Lovin' Some Mesh!

I've had the opportunity to visit some craft fairs lately in my area.  I love, Love, LOVE going to Christmas Made in the South every year.  I went one weekend down in Columbus and then the next weekend when they were in Macon.  I live kind of in the middle, so I went to both!  Then this weekend I went to the Mistletoe Marketplace down in Perry.  The hot item seemed to be the booths that were selling wreaths and bows out of deco mesh!  Have y'all heard of this stuff??  It is awesome!  It's a 21 inch wide mesh that is weather proof.  It comes in lots of colors and patterns too.  I am wild about it!  Wild I say!!

If y'all are like me though, you look at these gorgeous things and say, "I can make that!"  Half the time I never do make it, but this time I did!  I marched myself to Hobby Lobby and bought some of that mesh and a wreath frame and some coordinating ribbon and I got busy.  Here is the result!

I used an 18 inch wire frame

I found this ornament for 99 cents at Walmart and hot glued it onto the mesh

I found this wired ribbon at Hobby Lobby.  I made a bow and added it on top of a red mesh bow.

I love this glittery pick.

I found this glittery ribbon and ornaments at Walmart

I am so thrilled with my wreath!  I even bought more of the mesh and I have big plans to transform my garland around the door and down my stairs and on the mantle!  Those things will have to wait until after Thanksgiving though.  I can only handle one holiday at a time!

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Christmas in July

Can y'all believe we are only 5 months away from Christmas?  I was in Hobby Lobby the other day and they already have all of their Fall stuff out and several rows of Christmas stuff.  If you are a crafter, especially if you sell your crafts, its time to get started making your holiday items.

As a preschool teacher I tried to come up with an ornament that will be a true keepsake for my students to give their parents at Christmastime.  Not that we don't make our fair share of popcicle stick reindeer and pipe cleaner candy canes and such, but I wanted to make something that would hold up for years and years.  This is what I decided to make.

I purchased the softball sized ornaments.  They come in clear or in frosted.  I've used both, but the frosted version is shown here.  Most craft stores sell these ornaments and they usually come four to a box.  Here's what you'll need:

Ornament

Red, Green and Lime Green Acrylic Paint (GLOSSY)

Black dementional paint

Ribbon

Round Sponge Spouncers

Baby Wipes

Step one is to paint the palm of the childs hand.  Have them hold their hand out straight and stiff.  Place the ornament in the palm of their hand then tell them to grab it and immediately let go.  I usually do a run through of this process before I paint their hand so they know exactly what to do.  If they move their hand and the print gets smeared, no fear, when it is still wet it will wash right off with water and then you can try again.  When you have the handprint on the ornament set it aside to dry.  You can stick a few dowels in a foam block as a drying rack or go ahead and hang them from an ornament hook to dry.  Wash the childs hands off immediately with baby wipes or at the sink with soap and water.  The paint comes off of skin, but will stain fabrics, so be careful.

When the handprint is dry I go back with my round spouncers and add polka dots.  I've found that doing three different sized and different colored dots works best without it looking to polka dotty.  When the dots are dry go back with your black dementional paint and write the childs name and the year.  When everything is dry I tie a piece of coordinating ribbon to the ornament cap and there you go! Easy Breezy!

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