DIY Wednesday {Flower Twinkle Lights}

Welcome to... DIY Wednesday!

featuring... {Flower Twinkle Lights}

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These are easy! The hardest part will be folding & cutting (and that's pretty fun).

Unless your wedding is a brief daytime celebration, you should really think about lighting!

Lighting can add to the romantic ambience by creating a classy sparkle.

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PROJECT DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

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{Supplies}

1. LED Twinkle Lights - Any Desired Color(s)
2. Vellum Paper (8.5'' x 11'') - Any Desired Color(s)
3. Pencil or Marker (Sharpie)
4. Scissors
5. Ruler
6. Hot Glue Gun
7. Hot Glue Sticks (Plenty)
 

tutorial

DIY {Flower Twinkle Lights} 

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Project Difficulty Level is based on necessary supplies, cost, effort, learning curve & time frame

Get Inspired!

My friends, if you find yourself a little tired of the wedding planning process...

Turn on some music!

When I came up for the theme of my wedding...

~ vintage Paris circa 1920-1930's (Coco Chanel) ~

~ black & white + purple ~

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...I was browsing through wedding music when "La Vie en Rose" presented itself as the perfect theme song to set the mood for my wedding.

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Louis Armstrong's version of  "La Vie en Rose"  is so captivating to me. It carved out the musical ambience I want for my wedding as a whole.

With this song and musical genre in mind (and also Paris, of course), I began to create a playlist for my wedding. These songs are intended to be played at the prelude as guests are being seated, during the cocktail hour, during dinner, and so forth.

~ My Tenative Parisian Wedding Playlist ~ thus far

1. " Claire De Lune " ~ The Philadelphia Orchestra
2. " I'll be Seeing You " ~ Rosemary Clooney
3. " So This Is Love " ~ Ilene Woods & Mike Douglas
4. " La vie en rose " ~ Louis Armstrong
5. " I Will Wait for You " ~ Linda Eder { from "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg"}
6. " L'indifférence (French Waltz) " ~ Accordéon Mélancolique
7. " When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)" ~ Louis Armstrong
8. " Love Theme " ~ The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus {from "Romeo and Juliet"}
9. " Je T'Aimais, Je T'Aime Et Je T'Aimerai " ~ Generation Love

DIY Wednesday {Tissue Paper Carnations}

Welcome to... DIY Wednesday!

featuring... {Tissue Paper Carnations}

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This week I am totally obsessed with these!
I've been researching how to make the best ones possible. I've fused
together various tutorials into my own take on these pretty blossoms.
Please, enjoy!
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PROJECT DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

The only real challenge about these flowers is that they can be a little time consuming, depending on the quantity of blossoms you want. Other than that, they are really rewarding despite minimal effort! Plus, they almost look real, which is pretty amazing considering that they are made of tissue paper...

{Supplies}

1. Tissue Paper - Any Desired Color(s)
2. Markers - Any Desired Color(s)
3. Pencil
4. Round Cup
5. Hot Glue Sticks (Plenty)
6. Hot Glue Gun
7. Scissors
8. Floral Tape
9. Pipe Cleaners
10. Vase (For Display Purposes)

DIY {Tissue Paper Carnations}:

~ {Step 1} ~

Lay out a sheet of tissue paper, folding carefully to create your desired amount of layers. The more layers of tissue you have in a pile, the more petals your carnation will have. For fuller, more open carnations, more petals are best. I personally prefer this look.

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~ {Step 2} ~

Using the base of your cup as a stencil, neatly trace a circle onto your tissue paper. Since you will probably make more than one, it may be easier to trace several circles at once. 

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 ~ {Step 3} ~

Gather your circles for cutting.

You may want to cut them out in squares so that they are easier to work with. 

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   ~ {Step 4} ~ 

Cut out your circles. 

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~ {Step 5} ~

Puncture a stack of tissue with a pencil or needle.

Be very careful with this step and be mindful not to injure yourself! 

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 ~ {Step 6} ~ 

Slide a pipe cleaner through the hole you created.  

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~ {Step 7} ~ 

Bend your pipe cleaner into a hook and poke a new hole for it to thread through. 

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~ {Step 8} ~ 

Thread the pipe cleaner back out of the new hole.  

