DIY Decor Archives - Love Grows Wild https://lovegrowswild.com/tag/diy-decor/ Tue, 05 Sep 2023 18:14:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 https://lovegrowswild.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-SECONDARY-32x32.jpg DIY Decor Archives - Love Grows Wild https://lovegrowswild.com/tag/diy-decor/ 32 32 Tone on Tone Woven Wall Art DIY https://lovegrowswild.com/2023/09/tone-on-tone-woven-wall-art-diy/ https://lovegrowswild.com/2023/09/tone-on-tone-woven-wall-art-diy/#comments Tue, 05 Sep 2023 18:14:15 +0000 https://lovegrowswild.com/?p=16852 The next project for our living/dining room update: a large piece of art to go between the two windows in the dining room. This wall is somewhat of a focal point since the dining table is centered here, and it needed some kind of definition and interest to draw your eye in. I just hung…

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The next project for our living/dining room update: a large piece of art to go between the two windows in the dining room.

This wall is somewhat of a focal point since the dining table is centered here, and it needed some kind of definition and interest to draw your eye in. I just hung a large piece of landscape canvas art on the opposite side of the room, so I wanted something different here that was a bit more abstract, but simple and subtle too. 

Neutral Living Room

I did a little online shopping to see if I could find something that would fit my vision, and I came across a stunningly beautiful piece of woven art that was absolutely perfect – but it most definitely did not fit my budget. 

Woven Wall Art Projectsource

I loved the neutral abstract tone on tone design and the beautiful texture of the woven wool. But I was not about to pay $400 for a piece of art that I felt was simple enough I could probably recreate it for a fraction of the cost. 

Woven Wall Art Project

I went to the craft store and came up with a plan and materials to execute the project. I decided I would find a piece of fabric that I could stretch over a cheap canvas and somehow attach a chunky textured yarn in a sort of zig-zag pattern like my inspiration piece. 

Neutral Living Room

SUPPLIES:

white burlap
canvas panel
yarn – look for one that’s chunky/textured and similar in color to the burlap
thread – also similar in color
needle
scissors
ruler
masking tape
staple gun & staples
picture hanging hardware

Woven Wall Art Project

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Cut a piece of burlap several inches longer on all sides than your canvas panel. You’ll need to be able to wrap the burlap around the back of the canvas and attach it to the wood frame. 
  2. Decide where you want your design centered on the burlap, and use strips of tape as a guideline so you don’t have to measure spacing for every row of yarn.
  3. Before you actually attach the yarn to the burlap, lay out at least a few rows of your design to determine the spacing you want.
    I used a 30 x 40″ canvas and created a zig-zag pattern alternating long and short rows that were 12″ and 8″.

    Woven Wall Art Project

  4. At the end of each row, secure the yarn in place with needle and thread, tying a knot on the backside of the burlap to secure. Continue the pattern until your woven design is the size you want.
  5. Once finished, go back through the rows and add extra stitches sporadically where the yarn may seem loose. This will help keep the yarn secured to the burlap and add some additional texture and interest. 

    Woven Wall Art Project

  6. Flip the burlap over with the woven design down, and place the canvas panel on top, also face down. Stretch the burlap over the sides of the canvas and secure to the wooden frame with a staple gun. Start with the center of the top, bottom, and sides, then move around the edge of the canvas, evenly stretching the burlap as you go. Neatly fold the corners and trim excess burlap as needed so the canvas will lay flat against the wall. 
  7. Add a sawtooth hanger or some kind of picture hanging hardware to the back of the frame, and hang on the wall where desired. 

Woven Wall Art Project

Project Notes: 

I had plenty of burlap, so I folded it in half and used two layers instead of one. This helped give the finished canvas a softer, smoother surface, and it helped hide the white canvas underneath the burlap. Not a big deal since everything I used is a light color, but if you were using a different color burlap or some other kind of fabric, you may want to have enough for a double layer as well.

