Fresh Christmas Wreath Tutorial

Every year I make my own holly wreath for my front door,

So I decided to do a tutorial, so that you can make your own.

Christmas Wreath instructions by Yvonne Tune

Mossing the wire wreath frame 
(these are available from most florists and garden centres) 
if you can't find one, try overlaying 3or 4 wire coat hangers together pulled out to form a rough circle, tie them together with wire to secure the shape,

1. Secure wire to the wreath frame.

2. Take a clump of moss (as much as you can fit in your hand) and sit it on the frame, bring wire over moss and back under the frame, repeat this until the whole frame is covered,

3. You now need to tightly secure the moss, by going round the frame again, only this time pulling the wire tighter.

Attaching Greenery to the mossed ring

What every greenery you pick from the garden, choose ones that are evergreen,

Alternate each bunch, with a bunch of Christmas tree green.

This will give an even finish to the ring.

1, Start with a bunch of Christmas tree greenery, make each bunch as close in size as the one before. Bring the wire over the bunch of greenery just like you did when mossing the frame

Pull tightly each time to secure the foliage, you will need to wrap the wire over each greenery bunch more than once,

2. Take next bunch of different foliage, and repeat the action until you have totally covered the frame.

 3. You will end up with a gap at the end, but try to keep the gap small,
4. Where the gap is left, this is the perfect place for your ribbon.

To add Fresh fruit, seed heads or artificial Christmas picks or flowers.

You will need heavy gage wire for this, (18 gage)
simply push the wire through the fruit, straight across, towards the bottom, you may need to put 2 wires through the apples

And bend the wire downwards. Use a back of a teaspoon, so you don't bruise the fruit. 

 1 wire for the oranges, should be enough, when you push the wire through the fruit, bend it downwards, Use a back of a teaspoon, so you don't bruise the fruit. 

 Push the wires through the moss frame, and then re-insert the wire by bringing it towards you, and pushing it back into the moss frame, hooking over the side of the frame, to secure it.

You might like to tie small bunches of Cinnamon sticks together with wire, and wrap with string. the Christmas picks are normally already wired just push through the wreath, and hook the wire, back through the frame.
(not shown in picture)


Pine cones can be dried on the radiator to make them open to wrap the wire around, they will close up again once they are outside in the cold. Seed heads, can be attached the same way as the fruit.

Christmas Wreath instructions by Yvonne Tune

Here are a selection of the different foliage's I have used to make the wreath

 Rosemary

Laurel

Bay

Ivy

Hebe

Nobel Fir

 Holly

My tip for checking which greenery will last, is to cut small pieces and leave them out over night in the garden, the ones that are still firm should hold for a few weeks.

(my wreath normally lasts 6 weeks, and even then it's still fresh enough, you might need to change the fruit, half way through)

I would love to see your finished wreaths

Paper Rose Tutorial

To make these pretty paper rose flowers

You need 4 punched flowers

I have used a 2inch 6 petal flower punched 

Or you can buy die-cut sheet of different size flowers from Stephanie Weighman

http://www.crafting.co.uk/

Direct link for rose kit.

http://www.crafting.co.uk/product.php?xProd=1502&xSec=25

You will need a good quality hi-tac clear drying glue for this project.

Collall Book binding Glue is the best one I have found.

Cut a slit between 2 petals in the first flower.

Cut a petal out of the 2^nd flower.

Cut 2 petals out of the 3^r Flower

Cut the 4^th flower in half, and cut a petal off one half.

You will have 3 remaining single petals, (these can be used to fill in any gaps, or to hide glue)

To stick the petals to form the rose

1^st Flower. Bring over 1 petal from first flower and stick it behind the flower to form a 5 petal flower

2^nd Flower. Repeat giving you a 4 petaled flower

3^rd Flower. Repeat to give you a tri petaled flower

4^th Flower. Repeat to give you a 2 petaled flower,

The last few single petals can be curled to make the centre of the flower, and to be used to hide gaps.

   

You need to flatten the middle of the 1^st flower, the best way is with your ball tool on a soft mat.

Then cut about 1/3 off the bottom of all the other flowers.

Squeeze a good amount of Hi Tac PVA Glue into the centre of the first flower.

Place the remaining flowers into the centre of the first flower, alternating the petals, until you have your rose. The glue will dry clear. if you feel the rose looks unbalanced, snip the ends off the remain 3 single petals, and slip then into the flower to make it look more even shaped.

You could decorate the tips with stickles

Or a glue pen and add fine glitter to add sparkle.

This flowers was made with120gsm hammer paper, I used a gold ink pad to add colour to the tips of each petal, and then crushed all the petals before I arranged the rose together, this gives the flower a more vintage feel.

Paper Rose Tutorial by Yvonne Tune

http://cardartblogkilcoole.blogspot.com/  
to view larger images for this project, click on image and it will open larger.

Vintage Bow Tutorial

Instructions for Vintage style bow

You will need 4 strips of ribbon for this bow

1x 8 inch

1x 6 inch

1x 6 inch

and a slightly narrower 25mm 1 x 10inches

I have used 40mm width

take the 8inch strip and form a circle, over lapping the two ends

Squeeze flat

take the 6inch strip and form a circle, over lapping the two ends

sit this centrally on top of first circle

and squeeze flat

take the 2nd 6 inch strip and place it behind the 2 flat circles

Gather and pinch the middle

take some fine florist wire and wrap around the centre

twisting the wire at the back to secure, snip the excess wire, leaving a small amount, which you flatten

Cut a v shape notch off the 2 end tails, to make the bow as in picture below

Fold the last narrow strip of ribbon, and use it to hide the wire in the middle, and tie the bow together.

Cut 2 V shaped notches from tails to make the bow look neater

stick to projects with a  hot glue gun.