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~ {Step 9} ~

Wind the tail of your pipe cleaner securely to the base of the blossom.
At this point, it is easy (and optional) to add an additional pipe cleaner if you would like a sturdier stem. 

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 ~ {Step 10} ~

Secure the center of your blossom with lots of hot glue.

  

~ {Step 11} ~

Gather the inner-most layer of tissue into the center of your circle, mimicking carnation petals. You will get better at this with practice! 

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   ~ {Step 12} ~

Dab each circle layer with glue before gathering around the center (one layer of tissue at a time). Your blossom will begin to take shape!  

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  ~ {Step 13} ~

Continue to glue and gather the circles, one layer at a time, until your carnation blossom is completed. Each flower will be a little different, and that is part of the fun! 

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   ~ {Step 14} ~

Finish the final, outer petal layer of your first blossom, securing with hot glue. 

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~ {Step 15} ~

Begin wrapping the base of your blossom with floral tape; it is self adhesive and will dry as a non-sticky substance after airing out (sometimes this takes days). 

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~ {Step 16} ~

Finish wrapping your stem with the tape. You may want to double-back and finish again at the base of the blossom for extra security. 

~ {Step 17} ~

Once you have successfully completed one blossom, move on to others. 

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~ {Step 18} ~

Try coloring the edges of a new circle of tissue paper with a marker of your desired color. This will help to imitate the marbled edges some carnations have.

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~ {Step 19} ~

Create your new flower, repeating steps 1-16 with this new blossom.  

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 ~ {Step 20} ~

Continue creating flowers until you are satisfied with the amount. The more the merrier! And prettier...

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Here's a tip!

This is a fun project to do after a birthday party, when you have lots of extra tissue lying around. Make trash into treasure!
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I've also found that cocktail napkins make for pretty blossoms. Although they do not crinkle and fold as delightfully as tissue paper does, they are a good back-up plan. Also, the patterns available on napkins may give you more options.
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So get to it! They are a little addicting!

Great for weddings, decorating your home...
...Or put your flowers in a vase and give them away as a gift!
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Project Difficulty Level is based on
 necessary supplies, cost, effort, learning curve & time frame

DIY Wednesday {Paper Heart Garland}

It's my first... DIY Wednesday!

featuring... a {Paper Heart Garland}
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PROJECT DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

The best thing about this project? It's super easy!

Set aside 20-30 minutes in your day and plan on finishing a cute little garland to help decorate your wedding (or your home).

{Supplies}

1. Scrapbook Paper (Several Sheets)
2. Yarn
3. Hole Puncher
4. Fishing Line
5. Scissors
6. Scotch Tape

DIY {Paper Heart Garland}:

 

{Step 1}

Cut a strand of yarn to your desired length. Mine is approximately 6 1/2 feet long.

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{Step 2}

Hang your garland, securing it to the wall with scotch tape (the smoother the wall the better). This allows you to see how your hearts will hang. It can easily be removed and re-hung in your ultimate location later.

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{Step 3}

Cut out hearts. Standard scrapbook paper sheets work best. These hearts can be as perfect or imperfect as you want. I wanted mine to be imperfect and unique. For more exact hearts, use one perfect heart as a pattern and trace the others with a pencil before cutting.

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{Step 4}

Gather your lovely hearts. For my 6 1/2 foot garland I found that 20 hearts was a good amount. You can always make more or use less depending on how you want them spaced on your garland.

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{Step 5}

Use your hole puncher to punch holes in your hearts. Keep each hole close to the edge of the paper, but not too close. You don't want the holes to tear!

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{Step 6}

Cut a strand of fishing line (3-4 inches) and tie it to a heart hole, using secure double knots. Leave enough length for tying the other end to the yarn.
Do this for each heart.

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{Step 7}

Tie the loose end of your strand to the yarn, leaving enough room for the heart to dangle. You can cut excessive tails away with your scissors.

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{Step 8}

Continue attaching the hearts to your yarn, spacing them as desired.
Do this until your garland feels complete

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.{That's It!}

Get to it. Before you know it, you will have a delightful little garland for a special occasion (or for decorating your home).
It's a cheap & easy project with satisfying results!

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Seriously, it's easy! It took me longer to write this blog post than to make this thing!

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Project Difficulty Level is based on
 necessary supplies, cost, effort, learning curve & time frame