Seed Packet Ornament

Seed Packet Ornament

I found these cute seed packets on clearance for TEN CENTS at the local dollar store and just could not resist them! I really did not have an idea in mind but after a little thinking I came up with a way to use them on my seasonal garland.

Of course this would be just as easy to make the ornament with a spring or summer theme.   So save those empty seed packets from the trash and up-cycle them to a new life on your seasonal wreath or tree.

Materials Needed

• Seed Packets
• Buttons
• Raffia
• Cardstock

Also Needed

• Cosmos Flower Punch
• Pinking Shears
• Glue
• Glue Dots
• Hole Punch

Instructions

1. Empty the seeds from the packet.  I am saving mine to be planted per the package direction.
2. Glue the seed packet to a piece of cardstock and allow to dry.
3. Cut around the packet leaving a 1/4^th to 1/2 ^th inch border.
4. Punch two holes in the top of the seed packet and attach a raffia hanger.
5. Punch two cosmos flowers from contrasting cardstock.
6. Glue the two punches together and attach a button to the center with a Glue Dot.  Bend the petals of the upper punch up around the button.
7. Attach the flower to the seed packet.

Up-Cycled Button Container

Up-Cycled Button Container

I LOVE the buttons in the small “button containers” for around a dollar from Wal-mart and Michael’s – the ones with a plastic barrel and enormous button top – and I’ve saved all the empty containers with endless crafting possibilities in mind!

There are just so many uses for these little containers:

Decoratively store your buttons until you are ready to use them.  Try displaying them in an old shadow box!

1. Decoratively store your tiny crafting materials (like those googley eyes that always end up EVERYWHERE) in the same manner.
2. Use every part of the button container: Use the LARGE button top as a craft accent on a “Cute as a Button” photo frame or other button craft project.  Use the barrel of the container as a drawer organizer in a shallow drawer.  And finally use the ribbon as an ornament hanger.
3. Turning the entire container into a sewing ornament with fabric, rick-rack, lace and buttons.
4. What ideas can you come up with?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Please take the time to leave me a comment.

buggalcrafts a.k.a. melba

Assemble supplies. Gather a variety of sewing items and experiment with

Glue the lid on top with E6000.

Measure the fabric and tear a strip to fit.

Glue the fabric to the barrel. Secure it with a few drops of glue around the barrel so the fabric doesn’t slip.

Try several trims to see what designs you would use.

Apply a few drops of glue around the barrel and glue the lace down. You can use fabric glue for this part of the project.

Choose, cut, and glue rick-rack on top of the lace.

Glue buttons around the barrel.

Recycled Triangle Beads: Wooden Candy Corn Pins

Recycled Triangle Beads:  Wooden Candy Corn Pins

Last summer I found these really dated wooden bead belts at a local craft/home decor store for a grand total of twenty five cents each so even though I’d never dream of wearing one (and I am NO fashionista!) I bought several just for the beads.

The round spacer beads I had an instant use for but I held on to the triangular ones for a while because the holes just don’t run the right way to use them as beads.

I really wanted some candy corn look-a-likes for a fall craft idea (more on this later) and after many attempts using paper, foam and felt that just weren’t what I wanted I thought of using the triangular beads from the belts. Even though I eventually decided NOT to use them on my fall door hanging I did use them as Trinity Candy Corn Pins.

I teach the children at the church I attend on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings so I have plenty of crafting opportunities and I really like to do crafts that will be kept and used.  Even though I do a lot of “paper and glue” type crafts I am always on the lookout EVERYWHERE I go and with everything I use for FREE AND CHEAP CRAFTING MATERIAL.  And this was just a perfect project for the kids – cheap, quick & easy and hopefully one that will be worn for years!

We put these on a card with a poem to make a great gift (and testimony) for a parent or grandparent.  I am sharing a poem I’ve had practically forever with you.  I have no clue as to the origins of the poem and I have rewritten it several times myself.  If it sounds familiar to anyone I’d love to know the author.  HappyBird’s Crafting Haven also has a slightly different poem (on a really cute bag header), Christian Candy Corn Poem, that is “not copyrighted so others can use and enjoy freely”.

