Garlands Archives - A Beautiful Mess https://abeautifulmess.com/category/garlands/ Crafts, Home Décor, Recipes Fri, 13 Oct 2023 12:57:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://abeautifulmess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/cropped-ABM-Favicon-60x60.jpg Garlands Archives - A Beautiful Mess https://abeautifulmess.com/category/garlands/ 32 32 Easy Balloon Garland DIY (With Video!) https://abeautifulmess.com/easy-balloon-garland-diy-with-video/ https://abeautifulmess.com/easy-balloon-garland-diy-with-video/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=102644 Balloons are one of the easiest ways to decorate for a party. They bring a lot of cheer, and making your own balloon garland is an easy way to add a statement piece to your party.

It looks super professional even if you’re just a beginner balloon garland maker!

I’ll show you how to make an easy balloon garland (or balloon arch!) for your next party—and believe me, your guests will be impressed!

Looking for more balloon posts? Check out:

pink balloons to garland over table

What’s the difference between a balloon arch and a balloon garland?

It’s mostly just how you hang it, really! Generally speaking, a balloon arch goes in an upside down “U” shape above a table, doorway, or walking path while a garland is usually hung more in an asymmetrical shape like an upside down “J” over the same items.

A garland can also be strung or hung horizontally in a straight line like down a banister or laid down a table.

What size balloons do you need for a balloon garland?

You can technically make a garland with one standard size of balloon and just blow them up different amounts to have some small, medium, and full-size options. But we like to mix in some 5″ size balloons with standard 11″ or 12″ balloons.

You can also throw in a few extra large sizes with a 17″ or 24″ option for a dramatic size variation on a larger scale garland.

large balloon garland over front door

Do you need helium for a balloon garland?

You don’t need helium for a balloon garland that you are attaching to another structure like a doorway or wall.

If you are wanting to make a freestanding arch of balloons that are just connected at the ground level (like an arch you would walk under), you may want to consider helium for those balloons so it will float without having to be attached anywhere up high.

How long will a balloon garland last?

While it depends on the kind of balloons and the temperatures they are exposed to, a balloon garland or arch can actually last 1-2 weeks once the balloons are blown up with regular air (an electric balloon pump like this is a big time saver).

Balloon garlands that are displayed outside though will usually only last a day or so based on the temperature and outdoor heat.

pink and purple balloon garland

Can you make a balloon garland ahead of time?

Yes! Since the garland can last a week or two indoors, you can make it a few days ahead of your party (or at least blow up the balloons, store them in large garbage bags, and then assemble on party day).

If you are having an outside party, store the garland inside and then hang it the day of the event.

Is it easier to use a balloon garland kit?

It can be! If you want to get most (or all) of the items, you need for your garland in one convenient bundle, buying a kit like this or this can save time and money. And they will provide the right amount of balloon sizes and colors to get the look shown in the photo.

You can even find kits that are specific to a theme like a rainbow balloon garland (here’s a more simple one), a space balloon garland, a Frozen balloon garland, or an under the sea theme for a kid’s party.

Check out Elsie’s Frozen-Themed Birthday Party here!

supplies for balloon garland

What do I need to make a balloon garland?

  • Balloon Decorating Strip: This helpful strip has prepunched holes for you to slip the knots of your tied balloons into, making it easy to create a long base for a garland (and the holes make it easy to hang as well).
  • 12″ latex and 5″ latex balloons in colors of your choice to match your party or color scheme (can add in other sizes if you like—17″ or over 20″ size balloons give a larger garland a more balanced look). The pink balloons in the all pink garland are the Cameo Pink option.
  • Balloon tying tool (optional): This little device will help save your fingers if you are tying a ton of balloons for you party and you can use them over and over as needed.
  • Glue Dots (or low-temp glue gun): While you can use a low-temp glue gun to attach your smaller filler balloons and fill holes in your garland (just be careful about touching the glue gun tip directly onto the balloon), adhesive glue dots are our favorite way to get the job done.
  • Command hooks for hanging: Removable small hooks like these are perfect for hanging balloon garlands since they can be put up quickly and removed easily (and damage free) once the party is over.
  • Electric balloon pump (optional but helpful!): Balloon pumps like this are relatively inexpensive and they will make the balloon blowing up process much faster.
blowing up pink balloons for balloon garland

How to Make an Easy Balloon Garland:

Step One: Blow up your balloons in your desired colors and sizes. If you are assembling the garland right, then you can kind of guess how many you need, and then blow up a few more if you want them in a certain size or color to fill it out to your liking.

How many balloons do you need for a balloon garland?

How many balloons you need will really depend on the length of your garland, the size of the balloons you have, and how thick you want the garland to look.

For some idea, the all-pink balloon garland is about 6′ long and has 10 small 5″ balloons, about 20 standard 12″ balloons and just a few 17″ larger balloons for accents.

adding pink balloons to balloon garland strip

Step Two: Measure out your garland strip to be the length of your desired garland and start to add your balloons. Add a few extra inches at the beginning and end so you have some length to attach to the wall or hanging surface.

