Days 14-16: Bouquet 101

One post, three different crafts, one must: flowers.


The bridal march will be nothing but complete with that perfect bouquet. I've dubbed myself to be a broke-ass bride-to-be and being one entails having a keen eye on where we'll put our money. To cut our expenses, we've agreed to plunge into the DIY wedding escapades everyone seems to have been raving about in the recent years. 


Our main idea of what our celebration would be is a warm party. Having every detail DIY-ed will seem to be challenging, but I must say that it's pretty much what we wish for. DIY essentials involve creativity and thriftstore sojourning.


My bouquet will surely place itself in our DIY catalog, which we'll start crafting this coming April. Hurray!!! *smiles widely* For now, I'll be concentrated on looking for affordable bouquet ideas. Like these three I've grabbed online!

A beautiful mesh of fresh flowers and handcrafted ones. Can you guess which is which?

How To:
1: Collect supplies. Use fresh flowers, handmade velvet flowers, berry twigs, feather birds, feathers and vintage brooches. A family heirloom ribbon (vintage tatting) and velvet ribbon can be used to personalize the bouquet!
2: Start from the center. Gather the fresh flowers altogether in the center and build the floral base of your bouquet. Work your way out by adding more and more flowers. This time around, surround the base with crafted flora.
3: Tape them. You will need to hold the stems together, so gently wrap the stems with floral tape. Make sure that not a single stem is let loose. 
4: Adorn. Use what creative heirloom pieces you have or crafted materials are there present! You'll be using feather birds and wires to have them wrapped accordingly. This fun part will all depend on your peg for your bouquet.
5: Use a trusty ribbon. Wrap the base of your stems with a pretty ribbon. Be creative and use other materials!

Courtesy of The Broke-ass Bride

Love is indeed in the air for this couple. I've fallen in love with this craft tutorial. I might make my own bouquet like this one! LOVE IT :)

How To:
1: Trace the hearts in your felt fabric. Using your cookie cutter or heart template trace out your heart shapes onto your felt.  We used a heart cookie cutter that’s about 3 inches tall.
2: Cut out your hearts. Do this carefully to ensure that the shape of the heart will not be jagged or difficult to re-shape.
3: Sew. Using your embroidery thread and a needle start stitching your hearts.  Make sure that the sides you traced on are now facing inwards so that you don’t have any pen/pencil marks on the outsides of your hearts.
4: Leave some space. Stitch the entire way around your heart, leaving about 3/4 of an inch near the pointed end of your heart.
5: Fatten it up. Gently stuff your heart with a small amount of batting.
6: Sew the stem. Take your clothe wire stem and make a tiny loop at the end. Place the looped end inside the heart and begin sewing up the last remainder of your heart while you wrap neatly around the stem as well.  The looped wire end will prevent your stem from coming out of the heart.  {{Note: If you don’t want long stems you may be able to cut your stems in half thus doubling your stem.  THERE! Your heart-on-a-stick is done! Make as many as you’d like depending on what sized bouquet you’d like}}
7: Tape the stems. Once you’ve created all your heart-on-a-sticks you can start arranging them in a bouquet.  If you’re on your own, use some floral tape to help secure the placement of each heart.
8: Ribbon time. Once you’re happy with your arrangement, you can add your ribbon.  Using a glue gun (sparingly) being wrapping your ribbon around your stem.  Use whatever width and texture of ribbon you’d like!

Courtesy of Labelle Bride

Burlap bouquet wonder. Perfect for that rustic vintage wedding theme! Oh! DIY magic! Oh that magic!