Of course if you have been reading this blog for a while you KNOW I just can’t do a craft without a lesson to go along with it.  Following is the lesson I used to TRY to explain this to for and five year olds.  This is a very simplistic explanation of the Trinity and all the errors are mine, all the things I have right are from God!

TRINITY LESSON FOR CHILDREN

• “Tonight we are going to discuss one last “icon of fall”.  So far this month we have talked about what we can learn from some of the common things we see in the fall like that just like fall leaves we are all FALLEN and fall short of the glory of God,  how scarecrows can remind us we need not be SCARED for He is with us, that some of the FRUITS we should strive to have are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control, and that we need to let our light SHINE OUT for Jesus just like pumpkins made into jack o’ lanterns.”
• Start off the discussion by asking a question, “What is your favorite trick-or-treat candy?”  Let the kids name a few types of candy and then direct their attention to CANDY CORN.  “So how is the trinity (the three persons of God) like this piece of candy corn?” Direct the children to see that there are THREE different colors in a SINGLE piece of candy.  “Each of the three colors are different but the all make of the piece of candy corn.  Without any of the colors it’s just not candy corn.”
• “We talked earlier in this lesson series about the three persons of God and tonight we are going to explore it a little more.  Does anybody remember back to March (around St. Patrick’s Day) when we used ice, water and water vapor to help us understand that there is ONE GOD in THREE PERSONS?”
• Read the poem and the Bible verse and discuss how each of the persons of God is different but how they are all the same.  Explain that the candy is really not exactly like God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – that it is really a very simple object used to try to explain a very complex being and that we can never really fully understand God because we a human and He is divine but that the simple piece of candy (give the kids each a piece) can HELP us to start to understand Him.  Remind them that this is something we will all spend the rest of our lives trying to understand and that we will only understand it completely when we are in the presence of God.

CANDY CORN TRINITY POEM

YELLOW is for LIGHT that Jesus is.  We find this in John 9:5, NIV; Jesus said: “‘While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.'”

ORANGE is for the SON OF GOD that Jesus is.   We find this in Matthew 3:16, 17; “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

WHITE is for HIS WORDS which are so sweet.  We find this in Psalm 119:103; “The sweet taste reminds us of the sweetness of God’s Words!”

Thank you for reading (and I hope enjoying) this tutorial.  If you have any questions or something is not clear, please let me know so that I can improve the tutorial.   

Please take a moment to leave a comment or rate this post. I’d LOVE to hear from you!

Thanks again. 

buggalcrafts a.k.a. melba

This are the reclaimed beads from the belt.

Lighlty sand the triangular beads.

Cut a thin strip of yellow scrapbook paper or cardstock and Mod Podge it to the bead.

Mod Podge thin strips of orange and white scrapbook paper or cardstock to the bead. Allow to dry.

Turn the bead over and trim the stips. I considered wrapping the strips around the edges but in practice they turn out caterwompus. If you would like the edges covered, use the same method as the front to cover them.

Apply a layer of Mod Podge to the front and allow to dry.

Curtain Ring Ornament Revisited: Gingerbread

Curtain Ring Ornament Revisited: Gingerbread

Back in January I did a tutorial on curtain ring ornaments and as July is the start of the Christmas crafting season I have revisited the craft for Christmas.  I LOVE gingerbread and sugar cookies so I went with a Gingerbread Theme!

I hope you enjoy the tutorial and I welcome your comments and suggestions!

buggalcrafts a.k.a. melba

Gingerbread Curtain Ring Ornament

Materials

• Wood Curtain Ring
• Scrapbook Paper
• Gingerbread Button
• Assorted Buttons: Heart, Mini White
• Baker’s Twine
• Narrow Rick-Rack
• Embellishments: Tiny Cookie Cutters, Candy Canes, Merry Christmas, etc.
• Jump Rings

Also Needed

• White Tacky Glue
• Scissors
• Paint: Gingerbread Brown, Antique Copper Metallic
• Jump Ring Opener (optional)

Assemble supplies.

