Author: Festive arrangements with dried and preserved materials always look especially lovely at Christmas and other holiday times. We all make more effort for special occasions and want our houses to look particularly warm and welcoming. As there are many presents given and parties to go to during this festive season, this is a good opportunity to give something just a little out of the ordinary.
Dried herbs blend in very well with more traditional Christmas decorations such as pine cones, nuts and cinnamon sticks. Gilded poppy heads mixed with bunches of roses, purple marjoram, gilded cones and dark burgundy tartan ribbons look amazing. In many cases, reasonably-sized clusters of an herb look much more powerful than individual sprays, which give a much weaker effect.
Ivory or natural beeswax candles blend in with most color schemes and give an elegant, traditional feel to an arrangement. Welcoming flowers and scents are a sure way to make guests feel at home and comfortable. One note of caution, however: by their very nature, dried materials are a fire hazard and, if you are arranging them with candles that will be lit, they must not be left unattended. Make sure the candles are well above the arrangement and blow them out and replace them once they burn down too near the foliage. Dried flower arrangements must also not be placed too near open fires where sparks can set light to them. Apart from this problem with fire, the only other hazard seems to be cats, who love dried flowers and foliage at the best of times. Include plenty of dried herbs, especially catmint, in an arrangement and you can probably guarantee a good cabaret while the cat races around ripping the arrangement to pieces!
Herbs on the Christmas Tree
There are several spots on the Christmas tree where you could tuck an herbal arrangement or tiny wreaths of herbal flowers and foliage to add to the natural pine scent of the tree. Decorated pine cones with clusters of herbs and ribbons to hang on the tree, and miniature baskets of dried herbs tied with a festive gold cord add an unusual touch and fragrance. As there are so many family gatherings at this time of year, why not make some decorations for the tree as a family present?
Miniature Sacks
A miniature sack of herbs can be made from a piece of hessian or burlap 6×2 inches. Fold it in half along the longer edge and stitch together to two side seams. Turn it right sides out, fill with strong-smelling dried herbs and tie with an elastic band. Then decorate the sack with a red or green ribbon, miniature pine cones and some holly.
Stockings Filled with Herbs
Small socks or stockings can be cut from any cotton material with a festive color scheme or pattern. Cut out two identical pieces and sew round the edges, leaving the top open. If you sew with a contrasting thread, say holly green on red material, it doesn’t matter if the stitches show as they can be part of the design. Alternatively, you can place the two pieces of material with right sides together and sew with a matching cotton, then very carefully turn the stocking inside out. This is more difficult but looks neater. Then fill the stocking with scented dried herbs and stitch across the top. The stocking can then be decorated with festive bits and pieces, such as gold-sprayed miniature cones and holly berries.
Little Balls of Herbs
Small polystyrene spheres, 1 inch in diameter, can be made into herbal Christmas tree decorations. Cover them in a solution of latex adhesive, watered down slightly so it is easier to apply. Dip these balls in dried lavender or stick herbal flower heads, such as oregano or marjoram, all over the balls and trim with tiny ribbons. A set of balls in shades of misty lavender and greeny-grey, trimmed with narrow pale pink ribbons, looks very dainty and unusual.
Christmas Swags and Garlands
A swag of dried herbs and flowers hung across a mantelpiece or round a doorway is a lovely way of welcoming your guests. If you have the time and patience, you could make one for a friend and give it as a wonderful pre-Christmas surprise. Placing unusual herbal foliage or flowers in a festive garland provides extra points of interest. Cones and berries are a must for a traditional look, whether left in their natural shades or gilded. Small kumquats could be included because they are daintier than oranges. Tartan ribbons and bunches of lavender, bay, holly, rosemary and sage are complemented by sprays of brilliant red roses, cream peonies and pink carnations. Dried flowers can look just as lovely as fresh arrangements and last far longer.
However, another warning note must be sounded regarding mantelpiece arrangements. Do take care to fix the swag very firmly across the mantelpiece, as open fires and dried flowers do not mix and it only takes seconds for an arrangement to fall into the dying embers of a fire and go up in smoke.
