display Container/dried moss

First, create freehand patterns for the cactus pads/fruit, and trace onto foam boards. 

Cutting out the foam pads and fruit was so easy using my Proxxon Hot Wire Cutter.  But you can also use a foam cutter, electric knife, small saw - anything handy that will cut foam! 

Next, smooth out and round off the edges and sides of the foam pieces using a sanding block.

It really didn't take long to sand these!

Next, paint all of the pieces. Use a variety of green colors to blend.

To mimic the areoles of cactus, place random dots all over the pads with a marker.  Next, remove bristles from a brush and then add a dab of hot glue over the dots.   Wait a few seconds for the glue to set up and then insert the bristles into the hot glue randomly to represent the spines. 

You might have to hold up the bristles for a few seconds to dry erect,

and then, once completely dry, cut down the bristles for a uniform overall look.

Place leftover pieces of foam into the bottom of a display container and cover with dried moss and or mulch.

Randomly arrange the pads into a cactus plant in the container, connecting each one with toothpicks and hot glue.

For the flowers, cut petal shapes out of foam sheets and paint both sides. Let dry.

Imagine how a cactus flower looks.

Place petals on a hot griddle for a few seconds, remove and shape with fingers. 

Glue shaped petals around a foam painted circle, clockwise, to form flower, leaving center clear.

To form center stamens, cut a one inch strip from foam sheet .  .  .

and cut thin strips three quarters the width the entire length.

Lay on top of griddle until ends curl and then coil the piece, gluing end to secure.

Fluff and .  .  .

hot glue in center of flower.

And finally, insert toothpicks to connect and randomly glue on fruit and flowers.

Ta Da!  What an attention grabbing design!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!

Paper Bead Christmas Tree Earrings - Christmas in July

Hi everybody!  It's that time again - week two of Christmas in July Blog Hop! I'm part of a group of talented ladies who have put together a Christmas in July Blog Hop featuring awesome Christmas ideas every Wednesday during the month of July!

This week I'm sharing how to make Paper Bead Christmas Tree Earrings!  These adorable earrings make for an easy, inexpensive handcrafted Christmas gift or  very cute jewelry to wear during the holidays!

Materials needed:

Scrapbook paper - holiday color or theme

Scissors/craft knife

Ruler

Toothpick

White glue

Triple Thick Gloss Glaze/small brush

Round nose pliers/wire cutter

Head pin, decorative beads, ear wire

• Cut two strips from scrapbook paper 1"x12" - into triangular, tapered shapes with one end, 1" wide and the other, 1/8" wide, as pictured. *For each earring to match, the same patterns from the paper must be cut out exactly.  I like that each one is a little different -

• Begin rolling the strip at the wide end around a toothpick neatly, until reaching the end. You can adjust the rolled paper to tighten by working the end a bit. It takes practice to get a good roll.  

• Carefully remove the rolled paper from the toothpick, and make sure it's shaped like a cone with the bottom flushed and flat. Also, be sure the openings are not too large that the small bead fall in.  About a half an inch before the end, run a bead of white glue to the end to seal.   
  

• Insert toothpicks back into the base of the cones and brush on a coat of Triple Thick Gloss Glaze.   Then stick toothpicks with cones into Styrofoam and allow coating to dry.  A second coat of glaze can be applied after the first one dries.

• To assemble the earrings, add a small bead and then a larger red bead onto the headpin .  .  . 

and insert into cone bead.

• Then top off with another small bead.
• Next, use round nose pliers to make a right angle and form a loop.
• And finally, attach ear wire to loop to finish making the earrings.

So perfect to sell at craft fairs, too! Imagine the possibilities!

Be sure to check out this week's projects from these talented bloggers:

2 Crochet Hooks

Across The Blvd.

