Streamer Bow

Well I am back from cheer camp, and we had a great time!  Besides the zebra bows, we wore two different sets of streamer bows.  These are fun, easy, and quick to make.  Consider them the next time you are making bows.

Supplies

• 3 sizes of ribbon (you can use whatever kind and size you want, but I recommend using at least some grosgrain ribbon for body and structure).  For the pink one, I used a 2.5", 7/8" and 3/8" ribbon, and for the camouflage, I used 7/8", 5/8" and 3/8" ribbon.
• Scissors
• Hot glue and gun
• Measuring tape
• Hair tie
• Fray Check

Directions

1. Cut the ribbons down to size.  Cut the largest width ribbon 1/4" longer than the medium width ribbon, and the medium width ribbon 1/4 " longer than the thinnest ribbon.  I cut the pink bow ribbons 13", 12.75" and 12.5", but the camouflage I cut 14", 13.75", and 13".

2. Trim the ends so that they have the double point.  Fold the ribbon in half length-wise, then clip at an angle.  Dab Fray Check on the end of each ribbon to prevent fraying.

3. Cut about 4-5" of the medium and small ribbons to create your center knot.  Stack one on top of the other, and tie in a knot.  Fray check the ends.  (If you are making multiple bows, cut a longer length of ribbon and tie all the knots at once--it is easier)

4. Place a dot of glue on the center of the widest ribbon, then stack the medium ribbon on top of it.  Repeat with the smallest ribbon.  Glue the center of the knot to the center of your stacked ribbons.

5. Place a dot of glue on the back of your ribbons in the center.  Stick the hair tie in the glue dot.  Glue and fold the sides of the ribbon so that both ends of the ribbon knot meet.

Wired-Edge Ribbon Rose - Super Easy!



Sorry for the blurry picture...it's a little difficult to take a steady picture of the top of my own head.

This will take all of a couple minutes to make, and is so easy, it makes a great kid project to adorn hair, clothes, or accessories.

Supplies

• Wire-edge ribbon (I used 2.25 inch wide ribbon and about 30")
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Fabric, cardboard, or paper to glue flower down on

Directions

1. Begin by cutting ribbon to length, then poke wire out of the edge.  Pull one side of the wire completely free from the ribbon.  Poke the other side out and begin pulling.

2. Fold one edge under, pinch in your fingers and glue down.  This creates the center of your rose.

3. Scootch the ribbon along the wire until it is completely gathered.  It will naturally spiral around the center.

4. Glue down on scrap of fabric, cardboard, or paper.  Be sure to glue down each layer of the ribbon to ensure rose doesn't bobble.

Flower Pens

I know these aren't anything new, but I needed some new pens for my classroom, and I am tired of them disappearing.  I made some flower pens a few years ago, but over time, they ran out of ink.  I love how springy these flowers are, and I think they will just brighten up my classroom (since there are no windows).

Supplies

• Ball point pens (the kind with a soft shaft and a removable back)
• Floral tape
• Hot Glue
• Silk Flowers
• Wire cutters

Directions

1. Start by removing the backs of all the pens.  I have a confession to make...although I am sure there are tools that could do this, I just use my teeth.  Please don't rat me out to the dentist (or my parents who paid for braces--thanks Mom and Dad!).  It is actually pretty quick and simple to do.


2. Then take your wire cutters and cut the flower stems to about 3 inches long.  If the stems have lots of thick plastic around them, strip that off so only the wire is left.

3. I didn't realize until recently that hot glue is nearly impossible to get a picture of.  The camera does not want to focus on the clear substance.  Anyway, squeeze out a strip of glue onto the flower stem and stick that into the pen.  Dab a little bit of glue where the flower and the pen meet; then use your finger to rub the glue around the top (sealing the flower and pen together).

4. Remove the cap of the pen and wrap the pen with the floral tape.  Begin by wrapping from the center towards the tip of the pen.  You will then wrap back down the pen to the flower.  This seals the first end in under the wrap.  When you get to the flower, pull the tape until it rips.  Press down into the other tape.  It should stick to itself, but if you have problems, dab a little glue to seal.