Add in your larger balloons first by placing the balloon knot through the holes in the balloon strip, and space them out a few holes from each other so you have space to add other sizes (and it doesn’t become too stuffed with one size).

adding pink balloons to garland over table

Step Three: Keep adding different sizes/colors of balloons until the garland strip looks nice and full where you want it. Some garlands are uniformly full the whole way through, and others have a fuller area in the middle or maybe 1/3 of the way through for a more dramatic thinning out at the ends on each side.

Totally a personal preference and may depend on how you were planning to hang it, so do whichever you like!

PRO TIP: You can alternate adding balloons through the front and the back of the balloon strip so it creates a more balanced 360° garland with balloons facing each way.

adding pink balloons to garland over table

Step Four: Add small balloons attached with glue dots to fill in any gaps in your garland. You can do more of this once you hang your garland in the final step, but you should be able to see any spots that look a little gappy and fill those in with a smaller size balloon— or one that’s just not fully blown up.

You can also follow this garland making method if you like the look of clustering the small balloons together in a group before hanging, as it gives it a slightly different look.

hanging pink balloon garland over table
pink balloon garland over table

Step Five: Hang your balloon garland. Generally, the easiest way to do this is using Command hooks and strips to stick up hooks on which you can hang the beginning and end of your garland.

You can also tie twine or fishing line through the holes in parts of your balloon strip to tie onto existing railings or nails to attach the garland.

Sometimes it’s helpful to have a Command hook for the ends (and then use string and a third hook) to hang the middle for some extra support if needed.

pink balloon garland over table

Don’t want to gather supplies for a DIY balloon garland? Check out these balloon garland kits to make it easier:

This kit comes with 159 pieces of multiple pastel colors and sizes along with a balloon strip and adorable daisy balloons to make any party or shower more fun.

This garland kit creates a beautiful blue ombre effect with several different length options, four colors, two sizes, glue dots, a balloon decorating strip and a balloon pump add-on option.

This festive kit comes with five different metallic shades of balloons, a hand pump, balloon decorating strip, glue dots, wall hooks, and twine so you have everything you need to create the garland of your dreams!

This garland is perfect to throw together for a kid’s birthday party (it also comes in a metallic gold color scheme version) and at only $32 it’s a deal to get such a sweet look.

This kit comes with 158 pieces to create the ultimate balloon arch with four colors of balloons, glue dots, a hook, and a balloon strip all for only $22!

This beautiful color scheme comes with four sizes of three colors of balloons, three different length options, glue dots, and a balloon pump ad-on option.

pink balloon garland over table with champagne
pink balloon garland over table
balloon garland on front door

Having a party? Check out our DIY garland archives and our party tips for all types of parties!

Print

Easy Balloon Garland DIY (With Video!)

Create an easy balloon garland DIY for your next party!
Keyword balloon garland
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 1 garland
Cost $30

Equipment

  • 1 electric balloon pump optional but helpful!
  • 1 Balloon tying tool optional

Ingredients

  • Balloon Decorating Strip
  • 12″ latex and 5″ latex balloons in colors of your choice  you can add in other sizes if you like—17″ or over 20″ size balloons give a larger garland a more balanced look
  • Glue Dots (or low-temp glue gun)
  • Command hooks for hanging

Instructions

  • Step One: Blow up your balloons in your desired colors and sizes. If you are assembling the garland right then you can kind of guess how many you need and then blow up a few more if you want more in a certain size or color to fill it out to your liking.
  • Step Two: Measure out your garland strip to be the length of your desired garland and start to add your balloons (add a few extra inches at the beginning and end so you have some length to attach to the wall or hanging surface).
    Add in your larger balloons first by placing the balloon knot through the holes in the balloon strip and space them out a few holes from each other so you have space to add other sizes and it doesn’t become too stuffed with one size.
  • Step Three: Keep adding different sizes/colors of balloons until the garland strip looks nice and full where you want it. 
    Some garlands are uniformly full the whole way through and others have a fuller area in the middle or maybe 1/3 of the way through for a more dramatic thinning out at the ends on each side—totally a personal preference and may depend on how you were planning to hang it, so do whichever you like!
  • Step Four: Add small balloons attached with Glue Dots to fill in any gaps in your garland. You can do more of this once you hang your garland in the final step, but you should be able to see any spots that look a little gappy and fill those in with a smaller size balloon (or one that’s just not fully blown up).
    You can also follow this garland making method if you like the look of clustering the small balloons together in a group before hanging as it gives it a slightly different look.
  • Step Five: Hang your balloon garland. Generally, the easiest way to do this is using Command hooks and strips to stick up hooks on which you can hang the beginning and end of your garland.
    You can also tie twine or fishing line through the holes in parts of your balloon strip to tie onto existing railings or nails to attach the garland, and sometimes it’s helpful to have a Command hook for the ends and then also use string and a third hook to hang the middle for some extra support if needed.

