There's a pumpkin in my dryer!

Well, Aunt Peg has found a sister in hiding!
Allison from House of Hepworth is awesome!
Just read her bio page and you will know why we want to be a member of her family!
We stole this adorable pumpkin tutorial from her...

There’s a pumpkin in my dryer… oh, wait!
Now that Fall has officially arrived I remembered a cute craft my mom made years ago.
A dryer duct pumpkin!
I use to have one, but I can’t find it, so I just made another one. Now I get to show you a tutorial on how to do it. Yippie!

These pumpkins are so fun and easy to make. And who would have thought to use a dryer duct?
For this project you’ll need:
* an aluminum dryer duct 3″ diameter about 21″ long
* 3 cinnamon sticks
* raffia
* hot glue gun or small stapler
* orange spray paint
First thing, aluminum duct.

I purchased mine at a hardware store. This package was about $13, but just look at it!, it will probably make tons of pumpkins! Maybe you and your friends can go in together and split the cost.

I wrapped the duct around into a circle to figure out how much I need. Make sure you cut a little extra. Better safe than sorry!
Since the duct spirals around, you’ll have to clip the wire in the duct.

I tried to use scissors but they weren’t strong enough. I had to use pliers with a cutter on it to snip that one section.

After the section was cut I measured it and it was about 21″ long.

Either end of the duct will look pretty sloppy.

So you’ll want to tuck the extra aluminum inside to make it smooth looking.

Take either end of the tubing and bring them together and hot glue the edges together. Or if you have a small stapler you can probably just staple it together.

Now it’s time to spray paint! I already had bright orange spray paint in my stash from my botched cooler project. I’m glad I finally found a use for this bright orange. I was afraid I had wasted four bucks.

Once the paint was dry I just hot glued 3 cinnamon sticks in the middle and tied a raffia bow around it.

I used 3 cinnamon sticks as opposed to one because the three together made a thicker stump which in my opinion looked better.
I also used about 5 strands of raffia to make a more full bow.

On a side note, I bought the cinnamon sticks at Hobby Lobby. I originally found a package on the Fall isle for $3.99 but after browsing all the isles I found a package on the Christmas isle for only $1.99.

Sneaky, Hobby Lobby. Very sneaky!
Maybe it will help my totally pathetic attempt at a computer desk seem more festive!

Well, at least the mini dresser and pumpkin are cute!

~ Happy Fall Crafting!! ~

House of Hepworths in Texas!

Ceiling Fan Make-over This is just plain cool!

Jan at Bobbiepin's Boardwalk is just awesome.  Brilliance is her middle name!

Look at this tutorial-everybody has a nasty old ceiling fan they are wishing to get rid of...

JOIN WITH ME IN SAVING THE CEILING FAN

Must we sacrifice comfort for beauty?

Is the more functional piece truly considered to be "undesirable"?

Must we sweat for the sake of design style?

Is the ceiling fan truly such an eyesore?

YES, YES, YES -- I admit it, but I refuse to give up my ceiling fans, especially this one with all the little stars stuck on the popcorn ceiling with the little soccer ball fan pull.  There must be something else -- another way!!!

Ahhhh -- Much Better.  Maybe I could tone down the pulls a bit, but I always have LOVED big and dangling hoop earrings! 

I have 9 ceiling fans in my home and patio and we use them. I admit, however, that some of them just aren't too terribly attractive, so it's time to start doing some updating without spending money on new fans or light fixtures.  Here is the process I used for the fan in the guest room.

1.  I spray-painted the edges and one flat side of the fan blades white (in the event the paper wasn't thick enough to hide the brown fan blades).  I also spray-painted the shiny brass ring that attaches to the light globe (This had previously fallen off.)  While these dried, I primed and painted the fan base which was still attached to the ceiling.  I used a sponge brush and Kilz primer, followed by a white trim paint.

2.  Here are the supplies you will need to cover your blades (and the popcorn is not an option).  The wrapping paper was purchased at Target.

3.   I  applied just a small amount of Gorilla Glue to reattach the ring around the globe.

4.  Lay your fan blade on the paper, being mindful of the pattern and where it will appear on the blade.  Mark with a pen and cut with scissors.  Repeat for each fan blade.

5.  Apply a generous amount of Mod Podge to the fan blade.

6.  Attach your paper, and then apply more Mod Podge.

7.  Rub your finger over the paper to remove all air bubbles and flatten any wrinkles that have appeared.  Repeat this for each fan blade.