Paint wooden curtain ring brown or copper.

Cut a circle of the scrapbook paper to fit the ring.

Glue thin white rick-rack on the curtain rings. Add a Baker’s Twine bow.

Attach a jump ring to the charms. I found this handy little jump ring opener at Hobby Lobby for under $2. If you are doing any jewelry making at all this is a MUST HAVE!

Attach the charms to the ends of the bow. Glue the gingham backing to the back of the ring. Glue a gingerbread man button in the center of the ring. Add a heart shaped button to the center of the bow.

Another way to embellish the ornament.

BoTTle ChArMs

BoTTle ChArMs

This spring I found some really cute colored bottles with clear plastic daisy “charms”... and I wanted more, more, and even more – – – BUT of my OWN design and my OWN price of course!

So, the “bottle idea” that has slowly been simmering in the back of my head since February (and YES, that IS spring in Louisiana!) has FINALLY spring-ed sprung forth!

After several “comme ci, comme ça” (which is just about the extent on my high school French) attempts at using wire to attach beads or charms to bottles the perfect solution struck me – WINE CHARMS!

AND for further “wowzers”, I actually had some on hand AND I could put my stubby crafty little fingers on them! Well I finished off that package up in one sitting “sew” it was time to start looking for more charm rings and thought maybe, just MAYBE, I could make some of my own?

So, heigh-ho, heigh-ho it’s off to the web I go!  A search turned up several wine charm ring tutorials from wire loop earrings and memory wire and I had the further idea to use chain in place of the ring.

With the addition of a few fresh seasonal flowers wouldn’t these make adorable party decorations – any where from sweetly old-fashinned to casual to sime-formal?  I can see them as individual place setting decorations & take-home-party-favors for a wedding or shower.  Fill the bottles with colored water.  For Thanksgiving or a fall party group an old number of bottles of differing heights in the center of a round table for a greater impact as a centerpiece.  For a rectangular candle place a rattan table runner (or four placemats) down the center of the table.  For a beach wedding or party stagger bottles of differing heights, add water or sand and flowers to the bottles and lay sea shells & starfish, fishnet, etc. among the bottles.  The possibilities are endless!  You can even add paper hearts or other shapes on a bamboo skewer cut to fit the bottles.

B.T.W.: Did you know you can EASILY clean old bottles with SALT WATER? This tip comes courtesy of my friend Maggie. Pour about a half teaspoon of salt in the bottle and fill with warm water. Shake up and then let sit (I waited overnight). Then simple empty the salt water and rinse out with warm water. The air dry and your bottle should sparkle like new! I REALLY like that you do not have to rinse and rinse and rinse some more to get the soap residue out of the bottle.

Materials

• Wine charm rings
• Wire loop earrings
• Memory wire
• Chain
• Small round beads
• Seed beads
• Charms
• Old or broken jewelry:  beaded or charm bracelets, chains, necklaces and chain bracelets
• Jump rings

 Also needed 

• Wire cutters
• Needle nose pliers
• Round tip pliers (optinal)
• Small bottles & vases

Costs: This is a great rainy day activity and “use-it-up craft” to make something with the odd bottles & vases (new or old) and those odd & end pieces of jewelry, charms and beads you have laying around the house!

Photo Tutorial:

Photo 1: Assemble supplies.

 

Photo 2: Add beads and a charm to the charm ring or hoop earring . If the ring is not big enough to close around the bottle extend the ring a little with jump rings!

Photo 3: As you can see darker beads show up better on clear bottles. White and translucent light colors will disappear against the clear glass. Use light colored beads on amber or other dark colored bottles.

Photo 4: Another alternative is to use chain. This actually is an old chain bracelet with a charm added.