Making a Swag or Garland
Although somewhat time-consuming, swags or garlands are not too difficult to make. Measure the length of decoration required and cut a piece of rope or colored cord to that measurement, plus 4 inches for loops at each end. Choose your combination of ingredients (you will need more than you think), including some ribbons, something bulky like pine cones and a selection of foliage such as spruce or holly to form the basis of the swag.
Wire all the ingredients into small bunches approximately 3 inches long using fine floristry wire. Make plenty of bunches of each type of ingredient. Pine cones are wired by inserting the end of a medium strength wire into the scales and then wrapping it around the cone, leaving a stem to wire on to the garland.
Taking the piece of cord, bend 2 inches over at each end and wire on to the main cord to make a strong loop. Start with a feathery piece of foliage and, using a fine to medium strength piece of wire, attach it to the cord. trim off the excess wire once the bunch is attached. Continue along the cord wiring with a new piece of wire for each bunch and trimming any unnecessary wire each time. When you reach the middle of the length of cord, turn the bunches so that they face the opposite direction. You may have to wire extra very short bunches into the middle to pad it out a little, or alternatively you can get out that glue gun again!
For more information on growing, cultivating and using herbs please visit my blog at http://www.plantingherbs.net/
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Handmade wedding invitations are a great way to ensure that the invitations are as unique as the bride-to-be. If you are like most brides, you want your wedding invitations to be memorable and intriguing. By using a few design techniques, dazzling embellishments, and a bit of creativity, your handmade wedding invitations will be gorgeous! To achieve the personalized look that you want, you could try some of these ideas to make your invitations special:
Ravish them with ribbon!
Ribbon can be a fairly inexpensive way to take a plain invitation to new stylistic heights. Handmade wedding invitations can take on so many different looks when ribbon is incorporated. Whether you decide to use a pretty grosgrain ribbon to hold the invitations together or as the opening clasp, or a sparkling sheer ribbon as an accent on the cover, ribbon is sure to give your invitations a stylish look.
Glam them up with glittery things!
Handmade wedding invitations offer you a chance to flex your creative muscle. For a more daring look, use glitzy embellishments like glitter, sequins, and shiny charms. One possible technique for adding radiance to your invitations calls for a glue pen, stencils, and glitter to create specialized text and designs. Using the stencil as a guide, apply the glue to create your design, and then sprinkle with glitter. Sequins are very fun to work with and can make your invitations quite brilliant. Sequins and charms can be added either individually or clustered with wire or string. While you can create some lovely designs, be mindful of the weight that they can add when it comes to mailing out your invitations.
Bedazzle them with beads!
Beads are both tactile and engaging additions to handmade wedding invitations. When used with beading wire, beads can turn your flat invite into a three-dimensional work of art. Beads can also be added to ribbon, and be made to dangle from the invitation. Consider exploring those beautiful little Mother of Pearl beads or for a more ethnic or island feel, use cowry shells.
Your invitations will evoke lots of excitement and set the tone for your big day. They will also be a memento for your guests to admire and enjoy for years to come. When it comes to making handmade wedding invitations, the possibilities are endless and with a little imagination, your wedding invitations will look extraordinary!
Nicola Ray’s Wedding Invitation Ideas shows brides how to create beautiful handmade wedding invitations from scratch. With loads of free design ideas, plenty of tips and free templates, it’s the perfect place to start if you’re making your own wedding invitations. Visit Wedding Invitation Ideas now.
These postcards become delightful wall hangings. You can also hang them over a doorknob or handle of a cupboard door. You can create these using old postcards or your own old greeting cards from family and friends. Be creative with your embellishments. Add your own personal touch and use your favorite colors. Find old chandelier crystals or buy some inexpensive crystals from your local craft store. You can hang your decorated crystals along a window using wire. You can also use scraps of ribbon, string or fishing line and cut to the length you desire. Hang wherever desired, even along a mirror in a hallway or bathroom, with nails or decorative hooks and pins.
