Green & Red Poinsettia Gift Bag

Howdy.  I have been having such a great time making these little fabric scrap Christmas 'trees' that I just had to make another. {smile}.  And today, I am on my second post of these gift bags.  I used the same fabric as the previous post, but this time I created a 'green' bag.

I am entering this bag into these three challenges:  Die Cuttin Divas, Inky Impressions Challenge, and Crafting By Desings.   

The wonderfully talented ladies over @ Die Cutting Divas have a great holiday preparations challenge:  Tag, Bag, or Box.  Sounds perfect! and let's just admit it, something we need to get crafting, anyways.  {smile}

I am playing along with the creative design team over @ Inky Impressions Challenge.   Their current challenge is to use: Traditional Christmas Colors: Red, Green, and Kraft.  I believe this is right up my alley, so to speak.  The design team has done a wonderful job at providing us with some inspiration.  

I am also playing along with the ever inspiring design team over @ Crafting By Designs.   Their current challenge is themed: getting ready for Christmas.  I think all of us can create something beautiful to play along with their challenge, too. {smile}

Finally, I am using the inspirational photo from the card Concept.  I am not 'playing' along with their challenge, due to the fact, that their challenge site is for cards, and not projects.  But their inspirational photo is very beautiful, home-y, and a bit vintage-country. {smile}

and here is my Green version of my holiday gift bag:

a close-up of the 'tree'

Recipe:  I used green card stock to create the bag shape.  It measures 4 3/4" x 12".  A nice size for that special holiday gift.  {smile}

To create the 'tree' I tied on strips of fabric from a fat quarter set by Stampin' Up!.  It is retired.  But I love the red blossoms, the green accents and the brown patterns.  Very pretty, vintage-y, and a bit country.

I also added some crochet trims, tree tinsel, green velvet ribbon with red satin backing, and a brown gingham ribbon.

The fabric, trims, and ribbons are tied to a kraft striped paper straw.  I topped my 'tree' with a single red paper rose.

I tied on a trio of vintage buttons with kraft twine.

The background and sentiment are hand-stamped using crumb cake classic ink.  I just love how soft and 'innocent' this color looks on vanilla card stock.

I love to add some machine stitching to my hand-crafted cards and projects.  I think it 'finish'es a project, and adds that special homemade touch.  {smile}  I also added some machine stitching to the sentiment rectangle.  

I hope you create something beautiful and holiday inspired, so you can play along with these challenges, too!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.   And yeah, I have a few more gift bags to share with you.  But, I'll leave those for another post.

Fabric Scrap Wreath

~ photo heavy tutorial ~

Howdy!  I made a wreath from fabric strips, and a few ribbon pieces.  I was so happy with the final result, that I want to share with you all, on how I did it.  Now, if you search the internet, you will find a lot, (and I do mean ALOT of tutorials).  

Supplies:

3 fat quarters (I washed the fabric before I tore the strips)

3 ribbons

1 lace trim

wire wreath

scissors

(you could very simply use 4 fabrics and 2 ribbons and a lace trim)

I used european size fat quarters, and had some fabric left over.  The ribbons I used, were neutrals, and one pink.  I also used some lace trim.  The wire wreath I used is an eight inch round.

The pattern on this stripe fabric is simple, so I tore 1/2" strips, and then cut the strips into quarters.

This pattern is a bit more busier, so I tore 3/4" strips, and then cut the strips into quarters.

The largest pattern, I tore 1" strips, and then cut the strips into quarters.

I measured out a foot, from each fabric, then made little snips with my scissors, and then tore the strips.  I cut each strip into quarters, so that each scrap measures approximately 5" long.

I cut a variety of ribbons and trims into 5" lengths.  I also cut several strips of pink satin ribbon with white polka dots.  

I then decided on a pattern for my scraps to go on to the wreath.  I wanted a random look, but I don't really do 'random'.  I do structured 'random'.  {smile}

I started on the inside wire, and then progressed to the next wire, and the next, and finally the outer wire.  I attached the fabric strips to the wire frame in a loop like fashion.  [several tutorials say to tie the fabric strips, but i didn't like the idea.  {frown}]

not the sequence, just an image to show the looping

Once I finished looping the fabric strips around the wires, I went through to ensure that each wire segment had the same fullness.  So, there was some adding, and a few changing of ribbons and fabrics.  

Until, ta-da!

Thank you for looking!  I hope this tutorial was informative.  And that you create a fabric strip wreath, too! {smile}