Easy DIY Deco Mesh Sunflower Wreath

 

Summer sunflowers are here along with warm, sunny days. We couldn't resist decorating our front door with a new summer inspired creation... the Deco Mesh Sunflower! This simple, pretty flower is easy to make and doesn't require any form! Keep reading to learn how to make one.

 

The pretty sunflower on our door as a alternative to a summer wreath!

Supplies

• 21" Poly Mesh Roll: Yellow
• 10" Poly Mesh Roll: Brown
• 3-4 Tinsel Ties w/50mm Balls: Brown
• Floral wire- We used 24 Gauge Floral Paddle Wire: Gold
• Scissors

Optional Supplies

• 21" Poly Mesh Roll: Brown and Gold
• 21" Poly Mesh Roll: Metallic Apple Green for the stem

Cost/Time

The basic one color Deco Mesh Sunflower costs $21, and there will be product left over, (about 8 of the tinsel ties and most of the 10" brown mesh.  The Deluxe version of the Deco Mesh Sunflower costs under $34, and you are able to make 2 sunflowers by using both the solid yellow mesh and the two-tone brown and gold.  Each sunflower took about 30 minutes to make.

Deco Mesh Sunflower Wreath Tutorial

Step 1- Cut the deco mesh petals

Begin by measuring out 24 inches of yellow mesh. Cut here and repeat. These curls of mesh will become the sunflower petals. To make an entire sunflower you will need 12 sections of 24" mesh.  The Deluxe Sunflower Wreath has  6 yellow mesh petals and 6 petals of brown  gold mesh.

Step 2- First layer of petals

Stretch each mesh petal at a diagonal to form its shape.  When you have 6 stretched out, grasp them in all in the center, and wire them together with a 9" length of wire.  If you are making a Sunflower with only one mesh color, then repeat the process so that you have two bundles of mesh petals.

 Step 3- Making More Petals 

We wanted our background petals to have a slightly different shape and dimension, so when we  created our darker mesh petals, we rolled the mesh at a diagonal, (instead of stretching it like we did for the bright yellow petals).  Cut 6 more lengths of mesh, each should be about 24" long, and roll them up.  

Step 4- Second layer of petals

When you have rolled up all 6 pieces, cut a long piece of floral paddle wire, about 18-24 inches, and twist it around the bundle of petals, then twist the ends of the wire to secure.  Do not trim the extra wire.

Step 5- Layer the two colors of petals together

Stack the two bundles of mesh on top of each other. The bottom bundle should have the extra long wires.  Bring the bottom wires up and over the top bundle, and twist to secure the two mesh colors together.  Leave the wires pointing upwards so that in the next step you can secure the center of the flower to the petals.

Step 6- Make the center

1. Cut 5 sections of mesh from the brown 10" wide roll. Each section is be about 9 inches long.
2. Roll up the mesh so that you have  short tube.
3. Twist an 8" length of floral wire around the center of each roll of brown mesh and twist to secure.
4. Grasp the wires of all 5 rolls and twist them together tightly.  This is now the Sunflower's center.

Step 7-Tinsel ties attach the center

Lay down 3-4 tinsel ball ties across the paddle wire coming out from the top of the sunflower- as shown.  Use the floral wire on the flower petals to secure the tinsel ties in the middle. Bring the paddle wire back underneath the sunflower, twisting the ends together one last time to make sure the entire sunflower is wired together.  Place the brown mesh curls in the middle of the tinsel ties.  Bring the tinsel ties up to the center of the brown mesh and twist them together in pairs.  This attaches the Sunflower's center to the petals.

 

What are tinsel ball ties? 

 

Tinsel Ties are a pair of metallic ball ornaments attached on each end to a flexible wire tinsel tie. Sold in sets of 12 ties, they come in an assortment of sizes and colors. They are great for adding in accents to wreaths, garland or Christmas trees. Here we use them to simulate the center seeds of a sunflower.  Click HERE to see all the styles of tinsel ties available.