Notes

  • The amount of balloons you need will really depend on the length of your garland, the size of the balloons you have, and how thick you want the garland to look.
  • For some idea, the all pink balloon garland is about 6′ long and has 10 small 5″ balloons, about 20 standard 12″ balloons and just a few 17″ larger balloons for accents.
  • PRO TIP: You can alternate adding balloons through the front and the back of the balloon strip so it creates a more balanced 360° garland with balloons facing each way.
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How to Make a Fancy Balloon Arch https://abeautifulmess.com/how-to-make-a-fancy-balloon-arch/ https://abeautifulmess.com/how-to-make-a-fancy-balloon-arch/#comments Mon, 20 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://staging.abeautifulmess.com/how-to-make-a-fancy-balloon-arch Today, we’re going to teach you how to make a fancy balloon arch. It’s easier than it looks and it packs a lot of visual wow factor!

I’m definitely going to do this next time I host a baby shower, and the colors we used in this post would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve party.

I love that you can swap out the colors and do this for nearly any occasion.

Related: Easy Balloon Garland DIY and 20 Valentine’s Day Cocktail Ideas

a pink and red balloon arch over a table with cookies and drinks on it

pink balloons not blown up in a basket

Here’s what you will need to make your own balloon arch:

Supplies:
electric balloon pump
balloon decorating strip
mini balloons (I used 30)
various pink balloons (40-45 regular size)
glue dots or tape
balloon ribbon
greenery (optional)

Elsie blowing up balloons with a red helium tank with the basket of balloons in front of her

First, use your electric balloon pump to blow up your balloons and tie the bottom closed.

If you want to blow up all your balloons at once before attaching them, put them into large garbage bags as you blow them up so they don’t float away.

Or, you can blow them up in a room with a low ceiling so you can reach up and grab them as you need one.

someone putting balloons on the balloon decorating strip

Next, slip the knot of a regular-sized balloon through one of the holes in the decorating strip. Skip a few holes and place another balloon into the strip facing the opposite direction.

Keep alternating balloon colors and sides until you have a balloon strip as long as you want your arch to be.

You can add a few more balloons into some of the holes you skipped if it looks too skimpy, but make sure to leave some room to add the small balloons in later.

Here’s a video tutorial to show you how we made our fancy balloon arch!

Once you have your main balloons attached, cut the balloon decorating strip just past where the balloons end on either side. Then, tie a piece of balloon ribbon or twine onto each end.

Tie those strings onto the piece of furniture you want the arch to go over (or have the strings go to the floor and use balloon weights at the bottom of each).

a blonde woman hanging up the balloon arch on the wall

Use your glue dots to stick the mini balloons into the gaps and crevices until you have an arch that is completely filled in.

someone cutting a fancy scalloped border into the pink tablecloth with green scissorsThe finished fancy scalloped border tablecloth on the table

We also made a fancy scalloped border for our table out of folded sheets of tissue paper and fringed each layer with scissors to give it more texture. So cute and easy to whip up!

the finished fancy scalloped tablecloth on the table with cookies on topa close up of green fake leaves on the balloon arch

If you want to add a little greenery to your arch, you can either stick the sprigs into dense areas of the arch, or tape the stems in a hidden spot.

a close up of the cookies and drinks on the table with the balloon arch over ita close up of the balloon arch over the tablea balloon arch over a table with cookies and drinks on it

There you have it! An extra special party table idea for your next fancy occasion. These look so cute over a buffet or console table stocked with treats and champagne.

Speaking of parties, we love to use trays like this and pretty cake stands for table decorations.

You can also make a balloon garland for your front door for more decoration fun! xx- Elsie

Print

How to Make a Fancy Balloon Arch

step-by-step instructions to create a balloon arch
Keyword balloon arch, party decorations

Equipment

  • electric balloon pump

Ingredients

  • 30 mini balloons
  • 40-45 standard balloons
  • balloon decorating strip
  • glue dots
  • balloon ribbon
  • greenery optional

Instructions

  • First, use your electric balloon pump to blow up your balloons and tie the bottom closed.
  • Next, slip the knot of a regular sized balloon through one of the holes in the decorating strip. Skip a few holes and place another balloon into the strip facing the opposite direction.
    Keep alternating balloon colors and sides until you have a balloon strip as long as you want your arch to be.
    You can add a few more balloons into some of the holes you skipped if it looks too sparse, but make sure to leave some room to add the small balloons in later.
  • Once you have your main balloons attached to the strip, cut the balloon decorating strip just past where the balloons end on either side.
  • Tie a piece of balloon ribbon or twine onto each end, and tie them onto the piece of furniture you want the arch to go over (or have the strings go to the floor and use balloon weights at the bottom of each).
  • Use your glue dots to stick the mini balloons into the gaps and crevices until you have an arch that is completely filled in.
  • If you want to add a little greenery to your arch, you can either stick sprigs of greenery right into dense areas of the arch, or tape the stem in a hidden spot.
  • We also made a fancy scalloped border for our table out of folded sheets of tissue paper and fringed each layer with scissors to give it more texture. So cute and easy to whip up!