Postcards:
Materials:
Vintage postcards, photos and greeting cards ( if you don’t have any you can find them in thrift stores)
Spray adhesive
Cardboard or acid free paper (optional)
Ruler
Ribbon
Trims
Hot glue gun
Embellishments; beads, buttons, jewelry
Decorative cording
Basic Method:
If you want to protect your photo or postcard then use a spray adhesive to attach acid free paper or cardboard on the back. Make sure to leave some extra room around the outer edges for the frame. Now measure the outer edges of the postcard and cut a piece of ribbon or trim to length. Glue around the edge with a hot glue gun. Try using wallpaper as a unique frame. You can now also add special embellishments such as silk flowers, beads, or jewelry. Attach a ribbon or cord at the two top corners of your card for hanging. You can also frame the handwritten notes from the back of some of your cards.
Crystals:
Materials:
Crystals
Hot glue gun
Scissors
Fabric strips or trims
Glitter paint or watercolor markers.
Basic Method:
Use old jewelry, beads, silk flowers, ribbon, rhinestones and feathers. Once you’ve chosen the item glue around the top of your crystal using a hot glue gun. Cut and knot
trim, ribbon or fabric strips securely in place for hanging. You could also apply a layer of gold paint, glitter paint or watercolor marker on the back of the crystal. This gives the illusion of stained glass.
Both of these wonderful projects make for great and unique gifts especially at Christmas!
Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com
These days gift wrapping is still an art. There are lots of creative ideas freely available on the Internet, and a huge choice of wrapping products ranging from budget, to luxury through to eco-friendly. Anyone can make a gift look special.
Over the years of many birthdays and Christmases my Mum and I have always tried to think of new and creative ways to wrap our gifts. From this we have developed a few hard and fast rules to make a gift look fantastic.
If you are anything like me, trying to stick two edges of paper together with traditional tape normally ends up with either two fingers stuck together or one finger stuck to the present normally resulting in a bit of a tatty mess! We discovered double sided tape a few years ago and have not looked back. By using this tape it’s possible to stick the two edges of paper together nice and neatly without any tape showing for a really professional finish.
Ribbon is widely used to decorate a gift, but we have found that using wired ribbon works the best for creating stunning bows. The wired ribbon allows you to sculpt the bow exactly as you want it without it going flat. There are many types of bows that can be created using this ribbon, and even roses can be formed by wrapping the ribbon round itself for a different effect.
People are becoming increasingly creative, and many use ribbon to tie additional decoration to their gifts. These can include baubles at Christmas, herbs and spices, flowers and even pasta! You can be as creative as you want.
Eco-friendly wrapping has certainly become more popular over recent years. Eco-friendly used to be associated with drab, colorless wrapping products but there is lots of choice available. Stockists of handmade papers from India can offer a wide range of eco-friendly products which include colored silk papers, papers with flower petals embedded and eco-friendly ribbon for bows. From my experience, the eco-friendly ranges are now just as popular as the traditional wrapping products.
Gift wrapping has always been traditionally associated with women, with men having (maybe an undeserved) a reputation of not really being bothered. However, this is a trend that may be changing. Our website, which sells wrapping products, has received 35% of its orders from men which is a higher figure than we were expecting when we launched the site. It seems men too now are starting to care about the presentation of their gifts!
For more tips, tricks and products on gift wrapping, go to the wrapping ideas page on Funky Wrapping.
Clare Agate
To view a wide range of wrapping products and ideas go to http://www.funkywrapping.com
When many people think of chair covers, they think of plain white cloth tightly draped over chairs to cover up the chairs that the hotel or reception facility has provided. In recent years, however, wedding chair covers have become a standard with dozens of colors and styles to choose from. Initially people planning a wedding don’t know where to begin. However, with all the choices available today there is a way to make your wedding chair covers completely unique and different. There are numerous ways to use accessories with your chair covers to create the design you really want.
Why Use Accessories with Wedding Chair Covers?
Style
The stylish visual that can come from wedding chair cover accessories is important and can be dramatic. Wedding chair covers and other wedding linen rentals, can help give a sophisticated, elegant or traditional feel to any wedding reception.
