Monday, May 7, 2012

A Different Page Wreath- Tutorial

Hi, Froggers! I've been SO busy keeping up with my Howsewears business at Building Character, but I thought I'd stop and share a few things.
I've been making quite a few page wreaths lately, but this one is my all-time fave! I haven't seen one like this, and I thought I'd share how I did it.


This is my double page wreath. It is very simple to make, but it takes a LONG time, and requires a little patience. Believe me, since that is the case, if I can do it, anyone can.

Firstly, I started with a half of a sheet of hymnal paper. I just folded it in half and ripped. I didn't want this to be "refined".



Then I rolled it up, pretty tightly. This is one stage that will make a difference as to how how "tight" your wreath looks. I wanted it to be dense, so I kept my tubes pretty well rolled.



Locate the inside edge.



Grab the edge with pliers or a hemostat (which I happen to have from my RN days).


Gently pull the roll from the center with your clamp on your right hand, while unrolling the top of the tube with your left hand. This part takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, you can whip them off in no time.




Put a small bead of glue on the outside corner. Press and hold until the glue sets.



Make sure you're using a quick setting glue. I like to use Glossy Accents. It's my favorite go-to glue for most of my gluing needs.


I would suggest NOT using a glue gun. Because you have to hold the cone until it is stable, you WILL burn yourself. I hate it when that happens!
Put a small bead of glue along the side of the cone.



Press the side of the first cone to the side of a second one that you rolled up while watching TV.



Keep doing this until you make a full circle. I prefer to glue 5 or 6 to each other, then glue that set to another set. Then it doesn't get too cumbersome.
Once it starts getting larger, you're going to need to work on a flat surface, aka, get up off of your duff, move to the kitchen table or your craft room (if you're fortunate enough to have one), and glue it all together there. I then glued a piece of cardboard to the back to stabilize it. The piece on the back also serves to hold the hanger (which is just a piece of looped ribbon or cording glued to the top of the cardboard, centered, of course).

I'm sorry I don't have pics of the next stages. Basically, you're going to have a big, somewhat circular hole in the center. It doesn't matter if the points don't come perfectly together, because you're going to cover it up with something like this:



Yep, Peeps. This is so fancy and expensive, I just can't stand it. It's two layers of cereal boxes, glued together. It's smudged in black because I painted black paint on the outside edges.

Just to prove it to you, here's the back of it. My neighbors save all of their boxes for me. I just cut them apart and then use my Black Cat Cougar to cut it out. If you don't have a personal cutting machine, that's fine. You can just use Google images to find a shape that you like, trace it, cut two pieces out with scissors, and glue them together.


I painted the front side black, glued a mirror to it (I made the cereal box shape larger than the mirror so some of the scallop would show), and then glued that to the center of the wreath.

This scalloped cereal box backing is just a little different. 



In order to make a double wreath, just layer a smaller one on top of a larger one. I made the smaller one the same way as the larger, only I tore my hymnal pages into quarters instead of halves.



I'm really tickled with this, which is why I decided to keep it instead of selling it. I'm allowed to keep something, aren't I???



I crackled the finish with some Ranger Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint. Love this stuff!






 

Let me know if you enjoyed this tute by leaving a comment, please! I love hearing from y'all!
Fondly, Tami
I'm linking to:
My 1929 Charmer Blog
Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Between Naps on the Porch
Craftomaniac
Under the Table and Dreaming
Homemaker on a Dime
Skip to my Lou
The Brambleberry Cottage 
Savvy Southern Style 
Tatertots and Jello
Be Different, Act Normal
I Heart Naptime
Funky Junk Interiors 
Nifty Thrifty Things 
Sisters of the Wild West 
Craft Envy 
Petite Hermine 
Hope Studios 
733 Blog 
Kampenlane
No Minimalist Here 
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Primitive and Proper
The Southern Institute 
Today's Creative Blog 
The Dedicated House 
PJH Designs
Stringtown Home
Jennifer Rizzo
Mad Skills Party
Flamingo Toes

44 comments:

  1. absolutely gorgeous.... those paper rolls are so perfectly rolled and glued. What a job!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Reminds me of wreaths I did 30 years ago with large thread cones. Love your paper one! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great tut, Tami! I think I will be trying this soon. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh WOW girl...That turned out AMAZING!!!!! I LOVE that!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks like you got the idea here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnfjBxNIfcY&list=UUHWQwcAlWg51pyS_f2maSWA&index=1&feature=plcp

    ReplyDelete
  6. Actually, "Anonymous", I've never seen her video. There are a lot of page wreaths out there, and some tutorials as well, but I haven't seen a double one like mine, or a center cut with personal cutter. I'm not saying they're not out there. I just haven't seen them. I like how Jenna (in the video) does the center with Christmas balls. I love how she uses a purse clip for the back (I'm going to use that idea), but I also prefer the closed look of mine as opposed to Jenna's open look (just a personal preference). Thanks for the reference. I'm going to check out some of her other videos, while I eat chocolate, of course. ;) Fondly, Tami

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fabulous project, Tami! Glad you shared your tutorial, too. I've seen a few of these, and wondered how they were made, especially the backing/foundation that held them together. I love the mirror on a big cut-out in the middle. Nice tough!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I even just saved the unsoiled top of a pizza box. Oh, my. I think it's getting really bad.