8.  Allow the Mod Podge to dry and then reattach the fan blades and light globe to the fixture.

9.  Attach something unique for the fan pulls.  I consider this to be the jewelry of the fan.  Some ideas would be beautiful tassels, buttons, corks, shells, beads, chandelier crystals, etc.  I used porcelain ornaments, which I mod-podged in the same paper.  The pictures makes them appear large, but they really don't look that big; and I think they add to the uniqueness of the fan.  

Another type of paper to cover your blades would be a faux grass-cloth, using either wrapping paper or wall-paper.  You could also do some stenciling or hand-painting, perhaps monogram each blade.  

Join me as we take a stand to save our ceiling fans.  Do you have any other ideas that could be used to update ceiling fans?

Ribbon Flower Corsage

I want to thank Tami over at  

YOU HAD ME AT CRAFTS BLOG 

(don't you just love the name of her blog?).

A simple tutorial that creates a really elegant flower, and great on your budget to boot!

And if the tutorial isn't perfect enough, Tami has divine recipes on her blog too! Check her out!

Flower Corsage

This is a super easy flower corsage that I made with ribbon that you can attach to just about anything.  You could sew it on to something or use a pin clasp (or in my case just a safety pin since I ran out of pin clasps.)  All you need is some ribbon and some hot glue!  

Excuse my rotary mat...my son decided that it needed his artistic touch a few years ago.

First cut 12 strips at 2 1/2 inches long and dab small bits of hot glue at the end of your ribbon and fold each corner over a bit.  Put a dab of glue in the center at the top and fold the top over.  Do the same for all 12 petals.

Once you have them all done cut out a small felt circle and start placing them on there with small dabs of hot glue.  I folded the ribbon back on each side too create a pleat or so (see below.)   Glue 6 of the petals on.  Now for the next layer of petals just start gluing them on in the same manner as the first layer but overlaying in between the first layer.   

For the center of the flower just take a strip of ribbon and folded it half.  Run a loose running stitch on the edge of the folded ribbon and gathered it up.  Next start rolling it up to form a bud or small flower in the center and use a needle and thread to stitch the bottom of it to secure it.  Its hard to see in the picture because of the black ribbon.  After you have made your center just apply it to the center of the petals with some hot glue and your flower corsage is ready!

 Here is the finished flower...I attached it to my purse that I made

You could also pin it to a sweater...

You could also attach it to a necklace!  I just ran the small safety pin through the chains and connected them.

ENJOY!
I just keep thinking about the endless possibilities! The colors, the uses, the sizes, the glamor, the envy of my friends...

Fall Topiary's Tutorial

I was on a creative kick one day, and since I've been "holding on" to this idea for some time, I decided that today was the day to 'get 'er done'!
I love the colors of fall, and the beauty of the earth as it prepares to slumber until spring, so I wanted to bring a bit of that indoors...
(My tutorial is linked to It's A Blog Party Fall Get Together hop on over there for fabulous fall idea's, recipes, inspirations and more!)

*My Fall Topiary's*

 

It's a very simple project, so first gather your supplies together. You will need:

• 1- 36" wood dowel
• 2- Styrofoam balls, about 6" in diameter
• 2- terracotta pots
• Crafting foam to place inside pots
• Assorted leaves
• A glue Gun
• Some moss
• Spray paint if desired (I used oil rub bronze that I purchased at my local Lowe's store)

The first thing I did was to spray paint my terracotta pots and the wood dowel.  I then cut the dowel to measure a 12"  piece and a 16" piece.
I had a square piece of crafters foam that I purchased at the dollar store, so I simply took a kitchen knife and cut it to fit inside the 2 pots very snugly.  I then placed the Styrofoam balls on 1 end of a dowel, and then pushed the other end into the foam.  I secured that with a little hot glue.

From there it is just a matter of cutting placing your leaves on the Styrofoam balls, by either gluing them in place or by pushing the wire stems into the foam.  I did a bit of both.

Keep working until you are satisfied with the coverage of the Styrofoam, then go to work on the base.  I simply placed some glue on the Styrofoam and pressed moss onto it (be very careful doing this so that you don't burn you fingers-my lesson learned- I cut a piece from a paper plate and used it to press the moss down).

Then I added a few more leaves and tiny cat tails to the base, and I was finished!!

EASY PEASY!

It took me about an hour to assemble these (not counting spray painting/drying time), and because I had some extra leaves left over from past projects, these cost me approximately $16.00 for the set.
YAY!

 Here are a few pictures of my competed topiary's, and where I've placed them in my home.  The picture hanging above them was taken by my little brother!