Hat Box Make Over Part 2!

The hat box was driving me crazy just as it was. It was missing something….I know you agree.

I learned how to print on burlap a few days ago. It was very easy.  Cut a piece of burlap and freezer paper to fit a piece of paper. Iron the burlap to the shiny side of the freezer paper (I had to use the hottest setting on my iron along with the steam setting!) Trim the edges. You don’t want it getting stuck in your printer. Then type up whatever you want printed on your burlap, send it through the printer and voila!

I hot glued this to the front of my hat box, added a burlap flower and tassel that I’ll blog about here later on and called this project finished!

 

 

Hat Box Make Over.

We were looking for a reasonably priced wine barrel. We learned there was no such thing. We resigned ourselves to the fact that we’ll  have to spend at least $100 just to have a wine barrel for the ceremony. *sigh* We’ll use it after the ceremony for a rain barrel, but I was hoping to find one for maybe half that. In the process of looking for a wine barrel we found a great antique store where we found this little gem of a hat box. 

Doesn’t really fit into the burlap and lace theme huh?  My bright idea was to bring it home, drench it in Gesso and then paint it a chocolate brown and use it as a favor box.  This is what the lid looked like after 5 layers of Gesso, 1 layer of white colored paint and 1 layer of cream colored paint.

You can still see the plaid through all that paint too can’t ya?

So I scrapped that idea (who has the time for who knows how many more coats of paint right?)  I measured the top of the box to the bottom (7inches)  added 2 inch for a total height of 9 inches. Then I measured all the way around the box  and added 1/2 inch for a total of  41 inches. I cut a piece of burlap 41’’ x 7’’. I hot glued one edge of burlap to the box leaving an inch above the top of the box and an inch hanging below the bottom of the box.

Once I got all around the box I overlapped my seams a bit for a cleaner look and hot glued it down. I chose to overlap because it’s hard to butt burlap up against each other.

Now you have a funky looking box with too much fabric hanging off the top and bottom of it. Every few inches or so I cut the burlap almost down to the top edge of the box (on top and bottom) making little burlap flaps. Fold the burlap flaps down into the opening of the box and down onto the bottom of the box and hot glue it for a round look.  Here’s a picture of the inside of the box with the cut burlap flaps glued down.

 

Then I measured out 41inches of lace, cut it and carefully hot glued it to the top edge of the hat box.

I feel like it needs more, but it’s beyond me as to what else it needs. Maybe I’ll paint the word ‘Favors’ on it so that guest know to take one? Maybe I’ll paint “Favors, Take One'” on it instead.  Can you tell I’m undecided? Me too. It’ll come to me. I have this on my sewing desk now so that it will stay in the forefront of my mind. Hopefully something will jump out at me and I’ll find that last finishing touch for it before too long.

~Jess

Flower Girl Dresses!

Evan Grace and one of Nathan’s nieces, Kayla, are our flower girls.  Kayla is going to be holding 36’’ ballons with lace and ribbons coming off of them. (I haven’t gotten to THAT project yet) and Evan Grace will be throwing baby’s breath blooms out of burlap and lace basket (which I haven’t gotten to either)

I’m just excited and relieved I found their dress for a steal! Isn’t she just the cutest (even with her hair all crazy)?

 

One more thing marked off my to-do list!! Whoot, whoot!

~Jess

I Still Love Burlap!

I still love burlap. Even though it took me hours and hours and hours of time to complete  my next wedding project. We’re having a very relaxed wedding and didn’t want ushers walking everyone to their seats or have everyone picking a ‘side’ to sit on.

I also didn’t like the idea of someone ‘handing out’ ceremony programs. That’s just too much like church and too stuffy for my taste. So what to do….what to do.

This is what I ended up doing.

The measurement for each pocket was 7’’ by 12’’. Burlap has a horribly tendency to fray so you can’t handle it like you would a cotton or really any other fabric. There’s an easy way to cut burlap. Follow this link if you want to learn how http://www.ellaclaireinspired.com/2012/05/washing-and-cutting-burlap.html  I didn’t wash mine because I wanted them to remain stiff like a pocket.

If you’re going to add lace like I did you have to sew it on first before you stitch your pocket closed. Just pin in place and go slowly with your machine.

