Valentines Wreath

I have never decorated for Valentines Day before.. and thought I'd do at least a wreath to celebrate the Love month..haha

Things you need:

about a 10" styrofoam circle form, Ribbon, dried flowers, hot glue, scissors, large paper clip, utility knife, sand paper block, pliers.

This wreath is also found on Martha Stewart, but I did it a little different.

I started out by making a pattern heart from paper to make sure I get an even shaped heart and traced it onto the styrofoam. Then, cut the styrofoam with a large razor blade or something sharp along the lines. Next, angle the blade along the edges to make a beveled edge so you can make a more demensional shaped heart with your flowers wrapping around the edge. Sand the edges to make smooth corners and an even shaped heart.

Stretch out a large paper clip and make a cook the width of whatever size ribbon you use to hang. Make sort of a squared U shape and stick the 2 ends of the paper clip into the form and bed the ends back into the form out the other side with pliers. Glue where the paper clip is instered and comes out on both sides with hot glue to secure it.

Cut off the stems of the slowers to about 1/4" or so there's enough area to glue the flower to the form. Start in one section and work your way around the heart: make sure the edges look even all the way around. I used cockscomb dried flowers here :) (They are hard to find.. ordered them online).

Hang with your favorite matching ribbon and you are ready for Valentines Day!

Grocery bag holder

If you want your holder all one color - 1 piece of fabric, 20 x 25 inches. If you want strips like pictured here, you'll need 6 pieces of fabric, 20" x 5 ".
2 pieces of narrow elastic (1/2", 1/4" wide or smaller). 11 " and 6 1/2 ".
1 piece of ribbon - 14 inches long.
Thread

If you're using strips, sew all of them together along their long sides (a little larger seems than your elastic). Iron all of the seams open.

Then, make a casing for your elastic at each end. Turn over the fabric about 1/4" and then fold it over again a little larger than the size of your elastic. Sew really close to the fold so that your elastic can still fit. Do this to both ends.

Now, thread your elastic through each end and sew each end of the elastic securely to the opening of each end of the casing. Keep in mind, the larger piece of elastic is for the top of your holder (so you can shove many bags in) and the smaller piece of elastic is for the bottom (so that you only pull one bag out at a time).

Next, turn the holder right side out and pin the ribbon (I turned the end under once) into place, about 3/4 of an inch from the top. Sew the ribbon into place several times, making it secure.

Lastly, sew the 2 long sides together, with right sides together and sew other side of ribbon to other side of bag.

Stuff it and Hang it!