This post has me wanting to jump and down! So much good stuff that I really love involved- the idea of Spring coming, pretty paper, taking photos outside, and pinwheels! Not to mention, a few of #myfavoritebloggers sharing their goodness too :)
From top down, left to right:
Stamped "Bloom" Necklace from One Artsy Mama,
Spring Centerpiece from Happy Go Lucky,
Washi Tape Popsicle Stick Flowers from The Benson Street,
Simple Circle Pinwheels from me, obviously :)
Semi Homemade Strawberry Shortcake from Seven Alive
Five Minute Hair Pins from It Happens in a Blink and Suburble
Kool-Aid Dyed Yarn in Your Microwave from 4 You with Love
Color-able Free Printable Spring Banner from Do Small Things with Love,
Fairy Guesthouse from Happy Hour Projects,
and Geometric Print Vase from Pitter and Glink
To make a few- for your kiddos to actually play with, to top an adorable present, to add to a piece of Spring decor, whatever you can imagine!- you'll need:
Any paper you like-
I absolutely loved this wrapping paper I found at Michaels. Didn't know what I would use it for, but I knew it needed to be mine. I have no doubt I'll be creating with these rolls again! Don't you just love those things that really scream "you"? These wrapping papers did that for me personally :)
Paper straws
straight pins
buttons
glue dots
scissors
Also (I never seem to get everything in one picture :P):
A circle template about the size you'd like your finished pinwheel to be, like a cup or bowl
and a small piece of thicker scrap cardboard
Since I used wrapping paper, which is kinda flimsy and only one-sided, I traced and cut two circles, then glued them together to create one final piece to work with. I'm also creating a stacked pinwheel- one a titch smaller to off-set on top of a bigger one. They'd be cute enough as just one, but I really love the effect of them stacked together :)
With the circle ready, clip in a couple of inches a quarter of the way around- making four cuts total. Be careful they don't get too close to meeting in the middle.
Place a glue dot at the center of the circle (you can try some other type of adhesive, glue dots are just what I use because they work awesome). Then bend one side of each cut you made to the center of your circle, sticking to a portion of the glue dot. Explaining this with words is sounding pretty lame, I know... hopefully the collage above does the process more justice. Truly, once you get going, it'll become obvious. :)
I was able to use just one medium sized glue dot for all four flaps of my circle at the middle- just be careful your not taking up too much of the dot with each section you bend in. Also try not to actually smoosh your segments down so they keep that full, rounded look- those "pockets" you're creating are what will catch the wind to make your pinwheel turn.
Repeat for both sizes if you're stacking them- I originally used a glue dot to secure them together but actually preferred the fullness of not doing that later- this next step will hold them together well enough. Also: this won't look right if your two pinwheels aren't "turning the same direction." Just be sure to bend each quarter section in to your circle centers from the same side for the smaller and larger pieces... I know, that seems super confusing now. Really, it won't when you've go the project at hand- these truly are very simple to do!
Poke a straight pin (I'm using sewing pins that are kinda shorter) through the tip of your paper straw, then stick your pinwheels through the sharp end, larger size first. The glue dots made it so I kinda had to twist the pin a bit to get it through, but didn't make it so they wouldn't turn in the end either.
I used a bright little button for the center, just cause it's what I had. I was wanting to come up with something unique for the center, but also really cohesive to the look of these. I had the goofy thought that a bright piece of candy would be cute, but when I held a Jolly Rancher up to the center, it really just wasn't... ya, sometimes my ideas just aren't that cool :P Ha ha... anyhow, anything goes if you can think of something you like better for the center.
I clipped a piece of cardboard to add some depth to the center, then ran it through the pin. Using needle nose pliers (mine above are bendy for some reason- I just grabbed what I could find), bend the sharp point of the pin upwards, creating a 90-degree angle. Stick a glue dot to the back of your button and sandwich that tip you just bent between the cardboard and the button- ta da! All done and stinkin' cute cute cute!
The boys were actually frothing at the bit for me to get these done so they could play with them- it was a bit tricky for them to figure out how to blow on them just right to make them twirl, (and not flail spit all over the place in the process honestly :P) but once they did, they really worked great! I was so excited to have them be so functional- silly, I know :) Pinwheels just simply make me happy, one of my uplifts for sure...
That and the awesome sunshine and dry porch I got to photograph them in/on! Don't they just beg the sun to stay and the leaves to start showing up on those bare trees?! I love how cheery they are :)
Truth: Valentines stuff is still spread over my mantle as of now, but these will be taking over soon... For now I tucked them in this simple vase with another sure sign of Spring... Cadbury eggs! Which Stephen has gotten me three years running now for Valentines Day :)
And, no, they didn't last there. Photo purposes only... It would be a tragedy to use Cadbury eggs merely for decorating, of course ;)
With Spring on the brain big time now, be sure to check out the other great Spring projects from some of the most creative and thoughtful gals ever above!
Thanks for being here,