 

Step 8- Create a stem

The final step is adding a stem, the "tail" of your wreath, which is optional.  Begin by cutting a length of the Metallic Apple Mesh, about 24" long.  Pull it at a diagonal to stretch out the mesh the same way you made the bright yellow petals.  On the underside of your sunflower should be the ends of paddle wire you used to secure the layers of your sunflower together.  Twist them together to form a circle.  This circle will give you something to hang your sunflower from.  Now pull about 8 inches of your "stem" through the wire circle, and tying a knot.  Cut one more length of green mesh, about 18 inches long, and tie it around the center of the stem.  It looks like leaves on the stem, but it also stops the stem from unfurling.

The finished Sunflower!

The Deco Mesh Sunflower Wreath is perfect for your front door, office decor, or to hang from gates and fences at home.  Deco Mesh will not get soggy in the rain, so its the perfect decoration to leave outside- even during summer showers!

DIY Deco Mesh Butterfly

Spring has sprung and summer is on its way. With all the flowers in bloom, butterflies are flitting around everywhere. We were inspired to create our your own butterfly out of  Deco Mesh!  This fun butterfly can be used as a wreath or hanging decoration for an outdoor party. Isn't she lovely? Keep reading to see how to make one of your own.

Butterfly door decoration

SUPPLIES

• 21" Poly Deco Mesh Rolls, 2-4 colors, we used
  21" Poly Mesh Roll: Yellow
  21" Poly Mesh Roll: Pink
  21" Poly Mesh Roll: Orange
  21" Poly Mesh Roll: Metallic Apple and Moss
• Aluminum Craft Wire: Apple Green
• Scissors and/or wire cutters

COST/TIME

The cost of the supplies for a 1 color butterfly is under $17, a two color butterfly costs under $23, and a three color butterfly is under $29. There will be more than half of the roll of aluminum craft wire left over for additional projects. We used between 8 and 10 feet for each color of deco mesh in order to make the wings, so the Butterfly Deco Mesh project is perfect for using up long scraps of mesh from old rolls.  You can use any colors of mesh that you prefer, a wide range of colors and patterns are available here.  We used apple green colored aluminum wire in order to match the body of the butterfly, but any color could be used, (other colors available here).  The entire butterfly with 3 wing colors took less than an hour to create.

Follow the steps below to create your own Deco Mesh Butterfly Wreath!

Step 1- Measure the Wire

Cut about 5 feet of Aluminum Craft Wire.

Step 2- Bend the Wire

One end of the wire should be about a foot longer the other, so make a bend in the wire that creates one side about 2 feet long, and the other side about 3 feet long.

Step 3- Create the body form for the butterfly

Grasp the side of aluminum wire that is 3 feet long and form a loop as if you were tying a knot around both sides.  Then twist the loop to secure, (the loop should be about the size of a 50 cent piece).  The loop will hold the butterfly's head in place, as well as give a hanging hook. Curl the two top wires into spirals to look like antennae.

Step 4- Create the Butterfly head and wing sections

• The head and body of the butterfly are made of horizontal small loops of deco mesh.Cut an 8" length of mesh for the butterflies head. We chose an apple green metallic deco mesh.
• Beginning above the loop you formed, Lay the mesh loop underneath the wire body structure you made in the last step.
• Wrap the mesh over the top of the wire, then crisscross the mesh underneath the body.
• Tie a knot in the mesh.
• Trim the excess mesh as shown.
• The body portion of the butterfly combines a green loop and a larger bow for the wings. Cut an 8" length of green mesh for the body. Form a small loop  and secure it with an piece of wire about 8" long.
• Make a bow with mesh  (directions are shown below in detail).  The bow becomes with wings of the deco mesh butterfly.
• Attach the green mesh loop (section of the butterfly body) to the mesh bow (the butterfly wings) and you now have 1 section of the body of the butterfly.

Step 5-Repeat with additional colors
Repeat these steps two more times to make three butterfly sections.  You can choose to make the butterfly wings different colors or make them all same. Below are detailed steps on how to make a bow/wing loops using  21" wide deco mesh.
 