Notes

If you want to blow up all your balloons at once before attaching them, put them into large garbage bags as you blow them up so they don’t float away. You can also blow them up  in a room with a low ceiling so you can reach up and grab them as you need them.
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Spring Garland DIY Idea – Yarn Carrots https://abeautifulmess.com/spring-garland-diy-idea-yarn-carrots/ https://abeautifulmess.com/spring-garland-diy-idea-yarn-carrots/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:44:00 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=86046 I feel I have to admit that I have not been the best about decorating for spring or Easter. I get super stoked for autumn and the holiday season (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas), but in the spring, I just kind of forget about seasonal decorating even though I really enjoy it.

So, I’m making an effort. Here is a spring garland DIY I made recently with yarn carrots. This was partially inspired by Laura’s yarn pumpkin garland, which I think is super cute. You can consider this the spring-themed companion.

Carrot yarn garland hanging on green fireplace
Closeup of carrot yarn garland

This DIY is basically how to make carrots from foam cones, yarn, and felt. This is a good project if you enjoy hot glue guns—which is when I know I’m crafting.

Once you have the carrots made, you can simply add them to yarn or even layer with other garlands you might already have.

Carrot yarn garland hanging on green fireplace

Looking for more spring decor inspiration? Try these projects:

orange yarn, green felt, styrofoam cones, and glue gun.

Supplies:
foam cones
orange paint and brush
orange yarn
green felt
-fabric scissors
hot glue gun and glue sticks

steps to make carrot yarn garland

Step One: Paint the foam cones orange. This is so the white foam won’t peek through the yarn.

Step Two: Wrap the (dry) painted cones in orange yarn using hot glue as the adhesive. I think this is fairly straightforward, but you can see me do this in the video above if needed.

Step Three: Create the carrot tops from green felt.

Step Four: Attach the tops with hot glue. Now you can hang these carrots to a garland, wreath, or however you’d like to decorate with them.

closeup of yarn carrot

You can keep your garland super simple of layer it with other garlands. Read this post on how to transform your Christmas garland for tips on layering garland to make them feel more full and visually pleasing.

I layered my yarn carrot garland with a black and white Easter egg garland I already had. I like the contrast of the colors together. 

Personally, I love a garland on our fireplace mantel. I hang it using just a few small nails. But, if you need a damage free option, I’d recommend using Command Strips.

You could also hang a seasonal garland on a piano, doorway, open shelf, or above your bed.

Thanks for letting me share my spring garland DIY idea with you. I love how it looks hanging on our mantel this month, and it makes me even more excited for the season.

And in case you are curious, the portrait above my mantle is vintage. It’s actually a family heirloom—a portrait of my great-grandfather, Rafael Vegas. xo. Emma

Print

Spring Garland DIY Idea – Yarn Carrots

how to make yarn carrots to add to a garland or wreath
Keyword felt crafts, garland, yarn
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Equipment

  • fabric scissors
  • hot glue gun

Ingredients

  • white foam cones
  • orange paint + brush
  • orange yarn
  • green felt
  • hot glue sticks

Instructions

  • Paint the foam cones orange. This is so the white foam won’t peek through the yarn.
  • Wrap the (dry) painted cones in orange yarn, using hot glue as the adhesive. I think this is fairly straightforward, but you can see me do this in the video above if needed.
  • Create the carrot tops from green felt.
  • Attach the tops with hot glue. Now you can hang these carrots to a garland, wreath, or however you’d like to decorate with them.
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Christmas Sweater Garland DIY (With Free Printable!) https://abeautifulmess.com/christmas-sweater-garland-diy-with-free-printable/ https://abeautifulmess.com/christmas-sweater-garland-diy-with-free-printable/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:20:00 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=81181 When it comes to holiday decor, I do love finding special little pieces to add to my collection each year in stores, but I also love adding in homemade decor touches to make the season feel special and personal.

I love a good holiday project that is really cute and pretty fast to complete (leaves more time for eating cookies and watching movies, right?!), so this “ugly” Christmas sweater garland is the perfect thing to whip up for your home.

For this home holiday project, we are partnering with Canon USA! We love being able to print high-quality photos and printables at home, and Canon makes it easy to create endless options to add to your holiday decor.

Paper Christmas sweaters strung on a twine string from a shelf with Christmas decor around it

One reason I love garlands is because they are something you can hang just about anywhere, they don’t take up a lot of space to store, and they are great for renters and homeowners (as they can be easily tied to or draped over items or hung with removable strips like these).

If you love holiday garland DIYs, try these!

printer printing images of chistmas sweaters on paper with Christmas decor around the printer

Supplies:

Use your printer to print the size of your choosing (I did the 5″ wide sweaters) and make sure to print multiple sheets if you want a longer garland.

Paper Christmas sweaters about to be cut out with scissors

Use your scissors to cut out your sweaters (you can totally do this while you watch a Christmas movie or listen to holiday records!).

Paper Christmas sweaters punched with a hole punch at the top

Use a hole punch to punch two holes at the marked locations at the top of the sweater.

paper Christmas sweaters with a red and white yarn through punched holes

String your yarn/twine through the sweater holes. If the twine keeps unraveling, you can take a piece of scotch tape and wrap it around the end like the end of a shoelace to keep it together.

