How-To: Hydrangea Wreath Tutorial

I can't believe I'm saying this, but with Memorial Day coming up in less than 2 weeks (WHAT?!), it is now that time of the year to begin thinking about all things Summer! And what better way than with a front door wreath (big surprise coming from me, ha)! Artificial summer flowers can sometimes be hard to work with. Most of the ones in various crafting stores are too saturated. To me, that actually makes it look too fake & can come off a bit tacky if not styled properly. So I focused on cool (temperature, NOT state of self) colors to avoid this dilemma & this inadvertently makes the room seem cooler (temp again) - a future necessity in the weeks to come :( In addition to twine, wire cutters, and ornament wire, you will need the following matertials:

Light bulbs(Hobby Lobby) - $1 each, originally $2 each; Baby's Breath(Hobby Lobby) - $2, originally $4; Hydrangea(Michaels) - $6, originally $16; Bouquet(Michaels) - $10, originally $20.

 I have had this obsession with hydrangeas for too long - I mean who doesn't?! They are so luxurious & tranquil-looking. So when I purchased this one a year ago (talk about delayed gratification), I knew I had to make it the focal point/inspiration of a Summer decor project..and here we are :)

Cut the stem leaving 1/2 an inch to 1 inch with your wire cutters.

If you find that the proportion of the flower to the bouquet doesn't mesh well to the eye, simply trim the branches at the bottom in order to size-down the circumference of the hydrangea.

Place hydrangea as shown:

Secure by looping twine around the branches surrounding the stem of the flower, as shown. (You can also use a glue gun in addition to the twine.)

Next up, bulbs. Trim 12 baby's breath pieces, as shown.

Carefully insert three stems into each bulb. I used a chop stick, but you can use a pen, etc.

 Seal.

Take your twine & wrap around the top of each bulb, knot at the base to secure.

How much twine you should use depends on how low you want them to hang from the bouquet. Once you determine this, knot at the top.

Secure to the bouquet with ornament wire. Placing the wire right under the knot helps it from sliding down, but feel free to use 2 pieces of wire if needed.

Place, THEN secure. 

1...

...2...

 ...3...

DONE!

This piece is so unique & something you definitely won't find in any craft store. The mixture of soft whites with cool turquoise adds the perfect pop of Summer color into any room...

...inside...

...or outside!

 

Share with me your Summer home decor projects in the comments below!

Craft Beer-Inspired Spring Wreath Tutorial

Like any self-respecting Coloradoan, I am a full-fledged beer enthusiast. My husband & I love going to breweries, especially during the Spring & Summer months after a long day of hiking or fishing. We even brew our own beer...well, Grant does. I mostly just sit there & enjoy those amazing mash-boil aromas ;) So the inspiration behind today's tutorial was an inevitable one. Within the past 2 years as the craft brewery industry has exploded, I began to notice that craft stores were starting to carry variations of hop plants - a key ingredient in most if not all beers. The second I saw one I knew I had to incorporate it into some type of decor for my home. I mean, what could encompass my personality/interests more than combining my love for crafting with beer?? Needless to say this tutorial has been years in the making & I'm excited to show you what I've come up with. In fact, so excited that I actually filmed a tutorial on this & put it on my new YouTube Channel!!! I will insert the video here >> https://youtu.be/YFkrSZOUmAs

You have the option of either watching the tutorial in a video format, or reading through it here on my blog. Lets get started! You will need the following materials:

Flowers purchased at Michael's. All were 40%-60% off IN ADDITION TO a 20% off everything including sale item coupon. WINNING!!!

 You know the drill - simply take each flower & start trimming. Leave 1/2 an inch to 1 inch of stem so that you can insert each piece within the grapevine securely.

Next is placement. I tend to go in a pattern when placing the flowers, which you can tell in the image below. It makes it more fluid & put together.

Once you have filled your wreath, go back & fill in addition spares areas. This will make your wreath look more full & lush. It will also give the illusion of a bigger wreath.

With spares areas

Spares areas filled in

From here, glue each piece at the top-base of each stem & you are done! Here are some close-ups for more detail:

 

 I hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial! It's the perfect amount of soft, subtle color to add inside or outside your home! Please subscribe & check out my Youtube video on this tutorial -  https://youtu.be/YFkrSZOUmAs - Your support is greatly appreciated! 