Also, when I first started tying the yarn to the burlap, I kept the rows as scrunched together as possible. As I got rolling, I decided I wanted to slowly start spacing the rows out more so the bottom of the design would be more compact than the top. The holes in the burlap make it easy to count out a certain number of spaces between each row, and I started with 10 spaces between the long rows and 10 spaces between the short rows. Once I got about ⅓ of the way through, I started adding 1 extra space with each new row I created. 

Neutral Living Room

I was a little skeptical if this project would be a success or a fail, but it honestly turned out better than I expected. I love the yarn I chose with little flecks of black and brown throughout, and also that the piece adds character and interest to the space, but doesn’t compete with any of the other elements. And I saved so much money making it vs. buying the high-end artwork I originally found!

Neutral Living Room

Here’s the cost breakdown:

$8.98 – 1.5 yards burlap
$17.99 – 30″ x 40″ canvas panel
$8.99 – yarn

Everything else I had. That’s a grand total of $35.96 for a piece of art that originally would have cost $400 to purchase – it’s also backordered till February!

Neutral Living Room

SHOP THIS SPACE:

 


 

I don’t do nearly as many big diy projects here as I used to – with age comes a better appreciation for time vs money. But I would love to hear your thoughts on if you would like to see more decorating projects like this!

Woven Wall Art Project

 


 

As always, I sincerely appreciate you shopping through the links I share, which allows me to make a small commission from your purchase while your purchase price remains the same. When you use my affiliate links, I’m better able to create content for this blog as well as support my family, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting what I do!

 


 

    
   

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How to Lengthen Curtains That Are Too Short https://lovegrowswild.com/2022/11/how-to-lengthen-curtains-that-are-too-short/ https://lovegrowswild.com/2022/11/how-to-lengthen-curtains-that-are-too-short/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:22:43 +0000 https://lovegrowswild.com/?p=16150 This week I ordered a new set of curtains for the two windows between the entry/dining room and the living room. The length I needed was almost right in the middle of two options: 84″ or 96″. In an attempt to avoid having to hem the curtains, I went with the shorter option hoping that…

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This week I ordered a new set of curtains for the two windows between the entry/dining room and the living room. The length I needed was almost right in the middle of two options: 84″ or 96″. In an attempt to avoid having to hem the curtains, I went with the shorter option hoping that it would be close enough… I should have known better. 🤦🏼‍♀️

But my mistake is your gain because today I’m sharing with you a few methods for adding length to curtains that are too short! 

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

Here is a link for the blackout thermal insulated curtains.

I suppose I should start by defining what “too short” may look like and where you ideally want your curtains to end. 

HOW LONG SHOULD CURTAINS BE?

The most common preference is to have the bottom of your curtain just barely touching the floor, or hovering just slightly above. For a more dramatic look, you can also have the curtains a few inches longer so they puddle on the floor. Here is a more in depth guide for hanging curtains that is really helpful. 

In the photo below you can see what the new curtains looked like when I first hung them up. They were more than several inches above the floor, landing even above the top of the baseboards. Your eye stops at the bottom of the curtain instead of extending all the way down to the floor, which makes not just the curtain, but also the ceiling and window look short. 

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

OPTIONS FOR ADDING CURTAIN LENGTH: 

1.  The easiest way to add length is to hang the curtain from rings instead of using the rod pocket/grommets/etc. This will drop the curtain a few inches, which is perfect if your curtains are just a tad too short.

– The curtains I ordered already came with curtain rings, which is fantastic. But even using them, the length was still too short.

2.  Another option is to sew a piece of fabric trim to the bottom of the curtain to reach your desired length.

– I was trying to avoid having to get out my sewing machine in the first place, so this wasn’t the ideal option. 

3.  The last method, and the one I ended up going with, is to let down the hem on the bottom of the curtain, which typically gives you several more inches of length to work with. This requires a few steps, but none of them are very difficult. 

HERE IS HOW I LENGTHENED MINE:

SUPPLIES:

seam ripper
scissors
iron-on adhesive
iron

I used my hair straightener for convenience instead of an iron. If you prefer to sew the new hem yourself, you could do that as well instead of using the iron-on adhesive.

STEP 1:

Locate the hemmed portion of fabric on the bottom of the curtain. 