5. Make more.
6. Put in whatever container you like.  I like to use dry beans to anchor the pens down.

I will be showing these off at these link parties.

Valentine Wreaths {Part Three}

I previously showed you how to make two other Valentine wreaths (the boa wreath, and the yarn wreath).  I saved this one for last because although it is easy, it is very time consuming.  That being said, I think this might be my favorite.

Supplies

• Scissors
• Lots of red felt (about 13 sheets)
• Low-melt glue gun and sticks
• 12 inch wire wreath frame
• Ribbon to hang (I used 7/8 inch wide white grosgrain ribbon)
• Spool of 5/8 inch red velvet ribbon

Directions

1. Make 90 felt roses.  I made them with one 2 inch diameter circle, and one 2.5 inch diameter circle each.
2. Glue ribbon to the top of the wire frame--this helps the roses stay in place while you are gluing, and fills the gap between roses.

3. Stick the roses into the frame (4 roses in each segment of the inside circle, 5 roses in each segment of the middle circle, and 6 roses in each segment of the outside circle).  Tie the ribbon through and hang.

I will be linking to these link parties.

Felt Pinwheels

I thought these felt pinwheels were the perfect accessory to accompany the handkerchief skirt.  The dual colors and the rotating points echoe the colors and lines of the skirt completely.  These would be cute as a hairbow, pinned on a shirt, or worn on a bracelet.

Materials/Supplies

• Scissors
• Pinking shears
• Two colors of felt
• Low-melt hot glue gun
• Button or other embellishement for center

Directions

1. Begin heating glue gun.
2. Cut a 4" square out of each color of felt. (you can adjust sizes if you want)

3. Use the pinking shears around the edge of the inside color of felt, to create the zig-zag edge and make the inside felt smaller than the outside felt.

4. Mark the center of the inside square, and glue the inside to the outside.  My mark is really light, so you can't really see it in the picture.

5. Cut from each corner in to the center.  Be sure to leave a small amount of felt between each cut so the pinwheel doesn't fall apart.

6. Place a small dot of glue near the center of the pinwheel.

7. Fold in the closest corner and hold in place until the glue cools.

8. Repeat with all corners.

9. Glue your button (or other embellishment) to the center covering the points you just glued down.  I used one side of a rivet.  I made a ball of glue in the center, then pressed the rivet down on top.  This created a glass-like look to the center.

I will be linking this project up to these link parties.

Felt Roses

Flowers and felt—two of my favorite things.  I have been looking at lots of tutorials for making felt flowers, and trying lots of techniques, but I never really loved the way my flowers came out.  Often the flowers seemed really closed, or just didn’t really look like a rose to me (rose is the shape I was trying to replicate).  I stopped to think about how I wanted to create my rose so it looked just how I wanted it to look.  Here is what I came up with.
Supplies

• Felt
• Scissors
• Low-melt glue gun
• glue sticks

Directions

1. Plug in your glue gun.
2. Cut the felt into graduated circles.  I cut one 3 inch circle, one 3.5 inch circle, and one 4 inch circle (measurements do not have to be exact).

3. Cut from the edge to almost the center of one circle.  Move about 1/3 around the edge and repeat.  Make one more cut between the first two.  you should now have roughly 3 even petals attached to a very small center (these do NOT have to be exact).  Repeat for all three circles.

4. Use your scissors to round the sharp corners.

5. Begin with the smallest circle.  Spread glue on the bottom half of one petal.  Roll it into the center of your rose.

6. Put a line of glue on the bottom edges of another petal.  Glue the petal around the center covering the edges with the new petal.



I forgot to take a picture before the 2nd petal, so this is the third.


7. Put a line of glue on the bottom edges of your last petal.  Overlap the edges of the last petal you glued on, and glue in place.

8. Glue the next circle around the first by gluing the bottom edge of each petal to your rose.

9. Repeat with your last circle.

10. Look at how pretty your rose is.  Take a picture.  Make more!

For the small red roses, I used only two circles, one 2 inch circle, and one 2.5 inch circle.