      Delete
  8. I meant to type Nice touch! Lol!! So sorry, Dear!

    ReplyDelete
  9. this is beautiful! I have been looking in stores for just the right clock with no avail - but maybe the solution is right here! This would be pretty adapted as a clock with some antiqued black clock hands. I'm pinning this! you did a wonderful job!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks, Jenny. A clock wreath is SO on my list as well! Let's make a pact. I'll show you mine if you show me yours! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love YOUR take on the page wreath, Tami! Very creative! It's nice to see something unique using that technique.

    Thanks for linking to Time Travel Thursday. I hope you'll join the fun each week. Be sure to stop by tonight, and see yourself featured. ;)

    Blessings,
    Liz @ The Brambleberry Cottage

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Liz. I really am honored, since there are so many beautiful projects out there!

      Delete
  12. This is just fabulous! How big is it overall?

    ReplyDelete
  13. It's pretty big, for a wreath. It's about 2 feet in diameter.
    Fondly, Tami

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a wonderful idea and the result is just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love your wreath and the scalloped edge behind the mirror. Looking over your blog and seeing what a creative person you are I know you came up with this idea yourself. I like you take on the page wreath, and the denseness of the pages, really gives it a whole new look. Your results are beautiful. Thanks for showing us how. Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration over at Sunday's Best!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I like it! Thanks for sharing how to make it. It's on my "things to try" list now. =)

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is GORGEOUS! I need to make one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let me know if you do. I'd love to see a picture!

      Delete
  18. this is lovely, and the tut is prefect for making one here at home!
    Thanks for sharing this, love the mirror

    ReplyDelete
  19. Beautiful. My family is very musical, so I especially LOVE the music (I think this would be a great gift for my siblings), but I don't know that I could handle tearing a hymnal apart! If I made wreaths for my siblings, I don't know that they would forgive me for that either. LoL --Faith

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is definitely a little hard at first. I bought this hymnal at a yard sale for .25 and it was falling apart, so I feel like I kinda redeemed it, if ya know what I mean.

      Delete
  20. What a nice wreath and I'd never think to find that book at a garage sale. You did a great job...now I'll have to go looking for some old books. Thanks for sharing your ideas. Smiles, Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  21. It's just lovely....the mirror idea is perfect, and I know some people have difficulty with tearing up a book, but it is so nice to see the real paper on it. Sometimes I just scan the paper, and that solves that problem. I love how you explained it so easily.

    ReplyDelete
  22. YOUR TALENT IS FEATURED IN COMS- SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT TALENT SHOW. hugs, jen

    ReplyDelete
  23. Love it Tami. I hope you have another Hymnal, lol.

    Kate3

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your wreath is amazing! I am here from Petite Hermine's party, and now following, Tanya :) http://twelveoeight.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wow! This is so gorgeous! Found you via Shabby Creek Cottage link up!

    -Bonnie @ Revolutionaries
    www.revolutionariesblog.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow! I`m amazed. I like your blog, too. I`m your newest follower.

    All the best from Serbia,
    Aleksandra

    http://creactiveallaround.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh my, oh my, oh my, I am in love. This is one of the prettiest wreaths I've ever seen. I started on one tonight & you're so right, it will take me a little practice to get the hang of rolling the cones. Thanks so very much for sharing such a great tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I absolutely love this wreath! I've made a couple but nothing like this one. I would love for you to share it at my party "Totally Transformed Tuesday" @ http://pjhdesignsoneofakind.blogspot.com Have a wonderful day! Peggy :-)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow! I like it. I always see something similar at Hobby Lobby or Home Goods. And I always think I can make that! but never do. This post and tutorial of yours is awesome and has inspired me to finally make one! We'd love to have you link it up at our "Home is Where the Heart is" Link Party!
    http://www.homesteadsimple.com/home-is-where-the-heart-is-link-it-up-wednesdays-2/

    ReplyDelete
  30. Okay, you are just a fancy pants. Love this too! Thank for sharing this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see you again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'm always behind on my posts and I've just come across this and OMG Tami it's insanely amazing!!! I would keep it too!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Very nice Tami!!! Really looks great on the wall. I just love the idea of re-purposing cereal boxes..LoL
    Pat in Kent, MTC'er

    ReplyDelete
  33. This. is. fabulous! I've seen the basic wreath before, but yours is amazing.... love the detail!
    -Heather
    www.stringtownhome.net

    ReplyDelete
  34. brilliant - love this idea - Lesley x

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing what you have to say!