miycreations, make-it-yourself-garden-crafts, miy

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.

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"