Add all your sweaters onto your twine/yarn and space them out evenly. Now you’re ready to hang!

Love a free printable? Check out our holiday napkin DIY!

Paper Christmas sweaters strung on a garland with Christmas tree shelf decor
Paper Christmas sweaters strung on a garland with Christmas tree shelf decor
Paper Christmas sweaters strung on a garland with Christmas tree shelf decor

This garland is so fun and whimsical. I love that you can also customize it by printing different sizes, putting them in whatever order you want, just printing certain colors for your color theme, or adding other fun things like yarn tassels or little bells to the garland for something extra fun.

Making Christmas decorations at home is one of my favorite things and this would also be a great craft to do with kiddos old enough to use scissors (kids love to hole punch and string items on strings as well!).

Hope this little craft adds some holiday magic to your home this season! xo. Laura

Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Graphic Design: Mara Dawn.

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Wooden Spider Garland DIY https://abeautifulmess.com/wooden-spider-garland-diy/ https://abeautifulmess.com/wooden-spider-garland-diy/#comments Wed, 27 Oct 2021 12:50:00 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=79534 If you ask me, Halloween and DIY decorations go together like trick-or-treaters and candy.

I love seeing the wooden spider and bat garlands in the stores, and I thought it would be fun to make my own wooden spider garland so I could customize it a bit. This is a great craft to make with kids that are glue gun age, as well.

Garlands are one of my favorite holiday decorations to use because they are so fast to put up and you can use them year after year as well! String them under a mantle, across a doorway, or over some art—they can go just about anywhere!

wooden spider garland strung across a console table decorated with pumpkins

Love Halloween Garlands? Check Out These Posts!

wooden sticks, wooden circles, glue gun, black beads, and twine laying on a table

Tools Needed:

Supplies:

How To Make A Wooden Spider Garland

  1. Use scissors or wire cutters to cut a wooden stick into four equal pieces. Glue the rounded edge to a piece with straight edges at an angle to create a leg. Repeat until you have four legs per spider (you’ll want 6-8 spiders per garland).
wooden circle with four wooden spider legs glued to it

2. Glue four legs to the back of your wooden circle.

wooden spiders painted black

3. Spray paint your spiders black and allow paint to fully dry.

4. Glue jewelry bales onto the back of each spider above the head area.

wooden spiders painted black with google eyes and smiley faces drawn on

5. Glue on your google eyes and draw on a smile with your paint pen.

6. Thread your beads and spiders onto your twine (make a knot where the spiders are so they don’t slide around) and you are ready to hang your garland! I used seven beads between each spider for reference.

TIP: Thread your spiders onto your twine backwards so that they are facing front when you tie a knot!

wooden spider garland strung across a console table decorated with pumpkins
wooden spider garland strung across a console table decorated with pumpkins
wooden spider garland strung across a console table decorated with pumpkins
wooden spider garland strung across a console table decorated with pumpkins

I have to say, I really love how this garland came out! It’s the perfect amount of cute, fun, and a little bit spooky, which is how I like my Halloween decor.

You can totally customize this with the size of circles and legs you use, paint the spiders whatever color you like, and add different beads or tassels to the garland.

And if you are into Halloween decor, but not into DIYs, check out our ultimate list of Halloween decor for your home. Happy decorating! xo. Laura

For More Halloween DIY, Check Out These Posts:

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to store garlands?

If your garland is made of more hearty material and you aren’t worried about it breaking, you can simply place it in a storage bin with the rest of your holiday decor.

If the garland is more fragile, wrap it gently in tissue paper and then place it in a small box before putting it in your larger holiday storage bin to protect it from being crushed.

Print

Wooden Spider Garland DIY

Garland made of wooden spiders and beads
Keyword garland, halloween
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
paint dry time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 1 garland
Cost $10

Equipment

  • scissors or wire cutters
  • glue gun

Ingredients

  • 6-8 2" wooden circles
  • wooden stir sticks or popsicle sticks four per spider
  • spray paint black
  • jewelry bales
  • google eyes
  • paint pen white
  • twine black
  • wooden beads make sure the bead openings are big enough to go on the twine

Instructions

  • Use scissors or wire cutters to cut a wooden stick into four equal pieces. Glue the rounded edge to a piece with straight edges at an angle to create a leg. Repeat until you have four legs per spider (you’ll want 6-8 spiders per garland).
  • Glue four legs to the back of your wooden circle.
  • Spray paint your spiders black and allow paint to fully dry.
  • Glue jewelry bales onto the back of each spider above the head area.
  • Glue on your google eyes and draw on a smile with your paint pen.
  • Thread your beads and spiders onto your twine (make a knot where the spiders are so they don’t slide around) and you are ready to hang your garland!

Notes

TIP: Thread your spiders onto your twine backwards so that they are facing front when you tie a knot!

Credits//Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. 

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How to Transform Your Christmas Garland https://abeautifulmess.com/how-to-transform-your-christmas-garland/ https://abeautifulmess.com/how-to-transform-your-christmas-garland/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2020 14:00:40 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=65062 I absolutely love a good holiday garland, but I ran into some trouble last year. When I went to the craft store to grab some for above the fireplace, everything was SO stiff and not malleable at all. So it made it really awkward and difficult to put on my mantel or any other flat surface—places where you want a garland to be relaxed and hang correctly.