Now you’re ready to fold your pocket (I left mine a little longer in the back for stability and cuteness!) and use a ladder or zigzag stich down both sides of the pocket to hold it in place. I sewed it with wrong sides together because I wasn’t going for a neat polished look. It’s burlap, so I wanted it to fray and keep with the rustic feel of things. Don’t ladder stitch over the lace though. You’ll have to move it out of the way. This was one of the most time consuming parts but it’s so worth it in the end. What a cute keepsake right?

After the pocket was sewn up I felt it still needed something. So we used jute twine, tied bows and I hand sewed each of them onto the front of the pockets. I think it just ‘ties it up' nicely! You could easily add a burlap rosette or any other type of flower or even feathers. Possibilities are endless. 

Here’s a look at the 3 sheets we made and printed for the inside of the pocket.

Our Thank You.           Our Wedding Program & Our Wedding Party

                

 

It was a fun project that ate up my life for a few days. I’m so tickled with how it turned out. It’s one of my favorite projects so far!

~Jess

 

 

Our Guest Book

I found this ugly guest book at a local store for $9. The only thing I liked about it was the box it’s self and the color of the wood. Oh, and the rope handle, I like that too!

We needed a guest book box. We want to have little wooden hearts that each guest signs and then puts in the box. This was almost perfect for what I had in mind for our guest box. And look it already had burlap on it!

I pulled everything off the front of it. Turns out all the metal pieces were simply hot glued on, which made for easy pop off, but left a hunk of cold dried never to be removed glue in it’s place. I had to cut a piece of burlap and cover the existing glue covered burlap.

Here’s the finally product. I love love love how it turned out!

I used some linen to make the banner. The measurements for the triangles are 2cm by 2cm. The sticks I used were bamboo skewers that you’d use on the grill. The small flowers I picked up at hobby lobby for $2 in the scrapbooking aisle. I thought they added a sweeter touch than just the banner. I stamped on the letters with brown ink and hot glued everything down.

I purchased the hearts from SupplyandDesign at Etsy.com. Here’s the link to her store.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/SupplyandDesign?ref=seller_info

Now all we need to do is find the right type of pen or sharpie that will work best.

~Jess

Ring Bearer

My son, Isaac, is going to be our ring bearer. He’s very excited about the job. I liked the burlap and lace pillows I found only, especially a few at Etsy. But if you haven’t realized by now we’re not having the traditional wedding.  Isaac will be carrying a tree slice, was a heart carved into it, filled with cedar chips and a gorgeous brown ribbon (which is our wedding color!!) inside.

Here’s a link to the wonderful Etsy store, MoMo Rad Rose, where I found it. They have lots of other rustic goodies too so make sure you look around!!!  . http://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoRadRose?ref=seller_info

~Jess

For my Ring.

This isn’t something that I made for the wedding, but I did make it for my engagement rings. My engagement ring is really three rings (1 for each of our kids). I wanted a special place for my rings for the times that I have to have them off. Instead of putting them in my jewelry box or a soap dish beside the sink where bad things could happen I made the below.

You’ll need a 4 x 6 flat picture frame, glass pearl beads, a piece of burlap and a hot glue gun and white paint or Gesso.

If you’re able to find a white frame then skip the next step. If you could only find a black frame like me, then give the frame a rough coat of white paint or Gesso. If you’re going to use wooden beads or a dark color bead then you should keep your frame black or dark. The idea is to make the frame it’s self disappear.

Start on the inside of your frame, alternating different size and color beads.

Then pick a side and start covering. I like the look of some of the beads coming ‘off’ the side of the frame but feel free to keep it all nice and in line for those that prefer that look.

Here it is all finished but without the burlap.

I cut a piece of burlap to cover the inside cardboard that comes with the frame and placed it inside just like you would a picture.

To make the post that the rings are hanging on I simple used a pearl tipped straight pin and hot glued 3 small pearl beads around the straight pin.

Now I have a beautiful safe place for my beautiful engagement rings for when I do dishes, cook or get into something my rings shouldn’t be around.
~Jess

Kissing Balls/Wedding Balls/Pomanders

The first thing I started making for the wedding goes by many names (refer to the title of this post) I used different size and color coffee filters for mine. I wanted a tighter looking ruffle, if you will, instead of the loose ruffle look of tissue paper.

The bigger one took more than 2 hours to complete and the smaller ones came in at right at an hour and 1/2. I made a total  of 14; 7 white ones, and 7 brown ones. We plan on hanging these above the cake table area.
~Jess