Category Archives: Spring Craft

Spring Welcome Mat

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Crafts ’n things Craft of the Day

 

What better way to greet guests than with a smile? This easy-to-paint, smiling flower welcome mat is a great way to add a touch of spring to your outdoor décor.

Materials

  • Green doormat, 18”x24”
  • DecoArt Patio Paints: Cloud White, Sprout Green, Petunia Purple, Wrought Iron Black, Citrus Green, Fuchsia, Pansy Purple

Tools

  • Round scrubber paintbrushes: sizes #0, #4, #6, #14
  • Poster board, 18”x24”

Basic Supplies

scissors

Directions

STEP 1

For stencil, print and cut out patterns. (Note: The blue word “patterns” is a link. To access these patterns, select the link, then download and print patterns.) Fold poster board in half. Trace patterns onto poster board; cut out.

STEP 2

For flower, center stencil on mat, aligning bottom edges. Use #6 to stencil petal edges Petunia Purple. Use circular scrubbing motion to force paint into grooves in mat. Remove template. Use #14 to fill in petals with Petunia Purple. While still wet, use #14 to paint Cloud White along petal edges and Pansy Purple along flower head edges. Use #6 to paint flower head Fuchsia. While still wet, use #6 to paint flower head edges Cloud White.

STEP 3

Use #14 to paint cheeks and nose Pansy Purple and to add Cloud White highlights. Use #0 to paint eyes, smile, and border Wrought Iron Black.

STEP 4

For border, position leaf stencil as desired. Use #4 to stencil edges Citrus Green. Paint leaves Sprout Green and veins Wrought Iron Black. Add Fuchsia and Petunia Purple mini-flowers and dots around border as desired.

by Annie Lang

Floral Welcome Sampler

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Crafts ’n things Craft of the Day

 

Are you a cross-stitcher who also loves to garden? We have the perfect project for you! Make this sampler and get ready for the planting season to come.

Materials

  • White 14-count Aida cloth
  • DMC 6-strand Embroidery Floss
  • Panoramic frame

Tools

  • Embroidery needle

Stitch Type

  • Backstitch: 1 strand
  • Cross-stitch: 2 strands
  • French Knot: 2 strands (wrapped two times)
  • Quarter Stitch: 2 strands

Basic Supplies

scissors, ruler, iron and pressing surface, pressing cloth

Directions

Size / stitch Count

Approximate finished design size: 2-9/16”x10-3/4”; stitch count: 150 w x 35 h

Welcome Sampler

1. Print cross-stitch chart and key. (Note: The blue words “chart” and “key” are links. To access these, select the link, then download and print items.)

2. To find center, fold fabric in half and in half again; mark with contrasting thread.

3. Use two strands of floss to cross-stitch and one strand to backstitch designs as shown on chart. Stitch quarter stitches where blue and gray meet near end of watering can spout. Use two strands for French knot (bird’s eye).

4. Press design from wrong side through pressing cloth as needed. Frame as desired.

Other Options

  • Stitch design on towel.
  • Use waste canvas to stitch design on tote bag or café curtain.
  • Use a single motif on a fingertip towel.

by Alice Okon

Bird Hut

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Crafts ’n things Craft of the Day

 

With a cozy little perch to sit upon and plenty of seeds to nibble on, this hut is a bird’s idea of paradise! Paint clay pots to create an inviting retreat for all your feathered friends.

Materials

  • Clay pots: 3-1⁄2”, 4-1⁄4”
  • Clay pot saucer, 6”
  • Wooden items: ball knob, 3⁄4”; large oval (sign), 2” long; dowel, 1⁄8” diameter
  • Plaid FolkArt Acrylic Paints: Licorice, Kelly Green, Thicket, Calico Red, Real Brown, Tapioca
  • Black cording, 3 yards

Tools

  • Fender washer, 1-1⁄2”
  • Steel nut, any size
  • Drill with 1⁄8” masonry bit
  • Plaid FolkArt Crackle Medium
  • Plaid FolkArt All-purpose Sealer
  • Paintbrushes: shader, flat
  • Black fine-tip permanent marker
  • Beacon Adhesives Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive

Basic Supplies

scissors, pencil, ruler, masking tape, scrap wood, sponge scrap, newspaper (to cover work surface)

Directions

Size

6-1⁄2” tall (not including hanger)

Bird Hut

1. Drill holes in center of saucer, ball knob, and just above rim on 4-1⁄4” pot. (Note: To prevent cracking, apply masking tape inside pot at drill-hole point. Hold scrap wood piece behind hole while drilling. Do not push drill through pot; allow bit to work its way through pot.)

2. On covered work surface, basecoat saucer Kelly Green, clay pots Calico Red, sign Tapioca, and ball knob Real Brown. Sponge paint saucer Thicket. Use shader to paint 1”x1-1⁄4” Black door hole as shown. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to apply Crackle Medium, then Real Brown topcoat to 3-1⁄2” pot.

3. Print and cut out pattern. (Note: The blue word “pattern” is a link. To access this pattern, select the link, then download and print pattern.) Transfer details. Use black fine-tip permanent marker to trace sign lettering and details, and to draw shingles on roof (Figure 1) and wavy border around door hole. Apply sealer.

