CRAFT :: Summer Pinwheel Wreath

   

SUMMER PINWHEEL WREATH

Hi everyone!  It’s Wendy here from Scrappy Bags.  Are you looking for a fun summer wreath to welcome your guests?  I’ve got just the idea for you!  This is quick and easy and will take you no time at all.

You will need to gather:  a grapevine wreath, white spray paint, heavy two-sided cute scrapbook paper, cute buttons, a paper trimmer, scissors and a hot glue gun.

First, I took the grapevine wreath to the garage and spray painted it white.  Nice and easy!

Next, you want to take your scrapbook paper and cut a bunch of squares.  I made my squares 5x5 inches in size.  You can make them any size you like.  You will need whatever number of pinwheels that you want to put on your wreath.  I needed seven pinwheels for a 24” wreath.

The next step is to fold your squares in half and crease ever so slightly in the middle.  Fold two times ways so that you can create a “center mark” on your square.  Once you have your center, then cut a straight line from each of the four corners to approximately ¼ inch from the center point.  DO NOT cut the whole way to the point.

  

It’s time to use the glue gun, so get it warmed up!  Put a small dab of hot glue in the center point of the pinwheel, then fold the first corner over to the center and continue with each corner until you have all four corners adhered in the middle.  You may need to add a little more glue as you go along.  Keep going until you have all of your pinwheels made.

I thought the pinwheels needed a little something for the center to perk them up, so I added some cute buttons with hot glue.

I let my pinwheels set for about 30 minutes.  Once they were set and dry, I added some hot glue to the back of the pinwheel and then attached them to the grapevine wreath.  That’s it!  You’re done – mine was hanging on my front door an hour later!

Guest Contributor: Wendy Diem

Wendy is a stay at home mom living in Hershey, Pennsylvania, also know as the sweetest place on earth! 

She loves creating memory books and cards and would spend my whole day scrapbooking, but I do need to make time to take care of my family.  You know, those funthings like laundry, cleaning the house, etc.  

 

Back in March, 2012, she had the privilege of going to NYC as part of Martha Stewart’s Dreamers into Doers to attend some workshops and the live taping of her show.  She enjoyed meeting lots of wonderful entrepreneurial women.  What a great experience it was!

You can follow Wendy

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CRAFT :: Spring to Easter Wreath

Today I am sharing a gorgeous wreath that is convertible! Say what? Yes, that's right  . . . this wreath will give you TWO options: use it now for Easter and then again as just a spring wreath or the other way around! This super easy spring to Easter wreath can be made to match your own color scheme with just a few supplies and will have you wanting to make a couple more when you are done! (at least I do! ;)

For the supplies, I personally like using pool noodles duck taped together for a wreath form as it makes a nice size wreath and if you stock up on those pool noodles when they are on clearance . . . well the price is right too! Can you say 10 cents! Yup I paid 10 cents for that pool noodle last year! OK back to the supplies . . . the other items you see pictured I grabbed on my last trip to Hobby Lobby. The carrots, flowers (I had already), the Easter egg garland and the burlap ribbon. The thing about buying supplies is I honestly never know how my wreath ideas will turn out until you get the goods home and start to play around with different options. Just get a few things that you love and go with it. To be honest, I planned on this being an Easter wreath ONLY but when I saw it before adding the Easter items, I changed my mind & came up with a solution to do both!

In addition to the supplies you picked to make your Easter- Spring wreath, you will need a glue gun, glue sticks, scissors and some sewing push pins.

Step 1:
If using a pool noodle, duck tape it together to form a circle or simply use a wreath form - either will work just fine. Take your burlap ribbon, apply some glue to the end of the ribbon and attach to the wreath form, then start wrapping around the whole form until completely covered. Apply some glue at the end to attach to wreath form so it holds in place.

Step 2:
Next I decided that since I only had so much of this striped burlap ribbon, that I would cut it into equal strips that were long enough to go around the wreath form and create a design around the wreath. Once I figured out the placement, I attached with my glue gun.

Step 3:
I then took my flowers I had chosen and cut them off of their stem so I could attach them with the glue gun, in bunches around the wreath. Again the easiest way to decide where to attach is simply laying it all out and changing it up until you find something that you love!

Step 4:
For my bow, before cutting up all of my ribbon in step 2, I saved back enough to create this simple bow to attach to the wreath. 

This is the point that I changed my mind, like I mentioned earlier, as I love how it was looking right now. Since I was planning on hanging this on my front door and I knew it would look amazing since I gave my front door a makeover and painted it dark blue last year, I decided to have the best of both worlds: a spring wreath AND an Easter wreath!

