Summer Wreath + Tutorial

With the blink of an eye, July 4th came and went...the same goes for my Patriotic wreath.  I love to change my wreath because it adds such personality to our doorstep.  I wanted to make a wreath that I can leave up until fall, so I decided to make a classic, country wreath.

Pretty cute, huh???

Not only is it cute, but pretty darn easy to make.  Here's how I did it:

Country Chic Summer Wreath Tutorial

You will need:

A Styrofoam Wreath (I wanted a big wreath, so I got a 16" one)

Twine or Rope

Fabric Scraps

Buttons

Hot Glue Gun & Glue
Needle & Thread

Step 1:

First, I wrapped the wreath in twine.  Every inch or so I would put a dab of hot glue down on the wreath 

to make sure the twine wasn't going to move anywhere.  Because I chose such a big wreath, 

it took me two looooong hours to cover the whole wreath.

I was left with this:

Step 2:

You can embellish the wreath any way you want.  Because I wanted to make mine country chic, I decided to make fabric flowers.  To make the flowers, I cut two strips of coordinating fabrics.  One strip was 2 inches wide, the second strip was only 1.5 inches wide.  Both strips were almost 2 feet long.

I like to chose one solid fabric and one with a pattern.  I think it contrasts better.  But if you can find 2 patterns that look awesome together, more power to you!

Step 3:
Start stitching the fabric and place each stitch approximately one inch apart
(the stitches don't need to be perfect, no one will see them). 

It kinda looks like a road with the yellow dash lines going down the middle...haha.

Step 4:
Carefully pull the thread so the fabric starts to bunch.
Then you're left with this:

Step 5:
Bring the two ends together and spread out the bunches until it begins to look like a circle.  
Then stitch both ends together.

Step 6:
Repeat steps 3-5 with the remaining strip of fabric.
 And you're left with two fabric circles, like so:

 
Step 7:
Place the smaller circle on top of the larger one and glue together.

 
Step 8:
For the center, glue a button in the middle of the smaller circle.
And now you have a flower!

Make as few or as many flowers as you would like.
I would recommend keeping it in odd numbers...it seems to look better that way.

I ended up making 2 more flowers, for a total of 3.
Then I started playing around with the placement of the flowers.
 

After I found an arrangement that I like, I glued the flowers to the wreath.

 

Step 9:

We're almost finished...we just need to make a loop so it can be held on the hook.

You could take some twine and just glue 2 pieces to the back and be finished.

But I wanted a more country look.

So I took a strip of fabric...it was about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide.  

I folded the fabric in half and glued the sides together.    

Then I wrapped the fabric around the wreath and glued the 2 ends together.

Step 10:
For added cuteness, I added a button to the seam where the two ends meet. 
It gives it a button-hole effect, without all the work!

And now your finished!!!

It doesn't get much cuter than this country chic summer wreath!
 

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

Check back tomorrow for my first ever FASHION FRIDAY!!!

 

Verse I Love + Team USA

Short and random post for you today.

This is one of my favorite Bible verses EVER, it's from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

"  Be joyful always, pray continually, 

give thanks in all circumstances, 

for this is God's will for you in 

Christ Jesus"

It is my prayer that you are blessed with this verse today!

Now on a different note, Team USA plays today against Sweden at 2:30...make sure you tune in! 

GO USA!!!

Remember to check back in tomorrow for an easy, breezy summer time wreath!

Veggies of My Labor

Hope everyone had a great fourth of July.  I spent a lot of time out in the sun and by the pool with the people I love most.  Plus, we ate some really great food (yummy treats are definitely the way to my heart).  And some of the food we ate I grew in my garden. 

