1. Fill the bottom of the basket with crumpled newspaper. I anchor each wad of newspaper with a dab of hot glue. Mound up the newspaper to make it slightly higher in the center. Cover with light colored plastic bag, or cut a piece of paper bag to fit over the crumpled newspaper. (Paper bag works better, I did not have and paper bags this time.)
2. Start hot gluing pine cones down to the plastic/paper bag. Random patterns work best. Match y- match y is not good. Remember to place some cones sideways, upside down. Also remember to glue the cones to each other and the side of the basket. (Each year I pick up a bag of cinnamon scented pine cones. I just love that cinnamon scent. I've found if I keep leftovers in plastic tubs, the scent stays pretty fresh. I've also collected pine cones and nuts for these baskets and stored them in a plastic tub.)
(some of my plastic craft tubs)
3. You can see from this last picture, that there is almost a complete layer of pine cones down. I now add the lights. This is a 20 count set of white, electric, craft lights (About $2.60 at Michael's Craft). After removing the lights from the box I unwind the cord a bit to make it 'relax'. I need to decide which side of the basket will be the front and which is the back. Of course I choose the prettier side for the front. I start placing the lights. I've got the plug end at the back of the basket. I take the pointing end of a pair of scissors and tuck the cord down into the pine cones, around the pine cones. I try not to use the hot glue on the light cord. The greenery we place next should hide most of the cord, but the better you tuck, the better it hides.
4. Can you see the greenery? (((at the top right of the picture. . .these were 50% off at Michael' Craft, the 'Celebrate It' line, regularly $3.99))They look just like spruce boughs cut from a tree. Some even have pine cones. I also use garland and premade swags. I like using the spruce but I also tuck some greens that look like pine in there. I now take some sturdy wire cutters and start cutting pieces of greenery 1 inch, 1 1/2 inch and 2 inches in length. See the holes? Where the white peeks through? That's where you start gluing in the greens.
This is what the back should look like. The cord I wrapped around the handle to keep it from shirfting while I tuck the lights in. See how much tail is left? That's so it can reach the outlet.
Extra lights and fuses, just in case.
4. During the gluing of greens, you can also start adding your nuts, apples, colored balls, artificial holly, berries etc. (The red string ball and the red rose nuts are actually potpourri.) Just remember to add a dab of glue at the bottom of your nut and when placing it, hold it in place for a few seconds, until the glue sets.
Keep glancing at your basket looking for holes, keeping symmetry on each side, Pull off all those glue trails that make it look like a spider has decorated your work.
5. When the basket looks really GOOD, your ready to place a ribbon and bow at the front. I usually try to choose a ribbon that matches the colors in the basket. I used purple and red beads on this basket so it receives purple ribbon. (Purple ribbon not shown in this picture, I added it after this little floral pick of Christmas ornament balls and sparkly little balls with glitter on the leaves.)
((Maggie, this one is for you!))
See all the purple beads?
((Great Grandma Mae gets a basket too!))
I used reds and pearl colors in this one and gave it a cream and gold bow.
Next craft was a wicker heart. I made a purple ribbon bow with two tails about 7 inches long.
I hot glued the bow and tails to one side of the heart. I had a big purple rose that I removed the stem and glued it to the center of the bow. Next, I filled in with an assortment of green leaves, gluing them here and there around the tails of the purple ribbon.
I pulled a few silk hydrangea flowers from one stem and glued them randomly near the greens and ribbon tails. To finish I had some blue/purple baby's breath stems . . .I cut them into 2 to 2 1/2 inch pieces and filled in the heart with them. Complete!
For the next craft, a swag . . . I turned to the recently stripped branches in my yard. I went out and cut several branhes. I brought them in and used craft wire to wire three sections of branches together . . .twice. Then I used more craft wire to wire the two sections of branch together overlapping about 5-6 inches together.
With a bit of extra wire I made a hanger in the center of the two joined halves. This is where it will hang off a nail nicely placed on the wall.
I next selected the colors for the flowers, a nice bright green to match Maggie's decor. I then made a bow with eight loops and tails about 10 inches long. I wired my bow to the stems right in the middle by the hangar.
The flower stems can be left pretty long. I try to tuck them into the wire under the bow. Remember, what you do to one sideo f the swag, do to the other side as well. This is a pretty simple swag with about 8 larger flowers and a spray of green cherry blossoms I cut into 5 pieces. I used a few extra leaves glued into stratigic places to hide wire. After trimming the end of the bow tails it's done. With those two long branches hanging down, it reminds me of the big spiders we saw this summer!
The next craft was a flower arrangement at the bottom of a tall candlestick I found at the thrift store.
I wire two pieces of greenery together and wired it to the base of the candlestick. I found a flower arrangement for .99 cents that had greens and flowers already on it. I wired that arrangement on the top of the two green stems I placed on there. I fluffed it up and it was DONE!
$ 7 .95 For a pretty, decorated candlestick.
I have one more craft project that I'll complete tomorrow and post pictures!!
~~Happy Crafting Friends!!~~
