Welcome to home decor week! I'm so excited about this week because I love using my scrapbook supplies to create inexpensive one-of-a-kind pieces that I can display around my home. It all started many years ago (not gonna say exactly how many) when my husband was still in school and I was at home with four young children. He was a full-time student earning a part-time income and we lived off of student loans. Needless to say, our budget was tight! But I still wanted to surround myself with beauty and express myself creatively, so I learned to be very resourceful. If I couldn't afford it, I would figure out how to make it myself inexpensively.
Each day this week I'll share a different project with you that I've made, plus a little tutorial on how I made it. I'll pass on some tips, ideas, and inspiration for projects that I have on my to-do list as well. Thursday I'll be doing a special giveaway, so be sure to check in. Whether you're a scrapbooker, cardmaker, or papercrafter, hopefully by the end of this week you'll see your scrapbook supplies in a new light, and maybe be inspired to create something beautiful for your home.
Project 1: Poppies in a Vase
We'll start off with something fairly simple. I made this to keep on my craft room desk. It took me about 30 minutes (maybe less?) and was really easy to put together. Here's how to make it:
1. Draw some figure 8's on the back of your double sided patterned paper. You'll need five of them--three of them need to be 1 inch longer than the other two. (Mine are 3.5 inches and 2.5 inches long.) Cut them out, leaving enough space at the center to punch holes without tearing through.
2. Layer the three larger ones on top of each other making sure they're offset. Layer the two smaller ones on top of those, and make sure they're offset as well.
3. Punch two holes through the center of the stack with a 1/8 inch hole punch.
4. Thread a cloth covered florist wire (available at craft stores) up through the bottom of the flowers, adding a button at the top and then going back down through the opposite hole in the button and out the bottom of the flower. Twist the florist wire tightly starting as close as possible to the bottom of the flower. Arrange in a vase with a bow around the neck.
If you've never dabbled in home decor, this is a great project for getting your feet wet. If you give it a try, be sure and post your project in our Flickr gallery. I'll see you tomorrow with a simple framed art project.