How To:
1: Cut. Cut a strip of burlap about 2 inches thick and a foot long (depending how big you’d like your flowers).
2: Paste. Take your stem and glue the tip of it onto the very end of your strip.
3-4: Roll. Begin to roll your stem into the burlap, gluing along the way. Continue rolling your stem about 4-5 times. This creates the center “bud” of you flower.
5-6: Petal folding. Now it’s time to start your petals! Take the fabric strip that is dangling from your “bud” and make a fold away from you, holding the bottom of the folding piece close to the stem. Overlapping your first “petal” slightly, create another backwards fold or petal. Again, holding the bottom of the fold near the stem.
7: Paste. Glue your first two petals in place. Try to put the glue closer to the base of your flower.
8: Repeat. Continue steps 5-7 until you’ve completed an entire row of petals all the way around.
9: Tighten it. Poke your glue gun in here and there to secure the flower
10: Base foundation. With your remaining fabric you’ll now secure the base of your flower and the top of your stem by winding the fabric around, gluing when appropriate.
11: Tada. Voilà! Your little burlap flower!
12: Adorn. Now personally I like these flowers just on their own, but if you’d like to add a little color to your bud you can add a small piece of ribbon and a pearl pin in the center. If you’re making a bouquet like in the first photo, assemble a few burlap flowers, trim the ends and wrap with ribbon. It’s THAT easy.

Courtesy of Labelle Bride

Such amazing finds, right?


Sources: The Broke-ass Bride, Labelle Bride, Labelle Bride (again)
Posted on 1/31/12 at 1:10 PM

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Ocular: Makati Parks and Garden and Our Lady of Guadalupe

We had a very busy Saturday with Francis barely sleeping as he just went home from work. It was pretty manic if you'll ask me.


At exactly two in the afternoon, we went straight ahead to Makati Parks and Garden to check it out. While on the way there, we were able to spot a chapel that is almost worn and torn. It's actually perfect for an intimate wedding due to its solemnity. San Nicolas Chapel in J.P. Rizal Ext. is quite a catch for our supposed set-up; however, the lack parking space is a definite no-no. 


Though the mini church sits across Makati Parks and Garden, it is rather inconvenient to have the guests walk from one side to another (taking into account the fact that they need to use the footbridge to cross the street).


After speaking with a certain Ate Eba from the San Nicolas Chapel, we went to Sta. Tererista Parish (the main parish in West Rembo) to have a look at what they can offer and see the caretakers. Ate Beth greeted us there, and she was actually all warm and fuzzy. The only problem we had was that it's very difficult to find. Something that could be a pain in the ass for us and the rest of the attendees.  


The offer was 7,000 PHP inclusive of the priest's stipend, flowers, red carpet, and use of the church for the ceremony.


Failed on choosing this church, we decided to check Makati Parks and Garden then proceed to Guadalupe Nuevo's Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine. 

Photo take from Shutter Bride

The security guard, Ate Gilda, was in the Pavilion and told us to inquire to their admin office (which, by the way, was not helpful at all!). Had Francis and I been a different kind of couple with loads of gran, we would have crossed this out immediately because of the staff's unfriendly welcome. 

Photos from Venues.Multiply.Com

Luckily, we got the contact details of a certain Claudine Magno from Makati's Office of the Mayor. 


Next, we rode a jeepney back to Guadalupe, Makati. We walked and walked until we reached Orense St. in Guadalupe Nuevo. There stands the beautiful Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine. It's a fascinating shrine perfect for our occasion! It's not that big but not too small.


The church staff, Kris, was very friendly and polite in answering our inquiries. She gave us the list of requirements and fees, plus their contact details. As per Kris, we will have to coordinate with Rovi and return in June. 


To be honest, I was enthralled when I saw the church. It's not as beautiful as other churches like Jon Don Bosco and St. Andrew in Makati. Nonetheless, I'll have to say that it's a solemn place to hold our special ceremony. The rate? Well, it's amazingly within our budget. A little less than 10,000 PHP with all the other inclusions.


Here are the pictures. We only had a chance to sneaked in and press our shutters.

Me in the altar and him from the farthest point

The angel is very welcoming if you ask me

These babies should be lighted on our wedding day

The tablet inside

I really fell in love with this church in an instant! Francis spoke about how quiet it is in the area. It's perfect! Just perfect for our uber budgeted wedding celebration! Can't wait to check Makati Parks and Garden's availability, so we can book this church! Yey!

