Pining for you

Nothing says the winter season like evergreens. Nothing says nature like pine cones. Well, even though I’m not a very outdoorsy type, I love nature in my home and have found just the way to bring it into the house this season without having to go out and get it.



Today I want to share the craft project of my pine cone garland. I used the cutting file from the Cut Flowers Evergreens set on Letting Delights. I also used brown and green paper (the green shades are from Paper Source text weight stock—moss, leaf and sage). The brown paper is also from Paper Source, the color is khaki (but I varied it, see notes below). Paper Source has a chocolate brown paper, but I think it is too dark for this natural look.


To make the pine cones, I cut out multiple sizes (10% increments) of the pine flower shapes (shown in the diagram above, on the top two rows). The smallest size is about a 1"diameter and the largest is a 2.25" diameter. I made two each of these sizes per pine cone.



In order to get the brown coloring I wanted for the pine cones, after I cut them from the khaki paper, I lightly sprayed each on both sides using Color Place (Walnut) and Krylon (Leather Brown) spray paints. Once they were dry I shaped each pine cone flower by curling each petal with my bamboo skewer and then gently crimping each petal with my thumb and fingers (pinching each). This gives a very realistic look to the dimensional cones. See the detailed photo above.



I used four strings of brown embroidery floss, knotting them together at one end. I then threaded each pine flower petal through. I started with the smallest, threading it down to the knot (see photo above) and ended with the largest, spacing and twisting them a bit for a natural look. They need to be threaded as a mound, not as a cup, so that the petals go downward. I made sure to have extra floss for the pine cones to dangle from. I suggest cutting at least 2-3 feet length for each strand.



I then made pine needles by cutting the shape from the Cut Flowers Evergreens that looks like blades of grass or a pick comb (it is the last shape in the chart above). Using various shades of green, once cut, I used the skewer to roll each into a tight scroll of pine needles. See the detailed photo above. The photo below shows other options for pine needles, all on the Cut Flowers Evergreens file (and in the chart above). There is also a sample of a pine flower, attached with tiny brown brad (shown below).



Once three pine cones were finished and strung, I slid the pine needles down the strings to meet each cone (there is a small hole on the rolled needles for threading). I gathered the three strings of pine cones together and tied with a brown ribbon, leaving string above the ribbon to hang the garland pine cone set.

The photo below shows the various pieces I used for the pine cones and embellishments. Some are great for two dimensional projects and others best for three dimensional art. 

Bring nature into your home this holiday season without having to go out in the cold to the old pine tree to get it. The only thing to keep these pine cones and needles from seeming completely realistic as they garnish your home is the evergreen scent, or lack thereof.

Meet me under the mistletoe

For a simple but elegant doorway garland, create this hanging ball of mistletoe. It is sure to meet your guests with a smile, maybe even a pucker as they linger beneath it.

You may also want to create small mistletoe clusters for garnishing gifts, using silver or white berries,  mistletoe leaves and a favorite ribbon. (see photo above and craft supplies and instructions below)

To make the ball of mistletoe, I used only a few supplies and a just a little labor of love. The supplies needed for this garland are:

• 40 or more mistletoe leaf clusters (about 4" in diameter) using shades of green from the Cut Flowers Holly set on Lettering Delights (these are the rounded leaves with a hole in the middle of its surrounding petals).

• one 4"styrofoam ball (I used the more condensed foam ball in order to spray paint it)

• 15-20 mini white or silver ornaments (mine are 1" balls)

• straight pins with pearl heads, as many as there are leaf clusters (I chose to paint mine with nail polish, see info below)

• large white pearl or silver beads .75" size (I used four)

• ribbon of your choice for hanging (a few yards for bows and hanging length)

Step 1: I chose to lightly spray paint the foam ball so as not to have white foam showing through the leaves. Choose a light color (I used Krylon Celery 3543). Let it dry fully before adding leaves. If you would rather, you could start with a green styrofoam ball.