To make matters even more perplexing, there were no plain garlands that were really full and fluffy. All of the options with lots of good volume had tons of pinecones (or birds or berries or whatever else you can think of) attached to them already—not bad necessarily, just not what I was looking for.

I’m going to share the solution I landed on with you today and I hope it helps if you are running into this same problem, or if you have some garland laying around that needs some new life.

One of the best parts is that the total for this project came out to be way less than a lot of already put together garlands that are not even close to as full looking.

You’re essentially going to take two different types of garland and weave them together to make something super fluffy and full. First, grab two traditional, inexpensive garland bunches.

Make sure it’s the kind that you can bend the branches and “fluff.” Here’s what I used from JOANN. I think this one could work even better, but I didn’t see it when I was there. Once you’ve got those secured, you want to find one bunch of more decorative, voluminous garland. I used this one.

Next, fluff your two evergreen garlands the best you can!

More garland ideas

Once you’ve got ’em good and fluffed, lay them out side by side and gently twist them together. Definitely don’t worry about getting a tight twist, as you want it to be pretty loose so there’s good volume, but not so loose that there’s a lot of space in between.

After you have your evergreen branches twisted together, weave in your decorative garland. I started at one end and just wrapped it under and over the combined evergreen garlands.

You may need to make some adjustments to get it just perfect, but that’s pretty much it. Super duper easy. Now comes the fun part—add ornaments, picks, and other baubles to your heart’s content! You could even add in some bleached pinecones (here’s the DIY!). Happy decorating. 🙂

xo Keely

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Gratefulness Leaf Garland DIY https://abeautifulmess.com/gratefulness-leaf-garland-diy/ https://abeautifulmess.com/gratefulness-leaf-garland-diy/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2020 13:59:29 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=64805 I figured with Thanksgiving coming soon, now would be a great time to make a little garland with paper leaves to write down things that we are thankful for.

I always hear how helpful it can be mentally to focus on the good in life, so I figured this would be a great season to put that into practice!



Supplies:
Leaf Template
cardstock in different colors
scissors
small clothespins
jewelry bead punch
large gold jump rings
-woven garland to hang leaves from

I used a braided rope garland I already had, but you can make it yourself by braiding some soft ropes together and adding some wooden beads.

First, you’ll want to print out your leaf template. You can either cut out each leaf to trace onto paper, or you can hold your template behind your paper and put it up to a window during the day to trace them onto your paper (this works best for lighter colored paper).

Cut out as many leaves in whatever colors you like!


Use your bead punch to punch a hole near the top of your clothespin. Repeat for each clothespin.

Use your fingers to open large jump rings and add the ring through the hole.

Put the jump ring through part of the bottom side of your garland so it will hang down to hold the leaf. I would lay out your garland and space the clothespins where you want them first so you know they are more evenly spaced.
Use a pen to write down all the things you are grateful for on each leaf! You can ask little kiddos for theirs and write them down for them or have older kids write their own.


Hang your leaves on the clothespins and stand back and see all you have to be thankful for!

The garland looks so pretty with some amber jars with candles inside and my pink pumpkins at the bottom!

Some of my leaves are more serious things to be thankful for, but others are also a bit silly. Like having just painted a pink door at our new house or finally living really close to a good coffee shop. But either way, it feels good to see a bunch of things that make us happy all in one place.

I also left a few clothespins open and some blank leaves on the table to write down new things as we think of them, so feel free to fill up the garland or do one every day for a few weeks.

This would also be a fun activity to do around the table on Thanksgiving Day, so keep that in mind as well! Hope this helps your gratitude meter go up a few notches as well! xo. Laura

P.S. Looking for more ideas? Check out 15 Easy Fall Decor DIYs (Budget-Friendly!).

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GRATEFULNESS LEAF GARLAND DIY

Ingredients

Instructions

  • So first you’ll want to print out your leaf template. You can either cut out each leaf to trace onto paper, or you can hold your template behind your paper and put it up to a window during the day to trace them onto your paper (this works best for lighter colored paper). Cut out as many leaves in whatever colors you like!
  • Use your bead punch to punch a hole near the top of your clothespin. Repeat for each clothespin.
  • Use your fingers to open large jump rings and add the ring through the hole.
  • Put the jump ring through part of the bottom side of your garland so it will hang down to hold the leaf. I would lay out your garland and space the clothespins where you want them first so you know they are more evenly spaced.
  • Use a pen to write down all the things you are grateful for on each leaf! You can ask little kiddos for theirs and write them down for them or have older kids write their own.
  • Hang your leaves on the clothespins and stand back and see all you have to be thankful for!
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Easy Yarn Tassel Ghost Garland https://abeautifulmess.com/easy-yarn-tassel-ghost-garland/ https://abeautifulmess.com/easy-yarn-tassel-ghost-garland/#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2020 13:00:48 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=63463 I’m a busy mom, so I love all things easy in every category. When it comes to Halloween decorating, I’m usually always on the cute side of spooky rather than scary. So I wanted to make a fun garland to hang up that my toddler would love as well, and an easy yarn tassel ghost garland was the first thing that came to mind! This is easy to make while you watch TV or listen to a podcast and it’s so easy that little ones can help you make it too.

