Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Christmas Glitter Foam Flower Decor

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With the holiday season upon us, we're all scrambling for Christmas craft ideas to make! Welcome to the last session of the year for our Creative Craft Hop! We have two wonderful hosts - Donna @ Modern on Monticello and Sara @Birdz of a Feather who take turns every other month! The lovely and creative Sara is our host this month!   If you're coming over from  Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction, Welcome! Wasn't Cecilia's Gingerbread House adorable! 

If you follow my blog, you should know by now that I love making crafts out of  foam sheets especially glitter foam sheets! And this month I'll be making something really easy and simple - a Christmas Glitter Foam Flower! So let's get started!

Materials:

  • Glitter Foam Sheet (12"x18")
  • Ruler
  • Scissors
  • Clothes pins (clamps)
  • Hot Glue 
  • Embellishments

 Lay a 12"x18' glitter foam sheet down on your work surface. Measure out a four by eighteen inch piece and cut out.

Fold wrong sides together. Use clothes pins (won't leave marks) to hold the foam edges together. Cut the end of the folded foam sheet off at an angle.
Begin cutting the folded foam into slits at an angle - about 3/8" wide. I know that's an odd measurement. I eyeballed cutting the strips and should have measured the width first. But you don't need to be precise in cutting the slits.
Continue cutting the foam at an angle until .  .  .
reaching the end. Then cut off the end piece completely .  .  .
at an angle. 

Open the foam piece and add a drop of glue just inside the right side. I wrapped a few pieces of complementary floral embellishments together with wire to place in the center of the foam flower. 

Close together the glitter foam at an angle. Place the floral pick on top while wrapping the foam end over the pick to secure. 
Continue wrapping the entire folded foam strip around the pick - making sure the decorative loops stand out. You may want to add a few drops of glue to keep the folded foam sheet together. Did you notice I removed the center bulb in the floral pick? It didn't seem to be a uniform design with the rest of the pick pieces.
Keep wrapping the foam around and around until .  .  .
reaching the end. Then secure the end with hot glue.
Once the end is secure, cut out and glue on a matching small foam sheet circle to cover the open bottom.
I must say that this Christmas Glitter Foam Flower looks gorgeous!
Perfect on top of a Christmas gift wrap or .  .  .
in a tablesetting or .  .  .


 as a Christmas ornament hanging on a tree! Imagine making lots of ornaments in colorful glitter foam!
So many holiday decor options!

Up next is  Allyson from Southern Sunflowers  sharing her awesome ideas on creating Christmas Clay Pot crafts! 

And be sure to check out all of the talented bloggers sharing their amazing creations listed below: 


Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Upcycled Plastic Bottle Christmas Ornaments

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I'm back at it again grabbing plastic bottles out of the recycled bin! This time I'm using Minute Maid Fruit drink bottles! The plastic bottle is smooth and firm at 52 fl. oz - that's thirteen inches around  - perfect to create some gorgeous Upcycled Christmas Ornaments! 


It's time for another Sustainable Craft Challenge hosted by Julie @Sum of Their Stories! Welcome! This challenge is all about sustainable crafting with a different theme each month!  The projects must have some sort of a sustainable element to them. This could be an upcycling or recycling element, or something that reduces waste, uses leftovers, etc. This month's theme is Christmas - as if you hadn't guess that already, lol!

Materials Used:

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

How to:

Start with a clean Minute Maid 52 ounce bottle like the one pictured below. 

Remove the clear labels - front and back. Usually I use Vaseline to remove any sticky residue that's left but since the label was thin clear plastic with a sticky backing, I used Dawn Platinum Plus Power Wash to remove the stickiness and that worked out perfectly with no residue. Plus it even removed the 'sell by' date printed on the bottle!
The self adhesive rhinestones I'm using are from Temu. I know lots of you object to the site. But I've never had a problem with them - they carry some of the exact same things found on Amazon at a cheaper price. Would you believe that I've ordered items from Temu that were delivered by Amazon! Plus, most of my clothes, shoes, trinkets, etc. all have labels that say, "Made in China." 

The rhinestones tapes I received were four rolls of four yards each for $4.44.  When I ordered them, I thought I was getting larger mesh stones - similar to the ones I got from the Dollar Tree. I was at first, quite disappointed when I saw how small the stones were. Unfortunately, the Dollar Tree doesn't have the silver ones in stock at the store. But available online to buy 36 for $45! No way did I need that many and at that price! The self adhesive rhinestones I received were quite pretty and I loved how they gave off a glittery effect - especially around lights! I'm so glad I came up with a way to create something using them! 
I simply removed the paper from the backing of the rhinestone strip and wrapped it around the bottle, starting near the top. It was so much easier to wrap first and then cut out, then to cut out the plastic rings first and then add the rhinestone strip.
Once the strip met where it started, I cut off the excess and .  .  .

started another row .  .  .
leaving just enough space for a craft knife or small sharp scissors blade to cut the rhinestones rings off.

I was able to attach ten rhinestone strips onto one plastic bottle and two strips onto another one (not shown). I wanted to make three ornaments using four rhinestone rings per ornament.
Next, begin cutting the rhinestone rings out using a craft knife.
Removing the top first.
Then using small sharp scissors to remove the first rhinestone ring.
Doesn't this look like a diamond bracelet - all sparkling and glittery!
These photos doesn't do justice to the dazzling effect of the rhinestones! 
To assemble the ornament, cross the rhinestone ring at the center, as if a clock, 12-6, 9-3 positions gluing in place using Quick Hold glue (from the makers of E6000). Secure glued center with a clamp covered with parchment paper (so the clamp won't stick) until dry.
Glue on the next ring between the 1-2 and 7-8 positions.

and finally, glue on the fourth rhinestone ring between the 10-11 and 4-5 positions. Clamping in place until dry.
To make a hanging cap - fold an 8" length of silver bow wire in half, tying the ends in a knot. Lay the bow wire knot across the end of a rhinestone mesh strip and .  .  .
begin rolling together until .  .  .
reaching the size of the ornament center top.
Add a dab of glue in the center and .  .  .
place hanging cap on top of glue. Use masking tape to hold in place until dry.


 I'm loving how the ornaments look! Especially the sparkling rhinestones!
Adding brilliance and glamour to the plastic bottle strips!

And the possibilities of decorating the inside area is unlimited, too!



Welcome again to our Sustainable Craft Challenge Blog Hop!  

Be sure to check out all the creative "Christmas" Sustainable Craft projects from my fellow crafters listed below:


Julie @ Sum of Their Stories  -  Christmas Ornaments From An Old Sari

Terri @ Our Good Life -  Recycled Crystal Tabletop Christmas Tree

Gail @ Purple Hues and Me -  Upcycled Plastic Bottle Christmas Ornaments

Allyson @ Southern Sunflowers -  DIY Rock Painting Art Ideas for Christmas


Marci @ Old Rock Farmhouse -  DIY Seed Packets

T'onna @ Sew Crafty Crochet  - Winter Star Ornament