Posted 1/29/12 at 5:29 AM

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Day 13: Memoir-filled Guestbook (Check!)

Going over Internet articles and how-to instructions has been my recent addiction. I can't help raving about these fantastic DIY projects. For instance, I've been lurking in forums finding cheap options to cut our wedding budget. With just 100,000 PHP in our plate, Francis and I know that it'll be one heck of a trip to the thrift shop.


The guestbook is not as salient as other weddings musts (i.e. wedding gown, rings, reception, church, and food). This, however, doesn't mean that we'll take this piece for granted. Your attendees may have pretty much to say to you, and what better way to have them voice their opinion than to allow them to sign your guestbook. 


Mind you, there are thousands of "craftastic" ideas out there in the open (waiting for you to discover). Take for example this amazing scrapbook idea, which I may implore as our guestbook inspiration.

Taken from Creating Really Awesome Free Things

The scrapbook

Materials
3 sheets solid cardstock 8-1/2" square
2 pieces patterned paper 5-1/2" square
2 pieces chipboard or cardboard 4-1/2" square
Four different coordinating papers cut to a little less than 4-1/4" square. You will need a total of 10 squares to cover the inside squares of the book.
Ribbon, 1 yard
Embellishments and photos of your choice.

OR
3 sheets solid cardstock 12" square
2 pieces patterned paper 8-1/2" square
2 pieces chipboard or cardboard 6-1/2" square
Four different coordinating papers cut to a little less than 6-1/2" square. You will need a total of 10 squares to cover the inside squares of the book.
Ribbon, 1 yard
Embellishments and photos of your choice

Steps
1.  Folding: Take the paper and fold in half lengthwise in one direction and repeat it in the other direction. Make sure that you'll be forming a cross by meeting the center. Try folding the paper (from lengthwise) to form a mountain. Do not repeat the step as you should only create one diagonal fold. Do the folding to the other sheets of paper.

2. Overlapping: Put the far right square of one piece atop the middle sheet of paper, and then link the middle sheet to the last piece. Glue the pieces tightly. Note that you have to turn the pieces of paper to produce that diamond shape before putting the paper together.

3. Gluing: Using a hot glue gun, glue the 5-1/2" (or 8-1/2" if doing the bigger book) square pieces of patterned paper to the chipboard. Cut the corners diagonally and fold over edges. Glue these down and you get a nice professional finish. Glue one onto the front of your book. For the back of your book take your other piece of covered chipboard and place it upside down. Glue ribbon to it centered, and then glue ribbon side to back of book.

4. Decorating: Embellish the cardboards with whichever design you choose to!

Source: Making Mini Scrapbooks
Posted on 1/28/12 at 6:43 AM

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Day 12: Tissue Paper Carnations (Check!)

As a DIY queen wannabe, I've particularly decided to replace fresh flowers with tissue paper versions. For one, these beauties can last and I can re-use them as decorations for our future love nest. Likewise, my friends and I can all participate in the preparation.


I'm not really a demanding kind of friend; however, weddings just bring out the hidden "you." By spending time with them making crafts, I can further our friendship and help them have peso-saving ideas for their own wedding in the future!


Here's a simple DIY project involving carnations. Photos and idea courtesy of Folding Trees:

The project. Tada!

Materials:
Tissue paper
Scissors
2 large paper clips
Pipe cleaners (chenille stems) or floral wire
Coloured marker pen
Optional: floral wire, floral tape, wire cutters

Please visit Folding Trees for the step-by-step guides.


Source: Folding Trees
Posted on 1/27/12 at 6:43 AM

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Quick Update: NSDG Guadalupe and Makati Parks and Garden

Just a few hours ago, I received a call from Francis regarding his conversation with the admin staff of Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church in Guadalupe, Makati City. As per their conversation, he found out that the fee there is now 15,000 PHP, which is a little beyond our budget for the church ceremony.


The staff was friendly and attentive to my fiancés inquiries. He discovered that they do allow pencil booking but on the note that you will reserve the slot within the one-week period. The package includes the ceremony and adornment less the choir. This now is a problem in our case should we go ahead with this option.


