calling on crafters - I need help!

[BMW]

Okay... years ago my friend got this wall swag... country looking... had some dried flowers in it and bows made from that crinkle paper stuff. I have a few spots in my home that I would like to do something similar...

 

BUT, I would like to de-country the idea a bit... maybe use different material... want to use some purple and lavender colors... dried flowers or artificial are nice. I need this to be affordable.

 

I have no idea where to start. Or what to do. Or what I want. Do you know what I saw years ago? Do you know what one is like that is less country-ish? Any ideas?

[LisaKinVA]

Change the flowers to a more elegant arrangements, and use ribbon instead of raffia/twistel.

[BMW]

But, what do I use for the actual frame of it all?

[hillfarm]

I would suggest that first you decide what you like about the one you saw so that you can repeat the desirable elements while replacing the less favorite ones. Do you remember how the old one was held together?

 

Check at your local craft department in the floral section. There are many preformed wire items that are designed to hold floral arrangements in a particular shape. If you can't find what you want that way, you can always buy a section of chicken wire from a hardware store and shape your own base. Depending on the size of arrangement and weight, you may be able to get away with just sticking your flowers or items into it, but for a really secure hold consider using the green floral foam, glued into place and maybe even glue each item.

 

One of the variables are the picks that you can buy at your craft shop or make yourself. If you have a particular theme, such as seashells or nature, Victorian, kitchen, or whatever, you can take the plain floral picks and then wire or hot glue your shells, beads, dried seed pods, tiny utensils or whatever on to the picks.

 

Then arrange your greenery (leaves for the background color) if you want any, your flowers if using any, and the picks. You can top it off with a bow made of any type of ribbon or twine that suits you fancy. So for example, with an ocean theme, you could use some fake sea oat plumes, a few sea grape leaves, some scallop shell picks that you made and maybe a couple of pretty pieces of sea glass and add an iridescent bow.

 

After you get it done, you can enlist an assistant to help hold while you position a hanger on the back. You can do this before you build it, but you won't know where the exact balance points are until afterward.

 

Good luck. HTH

[JoyfulMama]

Something metal would be a more contemporary "frame" to start with.

 

Something like this from Wal-Mart.

 

Or, you could take a couple wire coat hangers, bend them into a woven circle/oval (or non-shape), spraypaint it, then decorate.

 

 

Or for something more natural, gather some branches or sticks. Add some crystals.

[Beth in OH]

I need this to be affordable.

 

Artificial flowers are surprisingly expensive. Start buying them with JoAnn's or Michael's 50% off coupons. Also, watch for seasonal clearance.

[Brenda in FL]

You might be able to find the artificial flowers already arranged in a swag. They may or may not even need a bow. Choose ribbon with wire edges so that you can get it to stay in the shape you want.

 

Those country ones from the early 90's - I think they were just held together in the center with craft/floral wire. And probably a glue gun!