March 26, 2012

How to Make Deco Mesh Carrots

deco mesh carrots how to make tutorial

Easter and spring are just about here, and so we made the cutest bunch of deco mesh carrots on the block (click here to learn more about deco mesh). Keep scrolling down for our easy tutorial on how to make these hanging carrots using deco poly mesh, wire and ribbon. Happy crafting! 
SUPPLIES
Scissors & Wire Cutters

These products are available at www.MardiGrasOutlet.com, and will come to about $35, with extra material to make more than 3 carrots. (To make the three carrots, we used approximately 3 yards of the 21" wide orange deco mesh, and less than 1 yard each of the 10" green deco mesh rolls. About 4 yards of the aluminum craft wire were used, and about 12 feet of the thinner floral wire. A little over 3 yards of the jute ribbon were used.)

STEP 1: Make the wire carrot frame
Cut two pieces of the Aluminum Craft wire. One should be twice as long as the other. Our carrots were all slightly different sizes. You should make the two wires 18" and 36" long, give or take a few inches. The finished wire carrot frame just has to fit within the 21-inch wide deco mesh. 

Fold the long wire in half and make a point at the bend for the carrot's point. For the top of the carrot,  connect the two loose ends together by wrapping the wire ends around each other. Push the wire form into a carrot shape as shown above.

To make the carrot three-dimensional and not flat, use the short length of wire and attach it lengthwise to the carrot shape. It should stand up a few inches higher than the flat carrot shape. 

You will eventually need short wire ties to attach the deco mesh to this carrot frame. Use the thinner floral wire and cut about 15, 3-inch pieces. 

STEP 2Cover the frame with deco mesh
Using the 21"x10yd roll of metallic orange deco mesh, cut 3 pieces that are about 10-inches wide, or wide enough to go around the front of the carrot. Layer or stack evenly on top of each other.

With the mesh placed curl side up, put the wire frame inside the curl. This is where you can see why  the wire frame can be no wider than 21-inches, the width of the deco mesh roll.

Starting at the carrot tip, use pieces of the floral wire you cut to attach the mesh to the wire frame. Work from the back of the carrot, and poke the floral wire through the layers of mesh and around the wire frame. Twist the floral wire to secure. Go back and forth from each side, working your way up to the carrot top. You will need a wire every few inches.
This is the finished back view of the carrot. Go back and add more floral wire where needed. Tuck the extra mesh under the middle wire frame. You can also tie some floral wire across the back to help make the form sturdier.

Trim the extra floral wire sticking out or tuck into the mesh at the back to hide it. Now your carrot is bendable as well.


STEP 3Make the green carrot tops
Using the two rolls of the emerald and moss/apple 10" wide deco mesh, cut 4 square pieces and place them curl side up.

Going one at a time, tie the center of the mesh with a length of floral wire. The wire should be about 2-inches from the bunched tip. Then tie all four sprays together to make one bigger bunch.

Now attach the bunch to the back top of the carrot, using more floral wire to secure.

STEP 4: Make 2 more Carrots and Tie with Jute Ribbon
Repeat the steps above to make two more carrots. They can be slightly different shapes and sizes like the ones we made. 

Cut 3 pieces of the Jute Ribbon that are each about 1 yard long. For each carrot, tie one ribbon around the top. Then tie a knot to secure all three carrots together.
deco mesh carrot tutorial instructions
deco mesh spring easter ideas

Looking for more Easter decoration ideas? Check out our Twig Works Cross Tutorial

March 22, 2012

Deco Mesh Twig Works Cross: How To Video

Tutorial for Twig Works Cross decoration


The organic twig shaped ties on the new Twig Works forms are perfectly suited for creating beautiful spring or Easter decorations.  Our latest video tutorial gives you instructions on how to use a Twig Works Cross  form to create the beautiful ivy covered cross decoration featured here.

Supplies for Twig Works Cross decoration
The supplies you will need are listed below. Many of the products are available at www.MardiGrasOutlet.com. 

SUPPLIES
 flower accents
scissors
wire cutters

(The twig works cross form and deco mesh cost approximately $18.00. This amount does not included the greenery or silk flowers)

VIDEO
Here is the video on how to make this twig works cross decoration.

To learn more about deco mesh and work forms, click here.

Twig Works Cross decoration
Beautiful as an Easter wall decoration

Closeup of Twig Works Cross decoration
Pretty displayed on a door


Mount on a fence, wall or tree outdoors.

Poly deco mesh and the twig works forms are well suited for outdoor locations. Both are water resistant and mesh puffs will retain their shape even when wet.

Easter blessings to you and your family!


March 19, 2012

Spring Wreath with Deco Mesh Flowers Tutorial

deco mesh wreath spring flowers tutorial
Celebrate the arrival of spring by making a deco mesh flower wreath. This cute DIY wreath will last through the whole season, and is perfect for Easter as well. These instructions will show you how to make a basic deco mesh wreath, add grapevine garland, and create deco mesh flowers.

To learn more about deco mesh and work wreath forms, click here

SUPPLIES
Scissors & Wire Cutters

All of these supplies are available at www.MardiGrasOutlet.com, and will be about $45.
STEP 1: Make a basic Deco Mesh wreath
Using a Twig-Works wreath form and 21" wide Metallic Moss/Apple Deco Mesh, create a basic Deco Mesh wreath using our previous tutorial, How to Make a Deco Mesh Wreath with Twig Works (CLICK HERE).
STEP 2: Attach grapevine garland
Using the twig wire ties on the wreath form, secure the grapevine garland to the wreath. You will have to go around the wreath twice. 
The garland curves naturally as you attach it to the work wreath form. Trim the excess grapevine with scissors.