Photo 5: The back of the bracelet closes with a toggle clasp.

Photo 6: You can even make your own chain by joining split ring jump rings!

Photo 7: I joined the jump ring chain on this bottle with a short piece of torn fabric and then knotted it. The bottle actually has a chip in the lip (say that five times fast!).

Photo 8: Add a key charm and you have the finished product. The fabric “knot” totally hides the chip!

Photo 9: Canalize old bracelets for beads and charms! I got two bottle charms out of one old bracelet I got on sale for $1 years ago. I never wore it and it came in handy for this project. Note that oval or rectangle beads with a horizontal hole can only be strung on flexible wire.

Thank you for taking the time to read my tutorial on decorating your bottle with bottle charms. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and that you have great sucess in decoraing som four your windowsill . If you have any questions or if ANYthing is not clear, please let me know in a comment so that I can improve the tutorial.

I’d love to hear from you so please take a moment to leave a comment and rate this post. Really, please do  – – –

Thanks again.

buggalcrafts a.k.a. melba

Fourth of July Cookie Cutter Ornament Recycled From a Broken Cookie Cutter

Fourth of July Cookie Cutter Ornament Recycled From a Broken Cookie Cutter

I started with a broken cutter that I was reluctant to just couldn’t make myself throw away (“Do you hear my momma whispering in my ear too?”).  So it sat on my craft desk since Valentine’s Day until I was working on my Patriotic Garland (coming to you in a blog near you soon!) and ding, ding, ding it occurred to me I could make it into a cute ornament for my garland.

What I really like about this craft is that simply by changing the fabric, the trim, and the shape of the cutter you can easily customize this to any holiday or use it “as is” for a “Country Denim Christmas”.   And of course you don’t have to use a “don’t throw it out” cutter, you could use an unbroken one.

 

Materials

• Red, White & Blue Torn Fabric Strips
• Red, White & Blue Rick-Rack
• Star or Heart Cookie Cutter

Also Needed

• Scissors
• Cardboard
• Fabric Glue

Photo Tutorial

Step 1: Assesmble supplies. Tear fabric or cut with zig-zag scissors.

Step 2: Replace the broken part with cardboard taped in place.

Step 3: Wrap the broken area with fabric and secure with glue. If using an unbroken cutter wrap 2 or 3 inches.

Step 4: Tie strips of fabric around the cutter. Add pieces of rick rack in between the strips.

Alternatives on this project would be wrapping the entire cutter with denim and then tying the strips to part or all of the cutter.

Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. If you have any questions or something is not clear, please let me know so that I can improve the tutorial.

Please take a moment to leave a comment and rate this post. Really, please do – I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks again.

buggalcrafts a.k.a. melba

Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 28: The Series – Links to Posts

Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 28: The Series – Links to Posts

When I started collecting these ideas YEARS AGO I never imagined that I would have them all together in one place on the internet. Heck, at that time there WASN’T an internet per say!

Sometime around Christmas 2011 I started this blog and one of my first tasks was to undertake making tutorials from my list of cookie cutter craft ideas.  I really did not realize what a phenomenal effort this would require though!  So I began by updating my list by searching the internet.  When I first complied my list about 20 years ago I thought, “That’s ALL there is!” Well was I wrong!  I have found TONS more on-line! I have endeavored to make each of these taking photos as I went – and now the “Cookie Cutter” series is almost complete (for NOW!).

 I really hope you will take time to look at a few, see the gallery of photos below, and rate or comment on the tutorial so that I can improve them.  My later ones are definately better than the first.

Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore:  The Series

Links to Posts

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post #1: Cut-Out “Cookie” or Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornament Garland

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post #2: “Cut-Out Cookie” Applesauce, Cinnamon, Salt, or Bread Dough Christmas Ornaments\

Click here for my salt dough and cinnamon dough recipes and tips.

