GardenMama

.: Hanging Window Vase Tutorial :.

.: Thank you for the beautiful comments you shared with me on my last post. It was truly a pleasure to read each one! :.

.: Glass jar wrapped with wire and embellished with decoupage creates a hanging vase to grace the window :.

While the snow still sits outside covering the earth surrounding us there is a noticeable shift in the quality of light. The sun has returned to our windows to shower us with it's distinct feeling of happiness as it streams over the sill and kisses the tops of the children's heads. 

While the winter continues I look to the sunny spot in the living room as a foreshadowing of spring.  While  the sun works it's magic along with the help of Mrs. Thaw, the earth drinks in the melting snow that nurtures the soil of the gardens. 

Even though the Tulips are not yet awakened or prepared to greet us in the gardens, after some thought I went right to work to create our own bit of spring in the windows...
 

This is a great way to use recycled jars. Mason jars that have a smooth front work beautifully as well. 

The next step I will share here is how to create the handle for the hanging glass vase.

I was happy to come across this wire encased in jute that made for a very natural-looking handle.  (This may be found in the floral section of many craft stores)

First I took a nice long piece of wire. I  sized it by holding it up to the vase and made sure that it was long enough that it could hang from the door or windows and still lay flat.

Form the wire into a handle shape as seen in the above photo. Make 'hooks' at the end of the handle wire.

Wrap the wire around the rim of the jar twice. Before securing it, place the handle 'hooks' under the wrapped wire. Make sure it is very secure by closing off the hooks.

Pull the wire that is wrapped around the rim tightly. Twist the ends together to form a very secure closure. 

You now have your functional hanging vase. Now for the fun part!

Next prepare to adorn the glass hanging vases,  you may choose your paper images. 

These spring-like images were found in the scrapbook section of the local craft store. I am planning to create a few more vases and look forward to using images from a chicken catalogue as well as from seed catalogue's.

.: Choosing and placing each paper image :.
 

Start placing your images until you find one that will become the finished piece.  Set out some modge podge and get ready to adhere the images.

Modge Podge is brushed onto both the back and front of the paper images to adhere and seal the image.

Once the image is adhered, you may take a small damp cloth to neaten up the glass around the image.  Finish with a dry cloth to polish up the glass and make sure any last remnants of glue disappear.

Add water to your vase and some gorgeous Tulips, and you are on your way to a spring view in your window! I hung a few of these tulip-filled hanging vases from the latch on the window. For wooden window frames you can screw in a small hook to hang your vase.  

This touch of spring in our newly sun-filled windows has brought the freshness of Spring to the windows of the living room. 

It is lovely to have a handmade hanging vase full with the freshness of Spring flowers placed in the bedroom windows or in the kitchen above the sink.

Or to greet you as you come and go on your front door!

Here's to bringing the bright happy feelings of Spring to our windows and doors in a handmade way!

.: Valentine Gnome & Felt Heart Pin ~ Two Part Tutorial :.

This tutorial will share with you a two-part Valentine's Day gift! 

These Valentine gnomes present your loved one with a hand-made heart pin! 

Here is the two-part tutorial for you to follow to make some for your family and friends!

.: Part one ~ Creating felt heart pins :.

With a small piece of cardboard folded in half, trace half of a heart along the folded side.  Next you will cut this folded half-heart shape out completely.  Open to reveal a complete and symmetrical cardboard heart template that will help us in the steps to follow!

Begin by tracing the cardboard heart template twice on each sheet of felt. 
 

Cut out two hearts in each color.

Next take out several complementary colors of embroidery thread.

You can embroider your hearts or leave them plain.  Now begin stitching up your heart and leave a small opening to stuff them with wool.

Fill your felt heart with wool until it is quite full.  We used a knitting needle to ensure the hearts were very evenly stuffed.

Finish stitching up your hearts. Make sure to hide the last stitch by sewing through just one of the felt sheets and tying off your thread inside the heart.

 

Next stitch a pin back onto the (upper) back of the heart. 

.:Set aside your heart pins and prepare for Part II of this tutorial:.

.: Part Two  ~ Creating Valentine Gnomes :.

Set out a pinecone with a thin point to the top of it.  Place a medium-sized wooden bead over the point of the pinecone, securing it with glue.  This will form the head of the Valentine Gnome.

 

Begin by cutting a triangle shape from felt.  This will create your Valentine Gnome's hat.

Wrap the triangle shape around the wooden bead. You can make alterations accordingly until your gnome hat fits.

Now begin stitching up your hat by folding the triangle in half and stitching up the back.

Your gnome hat is now complete.  Secure it to the wooden bead with a bit of glue.

 

.: Securing the heart pin to the Valentine gnome .:

Now take a length of embroidery floss and loop it through your (closed) felt heart pin back.  The long lengths of thread can then be wrapped around the pinecone and tied in the back.  (Leave loose enough so that the heart pin can be taken off to be worn.)

This little gnome is now ready to gift your Valentine with a sweet heart pin that can be taken off and worn while the Valentine gnome visits your nature table!

.: A Gift For The Birds :.

.: Pinecones gathered on a snowy day :.

We enjoyed feeling the energy of this day through time speant outdoors. The temperatures have dropped and snow storms continue to visit leaving us spending the last few days indoors. 

It felt refreshing to fill our lungs with fresh air if only for a short time, as we set out to gather pinecones to create a gift for the birds. 

We walked to the edge of the pine grove and took shelter under the pine trees. They seemed to be the only place untouched by the snow. We imagined that wild rabbits, deer and squirrels enjoy this place as well. The air was cold and the snow that covered the landscape around us swirled up into the air as the winds blew, creating a beautiful show.

.: The pinecones opened up when brought into the warm house :.

We moved our feet across the pine needles that lay under the trees to reveal tightly closed pinecones that we then placed into our baskets.  We arrived home and set out peanut butter, cooking trays, yarn, and birdseed to craft a nurturing winter gift for the birds!

When the pinecones were brought inside the baskets became even more full as the pinecones opened up in the warmth of home.

.: Each pine cone is strung upon a yarn loop for hanging :.

Many pinecones were strung as we created beautiful ornaments to adorn the trees once again...

.: Buttering each pinecone with peanut butter :.

Each pinecone was first covered in a coating of peanut butter.
 

.: Rolling each peanut butter covered pine cone in birdseed :.

While rolling each pinecone into the birdseed we enjoyed the feeling of  preparing a nutritious and layered meal for these favored friends that faithfully visit each day to grace us with their beauty as we observe them in special moments by sunny windowsills. 

.: The finished treats for the birds :.

.: Looking good enough to eat! :.

Each peanut butter and birdseed covered pinecone was placed onto baking sheets and put into the refrigerator to further set.

We concluded that these treats looked good enough to eat! It was our pleasure to decorate the trees with these sweet simple treats for our friends the birds.

.: One of my favorite birds, a Chickadee enjoying this treat! :.

.: This Tufted Titmouse would take a seed and then sit over on the branch to crack it open :.

In no time at all they found the snacks that we left them. Soon all that was left was a bare pinecone left to return to forest once again!

.: A closer look at this friend who was enjoying the treat we left him :.