Step 2a: Cut many clusters of the mistletoe leaves from the Cut Flowers Holly set. The paper and colors I chose are: sage, moss, and leaf green from Paper Source, text weight stock.

Step 2b: Curl and bent each cluster with a bamboo skewer, thumb and forefinger to shape each leaf like real mistletoe. Curl the paper carefully with skewer as you would curl ribbon with scissors.



Step 3a: This is not a necessary step, but I love making colors match in projects, so I used nail polish (in greens and blue-greens) to paint the pearl head straight pins. If you do this, I suggest doing it hours before using, to make sure the pins are completely dried. (see photo above)

Step 3b: Use the pearl head pins to secure each leaf cluster into the foam ball. Every so often add a white (or silver) mini ornament to the cluster while securing (visually spacing throughout the ball). While doing this make sure to save some space at top and bottom of the ball for hanging, and for dangling berries and bow below. Completely cover ball with leaf and berry clusters.



Step 4: Use a few leaf clusters to make the dangling berries which will hang from the bottom of the ball. Thread thin ribbon through the large pearl beads and leaves to make a few small mistletoe clusters, making sure to have plenty of ribbon to create a bow between ball and dangling mistletoe. Once this is done, secure at bottom of ball with pearl head pin.

Step 5: Create a decorative bow with ribbon to hang the mistletoe ball from, making sure to have plenty of ribbon above the bow to secure (with pearl head pin) and hang.



Here are some of the supplies (shown above) for making balls of mistletoe and holly. Remember, this same project can be done with the holly leaves from the Cut Flowers Holly set, red mini ornaments and/or beads and red pearl head straight pins.



This chart above shows the Cut Flowers Holly set you will need for either the mistletoe ball or holly ball. The leaves at the top of the chart are for holly, while the leaves in the last row and a half are for mistletoe. I used the leaf clusters of mistletoe that have a hole in the middle.

Now you will have your own mistletoe ball to meet someone under this holiday season.

The gift of Love . . . Joy . . . and Peace

Let’s give love, joy and peace this holiday season and every season. Today I am going to share the techniques and tips for gift wrapping these gift tubes. I shares some of these tips on my Dec 5 blog posting (you can refer to it also). The trick for wrapping in this style is in the tissue paper, I believe. Each of these (tubes and boxes) are wrapped first with tissue paper (multiple sheets if you need to have a rich, solid color). This is an easy step, but do be careful as tissue tears easily. Once wrapped, I secured with magic transparent tape (using as little as possible).

For the “Joy” and ”Love” gift wrapped tubes. I cut a piece (about 8 inches long) from a tube that upholstery fabrics come on (although a wide, cardboard wrapping paper tube could also be good to use or a paper towel tube (though it’s a little more narrow). I then wrapped each tube with multiple layers of tissue paper (about five layers) in two shades of a color (greens for the joy tube, pinks for the love tube), alternating back and forth until it was wrapped with the dark tissue as the final layer. I would suggest taping each layer as it is wrapped. I made sure to have about three inches of extra tissue at each end of the tube. This was done to make the multi-colored curled ends. 

Once the tube was wrapped (with 3 inches extra on each end) I carefully cut slits in half-inch widths up the tissue (from the ends toward the tube itself), making sure not to reach the tube itself (leaving about an inch) for the ribbon ties. I found that as soon as I cut the strips of tissue, they automatically curled themselves. For the few strands that did not, I simply used a bamboo skewer to curl the tissue (much as you would ribbon with scissors, thumb and forefinger, but be very careful as tissue is so delicate).

I then cut out the “Joy” and “Love” wraps in light green and pink 70 lb. text weight stock using the LD Cut Flowers Holiday Wraps set. I positioned each word (wrap) over their tubes, putting tiny pencil marks on the tubes, to show where I would past the wraps once I had adhesive on the backs. You will want to position the wording on the opposite side of the tube from where you have taped your tissue (which I will call the back). It is important to know your exact positioning prior to pasting. Once I knew exactly where my “Joy” and “Love” wraps would go (making sure to center back and forth and around), I used spray mount on the back of the wraps to adhere to the tissue covered tubes. I think spray mount is the best glue for this process. You might want more than one set of hands to position and adhere. It never hurts to have octa-craft hands.