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length. Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

STEP 2:

Use a seam ripper to carefully remove the hem stitches. Stick the pointed metal tip under the first stitch and gently push the tool until the thread reaches the blade in the curve, cutting the stitch. The backstitches on the ends of the curtain are usually the hardest to remove. Be careful to only grab the stitch thread and not poke a hole in the fabric. 

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

STEP 3:

Continue cutting the stitches across the bottom of the curtain until the entire hem is removed, and pull out any loose threads.

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

STEP 4:

Now that you’ve let down the extra fabric length, you will need to re-hem the bottom of the curtain to give it a finished edge. You can either use a sewing machine or iron-on hem adhesive.

Preheat an iron on medium heat (no steam) or high heat for thicker fabrics – like this curtain. Place the adhesive tape along the bottom edge of the curtain with the paper liner facing up (adhesive side down). 

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

STEP 5:

Place and hold the iron on the paper liner for two seconds or until the tape adheres to the curtain. Again, thicker fabrics like this curtain will require more time under higher heat. Allow the tape to cool. 

STEP 6:

Remove the paper liner and fold the fabric up, sandwiching the adhesive between two layers of fabric. Press and hold the iron on the fabric for 8+ seconds until that section is bonded. Allow to cool completely. 

Note: you are able to wash the curtains with iron-on adhesive on delicate cycle warm and tumble dry in low heat.

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

I still have a few small wrinkles to get out and need to “train” the folds to lay nicely. Have you heard of training your curtains? I can explain that in a future post if that would be helpful – just let me know in the comments. But the length on these curtains is much better now! I wish I could have gotten another inch – inch and a half out of them, but this will do just fine. 

I hope you never have to run into this problem in your home, but if you do end up with curtains that are too short, I hope this post is helpful! Be sure to save it for future reference! Let me know if you have any questions.

Are you curtains just a little too short? Home blogger Liz Fourez shares a few ways you can easily add extra length.

SOURCES

curtains + curtain rings | bamboo roman shade
curtain rod | black drum side table
brown leather sofa | woven throw blanket
oversized beige pillow | block print lumbar pillow
book storage box | spectacle magnifying glasses

 

CLICK IMAGES BELOW TO SHOP:

 

As always, I sincerely appreciate you shopping through the links I share, which allows me to make a small commission from your purchase while your purchase price stays the same. When you use my affiliate links, I’m better able to create content for this blog as well as support my family, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting what I do!

 


 

    
   

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Tips for Creating a Vintage Style Gallery Wall https://lovegrowswild.com/2022/05/tips-for-creating-vintage-style-gallery-wall/ https://lovegrowswild.com/2022/05/tips-for-creating-vintage-style-gallery-wall/#comments Wed, 11 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000 https://lovegrowswild.com/?p=15215 I’ve had a vision for some kind of gallery wall in my bedroom lately, and I finally had a chance to play around with the idea and bring it to life. Most of the framed art in the house has a more clean, modern-meets-traditional feel, but I wanted this gallery wall to feel heirloom, vintage,…

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I’ve had a vision for some kind of gallery wall in my bedroom lately, and I finally had a chance to play around with the idea and bring it to life. Most of the framed art in the house has a more clean, modern-meets-traditional feel, but I wanted this gallery wall to feel heirloom, vintage, and collected over time.

It turned out even better than I envisioned and was SUCH an affordable project, so today I’m going to share my tips for recreating this look in your home! 

TIPS FOR CREATING A VINTAGE STYLE GALLERY WALL

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time

1. Measure your space

You’ll want to start with an idea of how big your gallery wall will be. Measure your available wall space and where you want your frames to hang. 

2. Source vintage style frames

Most of us have unused frames sitting around the house, so I always suggest shopping your home first. Or check with family members to see if they have any old frames they want to get rid of. But if you need to go out and buy picture frames, I recommend checking thrift stores first to look for the most affordable options or antique stores if you’re having a hard time finding ones that look vintage.

Look for simple wood frames with moulding or carved wood details. I personally like either dark or light gray-neutral toned wood vs. the more bright orange toned wood. I also like to mix in a few more ornate gold/brass frames to add some variety. Gather various shapes, sizes and finishes, and buy a few more than you think you’ll need. That way, once you get home and are working on layout, you’ll have options. 

