A project totally for fun and appropriate for the time of year. I was looking for a new card holder since our old card display got damaged in the move. We don't get tons of cards, but we do get some, so I like to display them. I found two versions of this project on Pinterest (on Craftiness is Not Optional, and on Holiday Kids Crafts), so ended up cobbling them together with what I liked from each. What I've done is as follows:
What you'll need:
- Green paint
- Wooden clothespins - the 'alligator' kind with the spring. (The number of clothes pins depends on the size of your wreath. I used a Wal-Mart pack of 50, and that was plenty. Even had some left over.)
- Beads - either pre-painted in red and/or green, or unpainted - pony beads work well
- If beads are unpainted, you'll want paint for the beads, red and/or another shade of green
- Wire - you can use craft wire, or a wire coat hanger. I used the coat hanger, because we already had a bunch.
- Christmas ribbon - if you want a big, loopy bow, the wired ribbon works best.
Instructions:
1. Paint your clothespins with the green paint. If you are alternating shades of green, paint half of your clothes pins in one green and half of them in another green. Make sure everything is covered by the paint, both sides of the clip as well as between the two parts as best you can. Let the pins dry thoroughly. I liked this way of painting them (as seen in one of the example projects above): use a box to support the pins and much more easily paint both sides of the pins.
2. If your beads are not already colored, paint the beads. You can use pre-painted beads if you can find them, or use pony beads, like Craftiness is Not Optional. I used pony beads, as the round wooded beads at Hobby Lobby didn't have pre-drilled wooden beads the size I wanted. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly on the beads as well.
3. Cut wire to the length for your desired size wreath. I used a coat hanger wire because (a) it's a great size for a decent wreath, and (b) it's free. Everyone's closet has spare wire hangers, after all! For a good size length of wire, cut off the hook of the hanger, just at the bend at the base of the hook. One note about the coat hanger though: check the diameter of the coat hanger wire against the sizing of the clothespins. I had to use a plain wire coat hanger, as the plastic-coated one (the white ones) was too big to fit through the clothespins. Easiest to do this stage, before you cut the wire, instead of once it's all cut. Learn from my mistakes :)
4. When everything is completely dry, string a clothespin onto the wire through the spring in the center of the clothespin. The pinching end of the clothespin should be facing out.
4. String the rest of the materials, alternating red beads and green clothespins.
5. When you end up with the size you want, bend the wire into a circle and twist at the top. Secure the twist with a generous helping of hot glue to secure.
6. Some ribbon to hang it, and a Christmas bow on top, and you're done! Besides looking cute and festive, the bow and the ribbon will help hide the wire and glue at the top of the wreath.
7. Hang your wreath, and clip Christmas cards into the clothespins to display. Cute!
Notes on the variations:
- Holiday Kids Crafts alternated shades of green for the clothespins (bright green and evergreen), and colors of the beads as well (red and green). They used a pattern of beads and clothespins as follows: evergreen clothespin, red bead, primary green clothespin, green bead, etc. Whether you use alternating colors, or a more uniform look like I (and Craftiness) did, make sure you alternate regularly, one bead per clothespin.
- Craftiness is Not Optional used plain unwired ribbon on the bow, as their bow was smaller to begin with. The wired ribbon used in the other inspiration project is easier to make those big decorative bows with. For a hanging loop and a basic bow, you probably only need a yard or so of ribbon. Just remember, the bigger the bow, the more ribbon you'll need. I used the whole spool of Dollar Store ribbon on this bow (9 yds, if you're curious).
No comments:
Post a Comment