After the tubes were covered (though still hollow), I used vintage seam binding tape to tie the ribbons on each end of the tubes (use ribbon of your choice). Oh, at this time, if you are using this as a gift box, you will want to slide the small gift inside the tube before tying the ends shut. I would suggest even wrapping the gift in tissue, to keep it from rattling around inside the tube. Be careful when tying the ribbons around the tissue at end of tubes because, once again, it is delicate paper to work with. Tying the bows loosely might work best, while closing the ends yet maintaining the delicate look.

For the “Peace” gift, I covered a thin stationery style box with brown tissue paper. I then cut out the moss green stencil wrap of “Peace” (from the LD Cut Flowers Holiday Wraps set). I positioned it over the box, creasing the wrap at the edges of the box (where the wrap would fold over the edges), I put tiny pencil marks on the box, to show where I would past the wrap down once I had adhesive on the back. When I knew exactly where my “Peace” wrap would go, I used spray mount on the back of the wrap to adhere it to the tissue covered box.

Once I had the wrap secured around the box I embellished it with brown seam binding tape and 3D pine cone and needles (attached together with a small, brown brad). The Cut Flowers Evergreen set from Lettering Delights will have the pine cone and needle shapes you will need. I curled and pinched each petal of the pine cone pieces, then stacked and alternated each layer before bradding together and positioning on the box. (See detailed photo below).

Here are the supplies you will need for the tubes and box gift wrapping: 

• Colored Paper ~ I use 70 lb. text from Paper Source—see my previous blog posting (“Paper Chains ~ Simple Pleasures” for the specific paper colors from Paper Source).

• Tissue Paper ~ I use tissue (light pink, watermelon, chartreuse and moss) to wrap the tubes and brown to wrap the box.

• Cardboard Tubes (wrapping paper tubes, paper towel tubes and even toilet paper tubes work)

• Boxes that the gift will go in. I recommend that this project be done with smaller sized boxes, like a chocolates box, large jewelry box or stationery box.

• Ribbons, bakers twine, bias tape or any other creative ties you like to use.

• Spray Adhesive

• Bamboo Skewer or tool to curl tissue and paper with.

• Files from the Cut Flowers Holiday set (Holiday Wraps and Evergreens)

The photo above shows the holiday wraps (Love, Peace, etc) you will make for this gift wrapping project.

May you have love, joy and peace this season. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Give a Garland

Garland: to be hung as decoration. That is the definition in words. Here are a number of visual descriptions to show what garland can be this holiday season. I will give details on each of these on the weekend, so please check back to learn about your favorite garland and how to make it. The first is a mistletoe ball to hang in the doorway for a little holiday cheer . . . on the lips. 

Everyone loves poinsettias this time of year and paper whites are in full bloom, so enjoy what’s red and white and beaut all over with this colorful combo to swag in the windows, or drape on the tree.

Holly, the iconic greenery of the season, dotted with bits of scarlet shimmer. This looks lovely hanging in rows or gathered into a beautiful holly pomander.

The other green to always be in season is the ever popular evergreen! Now you can make pine cones and pine needles that look so much like the real thing, the only clue that they aren’t is the missing pine scent. Gather these cones and needles into groupings and hang from windows and doorways.

Now, garland isn’t really garland anymore unless is says something. This garland is perfect for the season. It says Merry Christmas . . . without really saying it. It says Happy Holidays . . . without really saying it, and it says Season’s Greetings . . . without really saying it. Why? Because it says Merry & Bright . . . and that’s all that really needs to be said this time of year.