Supplies:
white yarn
-small piece of cardboard
-hole punch
-black paper
-glue
small google eyes
-fabric scissors

First, you’ll want to cut a piece of scrap cardboard to be 4″ x 6″. Wrap your yarn around your cardboard piece 15-20 times and cut your yarn so it hangs down past the bottom of your cardboard.

Cut a piece of yarn that’s about 8″ long and thread it under the strands at the top of your cardboard. Tie it in a knot so that the top side of the stands are tied together.

Slide out the piece of cardboard and cut another strand of yarn that’s about 10″ long. Tie that strand around your yarn bundle about 2″ down from the top to create your ghost head.

Smooth the ends of the strand down into the rest of the ghost body. Use your scissors to cut the loops open at the bottom end of your ghost and trim any strands that are too long so they are all even.

Once your ends are cut, you can punch some holes into black paper for the mouths and then glue that on with the eyes to complete the face.

Use the tie on top of the ghost’s heads to tie your ghosts onto a longer piece of yarn to create your garland and tuck the ends from the tie down through the neck tie so it becomes part of the ghost’s body.

Hang your garland and get ready for Halloween!

Love how cute those ghosts are and they look super cute with my ghost print as well. Happy decorating! xo. Laura

P.S. Check out 15 Easy DIY Halloween Decorations for more ideas!

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Easy Yarn Tassel Ghost Garland DIY

Ingredients

  • white yarn
  • small piece of cardboard
  • hole punch
  • black paper
  • glue
  • small google eyes
  • fabric scissors

Instructions

  • First, you’ll want to cut a piece of scrap cardboard to be 4″ x 6″. Wrap your yarn around your cardboard piece 15-20 times and cut your yarn so it hangs down past the bottom of your cardboard.
  • Cut a piece of yarn that’s about 8″ long and thread it under the strands at the top of your cardboard. Tie it in a knot so that the top side of the stands are tied together.
  • Slide out the piece of cardboard and cut another strand of yarn that’s about 10″ long. Tie that strand around your yarn bundle about 2″ down from the top to create your ghost head. Smooth the ends of the strand down into the rest of the ghost body. Use your scissors to cut the loops open at the bottom end of your ghost and trim any strands that are too long so they are all even.
  • Once your ends are cut, you can punch some holes into black paper for the mouths and then glue that on with the eyes to complete the face. Use the tie on top of the ghost’s heads to tie your ghosts onto a longer piece of yarn to create your garland and tuck the ends from the tie down through the neck tie so it becomes part of the ghost's body.
  • Hang your garland and get ready for Halloween!
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DIY Candy Corn Garland https://abeautifulmess.com/diy-candy-corn-garland/ https://abeautifulmess.com/diy-candy-corn-garland/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2020 12:58:09 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=63475 Personally, I feel like pipe cleaners don’t get enough love. For some reason, I feel like this really cool craft supply has been relegated to the “kids-only” craft section and I really don’t know why.

As a 34-year-old woman, I will proudly admit that I kind of love playing around with pipe cleaners. They are just plain fun!

Since I’ve already admitted my love of pipe cleaners, it probably won’t surprise you that I am on a bit of personal mission to get more craft projects onto the pages of this blog that revolve around these undervalued fuzzy little wires. 🙂

So today I am sharing this DIY candy corn garland that I made for the mantle at the holiday house. Or should I say candy CORN! It’s a bit of a pun because these are suppose to look like corn on the cob, but the colors of candy corn candies.

You get it.

Supplies:
pipe cleaners (black, white, or another color)
-plastic beads (orange, yellow, and white)
yarn for the garland
scissors

And if you wanted to make your corn on the cob figures different colors, you could absolutely keep them more traditional but I was into the candy corn pattern for mine.

Step One: Twist three pipe cleaners together at the center, making a kind of spider figure.

Step Two: Add beads to each pipe cleaner spider leg, in a candy corn pattern.

Step Three: Twist the pipe cleaners together at the top and trim the top pieces as needed.

Step Four: Hang the candy corn figures on some cut yarn anywhere you need a garland. Pro tip: All mantels need a garland for every holiday, IMO.

I layered my DIY candy corn garland alongside a faux floral garland just to give the final look a little more dimension and texture. Thanks for letting me share! xo. Emma

P.S. Check out 15 Easy DIY Halloween Decorations for more ideas!

