I think I can, I think I can.

Like every single other project I've attempted, I can't take any credit for this bright idea. (Get it, bright because it's a light? Ha!)

I've had this project in my "To Try" files for a long time.

The amazingly talented Nichole at Parlour made it for her beautiful dining room at her previous home, and I was in major L-O-V-E from the moment I first laid eyes on it! I mean, how could anyone not instantly love it? Impossible, I say!

I know, you're dying to see the picture, but first a quick project breakdown:

A paper lantern
Coffee Filters
Glue Sticks
Glue Gun

Using the glue sticks and glue gun, attach coffee filters to transform a plain ole paper lantern into one of the most beautiful things on the planet.

That's it. Genius!

















PLUS


















PLUS

















Will turn into this work of art:

via Parlour

(Not that there would be any confusion, that room is much too pretty to belong to me!)


So that's the plan. I'm excited about this one, I think it's something I can actually do!

Regardless of how it turns out, I promise to post pictures when it's complete. That's the whole fun of this blog for me, learning and growing and becoming a better crafter.

And the best part is, I have all those supplies on hand so it's not costing me a single penny to complete and I won't beat myself up if mine doesn't turn out so well!

Yarn Wreath Request

After posting this image on facebook, a friend asked if I would share how I made the wreath.

Being such a novice crafter, I haven't even thought of attempting anything without an amazing tutorial found on other blogs. This wreath was a combination of two tutorials from blogs I love.

Danielle from Take Heart posted my favorite of all the yarn wreath tutorials. It was easy enough that even I could follow it! And it had pictures. Lots of pictures.

It's also where I learned to make the felt flowers on the other wreaths I've posted. I was obsessed with making those flowers for a few months. They are so stinking cute!

I followed that tutorial on every wreath I made for everyone else. Then I saw the amazing Felt Flower Pillow that Mallory made over on Classy Clutter. I couldn't get it out of my head for days!

Even though I loved the other felt flowers, I wanted something a bit different for my own.
About halfway down the page you'll see how she made the centers of the flowers, along with photos showing you exactly what to do. I followed those steps and used my hot glue gun to attach three-four pieces together to form the flowers on my wreath.

And there you have it! It was an easy-peasy project, and one of my favorites to date!


**** Even though the tutorial was incredibly helpful, I still managed to make a mess out of that amazing felt flower pillow. I don't want to scare anyone away just yet with my photos, so maybe I'll post them at a later date.

If you're like me and still love and want the pillow, but can't swing it yourself, head on over to her Etsy Shop HeartFelt Designs by Mallory to snag one of the gorgeous pillows for just $25 beans.

A-Suck-Mmetrical.

That was my poor attempt at word play. Don't judge, at least not yet.

I am a huge fan of asymmetrical gallery walls. My inspiration file must have 50+ images, and until we moved into the new place a month or so ago I had absolutely no place for one. That means that I overlooked so many images I liked, and only saved ones that I loved.

The previous place in Boston was nice, but had an awkward living room layout with windows on two walls, so there was no place for a gallery wall. In this place, there's a ton of wall space in the living room to fill.

It's almost too much space! I have mirrors and artwork from the old place that fit perfectly, but just feel wrong. So I turned to the inspiration files, and realized that this was my chance to finally do it.

So I gathered the frames I did have and tried to figure out the layout.



It took me about fifty tries, and at least 100 pictures to finally figure out this layout.

My brain just does not do asymmetrical.

I'm now crafting on an elementary school level.

I started a few short months ago on a pre-school level. No lie.

It all started with a wreath, some leaves from the dollar store and a totally false and misguided belief that I could copy all of the beautiful fall wreaths floating around blogland.

I was so proud. Oh so proud!

I may have even posted pictures on facebook. Ok, I totally posted pictures on facebook. Yes, plural. Pictures.

With captions. Like "Look at what I did!" "Yay, I made it!" or "How cute is this?"

What was I thinking?! I realized shortly after that it was pretty terrible. My next project wasn't much better.


Yes, I did think that I could "copy" the wrapped burlap wreaths that some of my favorite bloggers were doing. Except, I didn't have burlap. Or the skill required. That's a tablecloth. Luckily I still have a few left so I don't want to cry thinking about how I wasted a tablecloth with such amazing texture on such an ugly wreath.

Check out those "flowers" wouldya? Pretty sweet, right?
Behold my crafting genius! This one warranted a few pictures and a
brief caption synopsis on facebook. You know, just in case any one wanted to make this lovely, lopsided, laughably ludicrous disaster for themselves.

Fast forward to the yarn wreath tutorials that were big a few months ago. I started to take my time (two hours of wrapping yarn will do that to you) and realized that it wasn't about how quickly I could finish a project, but about the quality. Who knew? I mean, beside every.single.other.person.on.the.entire.planet?

I was travelling back and forth between Boston and LI while I was waiting to move down here, and had time to kill on the ferry. I made a ton of these wreaths for friends, family and co-workers.

I was starting to find my stride.

That green monsta is for my amazing and super-crafty and talented sister. She loves bright colors, and requested a green one.

Once she saw that I wasn't terrible any more, of course. (Did I also mention she's smart?)


Then I realized I never made a yarn wreath for myself! Enter my latest, and dare I say greatest, wreath yet to date. Seriously this time, though.

(Kinda funny mine is monochromatic, and my sister's is so colorful!)

So that's the story of how I learned to follow directions, be patient, laugh at myself and that it's fun to share with others. Kinda like a real preschooler.


The day I learn to craft like a middle schooler, watch out, because I might be so excited I'll kiss you.

All of you.

(I'm only saying that because no one is reading this!)