All of these examples have been created with my Cut Flowers Holiday sets now available on Lettering Delights. The files used for these garlands are the Cut Flowers Christmas, Evergreens, Holly, and Holiday Garland. Very few other supplies were used to create each garland. I will share the tricks and tips on each style of garland soon, so get your files, gather your supplies, and come back to my blog so we can make some beautiful and festive creations. And then you can give a . . . give a . . . give a . . . give a garland . . . to all your people this holiday season.

The chart above shows all of the sets that are in the Cut Flowers Holiday collection. To get the bundle go here, or just pick and choose your faves.

I will be sharing more project and gift ideas with the Cut Flowers Holiday set for the next few weeks. I invite you to return daily to see my creations and additional freebies I will be sharing with my blog and Facebook followers. If you aren’t already a friend, fan or follower of Sheri McCulley Studio, I invite yo u to join my blog or Facebook page today to keep up with the creations ~ they flow from me frenquently. :)

Oh, and if you want a few freebies form yours truly, please scroll down to my previous blogs (Dec 5 and 6) to get the goods. There are two money card designs on Wednesday’s blog posting (Peace and Ho Ho Ho) and on Thursday’s post you will find a gift card holder (envelope with two mini cards) for your gift giving this holiday season. Enjoy!

Two free or not to be . . .

 . . . that is the question ~ and this is the answer. I have another fun freebie for all you Jingle Hoppers (here is the code bVthW to enter the drawing on LD for the Zing machine) so hop to it and grab this freebie before it’s gone. 

Yesterday was a fun beginning to the hop, and if you didn’t get to my blog then, I invite you to visit that post today to see the craft projects and freebies available. 

This freebie is a little gift card envelope with two cards for personalizing to your gift card recipients. Everyone loves getting gift cards for Christmas, and now you will love giving them in these tiny carrying cases.

To embellish this mini gift card and envelope, I used a bit of cotton string (baker’s twine would work great) to wind around the envelope for closing. I then finished off the ends with some of the easy to cut holiday shapes from my Cut Flowers Holiday sets. I made two of each shape so that I could sandwich the string between and glued them together. You can get these shapes and the complete Cut Flowers Holiday set on Lettering Delights to begin your gift giving embellishing . . . and you can get the free mini envelope and two cards from yours truly by clicking right here. The image below shows what your free downloadable will look like.

Print out the downloadable on card or index stock, trim around the edges of the envelope and cards, fold the envelope, stuff the gift card inside and give it to someone special in your life. Christmas shopping doesn’t get much easier than this.

Now, if you have not yet been to all of the amazing blogs in this Jingle Hop, you can get to them here. There are wonderful craft ideas and lots-o-freebies to gather . . . and of course the chance to win you very own Zing machine.  Here is the code you will need for the LD Jingle Hop drawing: bVthW.

Here are the blogs listed below and the order of hopping from one fun project to the next:

www.ldsolutions.blogspot.com

http://athriftymom.com

http://underacherrytree.blogspot.com/

http://joyslife.com/

http://zantaylordesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.happycardfactory.com/

http://ilove2cutpaper.blogspot.com/

http://sherimcculley.blogspot.com/

http://snfontaholic.blogspot.com/

I will be sharing more project and gift ideas with the Cut Flowers Holiday sets for the next few weeks. I invite you to return daily to see the creations I will be sharing with my blog and Facebook followers. If you aren’t already a friend, fan or follower of Sheri McCulley Studio, I invite you to join my blog or Facebook page today to keep up with the creations ~ they flow from me frequently. :)

Thank you for visiting me on this festive Jingle Hop, now don’t forget to visit the source of the fun (Lettering Delights), to enter your code (bVthW) in the drawing for the zing machine. You will need to have an account with Lettering Delights to enter the drawing, but it’s free and easy, just click here to sigh up and maybe even win!

Tomorrow is a new day. Oh, what craft projects shall I share with you then? Let’s just say . . . give a . . . give a . . . give a . . . give a . . . garland! Until then, happy hopping!