How to make the bow/wing loops:
First, form a loop using about 12-18" of Deco Mesh.  Without trimming off of the roll, pull another 12-18" of mesh, and using your other hand, grasp the mesh in the center.  You should now have 2 large loops of mesh.  Repeat this process using less mesh to form smaller loops, using about 8-14" of mesh.  Do not trim the mesh from the roll until you have 2 large loops, topped with 2 smaller loops. The diagram below show you what the bow should look like when finished.

Step 6- Attach the wings to the body.

 Lay the wire body piece over the wings you created. The head and the wings should both be right side down.  Grasp the wires from the wings and twist them around the body.  Repeat for all 3 sections of the butterfly.

Step 7-Create the bottom tail end of the butterfly.

 Cut a 9" to 12" length of mesh the same color as the body.  Tie a knot over the wire body below the bottom wing segment.

Once you have tied the knot, there will be extra wire body left at the bottom.  Use the loop of aluminum wire to secure the last body segment by pulling it up and over the knot of green mesh.  Then twist the loop around the wire to secure.  

 

Step 8- Fluff

Now that your parts all the parts of the butterfly are assembled, you will need to fluff the wings, arrange the body sections, and adjust the curls on the butterfly's antenna.  

 The finished Deco Mesh Butterfly!

You can also make them in a variety of colors and shapes! By making the bows larger or smaller you can change the shape of the butterfly.

These deco mesh butterflies are precious decorations for an outdoor event. Make a few and let them fluttery in the trees. 

Rope Wrapped Decorative Letter Tutorial

Wrapping decorative letters with jute rope gives them a natural texture that you just can't achieve with yarn or paint.  These rope wrapped decorative letters can be used to personalize wreaths, walls or bookcases. The jute rope product we use in this tutorial is coated so it is less likely to fray and can withstand use on an outdoor wreath. This is the second post in our series of creative ways to accent plain decorative letters. To see more creative ideas, click here. 

Wrapping decorative letters is easy and you can use almost any kind of string, ribbon, or rope.  You can make them solid colors, striped, or hombre. The options are endless. We chose to make our striped to add two punches of color. What will you create?

Supplies

• Decorative Letter "S"
• (Other letters available here)
• Jute Rope: we used Orange and Apple Green
• Hot Glue Glue Gun and Glue Sticks or Liquid Craft Glue
• Scissors

Cost/Time

This decorative letter craft project cost only $7!  It took about 30 minutes to complete.

Step 1- Glue on String

Glue a layer of string around the outside of the letter, this will help hide areas that you may miss when wrapping.

Step 2- Glue and Wrap

Glue your string onto the backside of the letter.  This will keep the front neater and more uniform.  Wrap around the letter, keeping the rope tight, adding some glue every few inches to keep the string or rope secure.

Step 3- Changing Colors

Trim the first color rope from the roll, and glue down the next color.  Wrap the same way you did the first color, gluing every few inches on the backside of the letter.

Step 4- Keep Wrapping

Just keep wrapping!  Keep the rope as taught as possible without moving it from the glue.

The finished Letter "S"!  We really like the texture of the Jute rope and the bright, whimsical stripes!

The rustic quality of jute lends itself to many different decor styles.

Happy Crafting!

DIY Chair Sash Rosettes: A Tutorial

Tired of those plain Jane folding chairs?  Sheer fabric sashes tied into rosettes change the look from plain to pretty. This tutorial will show you how to tie your own beautiful chair bow rosettes with ribbon or fabric. Save some money (by not renting expensive chair sashes)  and add a pop of color to coordinate with you party theme!  Chair bows and sashes are perfect for any type of party, but are perfect for weddings, engagement parties, anniversary dinners or even for baby and bridal showers. 

SUPPLIES

• Crinkle Sheer Fabric Roll: Teal
• Scissors

This tutorial uses a 24" wide fabric sold on a roll of 10 yards. This fabric is a crinkled sheer poly organza fabric that adds volume to the rosette. A full selection of crinkle sheer colors is available here. This look can be created with a large variety of fabrics or extra wide ribbons.

COST/TIME

A Rosette without tails uses 5-6 feet of crinkle sheer, and a Rosette with tails uses about 8 feet.  Our Crinkle Sheer comes with 30 feet on a roll, which means you can make 4-6 Rosettes with just one roll. This equates to about $3 per chair bow, a bargain in comparison to renting bows and sashes! Your first Rosette will take about 10 minutes to make, but they will go much quicker the more practice you get.

