Hi bloggers, I have a little step by step project for you guys today. I actually made this cute little photo holder a while ago but when I saw it on my shelf this morning I couldn't remember if I had shared it with you before so I thought I would post it today with a little guidance on how to make each element.
So first of all you will need an old wooden spool. Ideally needs to be a wooden one as the effect isn't the same with a plastic spool.
Next you will need some of these, washi tapes! Very much on trend at the moment and you can pick them up in many different places, not just craft shops. It's up to you how many you want to use, I just decided on one but you could layer up three or four.
Just wrap it round the spool
Next you can grab a bit of lace and wound that round the top part of the spool.
Once you've decorated the spool, its time to make the flower. For this I used a Sizzix flower die cut such as the one above. You will also need a compatible machine as well such as the Sizzix Big Shot. If you don't have these available you could also buy decorative flowers pre-done to put on the top of the spool.
I cut my flower out with fabric and this is what it will look like when it is cut out. To make it into a rose, follow the instructions below carefully.....
You need to start with the thin end and with the correct side facing you so that it appears on the inside of the rose, you will begin to roll the end in and you will need to continue to roll it with your fingers until you get to the other end. You will want to keep it quite tight so that it doesn't come apart. No need to glue anything yet just keep rolling it.
Once you've started to roll it, it should look a bit like this.
Once you have got to the other end, you're flower will look a bit like this and you should have a small round end left. This will be used as a base to the flower.
Using a heat gun, add a small dob of glue to the circle base and then sit the flower on top of it and it should set almost instantly.
You should have something like this when you have finished. To add an extra detail you could add a pearl or a bit of glitz to the middle of it.
Moving onto the wire photo holder. For this you will want a strong bit of wire, I used garden wire I bought in a DIY store. It needs to be strong enough so it can hold the photo. To create a circular shape you may want to wind it round something like the lid of a small bottle. You will want to go round it twice and then leave a straight piece at the end which will be stuck inside the spool.
You should hopefully achieve something like this and obviously don't worry about it being perfect. Its meant to look a bit vintage and worn so if its not a perfect circular shape its fine.
To add a bit of colour to the wire, we are going to use some Adirondack alcohol inks and you will need an applicator tool as well. I used the colour Rust.
To apply the ink, place the nib in the centre of the felt on the applicator tool and squeeze a few drops onto it, which will be plenty. Then just dab it onto the wire and you will see the colour appear. If you want it stronger just keep adding more layers once each layer of ink has dried.
It will start to look a bit like this.
Once all the elements have been completed you just need to put them altogether. To stick the wire photo holder to the spool, add a bit of hot glue, using the glue gun, to the bottom of the straight bit of wire and then stick inside the hole in the spool. Then simply add the rose using the hot glue gun again and maybe add a leaf or other embellishment of your choice.
Beautiful!
If you have any questions, just leave me a comment below and let me know how you get on with it.
