Favorite Craft Store Coupons

I never shop without a coupon, below are some links to my favorite craft store coupons.  I will keep them up to date!

JoAnn Fabrics

Online Only:
15% off total order - Type in TEACHER2012
Expires: 8-31-12

10% off total order - Type in vipsave2012
Expires: 12-31-12

Spring Cupcake Toppers

These flower cupcake toppers are cute and easy to make!  They are great for birthdays, holidays, wedding, and baby showers.  If you are already into paper crafting, you may already have all the supplies you need at home.

Supplies

• Card stock
• Paper punch 1-2" in diameter
• Tooth picks
• Craft glue (Aleene's tacky glue)
• Embellishments (glitter, gems, buttons, etc)

I like to start by scavenging through my paper/card stock scraps. I usually have a lot of let over odd pieces from card making or scrap booking.  You can use plain card stock, printed, stamped, etc...  For the punch, I selected a 1 inch flower from Martha Stewart.  You will need to 2 punched flowers to make each topper.





I made as many flowers as I could from the paper scraps.  For this bunch of toppers, I planned to mix and match the colors.

Because I used plain card stock for this bunch, I used acrylic stamps and ink to make a center for each flower.  I used a small heart and swirl stamp.  I prefer clear acrylic stamps, but rubber stamps work just as well. 

To add some bling to the center of each flower, I used a dab of glitter glue and allow them to dry for an hour.  You can use anything for this step.  For the flowers featured above, I used gems and a small star punch.

To assemble the topper, you will need 2 flowers, a tooth pick, and glue.  Place one flower face down and add a pea sized dab of glue in the center of the flower.  Place the top of the tooth pick in the center of the gob of glue and push down. 

Add the top flower, sandwiching the glue and toothpick in the center.  Make sure the glue is touching both the top and bottom flower.  Allow to dry for an hour.  Do not pick them up until they have finished drying. 

Once dry, store in a zip lock bag for later use, or place them in iced cake or cupcakes. 

Create your own Spring Wreath for Under Ten Dollars

In need of a new spring wreath, but don't feel like paying $30-40 dollars at your local craft shop?  I made the wreath below for $9 dollars using tools I had at home and a trip to the local Dollar Tree.

I need a large wreath for our front door so I picked an 18 inch willow wreath for the base.  I selected and purchased 2 clusters of dark green leaves, and 6 clusters of flowers (purple, white, and green).  The wreath base and flower clusters were only $1 each.  Other tools needed for making the wreath were a low temperature glue gun and wire cutters.   

Start by separating the stem of each flower or leaf group from the main stems.  This can be difficult due to the wire inside, so be sure to use wire cutters (this could ruin your favorite pair of scissors).  Once you separate all the leaves and flowers into single stems, you can begin assembling the wreath. 

I started by weaving the long stem of each leaf group into the actual wreath base (no glue needed).  I randomly distributed the leaves and made a few areas with thicker foliage.   Once all the dark green leaves were added, I started weaving in the flowers (see close up below of how I bent the stems around the branches of the wreath).

 

I added the flower groups randomly around the wreath, trying to distribute the colors evenly.  In order to have a full wreath with little base showing, I used all the flowers and leaves.  The glue gun was only used o secure any flowers or leaves that were astray. 

This project took about 1.5 hours to finish.  It was fun and easy.  This project can be completed by both beginners and seasoned crafters!  There are many wreath sizes out there, so be sure to estimate the amount of flowers and leaves needed for the size you choose.  If you are a beginner, why not try a smaller wreath base, once you get the hang of it, you can go wild.  Good Luck!