creativity in life
Unique
USA 3.25 CANADA 4.25
1
a letter
from the
C
editor
reativity is a facet of life that many feel you either have or you don’t. But the kicker is that everyone has it. It’s just a matter of how much you flex and practice your creative side. Like in sports, the more you stretch, or flex, and practice your skills, the better you perform. Likewise compared with cooking, it is as easy or as hard as the recipe. Practice, patience and the occasional scrapped idea are all a part of making something uniquely you. Don’t let frustrations get you down, because creativity is what you make of it. The larger part of my adolescent life was spent with the same group of friends in the Triad of North Carolina. We spent many days cooking and being fiesty teenage girls, but some of our favorite memories were enriched by the creativity of each of us bouncing ideas off of each other. Creativity is not merely applicable to the arts, but also to clothing, make-up, hair styles, accessories and more. Being creative does not simply happen when a pen or colored pencil is in your hand in the presence of Elmer’s glue and construction paper. Creativity can be a way of life. Being resourceful and careful with what is given to you is another viable aspect of creativity. I am often referred to as a pack-rat by my roommate Breanna. However, she quickly clarifies the extent of my ratting by explaining that I hold on to things that are used and necessary--they might not be necessary now, but someday they will be handy to have. Similar to Barney’s craft-bag-of-fun, I have anything and everything from Icy Hot to Safety Pins to Band-aids and T-shirt paint. However, as much as I am known for my rattiness, I am also known for my resourcefulness and creativity. The Dollar Tree has become my closest friend during various time periods of my life. Not only is everything $1, but things that you may need in the future thrive in these stores. Clothes pins, stickers, pens, fake flowers, plastic shoe bins, glue, double sidded tape, fun flavored lip glosses, you name it and I’ve found it or something like it. Knowing where to look and when to buy helps build your creative and resourceful side.
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Start small, such as fake flowers and buttons, and let yourself go creatively crazy. You have my permission. :o) Lindsay Irby
Table of Contents
button barrettes 04 floral pens 06 spotlight reader 08
spotlight reader Q&A 10 wedding centerpieces 12 a creative corsage 16 sponsors & creative inspiration 18
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Barrettes
The materials are simple and inexpensive. They could even be found in your average button box. Or if you feel like being a scavenger, shop the racks at your local thrift store, Goodwill or Salvation Army for those lovely garments you would never wear but have those oh-so-vintage buttons and just snip them off--after purchasing them of course! The rest can be purchased from craft stores such as Michael’s or A.C. Moore. But don’t forget to check stores like Dollar Tree for great deals on everyday products like bobby pins or needlenose pliers.
materials
Do it yourself
Button
1 a handful of big buttons, fancy buttons or vintage buttons (ones with two to four holes preferred but one hole can be used, though it will have a little bit of a free floating quality) a spool of beading or floral wire (about the diameter of mechanical pencil lead) a pack of bobby pins needlenose pliers or beading pliers a pair of scissors that you don’t mind using to cut wire
do it yourself
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Step 1 Cut off 8-10 inches of wire (once you get the hang of it you won’t need as much but this is to show you what’s going on)
Step 2 Thread the wire through the button holes and cross it back through several times until you have that neat little cross that threaded buttons have. Step 3 With the wires sticking out of the back, twist them together like you would tie a twisty tie on a bag of bread a few times. Step 4 Get your bobby pin, then take the wire and thread one end through the hole of the bobby pin. Next thread the other wire through the pin in the opposite direction so they criss-cross between the pin. Step 5 Tighten the criss-cross as tight as you can. Then using the pliers, or your fingers if you have the guts and callouse, twist the wires around each other several times until you have one braided wire. Step 6 Holding the button, wrap the braided wire around the base of the button between the button and the bobby pin. Continue until the wire is hidden completely or until you feel it is secure and snip the ends off with scissors. Tuck any loose ends under securely (or they will get caught in your hair!)
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:o)
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Do it yourself
s n e lP
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This simple, eye-catching How-To will make even the most painful hands wish they had a four-page paper to handwrite. The materials for this scribbling sassafras are few, but with a little creativity and a few variants, there are endless possiblities. These creative, dressed up pens are an addition to any pen cup, mason jar, desk or work space--and at under $5 for six pens, it is the perfect project for penny pinchers!
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Most of the products can be purchased from the Dollar Tree or a local craft store.
Materials a 12 inch and a 6 inch piece of beading wire or floral wire a pair of needlenose pliers a fancy or vintage button a pair of scissors a pack of plain new pens a sprig of fake flowers a few rubber bands a spool of ribbon a hot glue gun
Do It Yourself 1
Step 1 Use the same process to string the wire through the button as used for Button Barettes (pg 5-6).
