Etsy Shop!

So, at long last I am finally opening my Etsy shop! The first things going up for sale are some awesome landscape photographs I took in Scotland, next up will be some bridal/ event/ everyday hairpieces, and from there, we'll see!

Here is a preview of the pics going up for sale!











Here is a link to the Etsy shop for anyone interested (Listings going up tomorrow):

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetcraftynothings?ref=pr_shop

Adventures in floral arrangements

While shopping at a local craft store, I came across some really awesome pew clips, with foam for artificial flowers attached. I thought this would be a great addition to my wedding, so I bought three, just to try it out. They worked great- really easy...however I apparently bought the last ones the store was ever going to have, and when I found them online they ran about $5.00 each. Which may not sound like much, but if you are planning a wedding, you have to think about the big picture. So, for 40 pews, at $5.00 each, that is $200.00 PLUS SHIPPING just for the clips, then money for flowers. When you are on a budget, every penny counts, and I could not see spending that kind of money for clips.I spent about $100 total on this project, although costs will vary depending on how many you make, and what flowers you buy. I found another kind of pew clip, called a "bow clip". These run about $0.99 each at JoAnn's . I figured I could affix floral foam to it, and make it myself for less than half the cost. Here is how.

First off, you will need:

Some Pew Clips:

A hot glue gun:

A knife (I used a bread knife):

Silk Flowers:

A note on flowers; I bought pre-made bouquets, because I found I could get more flowers for the money, and a better variety.

Floral foam (desert foam) :

Wire snips:

First, cut the floral blocks into your desired size. I cut the blocks into three to start:

Then, cut off the corners, for a rounder shape:

Now take the pew clip and press the nub at the bottom into the floral foam, to make a hole.

Remove the clip, and fill the hole with hot glue, and put a strip of glue up and down the foam. Press the clip back into place. Glue down the edges:

Allow glue to dry, and you officially have a floral pew clip. Now, you are ready for flowers.

Flowers are the hard part, really. You will need to cut the flowers apart, about 1-2 inches in lenth for the wire. If your flowers have a loose head, seal them down with a dot of hot glue. Be careful with the glue and your flowers- it is so hot it will melt the plastic and ruin them if too much is applied.

I start with one large central flower:

Push down firmly into the foam, at a slight angle.

Begin filling in, remember to keep "taller" flowers and bunches toward the back of the arrangement, and don't be afraid to mix and match flowers, stems and leafs. The best part about fake flowers is they can be taken apart and put back together any way you want. Leafs are awesome filler, don't neglect them.

Finished product!