As per the not-so friendly admin attendant in charge of reservations at the Makati Parks and Garden, inquiries will only be attended to every Monday to Wednesday. They sure as hell have some sharp tongue to lash out such unfriendly response. Nonetheless, we'll still try giving it a go depending on what we will see tomorrow.


Keeping our fingers crossed! Gaahhh!!! This is just so nerve-racking.


Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:42 PM

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Day 11: Table Numbers

Table numbers, along with other paper craft ideas, pretty much enlighten every wedding party. With a touch of creativity, you can turn that dull numerals into a set of chic and cozy paperwork. Here's one good deal of tutorial I grabbed online.

Chic and comfy

Materials:
Color printer
Card stock in color of your choice, 8.5" by 11"
Paper cutter or scissors
Gold acrylic craft paint
Fine paintbrush


Steps:
1. Table number templates 1-20 are available as .pdfs to download and print.
2. Print table numbers onto card stock and cut out along provided lines.
3. You can use the table numbers as is or add extra metallic details with gold craft paint and a fine brush. Use the paint to detail the floral border. Be sure to keep the brush relatively dry, especially if you've print your cards on an inkjet printer.


Oweee! I can't wait to try this. I'm just wondering if I'll forgo numbers and go with attributes or keywords instead.


Source: Project Wedding
Posted on 1/26/12 at 6:43 AM

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Checklist: 12-Month Planning Countdown

CHECKLIST: 12-Month Planning Countdown
12 months before: The Research Stage (January)
• Set-up a wedding planner or organizer. (online website and wedsite) You'll have to keep track of the updates on your planning stage and what cheaper way to do this than to create a blog and have all pertinent details posted there.


• Draft and finalize the attendees including the entourage. Every budget-constrained couple must understand and accept the fact that they'll have to be selective in who they'll invite in their special celebration. Sure, if you have tons a gran, why not invite everyone?


• Find affordable and trustworthy suppliers online. You have 365 days to work on your wedding. If you are really pushing it forward despite budget restrictions, you will be able to succeed. You have a lot of time. All you need to do is settle which your priorities are.


• Set-up the wedding budget. Yes, exactly a year from the wedding date, the expenses should  be very clear already. Talk with your fiancé regarding the budget and allocate specific percentage to your expenses. This will both keep you from floating above the clouds.


• Decide on the wedding motif and theme. It is never too early to decide on the motif and theme you wish to have on your wedding affair. Why? Finalizing these details will give you and your partner clear focus as to what you should have in the celebration (from the gown down to the decoration and flowers).


• Look for cost-efficient dresses and gowns for the bride and the entourage. It will probably take you a little more than three months to finally decide on what you'll wear on your wedding day. It's really time-consuming than you think!


• Locate church and reception areas. You will have to do this earlier than a year before your wedding. A low-budget wedding means finding the right places and resources and pulling off the correct strings!


11- 10 months before: The Major Suppliers Stage 1 (February-March) 
• Attend bridal fairs. On month 11, you are to be exposed to other great wedding offers found in fairs. If you have a solid preference as to your motif and theme, it will not be frustrating on your part to let go of options that are way beyond your capacity.


• Consider the food to be served. Are you going for a garden reception with a caterer? Or do you prefer to have a hotel reception? Will you be serving Japanese food? Will Italian cuisine be your peg? Food, as some would not admit, is one of the most important items in the wedding affair (if not the most important next to the ceremony).


• Find your preferred photographer and videographer and make respective downpayments. Contrary to what other people think, photo and video services are part of the major suppliers list. Remember, you'll only get wed once and apart from your wedding ring, the photos will best serve as your time capsule of happiness. Sadly, though, rates for such are skyrocketing! Every budget-constricted bride-to-be must understand that such supplier must be prioritize as they are pricey.


• Look for hair and make-up artists. These artists do not come cheap. You'll have to spend more than four months scouting your area for affordable options. Otherwise, you'll be spending more than you've set yourself to be spending.


