Spring Paper Flower Garland

This past weekend not only did I make kusudama flowers but I also made a quick and easy paper flower garland.

I was inspired by the Easter Egg Garland over at Happy Clippings but instead of making my garland Easter specific I left off the eggs and just used flowers. Basically you create heart shapes with strips of paper and then glue them together to form flowers. I added buttons to the centres of mine.

It only took me about an hour and a single double sided 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper to make eight flowers.

 

Then I strung them together using a piece of twine and hung the garland in our living room to add a touch of spring!

 

Kusudama Spring Flowers

I love paper crafts and how easily you can make beautiful things with just a bit of folding and gluing. These kusudama flowers are a perfect example of how, in less than an hour and with less than one dollar you can create something lovely for spring. To make a single flower all you need are 5 3x3 inch square pieces of paper, some hot glue and a little patience.

They actually look a lot more complicated than they really are. I used this tutorial from Folding Trees and made my first flower in about 15 minutes. Essentially you fold 5 of the same shapes and then you glue them together like you see in the picture below. I used scrapbooking paper for my flowers because that’s what I had on hand but they would be easier and turn out more exact if you used something thinner like origami paper.

I’m going to add some stems to mine and make myself a pretty paper flower bouquet to add to my spring decor!

 

By the Batch - Gardening Edition

So the truth is that I didn't bake at all this weekend because I spent my time outside in the sun planting flowers in our front garden instead. I planted a lot of bulbs that won't come up until later in the summer so I added some pansies and violas to give us some colour while we wait. I'm so happy with the results and I can't wait for everything to bloom!

For those of you not interested in gardening, I do have some baking inspiration for you - floral cookies that are easy enough that you can make them without having a ton of artistic talent.

Via

Via

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Via

Here's hoping that April showers are bringing May flowers to you!

DIY Spring Wreath

I'm so excited to show you the newest addition to my front door - my bright and sunny, flower covered, super pretty Spring Wreath!

I'll admit that this project was a bit time consuming but I'm so happy with the final result. I started with an old straw wreath that my mom didn't want anymore and I covered it with plastic wrap so the straw wouldn't poke through. Then I wrapped it with fluffy white yarn.

Next I made what felt like a million flowers. There are three types. The fabric rosettes were made using this tutorial from NatSprat. The felt flowers were made using this tutorial from I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar.

Last I made my little banner using triangles of fabric, letters that I cut out with my Silhouette and some pink ribbon. I just mod podged it all together in an attempt at weather proofing - we'll see if it works!

The last step involved a lot of hot glue to put it all together and tying on a ribbon and it was done! The best part is that I made it on the super cheap. The wreath was free, the yarn was about $3, the scraps of fabric for the rosettes and banner were free (also from my mom) and I spent $2.50 on sheets of felt. Not bad!

It makes me smile every time I pull in the driveway :)



P.S. Linking this up to

Party Perfect - DIY Pomanders

I'm seeing pomanders, otherwise known as kissing balls, everywhere for spring. Not only are they a unique way to bring flowers into your spring decor, they also have many uses for a wedding. I like the idea of pomanders as pew markers and as bridesmaid "bouquets". You can buy them or you can make yourself on the super cheap!

I started with some silk hydrangeas that I had leftover from my wedding. I can't remember the specific price but I know I bought them when they were 40% so they were pretty inexpensive. I cut off each individual blossom taking care to leave a piece of stem attached to each.

Next I took a big Styrofoam ball that I got for a dollar at my local dollar store and I coloured all over it with a purple marker. This step would have been way easier with paint but I didn't have any in the right colour and it doesn't really matter that the marker was a bit streaky because you won't don't see much of it in the finished product. That doesn't mean you should skip this step - I tried just attaching the flowers to the white ball and stopped halfway through because you could totally see the white.

I pinned a loop of ribbon where I wanted the top to be. Cross two pins over each other for extra strength. The next step is to take a piercing tool (or a needle or anything sharp that can make a straight skinny hole) and poke a hole into the coloured ball. Then I pushed the little bit of stem I left on one of the flowers into the hole. Easy, right? Just start filling in all over the ball with holes and then flowers. Use your bigger flowers first so you can go back and fill in gaps later with smaller blossoms.

And that's it! Super easy and each one only costs a couple of dollars. I kind of wish I had tried this before my wedding because these would have been a really pretty addition!

Spring Egg Decor

Yesterday was the first day of spring here in Canada and I could not be happier. This winter has dragged on forever and I think we could all use a little sunshine in our lives. To celebrate the start of my favourite season I put together an easy and inexpensive project in under 5 minutes.

Pretty simple, right? But I think there's something really cute about it too.

I took an antique mason jar (but you could use any jar as long as long as the mouth it big enough to fit the eggs in) and stuck some raffia at the bottom. Push it down with a wooden spoon if it's not cooperating. Then I piled in some speckled eggs and put the glass top back on.

So easy to do but I'm so happy with how it looks sitting in the sunshine with our plants.

I've made a few other projects that I can't wait to share! Have you started decorating for spring?

Hurry, Spring!

I've been on the run today having special scans of my jaw joints (long story best saved for a forum other than my crafting and baking blog) and didn't really have time for a proper post but wanted to share a little bit of Spring with you in the form of some lovely pink tulips that just begged to be photographed.

I "planted" them in a vase that we picked up at the local dollar store a while back. I knew I would find a good use for it!

I think they're just the right pink to inspire thoughts of Spring. I'm told it's just around the corner.

I love that I can plant the bulbs outside and enjoy these every year that we're in this home.

And I love that they add a little sunshine in my living room.

And while repotting tulips in your kitchen is not a great idea (I am speaking from experience here)...

...beautiful flowers that make you smile when you walk into a room are definitely one of the loveliest ideas I've had a in while.

Are you counting down the days to Spring too?