Sunday Sustenance

"Of all the things for which I feel grateful, one stands [above all the others]. That is a living testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One...

Jesus is my friend. He is my exemplar. He is my teacher. He is my healer. He is my leader. He is my Savior and my Redeemer. He is my God and my King.

Gratefully, and with love, I bear witness of these things."

- Gordon B. Hinckley

Merry Christmas!

Feeling Crafty… Ornament Wreath!

I know, Christmas is 2 days away.  Kinda late to still be decorating.  But, I’m sharing my experience with making one of those fabulous ornament wreaths because the time to buy your ornaments is coming soon – the after-Christmas sales!

This past February, I hit up Garden Ridge for some random shopping, and stumbled upon a 90% off Christmas sale…who still has Christmas stuff in February?!? Garden Ridge!  So, I snagged several boxes of matte and shiny red ball ornaments in various sizes and spent a whopping $4 for 120 ornaments. 

Then I waited until the week before Christmas (naturally) to finish up my holiday decorating.  The mirror above my mantle was looking awfully bare… and then I remembered the ornament wreath I had yet to make.  So, I got busy!

I probably read a dozen or so different tutorials on how to make one of these wreaths.  For the fullness and size that I wanted to make, I decided that I wanted to use a wreath form vs. a wire hanger.  This version seemed more solid to me, too, vs. a wire which would bend and flex.

(I always hate these disclaimers, but these photos are camera phone, lighting was poor, and I am not a photographer… so they’re about as good as they’re gonna get.  Take my word for it, this wreath is stunning in person!)

I started with an 18” white styrofoam wreath form.  My form was flat on both sides, which I felt might work better for hanging over my mirror.  I was too impatient to spray paint it, plus it was a little crumbly, so I grabbed some red grosgrain ribbon and wrapped it up, securing the ribbon on one side with super-fancy scotch tape. (You’ll want to make sure your wreath form is the same color/color family as your ornaments because bits of it might still be seen when you’re all done.)

I removed all of the metal hangers from the ornaments.  (Personal preference, I wanted this wreath to be red only.)  Then I started with my largest ornament size, and the size I had the most of, and started hot gluing around the inside and outside perimeters, as uniformly as possible.  This layer would form my total wreath base, and create the “platform” for the rest of the ornament balls to come.  This is also the only “level” of uniform gluing that you’ll do… the rest of the ornament placement will be more random.

At this point I realized that I needed more balls of this size.  (So the husband ran off to GR to get me a few more.)  In all, I used 54 balls of this size to complete the wreath.  (I used up more than I had expected just doing the inner and outer perimeters.)  After gluing my base layer, you just kinda keep gluing randomly, saving your smallest ornament size for last (the little ones help fill in the gaps).  I would suggest having lots of little ones, too… those you can keep adding and adding until you’ll feel it’s complete.  I honestly didn’t feel confident that the wreath was going to turn out the way I had envisioned it until I was about 80% done.  So, don’t fret as you’re making your own… it will come together in the end.  This project looks a lot more difficult than it actually is!

I used about 30 mini-sticks of hot glue to fasten 120 ornaments to each other and the wreath form.  But, I’m a hot glue novice and likely used too much.  Just be sure you’re prepared in the glue stick department, because you’ll want glue on every contact point of those balls, if you want it to feel solid.  Don’t look too closely, because it’s pretty much a hot mess of gobs of glue and string webs!  Once it’s up (and if you hang it high like I did) the glue mess magically disappears.

I haven’t measured it, but it’s easily 24” in diameter, and probably 8-10” deep… it’s pretty hefty, yet probably only weighs about 3 pounds, and is as fragile as can be since all the ornaments are glass (I really hope it lasts more than one season!)

I had a nagging feeling before I even got started than I needed to have a solid plan for how I would even hang this thing when I was finished.  Of course, I ignored it.  Brian was not willing to put any more holes in the pristine wainscoting, and the mirror is not coming off the wall until we move… so we had to figure out a creative way to hang it.  Since a nail and some looped ribbon were not an option, Plan B was fishing line.  But, I really didn’t want the fishing line stretched around the ornament balls, because I was afraid they would pop off under pressure.  With a whole lot of patience, we were able to “fish” the fishing line around the wreath form itself through some gaps between the balls.  We strung the 10-lb. line 4 times around the form, effectively giving us 40-lb. of strength in our little hanging loop on the back.

So, learn from my 30-minute headache hassle – plan for how you’re going to hang your wreath before you glue anything down, even fish your string/ribbon/fishing line around your wreath form before you get started.  You’ll give yourself a great big hug later for being so smart.

Next, we needed a hook, and Brian was genius to use one of our extra stocking holders over the frame of the mirror.  I think it blends very nicely, don’t you?

