EclecticEllapu Challenge #55 - Anything But a Card

Hello Crafters!

We have another challenge from the purple team this week at Eclectic Ellapu. Andria has chosen for us all to make "Anything But a Card" this time around. Great theme. I am anxious to start posting Christmas projects and that will come pretty soon. But, for now, I have chosen this week for my last (I think) Fall project for this year. This is also a perfect project for My Sheri Crafts theme of Fall/Thanksgiving for this week.

I needed a wreath for my front door and fell in love with the burlap ribbon that I saw at Hobby Lobby and Micheal's. So, I picked some up along with a wire frame and started cutting the burlap down to the size I wanted. I didn't want to do the usual looping through for my wreath. I wanted the edges to be "raw" to add a more rustic feel to the overall project. I used hot glue to attach the ribbon strips and alternated the colors. the light colored ribbon here is cream not white. I need to work on my photo exposures.

 Now, I have to tell you. This was a pretty messy step because the burlap needed to be trimmed after it was all glued on. I had burlap fibers flying everywhere (picture an Edward Scissor Hands screenshot here - lol). I still have bits and pieces of it all over the floor in my craft room. Oh, BTW, I had to remove the wires from the ribbon too so my scissors would go through. It just killed me to have throw the wire away but, I couldn't find a good enough excuse to keep it so in the trash it went.

Next I made my layered accordion fold paper flowers. The large ones were 1-1/2" x 12" scored every 1/4" and the small ones were 1" x 12" scored every 1/2".  The buttons in the center were from my button box. I couldn't decide whether to make them all the same or not so, I ended up with the same style button in two different colors. I, again sticking to my commitment of using up my stash, used papers I had on my shelf. I used  hot  glue  to attach the flowers and buttons to each other and the burlap on the wreath.

The bow was made with some silky brown ribbon that has been in my ribbon rack for at least 2-3 years. I know, it's sad. That's why I am using my stash. Anyway, I added some pretty rust colored organdy ribbon and some striped ribbon for contrast in color and texture in the ribbons and contrast to the roughness of the burlap. I found an extra large brown button and added a little bling to the center, after all there was a dip in the middle just made for it.

Truly eclectic, don't you think?

I'm pretty happy with the way this project turned out. Hope you like it and are inspired to use different textures in your projects.

Now that you have seen my project, I hope you will stop over at Eclectic Ellapu and check out the other wonderful projects that the DT have made to inspire you. The challenge has begun so link up today!

Happy Crafting!

Altered Electics Challenge #5 - Anything Goes

Hello Crafters!

I'm a little behind in my blogging this week but I'm hoping you'll understand. I am keeping things simple this month for Altered Ecletics and posting a couple of Halloween projects that I made. The first one is pretty much a copy from Pinterest. I have a picture tutorial I made below with brief explanations. The things I did different than the original was (1) painted the rolls black so they would be better hidden, (2) added the wax paper to hide the glow sticks, (3) used glow sticks instead of Christmas lights so no plug-ins were needed, and (4) used plastic pumpkin eyes from last years pumpkin carving kit on a couple of the rolls.

start with paper towel roll

cut out eye shapes

paint black with acrylic paint

adding wax paper to inside hides glow sticks

cut several and even add plastic pumpkin eyes

add glow sticks (instead of Christmas lights)

snap glow sticks to activate and put inside each tube

this is the plastic pumpkin eyes placed in bushes

  Sorry about the glow from the left, that would be the garage lights shinning on the bushes.

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Now, here's another project I was inspired by Pinterest to make. The original was a plastic pumpkin bucket that the kids use to gather their goodies. I looked all over town for a white one that would give me a more "ghostly" look and never found one. So, I took 2 empty gallon milk jugs and cut the handles and bottoms off. I also cut up the back sides as suggested on the Pinterest inspiration project so that the milk jugs would fit over my outside light fixtures. Then I took a permanent Sharpie pen and colored in the eyes and mouths of each "ghost". When that was done and dry (almost immediately) I taped a white kitchen trash bag to the inside around the bottom (top) of the milk jug. Then with my scissors I cut the trash bag into strips up to the bottom of the milk jug. The first picture is with the light on and second one is with the light off (hubby replaced bulb in time for Halloween). The first one is a little wind-blown as it was put up earlier in the day (a wet and windy day I might add).

 

Well, there you have it. My crafty Halloween projects this year. Be sure to stop back next week as I will have another fall decor project for Eclectic Ellapu. Then I will be on to my Christmas projects. Whoo hoo! I am ready for the new season. Only the crafty part - I could do with out the snow. lol. Anyway, be sure to stop over to Altered Ecletics this week and check out the AWESOME projects the DT have come up with. Much more gorgeous than my projects this time. We would love to have join us as well. You are our inspiration!

Happy Crafting!