• Reserve the church and reception.  On the last week of this period, you must be  decided on where you want to be wed and on where the party will be.


• Start a healthy lifestyle. It's a horrendous situation if the bride will look plump as ever. This also goes well with the groom. Let's face it! Not every girl is metabolically fit.  It's difficult to go on a diet, so do it gradually.


• Contact local caterers (if you have decided on having your celebration catered). Secure food tasting schedules with affordable caterers of your choice. This will allow you to finalize which of them you'll get for your party.

9- 8 months before: The Major Suppliers Stage 2 (April-May) 

• Attend bridal fairs. If there are more bridal fairs to attend to, willfully attend them. You'll have to secure that all possible cheap options will come your way. And what better way to have them than to attend wedding conventions.

• Schedule Official Pre-Nuptial Pictorial. In the old times, engagement shoots are not that important; however, due to the advancement of photography, more and more couples have taken a penchant for this photo shoot.

• Search for the wedding cake, band, florist. These are very important remunerations of any wedding celebration. Looking for cheap finds is not easy. 

• Find vehicles to rent. Equally stressful is the search for the perfect ride on your wedding day. If your friends can lend you their ride, it would be nice but you cannot count on this. You'll have to stretch your imagination and patience so as to find the right vehicle.

• Finalize the caterer. Pay necessary fees to have a lockdown on the menu among others with your chosen caterer.

7- 6 months before: The Adornment Stage (June-July) 

• Announce the wedding plans to the parties. It is advisable for couples to keep the planning between them so as not to spike any unwarranted suggestions that would only prolong the planning stage and even cause havoc as to the type of wedding you'll be having. The more heads are there thinking, the more confusing it might get.

• Finalize the wedding dress and suit. On the sixth month of the planning stage, any bride-to-be must be ready with the wedding look she raves about. The look should be final so that further expenses will be limited. The groom, on the other hand, must have his equal share on the personal styling for this affair. 

• Settle other payments not yet made. It is advisable that six months before the wedding all other expenses and reservations are completed. This will give you ample time to make way for your emergency funds. 

• Inform the primary and secondary sponsors. During this time, the sponsors may be informed so as they can commit their availability for the said occasion. 

• Sending of Save-the-Date. Six months is a very good leeway to give your respective guests. Letting them know at this point in time will allow them to commit their attendance for the said function. 

• Begin with the DIY projects. You will have to look for materials and start working on dummies before subjecting yourself to having your wedding DIYed. It's enough to have six months in your clock to finish any adornment or attire you wish to craft. 

5 months before: The Details Stage (August) 

• Secure the invites and other paper crafts. Printing costs should be kept on a minimal. To do this, look for cheap resources online and within your area.


• Finalize the contract with the make-up artist. Set-up the payments and make sure that your terms are well-written therein.


• Shop for shoes and accessories. With a little less than your budget, try to look for cheap accessories and comfy shoes. Every bride has a different ideal wedding affair, but once you put budget into context, everything will fall in the same equation.


• Look for support groups. Other than your friends and relatives, you may look for conventions and couple seminars to further strengthen your and your partner's bond. Support groups will allow you to pull through the difficult times of the wedding planning.

4-3 months before: The Final Adjustments Stage (September-October) 

• Complete the necessary church and legal documents. Most legal papers for weddings expire in about 140 days; hence, spending the fourth month prior to the big day is actually wise.

• Finalize the invites and print all other paper crafts. Print them and ready for distribution.


• Arrange meet-ups with florists, emcees, and soloists. After scouting for cheap resources, reserve them four months prior to the wedding function.

• Dinner with the families. Filipinos have the pamamanhikan custom, wherein both parties meet and gather regarding the wedding function. For budget-constrained couples, though, having the pamamanhikan can be a source of problem should the couple not be ready with the entire plan. Booking everything prior to the meet-up will leave nothing to chance.

2 months before: The DIY Project Stage (November) 

• Complete the DIY projects. With two more months before your wedding, your decoration and projects ought to have been completed. Otherwise, you'll be having a very troublesome scenario, wherein you're trying to squeeze in everything at the littlest of time available.


