BurlapFabric.com is sponsoring this amazing blog hop featuring projects from 20 Designer Craft Connection designers - Be sure to follow the links below to visit their blogs and see what they are sharing too, and sign up to win the amazing prize package BurlapFabric.com is offering!
I decided to try making burlap apples with the red burlap I received in my box of burlapy goodness from BurlapFabric.com - and a decorative "bowl" to display them in (I like the "bowl" so much I plan to display other seasonal goodies in it too!). Don't let the multiple steps overwhelm you - it's easier than it looks to create your own burlap apples!
Materials:
BurlapFabric.com red burlap, regular burlap, frayed edge 1" burlap ribbon, 3 1/2" burlap ribbon with black stripe top and bottom
Smoothfoam™ balls - 3 7/8"
Westcott® Craft Knife, Self-Healing Cutting Mat, Titanium Bonded® Non-Stick Scissors
AdTech® Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
DecoArt® Americana Multi-Surface Craft Paint - Apple Green
Spanish moss, paintbrush
Real apple for reference and mid-project snack (optional lol!)
Instructions:
1) Use craft knife to cut approximately 2" circle, then add 4 cuts inside.
2) Remove foam from top of ball.
3) Use craft knife to carefully trim/scrape away around edges of removed portion to create curve of top of apple.
4) Use craft knife to cut approximately 1" circle from bottom of ball, remove foam.
5) Use craft knife to create 4 small arcs/curves around hole on bottom of ball (like the arcs on the bottom of a real apple).
6) Carefully use end of scissor to create hole inside top and bottom openings on ball (you will tuck burlap ends into these holes).
7) Cut 5 petal shaped pieces from red burlap, approximately 5" x 2" in the center (I used my cutting mat as a guide for sizing each petal).
8) Add small amount of hot glue to one end of first petal, tuck into hole on top of apple.
9) Bring bottom of petal to base of apple, add small amount of glue and tuck into hole at bottom of apple. Add small amount of hot glue on each side and adhere to foam ball.
10) Add small amount of glue to second petal, tuck into top of foam ball, slightly overlapping first piece of burlap.
11) Turn apple over, add small amount of hot glue to sides of petal, and mount to foam ball overlapping first piece of burlap.
12-13) Add small amount of hot glue to bottom point and tuck into bottom of apple.
Repeat with remaining petals until Smoothfoam™ ball is completely covered and your apple is ready for the stem & leaf.
14) Cut 3" piece of frayed edge burlap ribbon. Tightly roll and use small amount of hot glue to adhere to create stem.
15) Use hot glue to mount stem into hole at top of apple.
16) From plain burlap, cut leaf shapes.
17) Paint both sides with Apple Green multi-surface paint and let dry.
18) Use hot glue to mount leaves to stems on top of apples.
To create the display bowl - I upcycled! I used a clean chipboard potato stick can (and sadly, I had to eat the rest of the potato sticks in order to empty the can - it was a hard sacrifice but worth it for the finished project), but any sized can would work depending on how big you want your finished display bowl to be.
19) Use Westcott® Titanium Bonded® scissors (I love these scissors! They are STRONG enough to cut through almost anything!) to remove top of can and leave 3" sides from base of can.
20) Use hot glue to mount burlap ribbon around can (it will extend about 1/2" off the top edge of the can). Add Spanish moss.
Here are the links to the blogs for the other participating designers:
Angela Holt http://www.angelaholtdesigns.com
Anita Scroggins http://www.theflamingochronicals.blogspot
Beth Watson http://www.bwdesignstudio.blogspot.com
Carmen Flores Tanis http://www.florestanisstudio.com
Cherish Flieder http://www.somethingtocherish.com
Jennifer Priest http://www.hydrangeahippo.com
Julie McGuffee http://www.juliemcguffee.blogspot.com
Kristi Parker http://www.kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.c
Lisa Fulmer http://www.lisalizalou.com
Madeline Arendt http://www.madelinesthoughts.blogspot.com
Marilyn Gossett http://www.marilyngossett.blogspot.com
Michelle Frae Cummings http://www.faeriedustdreams-michelle.blog
Sue Eldred http://www.sueeldred.com
Susan Brown http://www.sbartist.com
Terry Ricioli http://www.terryriciolidesigns.blogspot.c