TIP: No matted frames! 

Whether you find authentic antique frames or buy brand new ones with a similar look, showcasing your art inside a bright white mat really takes away from the vintage appeal. Remove the mats from all your frames, unless it’s a true antique white that looks accurate with the age of the frame and artwork.

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time

3. Design your layout

This can be as simple as laying your selected frames on the floor until you find an arrangement you like, or as detailed as the method I used, a sketch on graph paper. 

My bedroom has a sloped ceiling, so I wanted to sketch the available wallspace on graph paper so I could get an accurate visual on how many frames I wanted to use and where their placement should be. This step probably isn’t necessary if you’re only hanging a few similar size frames in a row, but if you’re going for a more eclectic layout with various size frames, I find a detailed sketch to be very helpful!

First, measure the wall and make a note of any outlets, windows, thermostats, etc. Then print out a piece of graph paper and sketch the wall using each square as 1″. Draw your frames to scale, and include a note of the frame opening size so you know what size art/photo prints to order for each frame. I also wrote down whether each print needed to be horizontal or vertical orientation, which is helpful when you’re choosing your art.

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time

4. Choose your artwork

Now that you know how many frames you’ll be using and the exact size/orientation, it’s time to select artwork to display. It may seem daunting to choose even one art print, let alone a whole collection, but I have a tip to make it super simple. Go on Etsy and search for “vintage art print set”. You’ll find thousands of listings for groups of artwork perfectly curated and ready to print in any size you need. North Prints and Olive & Oak are two sellers that I use often for really affordable vintage prints. 

To help me visualize what prints I wanted in which frame, after I purchased the artwork, I uploaded them into a blank canvas on PicMonkey and arranged them according to the sketch I drew.

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time

6. Print your artwork, frame and hang

If you purchase an art digital download like the ones I mentioned in the previous step, you’ll need to have them printed. Since you already have written down what print sizes you need, this step is easy! I have been using Mpix a lot lately, but there are many online print companies you can choose from such as Shutterfly, Vistaprint, or Printique.

Several of the thrifted frames I used didn’t have hanging hardware or needed new hardware, so I purchased a package of sawtooth hangers for just a few dollars. I followed my sketch and measured out exactly where each frame needed to go on the wall. It took me less than 15 minutes!

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time

I am so so so in love with how it all turned out. Tons of charm and character.

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time

Here is a cost breakdown for this project:

I spent around $17 on 7 thrifted frames.
Less than $10 on digital download artwork.
A few I had previously purchased
Prints: three 8 x 10 + two 10 x 13 + one 12 x 18 + one 5 x 7 = $38
The price starts to increase quite a bit on prints larger than 8 x 10

$65 total!

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares tips for creating a vintage style gallery wall that looks perfectly collected over time

SHOP THIS SPACE:

upholstered bed frame | duvet cover | comforter | gray sheet/pillowcase set
white pillowcase | king size pillows | throw blanket | diy shiplap walls/paint color
roman shade window covering | ceiling fan | rug | lamp
female art print | hydrangea art print | neutral botanical sketch art print
landscape art print | flower vase art print | pattern rug art print | meadow art print

 

As always, I sincerely appreciate you shopping through the links I share, which allows me to make a small commission from your purchase while your purchase price stays the same. When you use my affiliate links, I’m better able to create content for this blog as well as support my family, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting what I do!

 


 

    
   

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Teddy Bear Baby Shower https://lovegrowswild.com/2022/01/teddy-bear-baby-shower/ https://lovegrowswild.com/2022/01/teddy-bear-baby-shower/#comments Thu, 27 Jan 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://lovegrowswild.com/?p=14740 I know this isn’t the typical home decor post you normally see here, but I wanted to document this special day and thought you might enjoy seeing it too. We just had the cutest teddy bear themed baby shower for my little sister, and I’m going to be an aunt in about a month from…

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I know this isn’t the typical home decor post you normally see here, but I wanted to document this special day and thought you might enjoy seeing it too. We just had the cutest teddy bear themed baby shower for my little sister, and I’m going to be an aunt in about a month from now! We’ve waited and prayed for this sweet little girl for so long, and I can’t wait to meet her and watch my sister become a momma. I was in charge of all the decorating and created some fun teddy bear centerpieces, a few activities in lieu of traditional baby shower games, and a huge photo backdrop complete with a diy balloon garland. One thing I love about this shower theme is that it could easily be used for a girl, boy, multiples, or someone waiting to find out the gender of their baby!