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Step 2 Using the needlenose pliers, tighten the wire onto the button by twisting the lose ends on the back of the button a few times. Step 3 Place the button on the pen with the wires straddling the pen, tighten the wire around the pen with the needlenose pliers. Then wrap any additional wire around the pen and button until it is out of sight.
Step 4 Using the needlenose pliers to cut off a flower head just below the base of the flower. Using the hot glue gun, glue the flower down to the pen. Wrap the last strip of wire around the flower for security (behind the button so it is not seen).
Step 5 Cut off about 6-8 inches of
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ribbon. Place a dab of hot glue on top of the flower and quickly place the edge of one ribbon on the glue, pressing down carefully but firmly. Wrap the ribbon down and around the flower stem so that is is hidden and then back up to the original hot glue position. Write away!
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Spotlight Reader
Felicia Cullins
May 2008 the couple had earned while working in college. Felicia was a lifeguard and swim lesson instructor at the local YMCA, and Clinton was a valet at a beachside hotel in Vero Beach, FL. While the couple knew they wanted a nature inspired wedding, they struggled with finding pieces that fit into their theme. Felicia looked for many months for decorations Because the two were fresh out of before finally deciding to make college and both of their families several of the pieces for herself. had multiple children, their wedding budget consisted mostly of money Felicia made her archway, her centerpieces, and her flower basket as well as a few other unique and invididual aspects Clint and Felicia Cullins graduated from college in May of 2008 and were married a few short weeks later on the beaches of sunny Florida.
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of her wedding and her reception. Each piece was unique to their theme and colors of clover and coral. In the end, Felicia was glad she made the pieces for herself and received compliments years later about how beautiful her wedding day was. Felicia does slightly regret not doing more pieces herself, like her flower boquets and corsages, because of how well the pieces turned out.
the flower girl basket
Felicia Cullins
the archway
Q&A
it was on the beach. I did not want to purchase an arch that I would never use and I wanted the arch to be what I wanted and not a second hand item that was already special to some one else.
Q: Where did you get the idea for the arch? A: I got the idea from a floral store, the florist
decided to tell me about her wedding. Hers was square and wrapped in flower.
Q: What did it cost to make? A: Well, I was working on a budget and I did not
want to waste money on something I would not keep. The bamboo was free and the tulle was about $18 per bolt, we used 3.
overpriced and plain.
Q: Where did you get the idea for the
basket? A: I wanted [my flower girl] to carry something with color that would make her stand out and feel special. So I decided to revamp an old one I had. She loved carrying it. the flower girl
Q: Why did you make your archway? A: I wanted a focal point for the wedding since
Q: Why did you make your flower basket? A: All the baskets I found for weddings were
Q:
What did it cost to make? A: My old basket was free. I paid $1.00 for 6 yards of two different types of ribbon.
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Q&A the centerpieces
Spotlight Reader
Felicia Cullins
Q: Why did you have cakes as your centerpiece?
A: I do not like cake and have never ate a wedding cake that I remember tasting great. The cake is something that is expected to be at a wedding and I did not want one. I had only had one cake I have ever remembered enjoying and it was made by Charles Malson, a member of my church that runs a bakery out of his house. At first, he told me no because he did not want to be responsible if anything went wrong with the cake.
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I talked to a friend at Southeastern University who was getting married fast and on a small budget, she was thinking of putting an individual cakes on her tables as a centerpieces. After that conversation, I found out I would have to drive three hours to find a baker. I went back to Charles and asked him about the possibilities of individual white cakes. He loved the idea and since he lived an hour from the wedding site he had no problems bringing the cakes to me!
Q: Where did you get the idea for cakes as your centerpiece?
A: I wanted simple cakes full of natural color. Specifically the wedding colors which were coral and clover. So I found flowers that were in those color ranges. I had a few friends that gave ideas about how to make the center piece beautiful. These friends consisted of my mother, my soon to be mother-inlaw, and a few older ladies from church.
Q: What did your centerpiece consist of other than just the cake?
A: The center pieces ended up consisting of a mirror under the cake, a small platter for the cake to sit on with sea shell under it, green branch like strips around the cake with three different types of ribbon wraped in them and coral-colored flowers on the top of the cake.