I definitely don't have a green thumb...more like a brown and wrinkly thumb...haha.  I love plants, but I often kill them.  I don't know how much to water them, so I either over or under water my plants and after a few months they shrivel up and die.  But for some reason this spring I got the crazy idea to start my own garden.  I spent hours outside getting rid of weeds and tilling the dirt.  After a couple weeks of hard labor (and I am not a physical labor type of person so it really sucked!) I finally planted tomatoes, onions, potatoes, several peas and several beans.  And then I waited...and waited...I waited through the many April showers and then through the really hot May....and then finally my plants started to grow!!!  By late June, I began using my homemade veggies.  And they are delicious!!!  I decided to make a bean casserole for July 4 out of all the beans I grew in my garden. It is so rewarding to chomp down into a dish and know that you grew the veggies and made the yummy dish. 

Maybe my thumb is starting to turn a bit greener...haha...I doubt it!

So here is a pic of some of the veggies of my labor:

Alright...time to go to work and make some money...

...But check back on Thursday for a wonderful new DIY country summer wreath tutorial!

Until next time,

Phylicia

LOVE -- DIY DOILY LAMP!!!

So I found this fabulous doily lamp that I just love to pieces!  I need to make it asap!!!  

Gorgeous, isn't it??

It would just look perfect in our old home.

I've got to make this right away...on my next free day I WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS!

To check out the DIY tutorial go here:

http://www.moredesignplease.com/moredesignplease/2011/3/4/diy-doily-lamp.html

My Pink Wedding Dress + TTD

Yes, I had a pink wedding dress.

And yes, just last week my bff and I went deep into the woods to trash my pink dress!

And YES, I did go swimming in a pool in my wedding dress!!

Let me know what you think of the TTD pics!

 

I love how my bff edited this one:

This one here is probably my favorite pic EVER:

 

And then here are just a couple pics from the pool:

What do you think?

Pretty fab, huh???

Happy Thurday to all!

Hellooooo WORLD!!!

So I'm doing it...after many months of talking about starting a blog, it's here.  So I know that I have no followers right now, but I'm hoping over time I will be able to gain some.  

Is it just me...or is it crazy that we are just 1 day away from JULY?!?!  Where the heck has 2011 gone?  With July practically here, I have an awesome DIY project to celebrate our country.  I LOVE decorating our front door with unique wreathes...but here's the problem: we don't have the money to spend on expensive wreathes!  So, every wreath I have, I made.  The one I made to celebrate July 4th it a red, white and blue wreath...and it only cost me $5.  Yes...you heard me right...$5!!!!!!  And because I'm so nice, I decided to do a tutorial for you! 

FLORAL FOURTH OF JULY WREATH

Here's what you'll need:

Crepe Paper (in Phylicia terms: "streamer paper"), in red, white and blue - $1 for each pack

Foam Wreath - $2

Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks (on hand)

Ribbon, any color you want, I chose red (on hand)

 Step 1:

Wrap the wreath form with crepe paper.  For mine, I picked blue.

Secure with hot glue every couple of inches.

Step 2:

Tear the crepe paper into one yard strands.  You'll need a lot of strands...I'd tear at least 20 strands from each color, for a total of at least 60 strands.  For my wreath, I needed a total of 90 strands.

Step 3:

Gently roll each strand of paper and twist and pinch at the bottom. 

Roll the first couple of inches tightly, then gently loosen as you continue.

The looser you roll it, the bigger the flower.  

Secure the pinched end with hot glue.

**Sorry, I don't have any pictures for this step because 

I would have needed an extra hand to hold the camera.

Step 4: 

 Hot glue one row of flowers around the top of the wreath. 

I alternated the colors to form a pattern.

Step 5:

Add another row of flowers to the inside of the wreath.  

I wedged each flower in between the first row of flowers. 

Then I was left with this...

Step 6:

Add one final row to the outer part of the wreath.

Again, I wedged each flower in between the first row of flowers.

Step 7:

Add a loop.

I cut the ribbon to be 8 inches long.

Then I glued one end of ribbon to the wreath and looped the other end around and secured with glue.

YAYYYY!!! NOW YOU'RE FINISHED!

 Lovely, isn't it?

Easy, wasn't it?

Well, that's all for now.  

HAPPY JULY 4th EVERYONE!!!

Phylicia