Pretty Blooms

Every time I try to do something creative, I start not knowing what I am doing. I have an idea that lacks specifics & it seems I work best when I am in the process of the project. This typically produces more "craft casualties" but in the end I am usually happy with the end result.

Here is the continuation of my birthday party planning for the girls. I share this because it would be my hope that I can inspire someone the way I am blown away by everyday people who can make such astoundingly beautiful things. Craft blogs are one of my frequent visits.

My latest creations are the fabric flowers I was talking about. Since the party theme is a "Make & Create" party, I wanted everything to be homemade. Including decorations. My plan is to have the table centerpiece be fabric and ribbon flowers, each one unique, in IBC soda bottles that are painted on the inside. So far, I have made these flowers. Now none of them represent a real flower type so I hope it is obvious they are flowers. (forgive the poor picture quality)...

Here is how I made them (um, no crafty tutorial here. Just the scoop). I wrapped cheapy pipe cleaners with fabric for the stems. I made the two poof thingys out of felt. They are so fun and happy! The circle flower is stuffed with a little bit of polyfil & centered with a fabric wrapped pom pom. The loopy looking flower is actually individual ribbons sewn around felt with fabric and a button in the middle. I really love how they turned out. They are not perfect which gives me a slight twitch in my left eye because I am a bit of a perfectionist. I am working on that.

I find it so fulfilling to use my creativity with thoughts of my girls as I make them. Not only is it economical but it builds lasting memories for them. Plus, you also get something EXACTLY the way you want it. I tend to get ideas in my head but I can never find something in stores to match the idea and then I begin to wish I had more sewing skills so that I could actually make my ideas come to life.

But guess what? I am about to get some sewing lessons with a friend of mine and I am so excited! AND THEY ARE FREE! I have a sewing machine feeling all lonely on a shelf in the storage room because I ignore it. It takes me 30 minutes just to thread the thing. I have resorted to hand sewing which takes me 2 weeks to do a project that probably should take 2 days. Maybe not even that long. So maybe I will improve my skills and have even more to show you!

OK. That's it for the party update.