Autumn Splendor

OK, many of you know that I love ALL things crafty.  I really enjoy scrapbooking and cards, but love to try my hand in many other crafts, too.  With all the changes here at the CSDivas blog, I still wanted to keep up with my Home Decor and Gift projects to share with all of our lovely followers.  When I thought about what project to highlight for this post, I realized that I could share my Autumn Splendor Swag that I made last year, but never got the opportunity to share.  It is Seasonally Appropriate! 


Lance and I were on a wreath and swag making frenzy last year and did quite well with sales, but most importantly, had tons of fun working our glue guns in sync and frolicking in beautiful ribbons of endless color combinations.  This was all being done at our kitchen table at the time because I didn't have a dedicated craft space then.

We scouted many videos on YouTube to teach us how to make decorative bows.  We found an awesome tutorial by Shirley Frazier at GiftBasketBusiness.com.  Before we knew it, we were making bows lightning fast.  I was quite amazed at how easy peezy it was after the first couple tries.  Thanks Shirley!!!!


Here is the finished Autumn Splendor Swag and below I will give a short list of materials you will need to create one yourself!!!!  Remember, you can make adjustments to suit your own taste.   For instance, the swag could be made from grapevine, willow, or pine.  The ribbon, flowers, and accessories can be changed for each holiday or upcoming event.  The possibilities are endless.

Materials Used:
Grapevine Swag (18")
Sunflower print Wired Ribbon (2 1/2")
Floral Assortment (Sunflowers, Gerbera Daisies, leaves, pine cones, and berries)
Wire Trimmers (this way you don't dull your good scissors when cutting your flower stems & wired ribbon)
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Glue Sticks
Patience (lots and lots of this)


Steps to Follow:
I have found it is a lot easier to start first with affixing your ribbon to the swag before placing the goodies on.  But to each their own.  Place enough hot glue to one end of the swag to affix your ribbon before wrapping.  I have found it easiest to fold the end of the ribbon under before gluing.  You will now wrap in a continuous circular motion around the swag until you reach the other end.  Then place more glue and affix the other end your ribbon.  You can make your bow now (according to the video instructions above) and place it on the swag.  Or you can leave it to the side to have it ready as the final added touch.  Next, place your flowers around the swag, without gluing them down.  I typically pull my flowers off the end of the stem they are on or even leave a bit of the stem to make placement between the vines easier.  Take a few looks at the swag before making your final decision about placement.  If you need to, change the placement a few times until you feel it is the way you like it.  Then glue your flowers one at a time at a slow pace.  Be sure to wait until the glue dries before you let go (If this step is missed, you might have flowers falling all over the place and dealing with the dreaded "spider web of glue").  This will ensure you have a sturdy placement before moving to the next flower, berry, cone, or leaf.  Continue these steps until you have used the amount of flowers and such you feel is enough.  Once done with all the goodies, you can then affix your bow.  You can either glue it directly to the swag or use a twist tie to keep it in place.  Voila, your new masterpiece!

I am so happy that you joined us today...YOU ARE DIVALICIOUS!!!