SPRING CRAFTS
TO PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP
F
BY DOLORES RIGGINS
lowers are blooming, temperatures are rising, days are longer – spring is here, and it’s time to brush off the gray of winter and embrace all the bright, beautiful glory the season has to offer. What better way to do this than to tackle some fun, creative crafts to freshen up your home, adding whimsy and delightful spring cheer? If you’re like me, you’re always looking for fun, new DIY ideas and inspiration – Pinterest seems to always be calling my name, no matter the time of year. But I must confess, I particularly love crafting for spring (Easter and Mother’s Day, in particular) – there’s just something about the season’s lovely colors that brighten my day. Who can resist a vibrant pom-pom garland or a quintessential mason jar craft? I sure can’t! Needless to say, I have pinned so many great ideas that it’s hard to choose which ones to challenge myself with first. I did finally narrow it down to two fun and simple projects to share with you that will allow you to tap into your crafty side and encourage you to use your imagination when creating them.
ter; or pick Mom’s favorite colors in honor of Mother’s Day. Maybe you’d like to go the extra mile and incorporate several yarns of the same color, but in different shades, for added personality but still with a cohesive look. That’s enough chatter … let’s make some poms-poms! Although there are several methods for making them using cardboard or forks, the best – and easiest – way is to purchase a pom-pom maker. These come in assorted sizes and I recommend getting the variety pack so you have options for different projects. Select your yarn color of choice – if using just one color, grab at least two skeins. Simply follow the easy directions on the package, sit back, relax, and let the pom-making fun begin. The number of cute fuzzy balls you make will depend on the length and spacing you choose.
For the recent Valentine’s Day holiday, a friend asked me to craft a heart-shaped wreath from handmade pom-poms. Naturally, I said yes – but seeing as how I hadn’t really done anything with these fuzzy little creations since Vacation Bible School in 1968, I truly didn’t know where to start. After some Pinterest diving, I quickly educated myself on how to make these – I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of my heart-shaped creation, and now, oh my goodness, I am obsessed with making pom-poms! Doing so is quite fun and relaxing – and as a bonus, it doesn’t require a tremendous amount of brain power, of which I seem to be short of lately. A hot new trend is the adorable pom-pom garland – great for decorating your walls to fill up some of that blank space; hung over windows or window treatments to add pops of color and character to a child’s nursery or bedroom; draped over the fireplace mantle to help highlight holiday or seasonal decor; as a fun and festive backdrop for a photo booth at a springtime party; or simply displayed on the kitchen table alongside beautiful blooms cut fresh from the garden for a unique tablescape. The number of ways to decorate with pom-pom garlands is almost endless. Tailor the colors based on the holiday or its particular purpose – for instance, blues, greens, yellows, and pinks are nice choices for Eas24
CIRCA Magazine
| April • May • June 2022
|
circamagazine.com