I thought I would share here all the items we used for the baby shower, how I made the balloon decorations and photo backdrop, and some tips for easy, affordable party planning. Be sure to pin/save this post for future reference!

TEDDY BEAR THEMED BABY SHOWER

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.commy beautiful little sister, Kristina

We used a very simple neutral color palette for the shower to go with the teddy bear theme: white, cream, tan, brown, and a few pops of rose gold and pink. The pink could easily be switched out to blue for a little boy.


 

DIY PHOTO BACKDROP

I wanted to create a focal point in the room where she could open gifts and take pictures with her guests. I found this backdrop stand online and ordered it knowing I could always sell it once the shower was over. I searched and searched for affordable, but nice looking fabric backdrops, and once I found one I liked… I realized it literally looks identical to the curtains we picked out for my mom’s living room at the Armstrong House – a solid blackout beige fabric in back with a sheer white layer on top. I was able to save a good amount of money by borrowing mom’s curtains, but you can find a similar backdrop here!

The stand came in several different sizes, but I chose the 6.5 x 10.5′ option that I thought would work best for photos and give me enough space to add the balloon garland. It comes with a convenient storage bag and is basically two tripods with several crossbars that attach on top. I was worried about the stand being sturdy enough to hold the weight of the heavy curtains and balloons all across the front, but it held up perfectly even without using the sandbags that are optional, but included. It also comes with two side clips and two large clips for the top to help hold the backdrop in place. 

Another easy decoration I ordered was this set of transparent boxes that look like blocks to spell out the word “baby”. You can choose from several different colors (I went with white) and fill them with mini balloons if you want to match the theme of your party. They were really quick to assemble and balanced out the opposite side of the balloon garland. We folded them flat again after the shower was over and gave them to my sister to use when baby girl turns one. The set came with all the letters of the alphabet (plus an extra B for baby), so you could spell out other words like bday, one, girl, boy, love, etc. 

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com

My mom was in charge of food for the shower, and she ordered the most adorable desserts from a local bakery: cookies, cupcakes, cake pops and macarons in our teddy bear theme and colors. These cookies were by far my favorite!

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com


 

DIY BALLOON GARLAND

I really wanted to see if I could pull off making one of these amazing balloon garlands, so I ordered all the supplies and crossed my fingers that it would all come together on shower day. You can’t make these balloon decorations in advance because there’s a good chance they will lose air or pop during transport, and I also had to travel 4 hours to where my sister lives for the shower. Originally I had planned on having a few more hands to help (I’ll share that crazy story at the end of the post), but it ended up being just my mom and I with only an hour to spare before party time to whip this entire balloon garland together. I probably could have tinkered with it for two more hours to make it “perfect”, but with literally seconds to spare before guests arrived, we hung it up on the backdrop and called it good. It turned out so adorable and was well worth the chaos and sore fingers from balloon tying. 🙂

HERE IS WHAT I USED FOR THE BALLOON GARLAND:

dual nozzle electric balloon pump
brown neutral balloon garland kit
balloon hand pump – 2 pack
twine or string
scissors
plastic balloon tying tool – 4 pack (optional)

*the balloon garland kit I bought came with a balloon holder strip and glue dots, but if you purchase your own balloons separately, you will need to buy those as well.

INSTRUCTIONS: Use the electric balloon pump to fill your balloons with air and tie a knot to secure. Push the knot of a balloon through a hole in the balloon strip, working your way from one end of the strip to the other and alternating balloon colors as you go. Once your strip is filled, attach it to the backdrop stand or to removable hooks on the wall using twine. 

