Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love to decorate. I decorate my home, the window in my home and I mean all of the window in my home, and I love autumn. The only time of year I like more than autumn is Christmas. Anyway, I have a very simple project for you that when completed looks absolutely beautiful. You can use this anywhere in your home to brighten up any space.

Image: Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need:

• A 20 inch carvable artificial pumpkin (you can use a real pumpkin if you would like)
• Craft foam
• An assortment of fall sprays (flowers or small ornaments)
• 2 Fall floral picks
• A hot glue gun and glue stick
• A pair of wire cutters
• A sharp knife (I use an xacto knife)

Now you are ready to get started. First, cut a hole around the stem of the pumpkin about 5 inches in diameter. You can cut the hole in the very top of the pumpkin or you can cut the hole closer to the face of the pumpkin, that’s what I did in with mine. When you cut it closer to the face (front) of the pumpkin, it is a lot easier to get the full effect of the flowers. Fill the inside of the pumpkin with craft foam. Make the foam fit tightly so that the items don’t shift when you lift or move your pumpkin. There is a styrofoam glue that you can use to glue the styrofoam to the pumpkin, but I don’t think it is necessary to do that unless you will be moving it around once you have it all put together.

Place two fall sprays, one on each side of the opening, bend them downward over the sides of the opening. Place the largest spray in the center and work around it to fill in the spaces with picks and sprays. Fix your arrangement any way that pleases you.

That is all there is to it. You now have a beautiful fall floral arrangement that you can use any way that you choose. You can also use it for a centerpiece for your dining table. Enjoy!

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

Post from: Blisstree

How to Create a Fall Floral Arrangement

Here’s what I’m using – quilting cottons in shades of green & rust, with coordinating ribbon.

You need to cut out a dozen or more yo-yo circles.  I’m using a 3″ circle here – you can see how small they get when they’re sewn & gathered.  Just remember to use a fairly long running stitch to stitch around the outside – it makes it so much easier to gather them.  I made 2 or 3 yo-yos out of several different fabrics.

Take one of the ribbons and wrap it snuggly all the way around the wreath.  Fasten the ends of the ribbon to the back of the wreath (I prefer to sew them in place, but you can also glue them)

Now take the other ribbon and wrap it around the wreath, but go in the opposite direction.  Again, fasten the edges of the ribbon to the back of the wreath.  Cut a length of ribbon approximately 12″ long and tie a loop around the top of the wreath (to make a hanger)  Tie a bow around the hanger loop if you’d like.

Start playing with your yo-yos and see where they look best.  I liked having them evenly spaced around the wreath.  I’m tempted to make a wreath that’s completely covered in yo-yos now!

I prefer to stitch the yo-yos in place onto the wreath, but you can also glue them.  Just remember, hot glue doesn’t work when it freezes, so use a good quality white glue or epoxy if you want to hang the wreath outside!

Post from: Blisstree

how-to: an easy yo-yo wreath for fall

I thought it would be fun to use yo-yo circles to make a decorative wreath for fall!

I’ll have the step by step tutorial for you tomorrow – but in the mean time, you need to get some things together for it.

• a grapevine wreath
• several fall colored fabrics (yo-yos are a great way to use up little bits of fabric from your stash!)
• two different colors of wide, decorative ribbon, to coordinate with your fabric.
• hand sewing needle, scissors & thread.

That’s it! Seems do-able, right?

I’ll see you back here tomorrow then

Post from: Blisstree

fall decorating with yo-yos