Figure 1

4. For perch, cut 3” length from dowel; insert end into hole in door hole. Adhere sign to roof.

5. Cut cording in half; fold each length into halves. Holding cording folds together, tie knot 2” from fold. Thread cording ends through hole in knob, then 3-1⁄2” pot, 4-1⁄4” pot, and saucer. Thread cording through fender washer; tie double overhand knot 6” from end. Thread cording through nut, then tie another double overhand knot. Trim cording ends.

6. To fill, place feeder horizontally on work surface, slide knob toward hanger, place seed inside bottom pot, then flip saucer up to keep seed inside. Adjust hanging cords by sliding knob down next to roof top. To release more seed, slide knob up, then lift bottom pot.

by Barbara Matthiessen

Treasure

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For most of us, when we start to see the flowers bloom we know spring has arrived. Here in Southern California, the ice plant is blooming in huge purple swaths everywhere you look. I always know that spring is here when I see the ice plant start to bloom in March. To celebrate the coming of spring, I have a very “flowery” card to share.

1. Make a 4-1/4″x5-1/2″ orange top-fold card.

2. Trim yellow cardstock to 4-1/8″x5-3/8″ and adhere to the card front.

3. Trim floral paper to 4″x5-1/4″ and adhere to the card front.

4. Using a die-cutting template or border punch, cut scalloped borders from orange cardstock and pink dot papers. Trim borders to 4-1/4″ long and ahere to card as shown.

5. Tie pink dot ribbon around the card front as shown, knotting on the left side of the card.

6. Stamp scripture sentiment onto white cardstock with brown dye ink. Trim out with a die template. Use dimensional adhesive to adhere sentiment to a larger die-cut shape cut from orange cardstock. Adhere to the upper left corner of the card with dimensional adhesive.

7. Die cut a large scalloped heart from yellow cardstock. Die cut a plain heart from pink dot paper. Adhere hearts together, decorate with white adhesive pearls, and adhere to the lower right corner of the card as shown.

8. Die cut a small scalloped heart from orange cardstock. Die cut a plain heart from yellow floral paper. Adhere hearts together, decorate with white adhesive pearls and heart, and adhere to the lower right corner of the card as shown using dimensional adhesive.

9. Line the inside of the card with white cardstock.

Supply List:

  • Cardstock: American Crafts Peach, Yellow; Stampin’ Up! Whisper White
  • Designer paper: My Mind’s Eye Miss Caroline Howdy Doody Collection 6″x6″ Paper Pad
  • Ink: Colorbox Archival Mudslide
  • Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 7
  • Die-cutting system: Spellbinders Grand Calibur
  • Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Hearts, Classic Scalloped Hearts, Labels One, Labels One Small; My Favorite Things Wonky Scallops Border
  • Pearls: Want2Scrap, Prima
  • Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon
  • Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L 3D Foam Squares, 3M Scotch Brand ATG Runner

Thanks for looking!

Gloria Stengel, Scraps of Life (www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com)

Spring Tulip Centerpiece

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Crafts ’n things Craft of the Day

 

Blooming tulips are a sure sign of spring! Bring the season indoors with this easy-to-make floral centerpiece.

Materials

  • Dow STYROFOAM Brand Foam: wreath, 12” diameter; disc, 8” diameter
  • Silk Flowers: yellow tulips, four stems; purple grape hyacinth, five stems; lavender lilac, four stems; white lily of the valley, five clusters; pussy willow, nine stems; pink wax flower, one stem
  • Artificial greenery: variegated ivy, four stems; medium leaves, 12
  • Green sheet moss
  • Sponge mushrooms, two
  • Bulb with foliage, 11” tall
  • Small bird’s nest
  • Small bird eggs, 1/2” long, two
  • Yellow mushroom birds, 2-1/2” long, two
  • Yellow plaid ribbon, 1-1/4” wide, 3 yds.
  • Green felt, 9”x12”

Tools

  • Floral wire
  • Floral U-pins
  • Wooden floral picks, 3” long, six
  • Craft glue

Basic Supplies

scissors, pencil, ruler, wire cutters

Directions

Size

18” tall

Centerpiece

(Note: Apply glue to all stems before inserting into arrangement. Use photo as guide throughout.)

1. For base, trace disc onto felt; cut out. Remove plastic veins from leaves. Adhere leaves to disc around sides, overlapping disc at top and bottom edges. Adhere felt circle to bottom of disc over leaves.

2. Cover wreath with moss, wrapping with wire to secure. Attach wreath to base with U-pins and picks; adhere to secure.

3. Insert six pussy willow stems diagonally into disc at front of wreath base. Insert remaining pussy willow stems in same way behind wreath, extending 20” above base.

4. Insert tulips in front and back of wreath. Adhere the following: mushrooms (slightly overlapped) to lower right side of wreath; bulb to bottom mushroom; purple hyacinth stems to bulb; nest to top mushroom; one bird in front of nest; moss and eggs inside nest.

5. Cut a 6” and 24” length from ribbon. Adhere 6” length to top right side of wreath as shown. Make bow from 24” length; adhere to lower back side of wreath. Tie remaining ribbon into multi-loop bow and adhere to lower left front of wreath. Trim ribbon ends in “V” shape. Adhere remaining bird to top of wreath near ribbon.

6. Fill in space around bows with ivy, lily of the valley, and wax flower stems. Insert and adhere lilac stems into lower right side of wreath in front and back. Adhere moss to arrangement as needed to conceal glue.

Tip

  • After covering wreath with moss, spray moss with watered down green acrylic paint to brighten color.

by Edwin R. Smith