Finally, we stepped back and oohed and aahed over it for at least an hour.  ;)

In all, I think I was able to make this wreath, all supplies included (wreath form, 120 ornaments, ribbon, fishing line, glue sticks) for under $14.  From start-to-finish, the process of making it, including trying to hang it, took me 1.5-2 hours.  Not too shabby at all, IMO, for something that makes such a big impact in our family room.

I am head over heels in love with this wreath!  It looks as if it was always meant to go there… it’s just too bad I can’t get away with leaving it up year-round… or could I?!?

Reader Feature :: Wedding Elements

Another blog reader contacted me with gorgeous pictures from her wedding where she had used some of the Pattern Pieces for different design elements in her wedding décor.  I love the unique and fresh wedding colors! 

Check out these beautiful photos:

This is just a peek of her special day, but I’m convinced with details like these it had to be stunning!  Thank you, Katrina Russell, for sharing your photos with me… they had me grinning from ear to ear.  :D  Congratulations on your wedding – I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use.  If I haven’t seen your project(s) yet, or shared them on the Sprik Space Facebook page, please be sure to send me links or pictures!  I can’t wait to see what you’ve done.  :)

 

Reader Feature :: Holiday Banners

One of my blog readers contacted me recently with some photos of the fun holiday banners she’s made for her home using the Pattern Pieces.  She doesn’t blog, so I thought I’d share them here, rather than on the Facebook page.  Plus, you’ve got to see these pictures blown up (click on the image to see it larger).  :)

Halloween:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Kristen Jones, for sending these to me!  You made my day, and I’m so happy to share these adorable banners with the rest of my readers.  This is such a fun application of the Pattern Pieces!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use.  If I haven’t seen your project(s) yet, or shared them on the Sprik Space Facebook page, please be sure to send me links or pictures!  I can’t wait to see what you’ve done.  :)

Sunday Sustenance

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents.  But there is a difference between presents and gifts.  The true gifts may be part of ourselves - giving of the riches of the heart and mind - and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store."

- James E. Faust

December Birthday Wishes

This is a little late… oops!  Better late than never, right??

“Uncle” Steve turned another year wiser on December 1st!

We sure had a FUN time with Uncle Scott celebrating his birthday on the 12th this past week in Arizona!

And, our big boy, Connor, turns 3 TODAY!!! 

My, oh my, how time does fly!

 

2012 Year at a Glance

I have referred to my 2011 Year at a Glance Calendar nearly every time I’ve sat down at my desk… and, since 2012 is only a little over 2 weeks away (yikes!), I decided I’d better get cracking on a new one!

This year, I kept it light and bright, for ease in reading (and self-printing)… and, I’m offering you 2 different 5x7 designs, both in 12 different colors.

I printed mine on our ink-jet printer and placed it inside a little clippy frame for the top of my desk, just like I did last year.

A Year at a Glance Calendar would make a perfect, inexpensive gift for a family member or friend… just print it out, frame it up, and you’re set!

First there’s 2012 Year at a Glance Calendar style A…

And, there’s 2012 Year at a Glance Calendar style B…

To download the image(s) for printing, simply click either calendar collage above, and a new window will open to the download location in 4shared.  Save the file(s) to your computer, and it’s yours!  I’ve also included a compressed file in each download location, in case you want to download all the colors at once.  Then, just print the file out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice.

PLEASE NOTE:

• All Sprik Space freebie designs are available for your PERSONAL use only.  If you are interested in purchasing a non-exclusive COMMERCIAL USE LICENSE, you can find more details here.
• I'm also now offering custom colors on my designs.  Please find more details here.

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

If you would like to blog about this free printable package, please accompany any images from my site with a credit and link back to this post. As a courtesy, please do not link directly to a downloadable file but rather to this page. Thank you!

Enjoy!

P.S.  I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

Pin It

12 Days of Christmas :: BEGINS TODAY!

I can’t wait to hear how your family enjoys this fun holiday tradition!

 

Sunday Sustenance

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life.  Be happy now.  Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.  Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family."

- Earl Nightingale

 

To you and yours…

These are our Christmas cards for 2011.  I am in love with how they turned out – I think I love the back as much as I love the front.  :)

I used Vistaprint again this year.  I had a discount coupon and free slow shipping – and my order in hand just 5 days after I placed it.  (Kinda helps that I had it done in early November, but still.)

Oh, Connor… I love the stage he’s at right now… just want to bottle him up!  He’s growing up WAY too fast!  See what I mean?  Here are our Christmas cards from 2010 and 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season so far...

12 Days of Christmas :: Begins in 1 week!

Just 7 more days  until your family can begin your new 12 Days of Christmas tradition! 

• Have you decided which family to choose?
• Have you strategized your getaway routes?
• Have you printed the Hello/Goodbye Messages and the daily notes?
• Have you picked up the items on the Shopping List?

Wondering what the heck I’m talking about??  :)  Go HERE.