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DIY Candy Corn Garland

Cost $10

Ingredients

  • pipe cleaners black, white, or other colors
  • plastic beads orange, yellow, and white
  • yarn
  • scissors

Instructions

  • Twist three pipe cleaners together at the center, making a kind of spider figure.
  • Add beads to each pipe cleaner spider leg, in a candy corn pattern.
  • Twist the pipe cleaners together at the top and trim the top pieces as needed.
  • Hang the candy corn figures on some cut yarn anywhere you need a garland. 
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Yarn Pumpkin Garland DIY https://abeautifulmess.com/yarn-pumpkin-garland-diy/ https://abeautifulmess.com/yarn-pumpkin-garland-diy/#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2020 13:00:22 +0000 https://abeautifulmess.com/?p=62534 I’m such a garland person … I love collecting seasonal or festive garlands to hang around the house because the install time is so fast each season. You basically just hang it up and it’s ready to go!

This year, I thought I’d make a fun 3D yarn pumpkin garland for the fall season and I like that you could also just put the pumpkins in a bowl or dish if you eventually got tired of the hanging garland look. Here’s how you make these yarn cuties!

Looking for no-carve pumpkin ideas? Check out 30 No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas!

Supplies:
yarn in orange of your choice (and other colors for tassels if you want tassels)
3″ styrofoam balls (I used 6)
-tan felt and fabric scissors
-drill
-1/2″ thick stick
-hot glue
-twine
-serrated knife
-wooden skewer

Use a serrated knife to cut a little bit off the top and bottom of your styrofoam balls so it looks like the above.

Use a 1/2″ drill bit to drill a hole in the middle of each of your flattened out balls. If you’re using a thinner yarn you may not need a bigger hole than what the bit makes, but if you have chunky yarn like I do, I would wiggle the bit around as you drill so your hole is wider to accommodate the thicker yarn.

Cut a long piece of yarn and tape one side to a half of a skewer (that will be your “needle” for the project) and start to thread the yarn through the hole and around and around, covering the styrofoam ball.
Keep going until you cover over all the styrofoam and if you need more yarn tie more on so that the knot will be inside of your pumpkin hole and hidden from sight.
Once you’ve gone all the way around, cut your yarn off so you have a small enough tail to tuck into your pumpkin when you add the stem.
Cut your stick (we just foraged one from the yard) into 2″ chunks. You can use a small handsaw or handheld yard clippers to trim the pieces. Use your drill and a small bit (just a little bigger than your twine you’ll hang the pumpkins through) to drill a hole through each stick near the top for threading onto your garland.
Once your sticks are ready, hot glue the bottom of your stick into your pumpkin and allow the glue to set.

You can either leave the pumpkins as is, or you can add a little collar to them with some felt. I just cut out an 8-pointed star shape and snipped a small “X” into the middle so I could push it over the stem. You can glue that down a little to keep in place.

Once your pumpkins are ready, you can string them onto a piece of twine or yarn and feel free to add some yarn tassels onto the garland as well between each pumpkin for a little variety (you can see how to make a yarn tassel here).

String up your garland and you’re ready for fall!
Like I said, I love these 3D pumpkins on a garland, but these would also be a cute in a little bowl or tray later on if you wanted to take them off the garland.

You could also add some black felt cut out pieces to make jack-o’-lantern pumpkin faces on each one as well for a Halloween look. Happy decorating! xo. Laura

P.S. Check out 15 Easy DIY Halloween Decorations for more ideas!

Print

YARN PUMPKIN GARLAND DIY

Ingredients

  • yarn in orange of your choice (and other colors for tassels if you want tassels)
  • 3″ styrofoam balls
  • tan felt and fabric scissors
  • drill
  • 1/2″ thick stick
  • hot glue
  • twine
  • serrated knife
  • wooden skewer

Instructions

  • Use a serrated knife to cut a little bit off the top and bottom of your styrofoam balls so it looks like the above.
  • Use a 1/2″ drill bit to drill a hole in the middle of each of your flattened out balls. If you’re using a thinner yarn, you may not need a bigger hole than what the bit makes, but if you have chunky yarn like I do, I would wiggle the bit around as you drill so your hole is wider to accommodate the thicker yarn.
  • Cut a long piece of yarn and tape one side to a half of a skewer (that will be your “needle” for the project) and start to thread the yarn through the hole and around and around covering the styrofoam ball.
  • Keep going until you cover over all the styrofoam and if you need more yarn tie more on so that the knot will be inside of your pumpkin hole and hidden from sight.
  • Once you’ve gone all the way around, cut your yarn off so you have a small enough tail to tuck into your pumpkin when you add the stem.
  • Cut your stick (we just foraged one from the yard) into 2″ chunks. You can use a small handsaw or handheld yard clippers to trim the pieces. Use your drill and a small bit (just a little bigger than your twine you’ll hang the pumpkins through) to drill a hole through each stick near the top for threading onto your garland.
  • Once your sticks are ready, hot glue the bottom of your stick into your pumpkin and allow the glue to set.
  • You can either leave the pumpkins as is, or you can add a little collar to them with some felt. I just cut out an 8-pointed star shape and snipped a small “X” into the middle so I could push it over the stem. You can glue that down a little to keep in place.
  • Once your pumpkins are ready, you can string them onto a piece of twine or yarn and feel free to add some yarn tassels onto the garland as well between each pumpkin for a little variety (you can see how to make a yarn tassel here).
  • String up your garland and you’re ready for fall!
 
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