Sarah Hearts

I had such a great response about the last diy backdrop I made a couple of weeks ago that I decided to make another one! This one is even easier and faster to make. I used unbleached cotton muslin, however, you could use a printed or dyed fabric to make this banner. This backdrop would be great for a ceremony, reception photo booth, or for a holiday party. Today I am going to take both backdrops over to Shannon’s for her birthday tea party (yes, I will post photos). So here are the instructions!

1. You will need:
• 4′ dowel that is 1/2″ in diameter
• 2,  3 yard cuts of fabric at least 38″ wide (total of 6 yards)
• Scissors
• Tape measure
• Pencil

2. After you gather your supplies, use the tape measure and pencil to mark the short side of the fabric. I wanted my strips to each be 2″ so I made a mark every 2″.

Repeat until you have marked the entire short side of the fabric. If you want your banner to be more organic, skip step 2.

3. Cut a slit at each mark. Repeat until you have cut along all the marked lines.

4. Starting at the first slit, tear the fabric. This create a fabric strip that will be tied onto the dowel. Repeat until all the strips have been torn.

5. Using a double knot, tie one fabric strip onto the dowel. Repeat until all the strips have been tied onto the dowel. Rearrange each knot, if necessary, so all the knots are pointing down. Then you’re done!

For the photos above, I used painter’s tape to hold the backdrop in place. It can be hung with string or fishing line from a tree or it can be nailed to a wall. Enjoy!

Today’s wedding post is something that has been in my head of quite some time. I’m so excited to finally share it with you! A lot of weddings now feature a photo booth or an area where guests can take fun photos of themselves. Most backdrops I’ve seen are simply fabric draped in the background. My recent obsession with doilies sparked an idea… to make a “floating” doily backdrop that could be used for a photo booth. I also think this would be absolutely lovely hanging from a wooden chuppah or just used as a ceremony backdrop. It’s very easy to make and very cheap too. So without further adieu, here’s a step-by-step tutorial!

First, you will need a few supplies:

• Fishing line cut into 7, 9′ long pieces, $2.00 (found a Walmart and most sporting good stores)
• Wooden dowel 4′ x .5″, $1.45 (found at Home Depot or Lowes)
• Doilies, $1.75 per pack of 48 (4 packages purchased from D & G Occasions in Orlando)
• Frosted Scotch tape, $.99
• Scissors
• Measuring tape

2. Tie one piece of fishing line to the end of the dowel. Tie a second knot to to secure the line to the dowel.

3. String one doily through the fishing line and move it towards the dowel as shown.

4. Place a small piece of tape in the center of the doily, on top of the fishing line, to secure the line to the doily.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 until the end of the line is reached. Then repeat steps 2-4 keeping each line equal distant from another (I used 7 pieces of fishing line for a 4′ dowel).

And you’re done! So go ahead and give it a try! Please contact me if you make this. I would love to feature it on my blog!

Today’s post features a sweet banner that would be the perfect way to communicate an endearing statement. I can image this hanging between trees in a rustic barn wedding, or behind a dessert table. It would also be a cute happy birthday or Mother’s Day banner. All you need is a few supplies and just about 15 minutes of your time.

Supplies:
• Doilies (I used 4″ round paper ones)
• Twine or thin ribbon about 12′ in length
• Acrylic, tempra or gouache paint
• Medium size round paint brush
• Cup of water for your brush
•  Clear Scotch tape

1. Paint one letter on each doily. Repeat this process until you spell out your desired word or phrase.
2. Starting on the front of each doily, thread the twine/ribbon through in an under/over fashion (see photos above). Repeat this step until all letters are threaded.
3. Arrange each letter so they are equal distant from one another and centered on the piece of twine/ribbon. Place a small piece of tape to the back of each doily to adhere the twine/ribbon to the doily.

Today’s post features a cute printable project: a just married banner! Last weeks wedding post prompted me to create an easy banner than you could make at home. The banner is available in red, kelly green, sky blue, and black. It looks great printed on a light colored paper or patterned scrapbook paper (think tiny dots or florals). You could even print each character on a different colored or patterned paper. So if you’re feeling crafty, here we go!

Supplies:
• Download the Just Married Banner template in red, kelly green, sky blue, or black
• 12 sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ card stock (solid color or patterned)
• Scissors
• Glue stick or PVA glue and paint brush
• Coordinating .5″ – 1″ wide ribbon, approximately 8′ long

Directions:
1. Print out the template on your selected paper. Pages 7-12 contains 12 blank circles. These need to be printed as they will be the backs of each circle.
2. Cut out every circle along the gray line. You will have 24 circles when you are done.
3. Lie the ribbon on a table and arrange all the front pieces (those with type or the heart) in the correct order. Also place them equidistant  from each other.
4. Apply glue to one of the back pieces. Place it behind the circle containing a letter (I like to with a circle in the middle of the banner and work my way to the outside). Make sure the ribbon is sandwiched between both circles. And press the edges together to ensure that the circles are firmly bonded.
5. Repeat step 4 until all circles are glued and it looks like the illustration above. Yay, you’re done!

This week’s wedding post features banners! A few months ago, I created the “Sew in Love” banner shown above for a photo shoot with Shannon Smith. Since then, I have fallen in love with the idea of using banners to communicate. There are so many great custom, handmade options out there. Above are few of my favorites.

{clockwise from the top right: Victorian Station, Ay Mujuer, Sarah Hearts, Ravens Bloom}