TIPS:

  • This particular kit came with 5″ balloons, 10″ balloons, and a few large 18″ balloons. I recommend using mostly the 10″ balloons on the strip and adding the larger 18″ balloons spaced throughout the garland. Use the 5″ balloons in tight spots where you can’t fit a 10″ balloon, and use the glue dots to attach the rest of the small balloons to the garland to fill in bare spots and holes once you are all finished with the bigger balloons. 
  • Balloon colors: the kit I bought came with white, nude, and brown balloons, plus some double layer balloons. The double layer balloons have either a black balloon inside a nude balloon or a nude balloon inside a white balloon. When blown up together, they add some color variation in different shades of tan/brown, so do not be confused when you open up your package to see black balloons you weren’t expecting. However, the balloon pump would not blow up these double layer balloons. We ended up not using the black ones and just blowing everything up as single layer balloons because we were too short on time to troubleshoot the issue, and it turned out fine. We just had three colors on the garland instead of the five shades we should have.
  • The hand pump is great for blowing up the small balloons. The electric pump can blow them up too quickly and pop the 5″ balloons if you’re not careful, but the hand pump gives you a little more control.
  • Probably the worst part of this entire project is tying all the balloons. I bought little plastic tying tools to make it easier, but spent too long trying to watch the video on how to use it and just needed to get these balloons done as quickly as possible. We tied them all by hand, and our fingers were raw. 
  • My best advice for creating one of these balloon garlands is to have several sets of hands to help and give yourself plenty of time. If we had the shower at someone’s house instead of an event space, it would have been ideal to at least start this process the night before, but we couldn’t get into the building until 10:00 that day. It truly isn’t difficult to do, just tedious! But it really does create a wow factor for your party decor.

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com


 

TEDDY BEAR BALLOON CENTERPIECES

Upon researching ideas for our teddy bear theme, I kept seeing these adorable teddy bears “holding” a bouquet of balloons. I had already bought supplies for the balloon garland, so I figured I would see what I could come up with. We had several teddy bears at home that we could use, so this was all I needed:

stuffed bear, around 15″ tall
5″ balloons
10″ balloons
balloon stick with cup, 20″ tall 
cardboard cake board, 8″
round white paper doily, 10-12″
curling ribbon
clear mini rubber bands
clear tape
glue dots
electric balloon pump
balloon hand pump
hot glue gun
scissors

INSTRUCTIONS: Attach the cup and balloon stick to the center of the cake board using plenty of hot glue. Poke a small hole in the center of the doily and slide it down the balloon stick to cover the cup and cake board. Cut 6 pieces of curling ribbon about 30″ long and attach the ends to a piece of clear tape. Wrap the tape around the top of the balloon stick.

Place the teddy bear sitting on the cake board and doily, and secure his leg, shoulder and hand to the balloon stick using a clear mini rubber band. You want it to look like he is holding the balloon strings, and the rubber bands will help keep him in place on the arrangement.

Fill six 10″ balloons with air and secure with a knot. Create pairs by tying two balloon tails/knots together. Take two of the pairs, find the knots in the center, and wrap the balloons around each other, basically tangling the pairs together. Then take the last pair, find the center again, and wrap the balloons are each other until the balloon bouquet is tied together and secure. Place the balloons on top of the balloon stick and secure it with glue dots to hold it in place. Fill six 5″ balloons with air and secure with a knot. Create pairs again by tying two balloon tails/knots together. Take your pairs, stretch them across the center of the balloon bouquet to opposite sides, filling in any bare spots, and wrap them around the larger balloons to secure in place. You could also just individually place the 5″ balloons in any bare spots and secure them with glue dots. 

Once your balloon bouquet is finished, use scissors to give the ribbon a little bit of curl.

TIPS:

  • Depending on the weight and sizes of the items you use, how big you fill your balloons, etc. you may have to adjust the number of balloons your stick will hold. I blew my 10″ balloons up a little too big and had to reduce the amount I used so they would stay upright on the stick. If I could go back and change one thing, it would be making those balloons smaller.
  • I used a plain brown teddy bear, white 10″ balloons, various shades of pink 5″ balloons, and pink/rose gold/white curling ribbon for my centerpieces. You could easily customize this with your own colors though!

