Close up two yellow scrapbook flowers on wreath

 

How to Create a Beautiful Spring Wreath with Scrapbook flowers and buttons

Inserting Spring into My Wreath

A few years ago I purchased a simple white berry wreath from Target (I don’t think it’s still available at Target, but this is a similar style wreath.) To save money, I challenged myself to use this one wreath through every season for one year. Did I do it? You bet your little penny pinching fingers, I did! So, today I want to show you how I transformed this simple wreath for Spring.

Inserting spring into the white berry wreath was as simple as pairing a green leaf wreath and some DIY scrapbook flowers.

The best part about it is, this simple wreath can handle new colors and elements throughout the year. Can we calculate how much you’ll save on door wreaths for one year? Subtracting the minimal cost of crafting supplies, you’ll save at least $100 on wreaths (attractive wreaths usually start around $39.99.) If you want to see how I transformed the wreath for the other seasons of the year, be sure to scroll all the way to the end of this tutorial!

Inserting Spring Paper Flowers into your Wreath:

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

materials to make button flowers

Instructions:

Start by pairing your white berry wreath with a green leaf wreath to give it more bulk (or just add green sprigs to your berry wreath.)

To combine the two, simply wrap some of the berry branches around the leaf wreath.

wrap berry stems around leaf wreath

That’s it! This way you can separate them at a later date if you decide to use the wreaths independently.

Making Scrapbook Button Flowers:

Begin by cutting flower shapes out of your scrapbook paper.

cut around flower shape

Lay your flower on top of a coordinating sheet of scrapbook paper and cut a second flower shape larger than the first.

match up flower with coordinating paper

Lay both flowers on top of one another and cut slits in toward the center of your flowers. Be sure not to cut too close to the center.

cut slits into both scrapbook flower layers

Fold the edges of your flowers up to give them dimension.

cut out scrapbook paper flower

Cut a length of floral wire long enough to wrap around your wreath.

cut wire

Thread the wire through your button. If you have a four hole button, you may want to thread it in an “X” shape as shown below:

thread button onto wire

Then poke the wires through the centers of the flowers (it is easiest if you have one on top of the other so you can poke through both flowers at once.)

thread paper flowers and button onto wire

You should end up with a scrapbook paper and button flower that looks like this:

button scrapbook flower made

Make as many as you like and then arrange the flowers on your wreath.

add button flower to wreath

Wrap the wires around the back and twist to secure.

Repeat until you have covered your wreath in beautiful spring flowers.

Add a coordinating ribbon to your wreath. You can tie a bow on your wreath. . .

add ribbon to wreath

. . . or use a flat ribbon to hang your wreath. It’s your choice.

Enjoy your new spring wreath!

Although my paper flowers have faded a little, I’ve been able to use this wreath for several years (as evidenced by the change in color of my door.)

Here’s how I transformed the same wreath for Christmas through Valentine’s Day:

For Thanksgiving, I added some feathers to the wreath, (For a fuller wreath, you can add more feathers):

For fall, I paired free magnolia leaves with the white berry wreath:

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you liked this post, you’ll love my round up of 24 creative fall wreaths (because frankly, some of these look pretty enough to hang year round.)

24 Creative Fall Wreaths | Pretty Handy Girl

You might also appreciate these 9 Holiday Storage Hacks:

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Dragonfly Garden Decor using a Dollar Store Whisk and Skewer | Pretty Handy Girl

Dragonfly Garden Decor using a Dollar Store Whisk and Skewer | Pretty Handy Girl

Summertime is coming and I’m enjoying spending more time in our garden. I’m always looking for cute craft ideas that I can do with the kids while school is out. When I saw this great idea for making a wire whisk dragonfly on Morena’s Corner, I knew I had to try it. I altered Morena’s plans slightly using plastic beads and used a skewer for the plant stake. The cost and materials are minimal to make this Dragonfly Garden Decor using a Dollar Store Wire Whisk and Skewer. This craft can be done with the kids, but you’ll need to be the one to cut and bend the wires and watch out for the pokey edges with real little kids.

