Autumn Fair - Crafts table

[Torrie]

**Torrie walks in the tent, with her Red servants. Each servant has their arms full of craft supplies. String, glue, material, paper and all manner of other craft supplies fill the table**

 

 

 

Do you ever wonder how all those crafty people make their house and yard look so wonderful during the fall? Do you want yours to look that way but just don't know the steps? 

 

 

 

We are here to help! Most of these crafts are fairly easy and can be done with items found around your house. Some are a little harder and require a little more effort, but the outcome is worth it! 

 

 

Check back every day for more!

[Torrie]

First craft:

Easy Door Hanger

These exuberant door decorations are inspired by that well-known symbol of harvest abundance, the cornucopia. Instead of the familiar wicker basket overflowing with nuts and fruit, these horns of plenty are made with caning and filled with autumnal flora.

The arrangements they hold are also magical in a way: The seeded eucalyptus foliage from Bradford pear trees, golden winterberry holly, and dried hydrangeas hold up for weeks without water.

 

 

 

Materials:

• Floral wire or floral tape

• Caning

• Scissors

• String

• Decorative ribbon

• Wire

• Autumnal flora arrangement

 

Steps:

1. Bind the stems of foliage, twigs, and dried flower bouquets using floral wire or floral tape. Measure the lengths of the stems. Cut a square of caning that measures slightly longer on the diagonal than the stems.

2. Position caning as a diamond, and trim the bottom corner. Soak the caning in water (use a sink, plastic bin, or bathtub) until pliable, about 5 minutes. Place it on a work surface with the trimmed edge closest to you, and place the bouquet on top.

3. Wrap the sides around, enclosing the bouquet. To secure, weave pieces of string through the caning in 2 places, and knot them. Let caning dry, which can take up to 24 hours.

4. Wrap with a decorative ribbon (we used a wide satin one), tying it in back for a tailored look. Run a wire through the back of the caning to hang.

[Guest]

Oh, that's cute. We currently have spring here and I'm certain it can be pretty with dried flowers and seeds here too. Mmmm.

[Mystica]

oh that's very nice!

[Torrie]

Oh, that's cute. We currently have spring here and I'm certain it can be pretty with dried flowers and seeds here too. Mmmm.

Oh yes! I didn't even think of doing it for spring, but you are right, it would be perfect!

[Torrie]

This second craft is even easier!

 

Hanging leaves

 

 

Replicate a chandelier with leaves instead of lights. Drill a 1⁄4-inch hole in each canning jar lid. Pull a separate piece of rope through each hole, then tie a knot under each lid. Place single leaves in jars, and tightly secure lids. Tie rope pieces together and hang from a heavy-duty ceiling hook.

[Guest]

Oh I love that one!

[Torrie]

I really like this one, although it is a little more detailed than the last

 

Pumpkin Torcheres

 

 

Materials

Mini pumpkins

Apple Corer

Grapefruit Spoon

Nails

Washers

Tea-light candles

Bamboo garden stakes

 

Steps:

Remove pumpkin stems and core a hole large enough to fit candles. Remove candle wax and push nail through a washer, candle cup, the bottom of the pumpkin and another washer. Push the nail through the bamboo stake and replace the candle.

 

Stand torcheres in a bucket with sand or small gravel.  

[LilyElizabeth]

That one is really cool!

[Guest]

That is soooo cute. I wonder what else I could use instead of mini pumpkins. And how long it'll last.

[Torrie]

That is soooo cute. I wonder what else I could use instead of mini pumpkins. And how long it'll last.

I wondered that too. I know there is some type of mix that is supposed to make pumpkins last longer, but I need to look it up.

[Guest]

 

That is soooo cute. I wonder what else I could use instead of mini pumpkins. And how long it'll last.

I wondered that too. I know there is some type of mix that is supposed to make pumpkins last longer, but I need to look it up.

 

 

Would decopage work? Or those glue mixes that basically add a hard plastic-y layer over it?

Or that spray that they use on the roses that last for 5 years.

[Torrie]

 

 

That is soooo cute. I wonder what else I could use instead of mini pumpkins. And how long it'll last.

I wondered that too. I know there is some type of mix that is supposed to make pumpkins last longer, but I need to look it up.

 

 

Would decopage work? Or those glue mixes that basically add a hard plastic-y layer over it?

Or that spray that they use on the roses that last for 5 years.

 

 

This is what I was thinking of:

1. After your pumpkin has been carved, rinse it out with water to get rid of excess strings and gunk.
2. Take a large bucket or tub and fill it with three gallons of water.
3. Stir three teaspoons of bleach into the water.
4. Dunk in the pumpkin. Be sure to hold it down as it will try to float. The entire pumpkin should sit in the solution for two minutes. You might want to wear gloves, too.
5. Remove from the solution and let the pumpkin air dry.

