Wrap it up Thursday - Wrapping up a Bracelet

I am being a little sneaky today.  Wrap it up should really be about packages and wrapping ideas but I am feeling uninspired today - and the weather isn't helping.  But - I still think these WRAP bracelets, made by us,  still sparkle in the low light.  I can't tell you how exciting it was - last month when my husband was away for work- and the girls and I crafted.  It's been awhile but we were so motivated by the great tutorials we found - how could we not help ourselves.  I was in heaven.  Watching movies and making things - with my girls.  It happens less and less these days and so this meant the world to me.  And it is so easy, effective and relatively inexpensive.

For friendship bracelets all you need is a embroidery floss and a clipboard. Cheap.  For the other bracelets - from our local bead shop - soft leather cording (about a foot a yard), waxed thread (a few dollars a handful), sweet unusual buttons (50cents), bottles of beads (about $1.75 to $3.75 depending on the type of bead) and finally from the hardware store - hex nuts at 15 cents each and brass and silver ball chains at around 50 cents a foot.

For a few dollars each you can create these ...

1 - This is where we began.  You can make this bracelet with different coloured threads and really change the look.  This is from makebraceletsblog video tutorial

2 /4 /6- These are from Honestly WTF  and they are simple to make and gorgeous

3 - This is another version (Honestly WTF)- on our to-make list

5 - This occupied everyone's time after camp this summer.  This purl bee tutorial is terrific.

7/8 - Finally another on our to-make list from Honestly WTF using the hex nuts, all on their own.

So there you have it - a good movie, popcorn and a few supplies and you can wrap up a wrist-full of bracelets.  

Thanks for letting me diverge from the plan today- just a little :)

Wrap it up Thursday - Coffee Filter Flowers

 

You might have seen the bracelet I made for my friend Tiffany the other day.  Well it needs to be wrapped and Tiffany wraps a mean gift... so mine better be good!

I was inspired by all the amazing paper flowers and poms that are being used for displays at buffets and dessert tables.  These ones I found on Ruffled.

I wanted to recreate a mini display similar to this and thought about the natural coffee filters I have kicking around looking for a project.  I happened to have a long kraft box just waiting for a gift to be gifted.

 These filters are great because if I flatten them out I can use them to make all sorts of shapes, flowers and tags.  A few filters can go a long way.  If I cut out rectangles and layer them, accordion fold and trim the edges, I can make poufs like the tissue ball poms.  Here is an example. (Martha Stewart)  The centre circle can be cut into a spiral to make a rose. As an example look here. (Little Birdie Secrets)  The edges of the filter can be cut and folded accordion style, to make mini medallions like the ones you find here. (How About Orange)  Simple flower shapes can be cut out and layered on top of each other. And the edges left over after cutting looked just like a feather so I used those to make a tag.

The elements came together like this.  I used two coffee filters to hold the bracelet in the box.

I added a pom pom that I made with ribbons and yarn (Tiffany loves pom poms!) for a shot of pink and to hold the lid to the box.

With my feather tag, it's ready for Tiff!  Shhh .... I still have to drop it off!