My Finest Craft (so far;) - Double Ruffle Burlap Tree Skirt

Before I decided to make wreaths and sell them, I ordered a Brother sewing machine from Bed Bath & Beyond with the last of my wedding gift cards. I needed some sort of project to get to know my machine, so I undertook making a Christmas Tree Skirt for a co-worker. Little did I know 1) how long it would really take to create 2) how much I wouldn't want to give it to her when I was done because I loved it so much!!! But, since she paid for all the materials, I figured it was only fair. I now have planned in my mind to make one for myself - but until that time, here are pictures of the one I did complete. What you can't see is that it is fully backed with a muslin type material and the ribbons are even hemmed. This tree skirt was my baby! Behold...

~Rachael Leigh

First Burlap Wreath

As you may have read in my "About Me" section, my husband and I got married 6 months ago. We had the dream theme for our wedding, Vintage/Shabby Chic/Southern (if you can really call that a theme). This being said, I have TONS of burlap left over from the wedding that I have decided I need to put to good use. Oddly, there aren't many burlap crafts/DIY home decor projects that I am attracted to, but the one thing I LOVE is burlap wreaths. So last week, I decided to try my hand at one. 

Sadly, it was hard to find a tutorial video that was thorough and well recorded to show how to make the loops (obviously for a beginner). I ended up just having to try it (with the bit of knowledge I did reap from the various videos I viewed). But I don't think it turned out half bad.

I ended up weaving the burlap on the two outer loops (this probably doesn't make sense if you've never made one), and then alternated the colored ribbons over the middle loop. I didn't actually pull the two color ribbons through the wreath, they are simply wired to the top where the vertical pieces of wire run from the inside of the wreath to the outside.

Trying to figure out how to tie the bow probably took me the longest, I actually ended up doing it in three pieces - but it was definitely more manageable this way. In all, it took me the length of "Age of Adaline" to create this wreath:)

Excuse the random toes and socks in my pictures - I will work on my photography skills.

~Rachael Leigh