Going from this....to that

Since I change out my Seasonal tree so much I am always on the search for new things to add to it.  I wish I could say that I have an unlimited budget (wouldn't we all) but I don't.  So in my searching I'm always looking for ornaments that are cheap or that I can make myself.  And now with my discovery of pinterest I have loads of ideas :)  Friday night we had no major plans so it was the perfect time for me to turn a container full of "stuff" into some pretty cute things. 





I turned this.....



into this!






And I made lots of these.....

 




To put on here



For the first craft I wanted to use an idea I had found on Pinterest. I used a bag of split peas, a couple glass containers and a couple candles....





Super easy! 

Then I moved on to something a little more difficult, a garland made with strips of fabric.  I found a cute ribbon, cut four different fabrics into 1/2 x 6 or 8 inch strips. I tied all the strips onto the ribbon.  And voila!




The ribbon and fabric





And the finished product

The frame I picked up at Walmart and put an old St. Patrick's Day greeting card in for some added green.  My last craft was another idea I had found all over the web on crafting sites.  The first few times I saw them I thought the crafter used a special tool or had a special skill....I was wrong.  You just need yarn, a piece of card board and scissors.  I used a piece of card board about 4x6 inches.  I can't really say how much yarn I used.  The first couple I tried were ok but I kept adding more and more yarn to the next new one and the more I used the more I liked them.

1) Loop your yarn around the card board like a spool until it is all completely on there. 2) Then cut another piece of yarn (mine was maybe 10 inches long) and lay it flat. 3) Slide the yarn off of your cardboard spool and lay it down on the single piece of yarn.  4) Tie the single piece of yarn around the center of your "cluster of yarn".  Tie it tightly!  That should leave you with a sort of ball of yarn with loops on the ends.  5) Cut those loops.  I used that single long piece of yarn to use as my hanger so I didn't cut that.  6) Give the new "ball" a trim. 




My first color



With all three colors



I would stand the card board up
and pull up and board while
holding yarn



Center it on the single piece of yarn



After tied it looks something like this



Now cut the loops at the ends



Hold in center and trim the ends

And thats about it.  After doing it a couple times I could do one in about five minuets tops.  A cheap and cute way to fill up holes on my St. Patrick's Day Tree.  I totally plan on getting all kinds of colors to make these for my other trees!  

I think the material, candles, glass containers, yarn, frame, peas all cost less than $40.  That doesn't sound too cheap but I can reuse the frame and glass containers for each season and I still have plenty of fabric for another project I want to do.  I certainly could of got the yarn and material on sale had I been more patient.  Now that I sure I can do these I'll be scoping out my craft stores for coupons and sales :)