Start with an undecorated chair.

Begin by centering your chair in front of you.  These rosettes can go on the back of any chair style, which means they don't just have to be for special occasions only. 

STEP 1- Center the Fabric

Make sure the center of your fabric meets the center area of the FRONT of your chair back.  Pull the length of fabric around to the back and ensure the fabric is tight and stays tight through the duration of tying.  

STEP 2- Tie a knot

Tie the fabric in a knot at the back of the chair.  The smaller the knot you make, the easier it will be to finish off the Rosette in the end.

STEP 3- Twist the fabric

Twist the fabric in opposite directions.  The fabric in your right hand should twist in a clockwise direction, and the fabric in your left hand should twist in a counterclockwise direction.  The more tightly and evenly you make your twist now, the more smooth and elegant your Rosette will turn out.  If you prefer a more ruffled looking Rosette, than make twists which are slightly looser and less even.  

 Do not twist the Crinkle Sheer too tightly, you want it to coil at the base of the knot in the next step, not in your hands as you make the twists.

STEP 4- Twist together

Twist the two lengths of fabric together in the same direction as you will be coiling the Rosette.  We twisted ours to the right and the Rosette will now move in a clockwise pattern.  Make sure the two sections of crinkle sheer are twisted tightly together.

STEP 5- Make coils

Coil the fabric around itself.  If you coil around the base too tightly, it will look more like a braided bun of hair, so make sure to coil loosely.  

STEP 6- Knot to secure

Bring the tail of the fabric twists back the original knot of Crinkle Sheer.  Trim any excess fabric to keep it clean and neat.  If your Rosette is loosely coiled or if you are using them for an outdoor event, it may be necessary to secure the Rosette with a safety pin.

The Finished Rosette!

If you have made a Rosette without tails, trim the tail so that there is no extra crinkle sheer showing.  If you have made a Rosette with tails, then you can straighten the tails and trim the two sections to an equal length.

Chair sashes are a nice addition of color to any event or party.  You can even use them for everyday decor on porches or for backyard patio furniture!

For more product info, please visit our website at www.MardiGrasOutlet.com.
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View more of our great craft and decorating ideas on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mardigrasoutlet/.

Decorating Wooden Letters with Sheet Moss: A Creative Idea

Personalize a wreath with your monogram. Create words to express a special message. Show support for your favorite sports team. Decorative wooden letters can be used for many different projects.  The basic wooden form gives you a blank slate to create lots of different looks. Over the next few posts we will highlight lots of creative ideas for customizing decorative wooden letters and numbers.

In the tutorial featured here, we show you have to easily cover a wooden letter "M"  with fresh green sheet moss for a natural spring look.

SUPPLIES

• Decorative wooden letter- M  (other letters available here)
• 20" Green Sheet Moss on a roll
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue
• Scissors
• Permanent Marker

COST/TIME

The cost of the supplies for a moss letter is under $17. There will be lots of sheet moss product left over for additional projects or more letters (3/4 of the roll of sheet moss).  Covering the decorative letter with sheet moss takes less than 15 minutes.

Step 1- Unroll the Moss

Unroll the moss on a flat surface, wrong side facing up.  It sheds, so using it on a surface covered with newspaper will make cleanup easier. 

       

Step 2- Make an Outline
Flip the letter so that it is face down on the back of the moss, (the back should be facing you, the font of the letter above is similar to "New Standard", there is a diagram available here to tell which side is the front).  Use a permanent marker to make an outline of the letter.

Step 3- Cut out the Outline
Cutting the moss is easily done with scissors because the back of the moss is flat.

Step 4- Gluing

Using a glue gun or spray adhesive, apply glue to the front of the letter, and carefully lay the moss onto the surface.  Press down only when you have the exact placement correct.

The finished Moss Letter in under 15 minutes of craft time!

We love the look of the decorative moss letter "M" on a textured burlap spring wreath. You can find the wreath tutorial in this post.

What would you decorate with this mossy letter?