SewCraftyCrochet

The Boondocks Blog

One Mama's Daily Drama

My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies

Purple Hues and Me

Stone Cottage Adventures

Purfylle

Olives-n-Okra

and don't forget to link up your favorite Christmas projects, too!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Christmas in July Crafting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Christmas in July - Easy Ribbon Pinecone Ornament

Have you realized that Christmas is just six months away? Why not get a holiday head start with easy to make Christmas in July projects?  I'm part of a group of talented ladies who have put together a Christmas in July Blog Hop featuring awesome Christmas ideas every Wednesday during the month of July. How cool, I mean, hot is this!

My first holiday project is a very easy to make Ribbon Pinecone Ornament. Most of the materials I used are from the dollar store so you know it's inexpensive to make! Others, such as the fabric glue and the Proxxon hot wire cutter just simplified the process. I recently received the Proxxon Hot Wire Cutter as a member of the Bowdabra design team. Using it made cutting and sealing the ribbon super easy!

Materials used:
Styrofoam tree (cut in half)
Sanding block
Paint
Ribbon - sheer 6 yd roll - red & green
Hot glue
Fabri-Tac fabric glue
Scissors or
Proxxon Hot Wire Cutter


Begin by cutting off half of the foam tree and use the smaller portion  The other part will come in handy for another great project.  Smooth and round out the edges of the foam using a sanding block.

Next, paint the foam the color of the ribbon.

To speed things up with cutting and sealing the ribbon, I used the Proxxon hot wire cutter to cut 2 3/4 inch long ribbon pieces. I used the entire 6 yard roll of sheer ribbon from the dollar store. 

This is really an amazing tool!

To make the ribbon pinecone "scales," cross one end over the opposite end, as pictured, and glue together using fabric glue. 

Begin gluing on the ribbon at the narrow end creating the first row.

Continue gluing on the ribbon around the foam, overlapping the ribbon pieces with each new row .  .  .

until the cone is completely filled.

Doesn't this make a cute little tree on its' own?

Next, cut a twelve inch piece of green ribbon, gluing the ends for a hanger.

And finally, glue on the hanger in the center of the ribbon pinecone scales.

Adorable, isn't it?

Be sure to check out the rest of the ladies' Christmas projects and join the Christmas in July Blog Hop by adding yours, too! Share Christmas crafts, recipes, round ups, DIY and more!

2 Crochet Hooks

Across The Blvd.

SewCraftyCrochet

The Boondocks Blog

One Mama's Daily Drama

My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies

Purple Hues and Me

Stone Cottage Adventures

Purfylle

Olives-n-Okra

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Christmas Crafting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Beaded Ribbon Starfish - DIY

If there's one décor trend that shouts summer it's a coastal style! Here's a unique DIY craft that's so versatile for warm weather styling.  It's a lovely handcrafted ribbon creation sculpted into a beaded starfish that compliments any coastal or tropical decor! 

And it's so easy and fun to make that you will want to create lots in different ribbon and bead colors!  All you need is ribbon - 2.5" wide, scissors, Fabri-Tac fabric glue, clamps and pearl string beads and you're all set to begin!

First, cut a 12 inch length of ribbon  .   .  .

and with your fingers, take each end of ribbon and fold over into a upside down "V" in the center at the same time.

Begin rolling and twisting the ribbon toward the center .  .  .

and continue rolling until .  .  .

the two rolls come together in the middle to a point on one end.

Grasps the two ends together .  .  .

and with scissors, cut ends off, just at the edge of ribbon, while still holding it together.

Keep holding the ends together and apply Fabri-Tac glue on the inside edges of the ribbon and press together.

Clamp in place until glue dries.  It doesn't take long, just a few minutes.

You have just made the first of five rays or arms you will need to make the starfish.

Now make four more for a total of five. 

Glue the five rays together at the wider ends, one at a time .  .  .

into the shape of a starfish. 

Run a line of fabric glue on the top edges of the rays and apply a string of pearl beads from the center to the tip on each side.

 Cute, cute, cute!

The beaded ribbon starfish can be used in almost any tropical or coastal setting - from table favors to room accents! The choice is yours!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!