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post #3: “Quilted” Cookie Cutter Shape Christmas Ornament

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post #4: Scrapbook Paper Backed Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornament

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post #5:  Not Just Another Cookie Cutter” Wreath

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post #:6:  Gingerbread Cookies on Copper Cookie Sheet

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post #7: Fabric or Felt Cookie Cutter Shapes Christmas Ornament

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 8: Paper Bag Backed Foam Cookie Cutter Shapes Christmas Ornament

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 9: Paper Bag Cookie Cutter Shapes Ornament

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 10A: Construction Paper, Wrapping Paper, Scrapbook Paper & Cardstock, and Sandpaper Cut-out Cookies

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 10B: Ephemera Cut-out Cookies

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 10C: Craft Foam Cut-out Cookies

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 11: Clay Cutters

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 12: Cut-Out Cookies, Holiday or No Occasion At All & Make Your Own Cookie Cutters

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 13:  Die Cuts

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 14:  Emergency Phone Number Bulletin Board

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 15: Shaped Flash Cards

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 16:  Crafting With Food or Cookie Cutters As Food Shapers

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 17:  Hand Decorated Greeting Card

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 18:  Kid’s Cookie Crafts & Activities

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 19:  Cookie Shaped Note Cards

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 20: Cookie Shaped Note Pad

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 21:  Package Decoration & Name Tags

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 22:  Party Favor

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 23:  Souvenirs & Special Occasion Reminders

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 24:  Simple Stencils

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 25:  Cookie Cutter Gift Ideas

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 26:  More Cookie Cutter Ideas & Links Found On-The-Web

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 27: Ladybug Cookie Cutter Pincushion

Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore: Post # 28:  The Series – Links to Posts       

Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 29: Felt Christmas Cookies

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  I hope you found a cookie cutter craft or two that suits you.  I’d love to see your cookie cutter craft projects – either your version of these or a totally new one to me.  Send your photos to me at buggal1989@yahoo.com

Happy Crafting!

buggalcrafts a.k.a. melba

My Pinterest Board: 100 Plus Ways to Use Cookie Cutters

If you Pinterest, please check out my board 100 Plus Way To Use Cookie Cutters: From Crafts to Storage for over 160  uses for cookie cutters from crafts (like cookie cutter pin cushions) to nifty ideas on storing your cutters (from decorative to practical).

You may find lots of uses you never even dreamed were possible!

And if you don’t, then use the photos as a springboard to a great, never dreamed of idea.

I’d love for you to pin items to this board too, just send me your e-mail and I will add you as a pinner.  Let’s make this the GREATEST COLLECTION OF COOKIE CUTTER IDEAS ever!

Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 27: Ladybug Cookie Cutter Pin Cushion

In just one afternoon your decorative pins and your ladybug pincushion can be ready for gifting!

Cookie Cutters:  Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 27: Ladybug Cookie Cutter Pincushion

 

It’s not too late to make a last minute special gift for Mother’s Day.  All you need is a metal cookie cutter, a little fabric, a metal pot-scrubber and a few other craft materials you probably have on-hand!

This is one cookie cutter craft item that somehow did not make it into the series yet.  I was quite sure I had included a link to a tutorial, but in searching I do not see this mentioned!  That is about to be rectified.

There are numerous tutorials on making cookie cutter pincushions and several on using a metal pot-scrubber to make a pincushion, but to my knowledge there is not one that combines both.

The metal scrubber will function to keep your pins & needles sharp.

This would be a great way to display a vintage cookie cutter and if you use vintage material, trim and buttons from you stash inherited from your grand-mother, this would make a wonderful memory craft!

Materials

• Metal outline cookie cutter
• Fabric
• Button or other embellishment
• Lace and other trims
• Metal pot-scrubber
• Heavy cardboard
• Decorative pins(link to tutorial below)

Also Needed

• Needle and embroidery thread
• Fabric glue
• Chopstick
• Scissors

Costs: I had all material on-hand from other projects.  I had the metal pot-scrubbers because I was making some teacup pincushions (17 to 25 cents per scrubber) .  This is a $1 and up project.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate.  Minimum sewing.

