A couple of wreaths

I know it's been a while since I last posted, but I promise I've been busy with projects! I have lots to show you in the coming days, so let's get started with a couple of simple crafts I did last week.

This one was a must after I saw The Nester's post about a wreath inspired by Martha that she made. My process was a little different, but I used the very same materials. (Wreath and raffia rope came from Hobby Lobby. The raffia rope is back in crafts. In my store it was near where the doll-making stuff is.)

This rafia rope comes in about half a dozen colors, so you could do something more bright and cheerful if you don't dig the natural color. It really was an easy process, just time consuming.

I wanted to use that fold-and-layer method again for something else, so I pulled out an old music book that I'd found at a thrift store and cut out several pages.


I cut the pages into strips that were roughly 1 - 1.25" wide then cut those so they were 4" long. Fold in half, glue in layers around a cardboard ring and attach a ribbon.


I liked it like this, but that hole in the middle didn't look quite right to me. It seemd unfinished. So I decided to fill it.

The Graphics Fairy came to my rescue (once again) with this lovely image. And look what she's holding- music!

I cropped it into a circle that was the right size, printed and cut it out.

Then I attached it to the back of my "wreath" using double-sided tape and adhered another piece of cardboard over that to protect the paper.

Isn't she pretty? But it still felt unfinished.

So I pulled out some mother-of-pearl buttons in varying sizes and hot-glued them around the edge.



I wanted to put something black around that opening but couldn't come up with anything. But I like the buttons. They seem appropriate for the vintage feel I was aiming at.
Now picture this: A music page wreath just like this, but the folded edge of each piece of paper is tipped with silver glitter. In the center is an image of a vintage Santa Claus, surrounded by red buttons and the whole thing is hung with a red velvet ribbon. Oooh, I can't WAIT! Is it too early for Christmas crafts?

I'm linking up to Wendy's Frugal Friday party over at The Shabby Nest!