>> You can see a video on how I put the centerpieces together HERE on my Instagram page.

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com


 

FOOD & DRINKS

The shower was in the afternoon between meal times, so we had a small spread of food with finger sandwiches, individual salad cups, veggie/fruit trays, vegetable pizza, chips, and chex mix. We also had another table with beverage dispensers full of lemonade and water and a dessert table with all the bakery treats. 

Party food doesn’t have to be overly fancy or complicated, and I find that the presentation is what makes it feel special. My mom used a variety of clear and white plastic serving trays mixed with some of my own pieces I brought from home like my marble & wood cake stands. She wrapped plastic silverware in a napkin tied with ribbon and set them out in a pretty woven basket. We bought disposable tablecloths for all the tables and table skirts for the display tables: food, drinks, desserts, gifts, and decor/games.

HERE ARE A FEW OF THE ITEMS WE PURCHASED:

12 pack white plastic tablecloths
6 pack white ruffled plastic table skirts
3 pack 3 tier white plastic serving trays
6 section round plastic serving tray white/rose gold

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com


 

ACTIVITIES

The momma-to-be requested some non-traditional baby shower activities instead of games, so I set up a few things guests could participate in at their leisure. 

  • I set out a basket of diapers with permanent markers so guests could write a little note on a diaper to make the new parents smile during diaper changes. Some left a sweet message of advice, and others left something funny to give them a laugh. It turned out to be a cute activity, and mom and dad got extra diapers to go home with. 
  • To play off the teddy bear theme, I filled a jar with gummy bears (you can find specific color ones at Party City) and asked everyone to guess how many gummy bears were in the jar. This was an easy way to give out a few prizes at the shower. 
  • I also set out a basket of envelopes and pens and asked each guest to write their name and address on an envelope for thank you cards. A lot of times now people utilize Facebook events or online invitations in lieu of a physical invitation in the mail, so this makes it easy on the guest of honor to send out thank you notes once the shower is over. 

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com

Now for the crazy, somewhat funny story behind this baby shower weekend…

I spent days prepping and packing decor for the shower and carefully loading everything in my car from front to back, bottom to top. I had two giant teddy bears, boxes and boxes of decor, bags of balloons, smaller teddy bears, a suitcase, and more I’m sure I’m forgetting. On the four hour drive down South, it started raining and hovering just above freezing, and I slowed down seeing several people slide off the road already. I came to an icy bridge, fishtailed and spun around, slamming into the guardrail with a far drop down just on the other side. 

I was okay… not hurt, but now sitting on the shoulder facing the opposite direction and pinned up against the guardrail unable to open my door. My back wheel was visibly broken and not able to be driven, so I found myself halfway between home and my sister’s with a car full of baby things and no vehicle to drive. The tow truck driver and state trooper took me to the nearest gas station where we unloaded the entire car including the giant teddy bears in the freezing rain. I spent two hours in the gas station with all my stuff waiting for a ride. I knew it would be funny one day, but all I could do in the moment was cry. I was on a mission to throw an amazing baby shower for my little sister and nothing, not even a car accident was going to stop me. 

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com

Originally I had planned on having my assistant, Makaila, drive down to the shower as well to help me decorate, but obviously after the accident I told her to stay home and stay safe. And another friend of my sister’s who had volunteered to help ended up sick and unable to come, so I was really up against the clock to get everything done in time. 

But it turned out beautiful, and now we are just a few weeks away from my little niece being born. I can’t wait to meet her! Thank you so much for stopping by to see her baby shower. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments!

Decorating ideas for the sweetest teddy bear themed baby shower with an easy photo backdrop, diy balloon garland, and teddy bear balloon centerpieces. See all the details on lovegrowswild.com


 

SHOP THE POST

 

As always, I sincerely appreciate you shopping through the links I share, which allows me to make a small commission from your purchase while your purchase price stays the same. When you use my affiliate links, I’m better able to create content for this blog as well as support my family, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting what I do!