Color
A great way to use accessories with wedding chair covers is to use them as accent colors. A white chair cover will jump out visually with a bright red chair cover accessory. A bright red chair cover accessory will stand out visually when placed on a white chair. Either way, accessories are a great way to add color to your wedding reception.
Uniqueness
Guests generally appreciate the time and thought that goes into planning a wedding. Using accessories is a great way to add a unique touch to your reception. Accessories for wedding chair covers allow you to designate seating at different tables by using different colors. Perhaps using different color shades or an alternating color table would be something to consider. This gives a unique flair to the room and is a great way to identify where you would like people to sit.
How to Use Accessories with Wedding Chair Covers
Ribbons
Ribbons are a great way to use accessories with wedding chair covers. Ribbons are available in numerous sizes and colors. A single band of ribbon may be used for a modern and clean effect, while multiple bands of ribbons can give a more contemporary appearance.
Cloth
Cloth strips and swatches can be used much like ribbons can. Cloth can give the extra-added effect by matching the fabric of the wedding chair covers themselves. Having a band of draped fabric on the back of a chair in a different color can add a classy look to a draped chair cover.
Bows
Simple, small or large bows, made out of either cloth or ribbons, can have an extremely eye catching effect when placed as an accessory for wedding chair covers. Large bows can signify certain “important” tables, or can simply be placed with every chair.
Flowers
Artificial and or flowers could be used on the backs of wedding chair covers as an exciting touch, adding color to the back of a white or crème colored cover. This not only gives a pop of color, but a 3-D visual as well.
Accessories for wedding chair covers and wedding linen rentals can be a great way to add unique style and design to your wedding reception.
Janet Ireland writes wedding decorating articles for Magical Party Rentals, a premier Internet resource to assist you in accenting your special day with the finest wedding linen rentals.
A diaper cake is one of those exciting masterpieces for a baby shower. Commonly done as a tradition by many baby shower hosts and hostesses. But how exactly is a diaper cake made? If you have no idea what it takes to ‘bake’ one, then you need diaper cake instructions to help you make your baby shower experience a great one. Firstly, you need to make up your mind and that of the mother to be that a diaper cake is the focal point you want to go with. Once you have done that, get searching for the relevant information. The internet has a pool of resources about diaper cakes. You need to establish the items that you require to ‘bake’ a diaper cake.
You need to get 50 medium diapers which are disposable. You might not use all of them but having extras is always handy. Secondly, you need a large cardboard platter in which to build your cake. Let it also be disposable. Get about 70 feet of ribbon to tie your rolled diapers. Their colors should be in harmony with the cake and very attractive. You also need another wider ribbon for finishing the tiers. A tall baby bottle filled with candies is the next thing you need. You require adhesive tape and other baby items like pacifiers, combs, rattles, bibs and others. Make sure you have not missed any item required and therefore it would be necessary to counter check.
The first important step is to roll the diapers with the ribbons. It is the most time consuming activity and you can roll them to desired designs. Cut about 48 feet of the ribbons that are narrow into one foot length. Use them to roll the diapers. The third step needs another pair of hands to help you. It is where you create tiers. Take six rolled diapers and tie a ribbon around them having inserted the baby bottle inside. It will take a circular form with a baby bottle filled with candies popping from the center. Once you have done this, do the same for the second tie the only difference being that it must be larger than the first one. This is done by tying more diapers. Use fifteen to do the second tie.
The third tie will be the largest with twenty seven diaper rolls. Now you can see a cake being formed. Put in mind that the diapers will be tied in rows to give the tiers a smooth finish. The fourth step is to place the tiers in the large platter. Begin with the largest. Use adhesive tape for this. Tuck the baby stuff around the ribbons as it takes a shape of a real cake. Making a diaper is fun to do and it does not involve heat. Use ribbons to secure every baby accessory. A diaper cake can be made for a girl using light colors or for a boy using bolder colors. The cake cannot be served for the guests but it can serve as a great centerpiece. Diaper cake instructions are simple and they make any baby shower a success.
Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Baby Showers. For More Information, Read More Of His Articles Here BABY SHOWER IDEAS If You Enjoyed Reading This Article, Make Sure You SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED! To Receive My Most Recent Posts & Updates.