Time To Complete: An evening.  This would be a great rainy day activity or a great project for your tween.  Knock out lots of these in a day to have on-hand for last minute Christmas gifts that look anything but “last minute”.

 

https://buggalcrafts.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/vintage-look-a-like-minihat-pins/

Photo 1: Assemble supplies. Choose a fabric that will not show holes when pins are inserted and removed.

Photo 2: Mold the wire pot-scrubber to fit the cutter. I used one and a half scrubbers to make this one. But the bigger scrubber shown in the first photo fits inside the ladybug cutter perfectly!

Photo 3: Find the center of your fabric and sew a decorative button on there. I used embroidery thread as it is stronger than ordinary thread. If using a button with holes, leave short ends of thread visible on the right side of the button.

Photo 4: While you have your needle and thread go ahead and secure the fabric to the scrubber. I found this prevents the fabric from shifting and keeps the center of your fabric in the center!

Photo 5: Trim the fabric to fit around the pot-scrubber with about 4 to 5 inches seam allowance.

Photo 6: Check the positioning of your center by wrapping the scrubber with the fabric and pushing it in the cutter from the bottom. Adjust fabric as needed.

Photo 7: Remove the fabric ball from the cutter (it was easier for me to sew it this way) and turn it over. Then run a gathering stich around the edges and pull tight.

Photo 8: Tack the excess fabric down.

Photo 9: Insert the fabric ball into the cutter and turn the pincushion over. If needed insert a chopstick into the hole in the gather and push the pot-scrubber into the corners of the cutter.

Photo 10: Trace and cut a piece of heavy cardboard to make the bottom of the pincushion. If you don’t have any cardboard heavy enough, simply glue two pieces together. If you want the bottom to extend a little beyond the pincushion side (as done in my example), trace the outside of the cutter and if not, trace the inside of the cutter. Then cut fabric for the bottom of the cutter about two inches wider than the cardboard shape. I used part of a leg from a cut-off pair of blue jeans (“use it up!”).

Photo 11: Glue the fabric to the cardboard cutting notches in the fabric edges as needed so that it fits snuggly around the cardboard.

Photo 12: Apply lace to the bottom of the cutter. I glued the overlap of the lace to the cutter edge. I did this before I determined the pincushion needed a cardboard bottom to prevent the decorative pins from sticking through the bottom. But I really like how it looks when finished so put this in as a step. Do this before you glue on the bottom. You can simply glue lace or ribbon around the edges of the cutter.

Photo 13: Apply glue sparingly to the bottom of the pincushion and to the cardboard side of the bottom. Place the pincushion on top of the fabric covered bottom and hold the pieces together for one minute to allow the glue to set.

Photo 13: Apply glue sparingly to the bottom of the pincushion and to the cardboard side of the bottom. Place the pincushion on top of the fabric covered bottom and hold the pieces together for one minute to allow the glue to set.

Photo 14: Decorate the top of the cuter with rick-rack if desired. I tacked it down with fabric glue. Insert decorative pins and your ladybug pincushion is ready for gifting just in time for Mother’s Day.

Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial.  If you have any questions or something is not clear, please let me know so that I can improve the tutorial.   

Please take a moment to leave a comment and rate this post.

Thanks again. 

buggalcrafts a.k.a. melba

Before & After: From “Bad Candle” to “Fab Candle”! A Fleur-de-lis Embellished Candle

The “before”: What Can Be Done With This?

Before & After:

From “Bad” to “Fab”!

A Fleur-de-lis Embellished Candle

Can this candle be “Saved From the Trash” or from a life as the designated “emergency” candle?

I bought the really great re-usable metal fleur-de-lis candle embellishment and it came with a less than specular green candle.

If you know me you know I both CAN’T bear to throw anything that might be used in the next 100 years away (look for me on the TV show Hoarders in about 10 years!) and that I am too thrifty to get rid of anything that can be used again (hence the shed full of stuff!).