 

But I need to know about this spray for roses. I have never heard of it.

[Torrie]

This is another easy one!

 

Birch Frame

 

 

This is can be done with any type of readily available bark or sticks from your yard. Purchase a simple frame and hot glue the bark pieces around the outside of the frame.

 

For an added touch, press yard leaves in a book for a week or so and hot glue them to the frame also.

[Rhea]

I like this one! I could make it easy and have a birth tree in my back yard!

[Torrie]

And our next one!

 

Toilet Paper Pumpkin

 

Materials:

 

• 22″ x 22″ square of fall patterned cotton fabric

• 1 Double Roll of Toilet Paper

• 1 yard thin rope or paper cord

• Batting 14″ by 14″ square {or paper towels or a plastic grocery bag can be substituted}

• 1 brown paper grocery bag

• Tape {hot glue can also be used}

• 2 silk fall leaves

 

Steps:

Lay out the fabric and batting. Place toilet paper roll in the middle.

 

 

*If you don’t have batting, you can substitute semi-crumpled up paper towels, or even plastic grocery bags to add texture.

Begin pulling up the fabric and tucking it down into the center of the toilet paper roll.

 

 

Once it has all been wrapped up, it will look like this…

 

Now, you’ll want to take a brown paper bag and cut out a section that is 12″ long by 4.5″ wide.

Roll it up and then tape it.

Take the rope or paper cord and twist around the “stem”. You can tape the ends of the cord, or hot glue it on. It will look like this…

 

 

 Insert the ‘stem’ down into the middle of the toilet paper roll. Add the two silk fall leaves, and you’re done!!

 

[LilyElizabeth]

That is really cute!

[Torrie]

That is really cute!

 

And a great bathroom decoration! 

[Guest]

Oh my... I think I just fell in love with that frame craft. I WILL BE DOING IT!

[Torrie]

Ok, so I missed posting these over the weekend and I have a lot left so I am just going to start posting them:

 

Thankful Tree

 

 

Start by finding an interesting branch; tape off the base and spray-paint the top white. Fill a vase with nuts or rocks and insert the branch. Cut out leaves from construction paper (search online for leaf shapes), punch a hole at the top of each, write a thankful message, and hang with ribbon or twine.

 

Dryer vent Pumpkins

 

 

Either 3” or 4” dryer vent hoses (or both!)

Hot glue

scissors

Wire Cutters

Spray paint

Yard twigs

Leaves

Twine

 

 

Cut any length of dryer vent and circle it, sealing it with hot glue.

Spray with your choice of color spray paint

Hot glue yard twig in the top

Add leaves and twine.

 

PS. I've heard this also needs to be sprayed with Rust protector but I guess that depends on if you are planning on leaving them outside.  

Edited September 27, 2016 by Torrie

[Torrie]

Giant Sunflowers

 

 

Materials

• Thick brown craft paper

• Multiple colors of latex paint (leftover house paint does just fine)

• Hot Glue Gun

• One platter size lightweight/paper plate

• One dinner size  lightweight/paper plate

 

Start by painting the craft paper –make it good and thick. For a flower this size you will want to paint at least three large sheets about the size of your dining room table. Make them nice and colorful and enjoy the painting process. You can smear down a decent base coat with a cheap sponge or roller. Go out of your way to be messy. Eat some chocolate while you are at it. I painted my petals shades of yellow plus some brown scraps to insert in the middle, but you could do any color. (Can anyone say Ajah flower?). Just fold the paper over and cut skinny pointy oval shapes in graduating sizes. The fold is nice as it helps to stiffen the petals to keep them from flopping over down the road.

 

 

Cut fringe and fold the plates. For the center of the flower, cut three circles with painted edges. Just cut the edges nice and jagged then fringe the perimeter. Do this on each circle, fold up the edges, then stack them inside of each other. This could be a small flower all by itself. For the center, cut a small circle of a lighter color, fringe the perimeter, and fold all the petals in on each other.

 

 

 

The critical base of this whole project is a lightweight bamboo/wicker/basket platter thing from the thrift store. If you have ever had cause to order catered food, chances are the food came delivered on one of these, but if you do not have one laying around in your garage already, I guarantee you, every thrift store in the country has a lightweight platter basket laying around on a shelf for 99cents or less. Yes, you could substitute with a big circle of cardboard but then you won’t get the lip around the edge that helps the petals curve inward a bit like a real flower.

 

 

For the bottom tier, adhere half the petals to the platter with hot glue.

 

 

For the second tier, glue the remaining half of the petals to a reasonably sturdy paper plate and then glue the back of the paper plate to the center of the first tier.

 

 

For the center of the flower, stack the three brown circles, hot glue, then fluff the fringe to your heart’s desire. Finish off with that fringy thing you made seven steps ago.