STEP 3: Make Deco Mesh Flowers
Using Deco Mesh ribbon and craft wire, make a variety of deco mesh flowers. The wreath shown here uses 11 lavender flowers, 6 light pink flowers and 4 yellow flowers. You can make more or less, and choose different colors depending on your personal preference.

The yellow flowers use the 4-inch wide deco mesh ribbon, which makes a bigger sized flower. 

These photo instructions use the 2.5" lavender ribbon, but you can follow these same steps for other colors and sizes of deco mesh ribbon. 

First, cut a length of ribbon around 20" long. The length can vary, depending on what size you want to make your deco mesh flower. Cut a piece of craft wire that is about 1 foot long. You will use the wire to hold the rosette together and to attach the flower to the wreath.
Start rolling one end of the ribbon tightly, several times. Keep holding it by pinching almost halfway up the roll. Holding it this way help to keep the flower even and lined up as you roll the ribbon.
Once you have rolled the ribbon tightly to start, start folding or crimping the ribbon as you roll. This way, the flower will be more open-looking. 

Keep rolling, folding and holding the flower tightly until you reach the end of the ribbon. Don't worry about making it look perfect, the more flowers you make the easier it will get.

Now, use the craft wire and wrap it around the flower where you have been pinching the mesh. Wrap it several times, and leave some excess wire so that you can attach it to the wreath.

spring flower wreath
Finally, tie the flowers to the wreath. Many of them are attached directly to the grapevine garland, and some are in groups of 2 or 3 and scattered around the wreath.

deco mesh flowers tutorial

deco mesh spring wreath ideas

Our Deco Mesh Carrots Tutorial is another option for your spring decorations. 

This spring wreath can work with other colors of deco poly mesh rolls and ribbon as well. Below are some new spring mesh styles: Fuchsia/Lime Check, Fuchsia/Yellow Check, Orange/Lime Green Check (click on the name to purchase).

March 7, 2012

Twig Works Deco Mesh Wreath Tutorial

Twig-Works wreath forms are an exciting new DIY product that make crafting custom deco mesh wreaths easy. The natural-looking texture on the wire form is perfect for rustic and natural-looking wreaths. Below you will find instructions on how to make this wreath with 21" wide deco mesh and a round wreath form. We also show ideas on how to make it into a St. Patrick's Day wreath with shamrocks and a springtime or Easter wreath with garland.

SUPPLIES
Scissors & something round like a pencil

Optional:

All of these products are available for purchase at www.mardigrasoutlet.com.

The total cost of the supplies for this wreath is about $15, without any additional decorative accents.

Twig-works wreath forms are made of moss green and brown wire, resembling twigs. It has pre-attached twig shaped ties which makes creating a custom wreath with deco mesh simple. This popular natural look works well with grapevine garland, burlap, moss rope and ribbon. It also comes in bigger sizes and different shapes such as oval, square, a cross and even in garland form.

Twig-works are similar to Work Wreath forms, which have wire ties that are covered in tinsel instead of a mossy twig texture. *Twig works are measured by the true diameter of the work form, as opposed to the standard work forms that are measured by the completed wreath size. Therefore, this 15" twig works wreath is the same size as a 24" work wreath form.

Poly Deco Mesh is a type of synthetic, soft plastic fabric netting that comes in many colors, patterns, sizes and finishes. It holds its full shape and is durable and waterproof enough for outdoors. Click here to see more options.

DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
First, open up the wire ties so you can easily place the mesh in between each pair. Bunch the end of the mesh and secure to a set of wire ties on the inner ring. Twist the wire ties around the bunch to secure.


STEP 2
Now you will form a puff. Gather about a 9" length of mesh, working from each side as shown.  Fold as you gather the deco mesh in the center for an even, fuller looking puff.

STEP 3
To secure the puff, place the gathered section into the next set of wire ties on the inner ring. Twist the ties several times to secure the deco mesh. Pull and fluff the deco mesh puff out.

STEP 4
Continue around the entire inner ring, gathering, attaching and fluffing the mesh puffs. There is no need to cut the mesh between the puffs.

STEP 5
Once you have filled in the inner ring, move down to the outer ring without trimming the mesh. Fill in the entire outer ring with puffs, just like the inner ring.

STEP 6
Once the outer ring of the wreath is filled in, trim the excess deco mesh. This wreath form uses up most of the deco mesh roll.

STEP 7
Your last step is to curl each of the twig wire ties, to make them look more natural and organic. The easiest way to form curls is to wrap each wire around a pencil or pen.

You're Finished!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY WREATH
Now you have the option of adding decorative accents on your twig works wreath. For a St. Patrick's Day wreath, simply insert shamrock floral picks (available here for about $4) into the wreath, and twist the twig wire ties around them to attach. 

SPRING WREATH
For a spring wreath or a rustic style, add natural grapevine garland as shown below (click here to purchase, about $11). Use the twig wire ties to attach the grapevine. You will need to go around the wreath twice with the grapevine, and then cut the excess. To make it an Easter wreath, attach some Easter eggs and a pretty spring colored bow!


DECO MESH FLOWERS
In our next blog post, we show you how to make deco mesh flowers to help make this wreath bright and cheery for spring.

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