Apr 11, 2010

My Spring Wreath


                                 


I wanted to make a spring wreath that could stay up past Easter and that wouldn't look out of place if I got lazy and didn't put up another wreath until after summer. Welcome this Springy little number. While this looks all sunshiny and happiness hanging on my door, this crafting adventure was missing most of its similar sunshine and happiness.


The Wreath Making Saga: There are tons of really cute wreath ideas using beans of all shapes and sizes, acorns, and so on. I have been scouring the stores for months waiting for something to jump out at me that might be another alternative. One day I was child free at the craft store, what??? Child free! Yes it was glorious, and I came across these foam beads normally used as fillers for vases. They were tons cheaper than wooden or plastic beads. PERFECT (not really...keep reading).

I also decided to buy this straw wreath because it was TONS cheaper than the foam one (again, not smart).



I began my hot-gluing marathon. Man those beads were teeny tiny. First bit of doubt about their perfection. Man this straw wreath drops straw everywhere. First bit of doubt about the wreath choice.

Hours and hours and hours later, I still was only here...



Going SUPER crazy by this time. Plus I had lost several layers of skin...teeny tiny beads are hard to glue. Second bit of doubt about their perfection. I might also keep having to pick errant pieces of straw out of my hot glue. Second bit of doubt about the wreath choice.

What I never doubted-- 
I would get it done, even if I no longer had fingerprints! 
I was in LOVE with my fabric choice from JoAnns
I was equally in LOVE with my coordinating spray paint color, Blue Ocean Breeze



So I kept at it. In my head I saw the final product and it was lovely. That mental image kept me going as I was actually going mental. When I glued that last bead on, I collapsed on the floor. YEAH! I was done. Now the easy part. All I had to do was spray paint it.

Can you sense the foreboding?

This very next part is why instead of a tutorial there is a cry session and a crafters beware...

The spray paint ate away and pitted the teeny tiny foam beads. I am no longer doubting these things are not perfect, now I know. I will forgo telling you the boo-hoo fit I had upon seeing this. All that hard work down the drain, right? 

WRONG. I am still using the sucker. It still looks decent close up and it looks GREAT far away. The color combo still makes me happy. As we drove away from our house the other day, both of my older boys declared how beautiful it was.


ugg...see the pitting???

My ADVICE--

If you don't have a wreath, make one that will last more than just one holiday, so that if it does take a lot of work you can rest for several months!

Don't use straw unless it is Fall OR unless you are willing to vacuum/sweep 3 times a day.

Teeny tiny foam beads are not good for painting, or gluing for that matter, so when they beckon you to come pick them up and take them home, just keep walking.

Even if it isn't perfect, still hang it up. Chances are you really are the only one who notices. Don't let that hard work go to waste. This applies to every craft you do!

At the very least...

go and buy this spray paint and craft something springy

just beware of teeny tiny foam bits...haha

7 comments:

Heidi Dyk said...

It really is lovely, Larissa. When I first saw the picture, I thought, "Ah, I would love to try making that for myself!" After reading, I still may try to do something like it with other more user-friendly products to get a similar effect. I truly love it!

Stockhoff Family said...

You are amazing as always. I also loved the movie blog. Oh so many memoreis

Nyree said...

oh, you are too funny! I give you three cheers for the persistance! I would have just tossed it in the garbage can after all that trouble! But I do love the color, especially against the black door!

mamagale said...

oh! We learned this same lesson when a last minute solar system science project dissolved into misshapen globs--good of you to warn others!
Still--the wreath looks great the color is beautiful!

tara said...

seriously...its awesome. yu need to know that. i know you'll always see the flaws, but it really is beautiful and i think you're lots cooler than martha stewart even though she's flawless.
ps you're pretty and i love the fabric...seriously-make me something for sofi...i mean, you're pretty

Anonymous said...

Love it, and I really love that colour!! Your persistence was definitely worthwhile!

jessbwr8 said...

I have a confession, I LOVED this, I think flaws are what makes a craft project awesome. I was so inspired I made a very similar one, same spray paint color even! I used a dollar store 18" wreath form, covered in duct tape, hot glue, a bag n half of beans, then primed and painted....
the link to my facebook pics....
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5749351&l=f0af7fb021&id=572468689

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