Q: How much did it cost for all of the centerpiece cakes? A: Wedding cakes are expensive and you normally have a ton of cake left over. The average price for a wedding cake that serves 200 is $543.00 or $3.50 per slice if made by a baker. Ours was $192! The flowers on the top of the cake togther cost $50 altogether. I spent $30 on the ribbon, the mirrors and stands for the cakes, and the green floral arrangements were free. So for my cakes and my center pieces I spent $272 which was less that the average price for a single wedding cake!
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Creating Unique Wedding Centerpieces
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lanning for a wedding can be a daunting task. Tight budgets can complicate even the most simple wedding plans, placing the future Mr. & Mrs. in the fast lane to frustration. However, with the growing popularity of stores such as the Dollar Tree and the low prices of megastores-even the dollar sections of stores like Target are on the verge--anyone can find super steals as long as you have the time and patience to look and a smidge of creativity. Start by looking at bridal magazines. These are a great source of inspiration and mixing and matching pieces or aspects of a few ideas can create unique looks.
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Knowing a few things about centerpieces and decorating
“anyone can find super steals as long as you have the time and patience to look and a smidge of creativity� helps to drive the momentum for the recpetion decorations. When looking through bridal magazines, ignore the colors of the designs, focus on the designs themselves. The colors can be changed and tweaked to your individual shindig. Even the flowers and specifics of the pieces can be tweaked, just think of how many shades roses and gerbera daisies come in. The options are endless! So don’t let the fact that you chose chartreuse and electric yellow for your color combo throw you into a tailspin. Be creative with your ideas and do not be afraid to experiment. Just because the idea is different does not mean it is a bad idea.
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Center
feathers
E flowers
buttons
Continued on next page.
xperiment with different textures such as feathers, buttons, ribbons, scrapbooking accessories, floral accents, wires and more. Also, do not forget the power and influence of color. A pop of color in just the right places can make any centerpiece memorable.
flowers
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Usually, the traditional table centerpiece consisted of a vase or boquet of flowers and perhaps some ribbons. However, recently this has changed to include other pieces including candles, rocks and even cakes! A typical centerpiece staple would be the candle. These can be in the form of floating candles, tea lights, votive candles or even
rpieces
a
pop of color
stick candles that are propped or glued in the upright position. Rocks are a staple of typical centerpieces. From colorful pepples and broken colored glass to river rocks and sand, all can be found at the Dollar Tree or superstore. Our featured bride this issue used her cake as her table centerpieces. She had individual cakes made for each table and then planned around them with ribbons and vines. Centerpieces are meant to be the focal point of the reception, other than the bride and groom of course! The decorations are pivotal for the reception to emit the feel the bride and groom hoped to creative for their day.
vases
Colorful
flowers
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a Creative Corsage
Do it yourself
The materials are all under $3 each for a total of about $4 per corsage. All of the materials can be found at local craft stores like, Michael’s, A.C. Moore, Dollar Tree. The style of this piece can vary greatly depending on the overall feeling of the event. For a more formal event, use baby’s breath or daisies. For a more whimsical event use feathers or colorsful flowers. Any flower, or floral accent, can be used for this project, just make sure it does not over power the rest of the piece as this piece requires a sense of completion and unity.
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MATERIALS a five-inch strip of ribbon a small button (optional) four small flowers (such as daisies) two scrapbooking flower petals one scrapbooking brad a rubber band a fiddleheaded fern stem a five-inch strip of floral wire a safety pin or straight pin a hot glue gun needlenose pliers
DO IT YOURSELF Step 1 Start with the wire.
Step 4 Next take the ribbon and hot glue one end to the rubberband. Wrap the ribbon around the piece a few times, leaving a tail of about and inch and a half. Add another dab of glue to the back of the ribbon (be sure not the glue the final ribbon tail down, we are not done yet!)
Pinch one end of the wire in your pliers, gently bend the wire around into a spiral. It might be easier to get it started with the pliers and then use your hand to bend the spiral. It should it Step 5 Place the solitary end of the look like the top right spiral in saftey pin against the glue and wrap the Photo 1. ribbon around. Cut the ribbon in the back and glue it down. Step 2 Take the four small flowers, the fiddlehead fern and Step 6 (optional) Add the button to the the wire in one hand. Pinch and front with hot glue if desired. You just did arrange them as show in Photo it yourself! 1, then wrap the rubber band tightly around the base of the grouping.
Step 3 Arrange the two scrapbooking flower petals as shown in Photo 2 and stick the scrapbooking brad through the middle. Then wrap the back ends of the brad around the wire where the wire begins to curl. Add a dab of hot glue to the back of the brad and flowers to hold it onto the wire.
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creative n o i t a r i p ins
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