Wreath Recycling in Phoenix

Recently seen in Phoenix City Hall - lots of junk:

The Public Works Department put together a great display of wreaths made from recycled materials.  The wreath above is made from magazine or book pages cut in the shape of leaves and glued to a cardboard round form.  This one is the most interesting:

It's a wire wreath form that goes through each of these plastic water bottles.  The bottles are filled with little bits of colored paper or items and then the caps are corked with recycled corks.  Isn't that clever?

When I first saw this one, I thought it was recycled bows and ribbons.  I still think that would be a great way to recycle, especially after Christmas.  But it's not ribbons and bows.

These are aluminum cans cut into strips and curled.  See the Diet Coke, Coke and Seven Up cans?  I was so impressed with the creativity expressed in these displays, but what was more important was that it opened up lots of ideas about reusing items we normally think of as trash.

Full Disclosure Here - I am watching "Hoarders Buried Alive" while I'm writing this, so I don't want to suggest that anyone collect trash in an effort to find some use for it in the future.

This was the prettiest wreath I saw and is a great way to recycle after Christmas.  They used white tissue paper dipped in a little blue paint, blue cardstock cut into stars and balled up aluminum foil for the star centers.  Around the edges are cut up plastic water bottles.

Again, I wouldn't suggest that anyone pile up stuff just to find a way to reuse it (I'm still watching "Hoarders"), but we could keep so much out of a landfill with just a little effort and creativity.  Isn't this what bloggers are good at anyway?

cindy

Hippity Hoppity

I can't claim credit for this, but I did see it down the street and I think it's adorable:

Yes, those are bunny ears on headbands!  It is such a great idea.  There are also fake flowers (cheap plastic ones are very appropriate for this open air display).  Finally, the bows are also plastic.  This would be great on a fence or iron door.  Heck, it would be cute on a wreath.  Anywhere you can hide the headband part - it looks just like bunnies sticking their ears up.

Hippity, hoppity, Easter's on its way!

cindy

Is There Anything Left To Do?

I'm worried.  Our very existence as bloggers might be at risk.  There is nothing new to do.  I'm having a great time learning all kinds of new things.  It's so easy to find instructions on how to do about anything I can imagine.  Scary, huh?

About two weeks ago I was trying to think of something different with spring colors to celebrate spring.  I imagined a cool wreath, with pastel or white yarn wrapped around it with some kind of little flowers on the bottom right.  I was so surprised when I looked at some other blogs and Pinterest, because the wreath I imagined was popping up.  Subliminal?  Maybe.  Freaky?  You bet.

Source: aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com via Miranda on Pinterest

Source: sewcraftalicious.wordpress.com via Melissa on Pinterest

In fact, there were some gorgeous examples with twists I could never imagine:

Source: steamykitchen.com via Sugar Scientist on Pinterest

Now I'm not going to suggest that I created or thought up the idea of a yarn wrapped wreath with felt flowers.  But it's funny that when you think of "what to make this season" you happen to think of the same thing everyone else thinks.  It's like when you rack your brain to give your baby an interesting (but not too weird or original) name.  You think you have picked the name that isn't on everyone's top ten lists or is trendy.  You're pretty sure you've done a great job too, until your child gets to preschool or kindergarten and there are three other kids sitting there with your child's interesting name.

I love the fact there is so much information and rampant creativity on the web.  We can do things, make things, improve on things so much faster and better than women did years ago with a couple of magazines and craft patterns.  Sometimes though, I just wish I could make it first :)

cindy

Pinterest Christmas Eye Candy

I'm just about crafted, cookied, decorated, planned and shopped out.  I'm just ready to sit back and enjoy some eye candy of the season, courtesy of Pinterest.  If you aren't crafted, cookied, decorated, planned or shopped out, feel free to click on any of the pictures and it will ultimately take you back to where you can get more information about the item in the picture.  Here we go!

Let's start with a little fa la la la la.

Source: Uploaded by user via Erin on Pinterest

Are you getting the gist yet?

Source: Uploaded by user via Alexis on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Chantal on Pinterest

Source: owlhaven.wordpress.com via Lindy on Pinterest

Source: designindulgences.com via Kristi on Pinterest

Source: craftrookie.blogspot.com via SweetAdeline on Pinterest

Source: 3krazychics.blogspot.com via Claudia on Pinterest

The real reason for the season.

cindy

The Craft Diva Strikes Again

It's been a very creative season this year.  My little craft diva is really enjoying all the creativity.  We've been working on some projects together and she's done a couple herself.  Mostly we've been working on candle projects, inspired by some of the candles on my Holiday Candles post.

My Craft Diva found the metal wreath thingies at Goodwill.  Believe it or not, they are aluminum pop tops weaved together with ribbons - very cool!  The candles were made from ordinary white candles covered with red acrylic paint and modpodge rolled in Epsom salts.  The balls were repurposed styrofoam from old thread covered ornaments.

   

I tried out the ribbon covered candles - easy concept - strips of ribbon glued to the sides of a glass candle.  It was very time consuming, though, and I'm a little nervous about the ends of the ribbons catching on fire or the heat from the candle melting the glue.  It is pretty, so maybe I just won't ever burn the candle.

The Craft Diva has tried out her own projects too.  We bought some pink and purple crepe paper (because you know Advent is pink and purple) and did some mache on a glass candle holder using a watered down glue.  They turned out really pretty and were so easy!

Finally, I came home tonight to a little project she did with glue on construction paper and salt:

She specifically asked for this one to be featured on Mom's blog.  Here's to you Craft Diva!

cindy

Advent Season

It's now December and everyone is rushing around getting ready for Christmas.  This year I'm celebrating Advent.  I know Advent comes every year and it's a time of preparation for the birth of Christ, but I am so busy getting ready for Christmas that I forget about Advent.  Not this year - First Things First.  If you don't know what Advent is about, here's Advent in Two Minutes:

I'm making a concerted effort to teach my kids about Advent.  In addition to putting treats in our Advent "house", I'm including a verse from the Bible that anticipates the birth of Jesus.  We also have an Advent wreath and light it every night as we read the verse.

Another new tradition (can it be a tradition if it's new?) is to set up our "Bethlehem" and populate it one person at a time.  We have a Fontanini set and they name each person and provide a back story. I know they are not Biblically based, but I want my kids to understand each person and his/her perspective living in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth.  Here's an empty Bethlehem:

My son mentioned the sheep were dead, but they are just sleeping :)

So what are you doing to prepare?  Are you preparing for "Christmas" or Christ's birth?  One more reminder:

Cool, huh?

cindy

DIY - Scrap Fall Wreath

I saw this on Pinterest and wanted to try one myself.  This project is a real scrap bag buster!  I wanted a fall theme so I looked for darker colors and prints.  If you want a specific color palette, pick about 8 colors. It's a very easy project, but beware, your fingers will get cramped!

First, buy a wire wreath form.  Mine had four wire rows and was 18-20" in diameter.  The rest is pretty easy.  Cut strips of fabric (about 8" long x 2" wide).  You can use pinking shears to look extra fancy.  You can also use sharp clippers (like you might use for ragging quilts) to make the wreath look "fluffier".

Start tying the strips around the four rows of wire.  Use simple knots, but make sure you do them twice (DOUBLE).  You need to use A LOT of strips.  Here's what it looks like when you are about 50% through.  It looks done, but you really need to fill in the strips until it is very tight. 

The strips will start to stick straight out as you get the fabric strips closer and closer together.  This provides the fullness for the wreath.

Here's the finished product:

Happy Fall!

cindy