Craft Show Photo and Tree Tutorial

Here are some photos from my craft show and tutorial on some of my Xmas tree mantel décor and a tutorial link.

 

I have been making Christmas trees for several years. My tutorial on the cord wrapped tree below can be found from an earlier post here.

 



This photo from the show features a variety of trees, all my ideas (and work) except for the fabric covered trees. 

 

The fabric trees originated from this post (originally I saw an image of her trees) by The Creativity Exchange. I believe and hope I put my own twist on them.

Making the trees that don't start with a Styrofoam cone base is harder than I thought. Getting the bottom even and round and the top of the cone to come to a point is a challenge. Getting the fabric to make a smooth glued edge was a difficult enterprise as well. I had to hot glue then I went bag and used a hot air gun on an area. When the area was heated I rolled the cone on my cutting mat and shoved my hand or a tool (my arm is only so long when I am working with a 3 foot tall cone) inside and pressed. 

The results are lovely but this craft was a pain in many ways beyond burned fingers.

I love the trees below. Have a look and I will tell you how to create them.

 





1. Create a cone. I used poster board but you could buy Styrofoam, the plastic cones for angels didn't work.
2. Ribbon. I used 4" wide wire edged gold ribbons. Wire edge ribbons were much easier to work with than non wire.
3. Decide what you want to use to decorate (or not) the top of the tree. This will help whether you start at the top or bottom, I did both and found the bottom easier but starting at the top used less ribbon. When you start at the top you must wrap back down the tree - more on this later.
4. For my decorations I used 1)stars I took a paper mache ornament, pulled the cord and inserted a wire or tooth pick inside securing with hot glue. I painted some stars with liquid gold leaf and coated others with embossing powder, 2) I created 2 fabric flowers and glued together at the top of the cone, 3) store bought mini star top decorations on a spring. The store bought were easiest though not my favorite.
5. I recommend for handmade poster board cones taking additional half circles of poster board and insert inside the cone. Secure with glue. This gives added weight and security to the base.
6. If starting at the top cut your ribbon at an angle. Fold ribbon to make a point. Glue the folded cut edge first than add a drop of hot glue at the top. The glue is very hot through the ribbon so wear gloves or use a spatula type tool to hold in place.
7. If starting at the bottom glue the end inside the cone. Then wrap the ribbon around the bottom. Because of the cone shape the ribbon will never lay flat but this is part of the beauty of the tree.
8. I put a thin thread of hot glue around the base the cone and secure ribbon leaving about 1/3 of the width hanging below the bottom edge. Bend the wire ribbon left hanging/dangling into the cone and glue inside.
9. Press the wire against the cone and begin wrapping. The beauty of this project is the wrapping. To accommodate the decreasing size of the cone I pulled the ribbon tightly and periodically folded the ribbon in a twist. Attach with glue periodically to insure ribbon remains fixed to the cone. Trust me if you don't it will slip and fall down.

 

 

See how pretty the twist in the wrap looks? When you start at the top you must twist up to the top twist back down. This uses more ribbon because the top will be thicker so you will need to compensate by using more ribbon.



You are not done, there is one final step. I spent a LOT of time finding the best solution. I just can't seem to cut a good circle even using a traced template. I wanted to use felt which requires either a base or very, very thick pressed felt. 

Finally here is what I came up with as a solution. I took my empty ribbon rolls and tore of one side of the paper. I painted the bottom and the inside edge the used ribbon bobbin. I then glued the inside lip of the ribbon bobbin and inserted into the cone.  If some of the inner edge showed, that was okay because I had painted. If I felt I needed a felt bottom, the slightly imperfectly cut felt didn't matter or you can by pre-glued circles of felt that go on table legs or vases to prevent scratches.  I know 3M makes them, look in the area of picture hangers or furniture markers.

More Craft Show projects to come.  What do you think?

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Craft Show Wreaths

I am in the process of making products for two upcoming craft shows.

Along with my traditional cone trees, wreaths and reindeer I am attempting something new.

Here are pictures of my 'standard' products.

 

I just finished a 24 inch fabric cone tree.   It looks elegant. I need to photograph. This was a surprisingly difficult craft. The point of the cone gave me fits.



Here are some items I have seen online that I am in the process of making. If they turn out nicely I will post pictures and steps.

Finger Painting Art

I am not a good painter. I have no artistic technique or skill with a brush.  This limits me in the type of art/pictures I can create.

I make collages, sometimes they look good and other times I create a mass of ugly.

Using a pattern I am pretty good with fabric painting. I can use chalk and a template and make something pretty good looking. I will cover this in another blog when I work on this type of project.  I have some very cool templates to share.

Now saying I am not a good painter is true. But I am very good with my hands or my fingers if you will.  I can create some beautiful items with my fingers. 

This weekend I had an idea and tried a new project.  Through trial and error I learned what to do, what not to do and I am finally pleased with my technique.

Now I need to get some black gesso and make some more.  Here is what I did, using my fingers and metallic powder, mica powders and a workable fixative.

I used one of my favorite brand of templates.  I didn't get the best photograph of this work. While it isn't perfect, I finally perfected the technique.

 

 Here is my first effort and I learned several things. 

• Using workable fixative improves the results, the large pear created the effect I wanted.
• If you don't use great care the metallic and mica powder will color the page where it is unwanted, lower left.
• I experimented on the grapes trying to find the best way to work with the powder and the template.  On this template making a hard line with the grapes did not look good.  A blurring on lines worked better as you can see with the grapes on the left side of this picture.   I experimented with more than one color and shading and learned, what not to do - don't use different colors. Shade brighter from one angle.
• The grapes are too round on this template and I won't be using them in the future.  The pears and leaves turn out lovely.

Below is a Christmas Cone tree I made from one of my pieces of art. The art actually turned out pretty well but was on construction paper.  I decided to glue the paper to a paper cone I created.

 

 

When I get a black canvas and make another 'piece of finger art' I will share with you. I will also try to take pictures of both the steps and my fingers.

 

 

Part of crafting is practicing and learning what works and what doesn't.  I consider my efforts successful.

 

 



Interesting Resource & Product Source

Today I am sharing an interesting product source for crafters. 

There are many unusual sources for materials and ideas.  I have a friend that can find an item on the ground in a parking lot and make something beautiful and unique. (I can't but that is not the subject of this post). 


Dover Publications. 
 
What you ask?  The company that publishes Thrift Editions of older or out of copyright books? Yes.
 
I stumbled upon Dover years ago - the book lover in me that reads and reviews found book gems on unusual topics. 
 
The Crafter found a marvelous resource and source. 
 

Dover has craft and hobby books not found in stores.

• Basketry
• Glass Crafts
• Pottery and Ceramics
• Dyeing and Weaving
• Jewelry Quilting
• Fabric and Soft Crafts
• Needlework
• Surface Design
• General Crafts
• Origami
• Papercrafts
• Woodworking
• How To Draw
• Iron On Transfers 

TV sales intro coming - But Wait, There is More!  If you use graphics and clip art in your arts and crafts, you must check out Dover that has thousands of royalty free on every subject imaginable. You can order the book or they have a download service like Istockphoto.

My Post on coupons and Halloween projects shared a royalty free vintage picture project. Art work from Dover.

Parents of young ones, not only can you find reading and learning material here but coloring books, puzzles, games and paper dolls.  Do you remember paper dolls - inexpensive childhood fun and crafts.

Crafters - coloring books! Think of the things you can do with beautiful, wonderful coloring books, aside from the therapy of coloring. You can get Dover products from Amazon & BN as well.