Step 5:
Let's switch it up to an Easter wreath! I simply took the egg garland (that I had unstrung as I thought I would be gluing them on the wreath) and re-strung them using some bakers twine and tied it to the back. I also attached a carrot to the wreath, using sewing push pins, that way, when Easter is over, I can simply remove the pins and untie the egg garland. This keeps the Easter items in tact so they can be used again next Easter plus it doesn't damage the existing spring wreath. Win-win! ;)

The only thing left to do is to hang on your front door and enjoy! Doesn't it look amazing on that blue door? Looooooove!

I just love spring crafting don't you? Anyone inspired to try and make one of these wreaths? Raise your hand . . . please let me know below if you think you will try this project as I would love to know if anyone was inspired. So which way do you like better? For spring or Easter?

Are you loving the "eye candy" here?

Then join me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram so you never miss out on an exclusive deal or any behind the scenes photos!

Check out my designs, artwork & decor in my Etsy shop! 

Looking forward to seeing you again! :)

TOP POSTS :: Best of JULY

Here we go! I can not even believe that we are getting ready to say goodbye to summer and have school already? I hope you have had a great summer and are finishing up all of the things you wanted to do on that "bucket list"!

Ok, so lets take a look back over what you all were reading in July & viewed the most. I would also like to say THANK YOU to all who stop by to read, comment from time to time & send me emails. I SEE IT ALL! So thanks again. xoxo

:: TOP POSTS for July 2014 ::

Chili Update + Purina One Challenge

FREEBIE : Summer Drink Umbrellas

RECIPE : Grilled Salmon & Pineapple

Design : Watercolor + Hand Lettering

WEDDING :: Peach, Mint & Gold Inspiration Board

So now you are all caught up on some of the most read posts here on my blog. Hopefully you will just add me to your BlogLovin feed so you don't miss any posts. =) You can find it on the top right sidebar here - super easy to do!

Are you loving the "eye candy" here? 
 

Then join me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Instagram so you never miss out on an exclusive deal or any behind the scenes photos!

Check out my designs, artwork & decor in my Etsy shop! 

 
  Looking forward to seeing you again! :)

RECIPE :: Earth Day Chocolate Bars

Earth Day Chocolate Bars
by Kimberley 
 

Earth Day Chocolate Bars

April 22 is Earth Day around the world and every year I find a few activities and recipes to celebrate the day with my daughters. Last year we started seedlings for vegetables and made a vegetarian dinner. This year, I am making them a treat to celebrate, recognize and teach the importance of thinking about our impact on our planet. 

One cause that is close to my heart is ethically sourced chocolate. Earth Day is a great opportunity to buy good quality chocolate and talk about why ethically sourced chocolate matters to the planet. From growing practices, harvesting, and processing, chocolate can have a significant impact on people's lives. Chocolate is also one of the most traded commodities in the world so I believe that every time we purchase organic Fair Trade chocolate we are making a difference.

I use organic Fair Trade chocolate in all of my products and home baking. I bought some delicious dark chocolate pistoles (melting chocolate) and used a well-loved chocolate bar mould that I have, and whipped up some chocolate bars for gifts. This is easy, fun and the results are delightful.

Recipe for Chocolate Bars

Using chocolate or candy moulds is the easiest way to make chocolate treats. All you need is a mould (available at craft stores and kitchen supply stores, or online) and good quality chocolate. 

Temper your chocolate according to the package- each brand has a different temperature that is best for melting. You can also find this information online. 

The method of tempering chocolate is that you melt it, bringing it to a desired temperature, and then cool it down slightly before pouring it in the mould. This allows the chocolate to set at room temperature and stay set, rather than needing to refridgerate it. 

Do not use chocolate chips. Try to find couveture chocolate, pistoles, or a block of good quality baking chocolate. Many gourmet food stores carry a variety of these with many options for organic and Fair Trade. 

Once your chocolate is melted pour into mould. The plastic one I have used here does not need to be prepped, simply pour the chocolate in and allow to sit at room temperature until set through. Ensure it is kept from heat and sunlight.

Pop the chocolate bars out and you are ready to wrap and give. You could also add flavourings such as spices, nuts, or dried fruit when the chocolate is melted to create a variety of chocolate bars.

Enjoy this treat and have a great Earth Day!

 

Bake Like a Pro tip

Candy thermometers are an affordable kitchen tool that have many uses. You can use it for candy making, tempering chocolate, or deep frying. Essential for candy making, such as caramels or marshmallows, candy thermometers help you cook with precision every time. It is a great investment for your kitchen!

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Guest Contributor: Kimberley Mulla

My Mom gave me my first cookbook when I was six years old. I have been baking & cooking ever since.

I specialize in artisan marshmallows & confections. I want to sell a product that I would feed my children. The ingredients are simple, often local, organic & fair trade as well.

I love making marshmallows. Every single one. It brings me so much joy to create something unique, tasty, and delightful.

You can follow Kimberley

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