• Create/purchase the giveaways. Complete the necessary number of giveaways you are to share with your guests.


• Wedding gown adjustment. A lot of people do not really find this important but this is very pertinent. With a year's time  you may gain or lose weight.

• Recheck if there are other documents needed to be provided. After scouting for cheap resources, reserve them four months prior to the wedding function.


• Honeymoon brainstorming. It's actually easy to settle where to go. The problematic part is funding the sufficient amount of funds needed for your escapade.


• Distributing the invites. The guests are expected to RSVP at the soonest time possible and reserve the date with the remaining two months.

1 months before: The Last Few Details Stage (December) 

• Honeymoon booking. After a month of checking affordable deals, finalize the booking for your honeymoon.


• Contact all suppliers. The last month of the preparation spells pressure with a capital "P." You ought to be ready with what may happen wrong along the way and think of possible mishaps.


• Confirm guests' attendance. Contact each attendee and confirm if they'll be present in the function.


• Stag party and bridal shower. The groomsmen and maids of honor are to host these separately. Have your friends know the timeline you are following.


• Confirm details with the church and reception. One month before your celebration, you have to contact the admin offices of the church and reception. The representatives must confirm the details with you so as to avoid problems in the long run.  

Two weeks before: The Recreation Stage (January 2013) 

• Relaxation. Two weeks before the wedding, both the bride and groom must pamper themselves by going to a spa and having a beauty makeover.

Posted on 1/26/12 at 3:42 AM

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Day 10: Vintage Jars Centerpiece

We know that going for a vintage-themed wedding is costly. But we're not giving up on this idea yet. Ours won't be a fancy vintage celebration. Rather, it will be warm, cozy, and modest. The idea of incorporating rustic vintage elements is to provide an artsy and elegant look to the entire function.


Putting together recycled materials can be a good peso-saving solution. For one, we will try including mason jars in our centerpiece arrangement.

Our peg for the centerpiece (BridalBuzz)

This just looks lovely, doesn't it? Well, preparing it is not taxing. All you need to do is to keep the jars clean and color them accordingly. 


Materials
mason jars, Viltrea 160 (glass coloring), thinner, oven, fan brush


Steps
1. Put some drops of the glass coloring and mix well in a plastic tupperware. 
2. User your brush to to mix the solution further and color the jar.
3. Make sure you color both the interior and exterior of it.
4. Turn the jar upside down and let it set for 24 hours.
5. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for a little less than 40 minutes.
6. Adorn the jar with flowers. Don't worry about the uneven texture of the used coloring.


See? It doesn't take a scientist to do this nippy arrangement! Try it yourself.


Source: BridalBuzz
Posted on 1/25/12 at 6:43 AM

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Day 9: Creative Paper Flower Tutorial (vid)

I've started  scouting easy-to-execute craft ideas via Youtube to select efficient guidelines we will use for our own wedding party. To date, I've spent nine days of research. 


The tutorial I've selected is actually very interesting. It's one you can use to adorn your invites. The Youtube user has posted her take on making paper flowers.


Materials 
* Paper of different texture and design
* Paint
* Sponge
* Glue
* Special puncher


*** Source: Christina1716


Posted on 1/24/12 at 9:57 PM

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Day 8: Paper Roses as Bouquet (Check!)

I am a budget-conscious wife-to-be not only because of the limited resources we have at the moment, but also since Francis and I are both reluctant to splurge on our wedding party. It is a once in a lifetime event, yes. That's the exact point! You'll only be celebrating it once! 


More things will come after the wedding. You will be having a family and that means providing for your soon-to-bear kids. Researching for affordable wedding details options is very enlightening. I am not as positive that we will not go beyond our set budget. Still, we'll try not to no matter what!


One website has given a step-by-step guide on making a peper bouquet. Yes, people! I am considering of crafting my bouquet from fabric or paper (or probably both), whichever spins my imagination.