 


 

    
   

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Felt Ball and Wooden Bead Ornament https://lovegrowswild.com/2021/12/felt-ball-and-wooden-bead-ornament/ https://lovegrowswild.com/2021/12/felt-ball-and-wooden-bead-ornament/#comments Sun, 05 Dec 2021 11:00:00 +0000 https://lovegrowswild.com/?p=14489 As I pulled out our Christmas decor this year and looked back on all the cute things I’ve made, it dawned on me that I’ve slowed down a lot on all the little diy projects and crafts I used to do. We’ve lived in this house almost 10 years now, and there just isn’t a…

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As I pulled out our Christmas decor this year and looked back on all the cute things I’ve made, it dawned on me that I’ve slowed down a lot on all the little diy projects and crafts I used to do. We’ve lived in this house almost 10 years now, and there just isn’t a huge need to create new things anymore. 

But my heart is still deeply rooted in sharing ideas to help create a thoughtful, beautiful home with your own two hands, and I decided this Christmas I want to bring back some simple, inexpensive DIY projects that you can use to decorate your tree, your home or give as gifts this year! And honestly, it feels so good to dig through my boxes of craft supplies and get back to basics. I hope you enjoy what I have planned this Christmas season!

These felt ball and wooden bead ornaments are so darling, and I love the how simple they were to make. I went with neutral colors so I can reuse them year after year no matter how I decide to decorate my tree, but you can choose any colors you like! Learn how to make them below…

diy christmas ornament

FELT BALL AND WOODEN BEAD ORNAMENTS

SUPPLIES:

wooden beads in various sizes – I used 20mm, 10mm and 8mm
felt balls in various sizes – I used 25mm and 15mm
scissors
sewing needle – you’ll need one sturdy and thick enough to push through the felt balls
thin string or twine – I used natural hemp cord or embroidery floss would also work


 

diy christmas ornament

STEP 1

Gather your supplies and decide what size felt balls and wood beads you will use and how many for each ornament. Play around with different variations until you find a look you like. The pattern I used was: 

  • 15mm felt ball
  • 20mm wood bead
  • 25mm felt ball
  • 20mm wood bead
  • 15mm felt ball
  • 10mm wood bead
  • 8mm wood bead

diy christmas ornament

STEP 2

Cut a piece of string approximately 2 feet. It doesn’t need to be exact, and I usually just pulled out an arm’s length of string to work with. Just keep in mind you would rather have a little extra to work with on the first few ornaments than be short. Thread your needle with the string.

Then thread the felt balls and wood beads onto the string starting with the whichever piece you want to be on the bottom of your ornament.

diy christmas ornament

STEP 3

Once you have all the pieces on the string, leave a loop at the top of the ornament and thread the string back down through the felt balls and beads. 

diy christmas ornament

This is where it helps to have a little extra string so you can shift the beads and balls as needed to thread the needle back down.

diy christmas ornament

STEP 4

Once you are done threading the needle back down, you can remove the needle from the string. You should have a loop at the top, the felt balls and beads in the middle, and two pieces of string at the bottom. 

diy christmas ornament

STEP 5

Tie a knot just above the top felt ball and just below the bottom wood bead to hold the pieces in place on the string. Make sure the knot is big enough that the opening of the beads can’t pull through. 

diy christmas ornament

STEP 6

Make sure the bottom knot is nice and tight, then trim off the ends of the string.

diy christmas ornament

STEP 7

Hang on your tree!

diy christmas ornament

I hope this little idea brings you some joy this Christmas and a little quality time you may need… whether that be a quiet, kidless afternoon to craft in peace or a day spent with your girlfriends creating together. Please share your photos with me if you decide to make these! I love seeing what you create!

diy christmas ornament

MORE CHRISTMAS PROJECTS:

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

3 Ingredient Air Dry Clay

Interior decorator and home blogger Liz Fourez shares how to make these beautiful winter planters for the holidays with fresh or faux greens!

Winter Planter Tutorial

This easy tutorial uses scrap wood to create beautiful Christmas trees that are perfect for your holiday decorating.

Scrap Wood Christmas Trees

Learn how to make this simple Cutting Board Tablet Holder for your kitchen or an inexpensive handmade gift!

Cutting Board Tablet Holder


 

    
   

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