~Cottage Inspired~ DIY Lilac Flower Pot - Super Easy & UNDER $7

I have yet to encounter a single person who doesn't find comfort in the color lilac. It's the perfect soft purple - the quintessential hue to usher in the Spring season. It's fresh, clean, & comforting. This is the inspriation behind today's featured Spring tutorial - It will only cost you one trip to Michael's & NO MORE THAN $7** and 10 minutes of your time! Lets begin, shall we? You will need the following materials:

** I either purchased these items on sale or with a coupon >> Metal Bucket $1.79 (Full Price $2.99); Lilacs $1.99 (Full Price $3.99); Grass Topper: $2.99 (Full Price $4.99)

This step is optional - Place something with a little weight to the bottom of the bucket. This ensures that it isn't too top-heavy.

 

Using a blade, cut the foam to fit snuggly into the metal bucket.

Trim the grass topper to cover & fit the top of the bucket. Optional: secure it to the foam with a glue gun.

Cover any gaps with leftover pieces of grass

With your wire cutters, trim 5 lilac stems from the bouquet. Be sure to include the leaves as they add dimension & texture to the finished product.

Simply insert the stems into the foam to your desired height & spacing and you are finished!

This piece brings brings light & life into any room. In the kitchen....

 ...On a windowsill...

 ...Or atop a shelf!

Customize this to your liking by using different stemmed flowers to fit the interior themes of your home. I hope you enjoyed!

xx,

Jessica

3 DIY Tutorials for the First Day of Spring!

It's finally the first day of Spring! I feel like I've been waiting for this day since the first day of Winter ;) It is during Spring that I love crafting, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So to encourage the scratch to that impending DIY crafting itch for all fellow crafting enthusiasts, I wanted to remind you that I have 3 new Spring tutorials on my blog! Please share with your family & friends, and please send me any of your recreations! 

To those few individuals who have reached out & shown your support - whether it's a 'like', re-share, +1, or a comment - it truly encourages me & lifts me up. I have felt more support from strangers in different parts of the world than anyone else & I just want to say how thankful I am :) This venture is a big, surprising endeavor for me & I hope to see it grow more and more. After years of feeling lost and so unhappy, God has finally guided me to a point in my life where I am starting to do things solely based on how much joy it brings me - It is a blessing & something I never take for granted. Okay, enough with the emotional stuff ;) Here are the links to get your Spring crafting on!

1. The Perfect Springtime Wreath

2. 5 Easy & Inexpensive Ways to Liven Up Your Kitchen: Spring Edition

3. Easy & Inexpensive DIY Orchid Arrangement for ONLY $10!

xx,

Jessica

DIY Orchid Arrangement UNDER $10!

I know you've all seen them - those beautifully potted orchid arrangements at the grocery store. The colors are majestic - the perfect finishing touch to liven up that room you've been decorating. Excitedly, you reach for it, lift it up, and see the price tag - $30?! Sometimes even $40. For something that has an inevitable expiration date?! No, absolutely NOT. So you put it back and wallow in sadness over what could have been. But where there is a DIY, there is a way! Today's how-to solution to this overpriced problem will ONLY cost you $10* and I must say looks just as good if not even better than its counterpart. You will need the following materials:

Orchids: Hobby Lobby - $2.00 each; Vase: Michaels - $4.00; Fake Grass Topper: Michaels - $2.00; FloralCraft Dry Foam: Michaels (*everything purchased was on sale or discounted with a coupon)

I know some people are hesitant to purchase fake flowers for fear that it will indeed look fake and tacky. Here's a **Helpful suggestion - look at various pictures of orchids in person, online, or in magazines to see, on average, how they naturally stand & mimic this. This will ensure that your fake orchid will resemble as close to a real one as possible - sometimes even better. See image below:

This is an example of an orchid that does not resemble a real one. It looks stiff & way too tall. The green leaves & succulents don't look natural, and you can see the wire holding them together.

Taking your Craft foam, snuggly place it into the vase. Then insert one of the orchid stems into the foam. Carefully & with great detail, bend the stem to your liking.

When you are satisfied with your first stem, insert the second stem directly behind it & repeat.

Place the grass atop the craft foam. You can secure with a glue gun or simply press the plastic bottom into the foam.

 And you are finished!

This piece goes perfectly in any room. I chose to place this piece atop my new kitchen island that my husband & I just finished making. It matches perfectly :) Our inspiration was Rustic Cottage meets Biergarten Pub and only cost us $50!! If you would like to see details on how we built it, I will link it here. The benches, however, are not included in this link as they will be featured in an updated version of that blog post, so keep an eye out for that!

xx,

Jessica