miycreations-make-it-yourself-garden-charms

Miy Gift Collection
Greeting Cards
by MaddyLane
Gorgeous flower cards
Greetings Creations
For heartfelt greetings!

Miy Garden Decor Project
C r e a t i o n s & I n s p i r a t i o n s
"f o r t h e p u r e j o y o f m a k i n g t h i n g s"

Miycreations Project article and photographs
by Madeleine M Langlois

Make-it-yourself Garden Charms
"Add charm appeal to your flower boxes, plants, and garden with foil
decorative accents"

Hands-on time: Approximately half an hour per ornament
Total time: allow the paint and glue set and cure
Skill: Easy and kid-friendly

Materials & tools:
• Classic silver Metal Sheet in 40 gauge by Metal Works
• Assorted designs such as flowers, birds
• Tracing paper
• Scissors and fancy edge scissors
• A stylus
• A piece of Styrofoam or foam sheet (optional)
• Metal paints by Decoart
• Artist paintbrushes in assorted sizes
• Porcelain 150 markers by Pébéo, (to achieve brilliant colors on foil projects)
• An awl punch
• Wire cutters, round or needle-nose pliers (all 3-in-one craft pliers are
available several craft stores)
• Craft wire in 22 to 24 gauge in assorted colors
• Assorted beads in various colors, size and shapes
• Craft wire in 14 to 18 gauge, for the steams
• Silicone glue or a glue gun and sticks

(Materials for this project are available at arts, craft and hardware stores, or
on line.)

Add charm appeal to your flower boxes, plants, and garden with foil
decorative accents. Glittering garnishes with designs of flowers to butterflies
are embossed, painted and bejeweled. The shimmering foil ornaments with
their dangling colorful beads swaying in the gentle summer breeze will also act
as mini scarecrows and keep the small critters out of your gardens.

Start by drawing or tracing basic designs such as a flower, a butterfly, a bird
or a dragonfly, onto tracing paper, in the size needed to fit on the foil
ornament shape desired.

Draw several basic foil shapes for the bases of the foil charms, such as
circles, ovals, squares, or a half-moon directly onto the foil. Cut out the
shapes using regular scissors or scissors with decorative edges.

Place the tracing paper design over the foil shape and attach it at the corners
with tape in order to keep your work stable during the tracing – embossing
step. This next step is optional; place a piece of Styrofoam or a soft foam
sheet under the foil shape and secure it to your working area with tape. The
foam helps create deep and clear embossing outlines in the foil. Trace over
the design using a stylus (or pencil) to transfer and emboss the motif onto the
foil shapes.

Apply extra freehand designs such as swirls, dots or lines along the border
edges if you wish. To apply text to the foil charms, copy the text in reverse on
tracing paper and then place onto the back of the foil and trace with the
embossing tool. Repeat the steps for each foil charm creation.

Once the foil shapes are embossed, paint them as desired using assorted
acrylic paint colors for metal or with Porcelain 150 markers. Once they are
fully dry, make three holes using an awl along the bottom edge to add the
ornamental beaded wires.

Select beads and colored wires to coordinate with your foil creations. Cut two
20 cm and one 30 cm colored wire lengths. Make a closing loop at one end of
the wires with pliers to secure the beads. Spiral shaped ends also work well.
Thread assorted beads onto the wire lengths at different intervals, creating
curls in the wire as you go using the tip of a pencil or paintbrush. Secure the
beads to the wire with a twist.

Once the wires are adorned with beads, make a small curved loop hook
shape at the top of the wire, and thread it through a hole into the foil charm
shape. Secure the wire in place by twisting the end around the beaded wire.

To make the steams, use a 45 cm length of craft wire in 14 to 18 gauge. Bend
the wire in half, creating a curve U shape in the middle. Glue the U shape part
of the wire steam at the center back of the foil charm with silicone glue, a glue
gun or strong double adhesive tape. Let the glue set, wait 48 hours before
putting the foil charms in your garden. (quick trick; simply glue the foil shapes
to flower and plant marker stands available at garden centers).

These plant pleasures are sure to brighten a garden with color and pizzazz.
Foil charms can also be garnished with assorted glass beads and nuggets.

Variations: Foil ornaments also make great vegetable, herb or flower garden
identification tags. Using the same principal as above make small oval
shapes, design the edges and write the name of the plants or herbs freehand.
Make a hole at the top of the tags with an awl, then hook it to a bent 18 gauge
wire 45 cm long.

Metal foils are available in assorted colors. For true rustic charm use copper
foil. A natural patina will develop over time which will only make them more
charming. Patina finishes and kits are also available in arts and crafts stores.