miydecor, mothers day diy project, miycreations

Miycreations Project article and photographs
by Madeleine M Langlois

Mother's Day Project: Photo-Clips, Gardens of memories for mom!
“Give mom a garden of memories.”

Hands-on time: Approximately one hour to make 6 wire photo-clips.
Total time: add drying time if you choose to paint wires in assorted colors.
Skill: Easy and tween and teen friendly.
Cost estimate: $1.50 each.

Materials & tools:

Craft wires, 22 to 24 gauge in assorted colors

Wire cutters, round or needle-nose pliers

Assorted beads in assorted colors,
sizes and shapes
(available at craft stores, dollar stores and
specialty stores)
Screws or nails in assorted sizes
(to make curls and corkscrew shapes for the
dragonfly tail)

Assorted family photographs

Craft scissors with fancy edges like zigzag,
scalloped, wave or pinking pattern
Planter or flower presentation of your choice.

This Mother’s Day, give mom a garden of memories adorned with stylish wire photo-clips with
pictures of cherished loved ones.

These glittering wire photo-clips are easy to make in no time at all. They can range from
simple flat spirals shapes to elaborate flowers or dragonflies which can be beautifully
enhanced with beads. This is a simple project to try if you’ve never worked with wire or beads,
even tweens and teens can create something special for their moms.

Select colored wires and beads to coordinate with your planter presentation.

Spiral photo-clips; cut a wire piece of about 50 cm long with wire cutters
and make a small hook shape at one end with pliers. Make four to five spirals by working
around the loop, wrapping the wire around it several times, growing ever-larger using pliers or
your fingers. You can thread assorted beads at different intervals along the stem or onto the
tip of the spiral. To make a leaf shape, cut a wire piece 15 cm long in a green color, make a
curved loop shape, twist the wire ends together and then twist it around the stem to secure in
place. The spirals can be shaped to form square, star or triangular spirals.

Flower shaped Photo-clips; with a wire length of 1 meter, at one end make a shape spiral
of four turns slightly overlapping, creating the clip part to hold the picture. To make the petals
make five loop shapes with your fingers bending the wire back and forth around the spiral
center. After creating the last loop, the wire continues as the stem part. To embellish the
flower, wrap silver wire around the petals and stem. Use wire to attach small beads and leaves
to the flower by twisting the wire around the flower.

Dragonfly photo-clips; at the end of a 1 meter wire length, make a small spiral of four turns
to make the center clip. Continue to make the wings with two loops shaped with your fingers
then tuck the long wire through the spiral to make the stem. Open the spiral to create a
balloon shape and insert a glass marble or bead inside, then close the spiral to secure the
marble inside. For the antennas cut a 10 cm piece of wire in a contrasting color, make a small
eye loop at each end semi spiral, bend the wire in half and twist onto the wings to attach them
into place. To make a corkscrew of tail wrap a 10 cm piece of wire around a screw, and twist
off to release. Attach the corkscrew tail, to the spiral part just under the marble by twisting it to
the wire. Adorn the stem with contrasting wire colors and leaf loops.

For each photo-clip, make a V, U or triangle shape at the end of each stem and bend the
wire to make a foot like shape, to use as an anchor base to insert the wire-clips into the
planters. Simple add favorite pictures.

Let your imagination soar to create several types of free-form photo-clip shapes, by making a
variety of spiral shapes and by adding combinations of corkscrews and assorted beads. To
put a twist on things make each stem different with assorted curves and zigzag bends to
spring shapes, the variations are truly endless.

Tips: Grass takes a week to grow from seeds, this give you just enough time to grow it to
make a unique presentation for Mother’s Day. Try growing grass in a rectangular bread pan
or in a muffin tray which has been painted in fresh spring pastels or silver. Enhance your
planter presentation with a little Zen appeal simply by adding colored pieces of tumble glass,
glass bead nuggets or assorted rocks. Instead of buying wire in several colors you can paint
wire with glass, acrylic or spray paints.

Variations: Individual wire photo-clips can be added as an accent to embellish various home
and garden decorative accents, such as votive candles, or added to a bouquet or adorn a
gift. You can make a spiral shape base for each photo-clip or make stands with self-drying
clay in assorted shapes from squares to triangles.

Miy Mother's Day 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"