The finished product: the Paper Roses

Why
Scanty reasons are there as to why you ought to have the flowers (among other ornaments DIY-ed). Here is a summary of my hubris:


1. Practicality. You'll only use these flowers once in your life and saving on them will allow you to add funds to your emergency budget.
2. Creativity. Being a hands-on bride is all about having a ton of "me" time and enjoying things you normally don't do in ordinary days. Say, for example, making paper crafts.
3. Discovery. Other than the creation time being your time alone from work among other stressors, it's a good bonding time to spend with your partner. Doing mini projects will allow your groom to see through the process and appreciate every detail of it.


Materials

6"styrofoam ball, scissors, wood skewers, light weight colored paper, yarn, masking tape 

You can actually use a mix of plain paper, metallic paper and a very light textured paper. It's a nice idea so as to give texture and body to the crafted paper flowers you are to make.


Carnations
1. Roll up a small piece of paper and attach with tape to the top of the skewer, this is to keep the petals from just falling off. I did this with the rosettes too.
2.Cut between 4-8 circles, depending on how big you want the flower, and poke a small hole in the middle
3.Starting with the first piece of paper, scrunch it up, no need to be neat with it! And continue with all the pieces of paper. Add a little piece of tape on the bottom to keep them from sliding out too.

Steps 1-3

Rosettes
1.Cut a spiral out of a piece of paper, about 4x4 inches
2.Roll all the way down, slightly pinching just to make it tight
3.Slide a skewer through the top and add a piece of tape underneath

Steps 1-3

After completing the crafted paper flowers, proceed with sticking the pieces together in your selected ball of Styrofoam. cover the surface with whichever pattern you opt. You can make your ball of flowers even better by adding fabric crafts.

Our wedding's motif is yellow and black with white and gray accent. We'll have to make these shades work with the right elements for my bouquet. Pretty giddy right now!

*** Craft idea and pictures courtesy of Project Wedding.


Posted on 1/23/12 at 9:56 PM

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Day 7: Going Gaga Over Tissue Pomanders

I stumbled upon a wedding DIY site that is just ravishing! Project Wedding is just a haven of various DIY projects. For my 365 DIY project challenge, I've chosen this project involving tissue pomanders as these are just simply beautiful.

The finished product

Materials

1. Styrofoam Balls: Sold at craft stores such as Michaels.  For this guide, Marina used 3” balls.
2. Tissue Paper: For each pomander, you’ll need approximately 72 sheets of tissue paper cut to be 5” x 7”
3. Scissors
4. Wire: Sold at hardware stores
5. Wire Cutters: Sold at hardware stores

Methods

Step 1: Cut each sheet of tissue paper to 5” x 7”.

Using the available tissue material you have, cut the sheet of paper with the measure 5" x 7". No need to keep the cut well-aligned. You may produce jagged sides and edges but it will still be fine.

Step 2: Stack 4 sheets of tissue and fan fold all the way up.

Fan-folding is a method wherein to fold the paper in creases with alternating format. Do this accordingly and try to keep the creases aligned this time.

Step 3: Tie some wire around the middle of the tissue. 

There's no strict length as to how long the excess wire ought to be or how many recoiling needs to be done. You just have to secure the tissue paper by wrapping the wire and leave an extra tail to have something to stick in the Styrofoam. Fab, right?

Step 4: Start pulling the tissue sheets up one at a time. Left then Right.  

Do this step all over again until to get your preferred "fluffiness." Remember not to pull too strongly because it might ruin the tissue and tear the piece into a multitude of others.

Step 5: Stick the wires into the Styrofoam ball.

Continue this process until the ball is fully covered with the pieces of wrapped tissue paper. What is wonderful about this project is that you control the effect of the pomanders by fluffing it up should you wish to do so.

If Francis and I are to incorporate these babies in our adornment project, we'll have to look for the right shade of yellow. I feel like I'm dreaming of soft tissue paper right now. *tee hee* 

*** Craft idea and pictures courtesy of Project Wedding.

Posted on 1/22/12 at 9:55 PM

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