So, my question to myself was “Could I salvage this candle AND do it within my budget (FREE!)?”.

The "after". Fab!

Well, I think I did a pretty good job of giving this candle a new life. It wasn’t without a couple of mishaps, but I think that it came out better for those “slips of the scissors” than the way I originally planned.

If you are using a “trash” candle and would like to paint it, by all means, learn from my experience and paint the candle BEFORE you decorate it.

This candle should be used for DECORATIVE PURPOSES ONLY because of the paint and paper adhering to the candle.

Materials

• Gold or black pillar      candle
• Black flocked scrapbook      paper
• Gold-tone      patterned scrapbook paper
• Black & gold      patterned ribbon – narrow and wide
• Gold-tone &      black ornamental buttons (shank back)
• Gold-tone      fleur-de-lis candle insert or push-pin
• Straight pins

Also Needed

• Mod Podge
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Silver metallic permanent marker
• Gold metallic paint (optional)
• Gold glitter paint (optional)

Photo Tutorial

So Would You Have Believed The “After” Could Have Come From This?

Photo 1: Assemble Supplies. I picked out several papers but when I found this black flocked paper in my stash that bought for a project it just didn’t work for I knew I had a winner!

Photo 2: On the back of the paper measure out the length and width of the paper needed to cover the candle. A silver metallic permanent marker works great for marking dark paper!

Photo 3: Draw out the lines using a ruler. Since you are marking on the back side of the paper it doesn’t matter if you make a mistake and need to re-draw. The old adage still goes here: “Measure twice, cut once.”- a rule you will see I failed to follow!!!

Photo 11: After the glue has dried, trim edges if needed. Be VERY careful and use your tiny scissors.

Photo 4: Wouldn’t you know it I cut the paper TOO SHORT! Quick thinking however saved the day (and the paper!) I cut a piece of gold to serve as an insert.

Photo 5: Apply Mod Podge to the candle and the back of the scrapbook paper. I always allow the glue to set for about 30 to 45 seconds so that it will be “tackier”.

Photo 6: Glue the insert to the candle and smooth.

Photo 7: Check the fit of the outer sleeve. Trim to leave about an 1 and one half to two inch gap showing. Use a straight pin to hold the ribbon in place to check fit.

Photo 8: Apply Mod Podge to the uncovered part of the candle and the back of the black paper. I always allow the glue to set for about 30 to 45 seconds so that it will be “tackier”.

Photo 9: Roll the candle over the back of the black paper and smooth any wrinkles.

Photo 10: Hold the paper around candle for 30 seconds to allow the glue to set and the paper to adhere to the candle.

Photo 12: Wrap the wide ribbon around the candle allowing the ribbon to overlap just a little and secure with straight pins at the join and in the back of the candle.

Photo 13: Save your fingers and use a wooden craft stick to press straight pins into candle.

Photo 14: Press a large, reusable fleur-de-lis candle embellishment or push-pin into the candle at the join or add a flat bow or embed an ornamental shank button.

Photo 15: While I loved the look of the candle the green candle left showing struck a sour note. So I grabbed a little metallic acrylic paint…

Photo 16: I found the best technique to get the paint even was to dab the brush. Allow to dry. It may need two coats. For a little extra glam I dabbed over this with gold glitter paint. Allow to dry. This would be of course a lot easier to do BEFORE you apply the paper!

Fab or Not? Let Me Know By “Rating” This Post or “Commenting” Below! Thank You For Taking A Look!

Photo 17: There was still a little green showing where I trimmed the edges at the bottom of the candle that probably would not matter if the candle was black, so I added a one inch wide gold & black ribbon to the bottom. Either plan the join at the back or imbed a shank backed gold & black button to cover it.

Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. If you have any questions or something is not clear, please let me know so that I can improve the tutorial.

Please take a moment to leave a comment and rate this post.

Thanks again.

buggalcrafts