Dragonfly Garden Decor Materials:

Dragonfly Garden Decor using a Dollar Store Whisk and Skewer | Pretty Handy Girl

  • Wire whisk
  • Wire skewer
  • Beads
  • Needle-nosed pliers

Dragonfly Garden Decor Instructions:

Begin by bending the first wire loop out to the side to create a wing.

Dragonfly Garden Decor using a Dollar Store Whisk and Skewer | Pretty Handy Girl

Repeat with three more loops (2 on each side).

Dragonfly Garden Decor using a Dollar Store Whisk and Skewer | Pretty Handy Girl

Use the needle-nosed pliers to cut one wire loop into two short pieces as shown below. (You might need to twist the pliers back and forth to cut the wires.) Read more

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Have you ever needed to know How to Replace a Sink Drain? Or maybe in the past you hired a plumber. Well, I’m here today to tell you that it’s not a hard project and I know you can do it!

I think the plumbing Gods smiled down on me recently. After the little leak that turned into a major kitchen renovation, finding this crack in the drain pipe saved us from another costly leak.

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

I don’t normally inspect the drain pipes on our sinks, but I just happen to be looking for something under my sons’ sink when I noticed the crack on the drain pipe. Remarkably, there were no drips in the vanity. Before I could grab a new drain assembly, I gently hinted to the family that they might want to use another sink in the house. (I’m subtle, aren’t I.)

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Replacing a Sink Drain Materials:

(contains affiliate links)

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Replacing a Sink Drain Instructions:

Lay out a towel under your sink to catch any drips and to cushion your work area.

Reach behind your drain and unscrew the cap around the pop-up ball and rod. Remove them from the drain. (FYI, if you ever have a broken pop-up, you can fix your pop-up stopper with this tutorial.)

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Remove the stopper from the drain.

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Look under the sink and locate the P-trap. Loosen the slip nuts from the p-trap near the wall and on the drain. (For more details, you can see this tutorial for removing the p-trap.)

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Pull the P-Trap down to release it from the drain. Dump any excess water and gunk into a basin.

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

The tailpiece on my drain assembly was plastic and just crumbled in my hand (that’s why it looks like I skipped ahead.)

Use your pliers to loosen the nut on the drain and remove it. If the nut is stuck, spray a little WD-40 on it and wait about 10-15 minutes.

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Pull the rubber gasket from the bottom of the drain.

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Reach on top into the sink and lift up the drain flange.

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Preparing the new drain:

Remove the new drain assembly from the package.

How to Replace a Sink Drain | Pretty Handy Girl

Apply teflon tape to every threaded section of the drain assembly: Read more

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

Raise your hand if you have a sad excuse for a shower head! Is it drippy, rusty or clogged? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I’m about to show you why there is no excuse for you being able to install a new shower head yourself! It’s super easy.

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

  • Optional: Shower arm & flange, rag to protect new shower arm

Instructions:

1. Remove the old shower head by unscrewing it from the pipe arm. Use pliers to help get it started.

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

2. Unscrew the old shower arm if it is rusty or won’t match the new shower head. Remove that rusty flange (now is the time to do it! Don’t put it off any longer.)

unscreEasy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girlw-old-shower-arm

3. Replace the old shower arm with new one by screwing it into the plumbing pipe in the wall. Then slide the new flange over the arm.

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

Wrap the end of the shower arm with plumber’s tape (wrap it clockwise to keep it from bunching up when you attach the new shower head.)

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

4. Screw the new shower head onto the end of the shower arm. Hand tighten the head. Then put the rag over the spot base of the shower head and use the pliers to tighten it 1/4 turn.

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

5. If your shower head has an extension hose, attach that at this time by screwing it onto the shower head and attaching the other end to the body sprayer.

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

Turn on the water and test the spray! Beautiful! No drips or clogs? If you have some leaks anywhere, give an extra 1/4 to 1/2 turn to tighten it the shower head or hose.

I installed the Delta In2ition shower head in the Topsail Beach Condo we renovated. I’ve been intrigued by this shower head and after trying it out, I love it!!!

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl

Because who wouldn’t love a shower head that sprays from the top even when you want a body spray too?

The interior head is fully removable and nests back into the outer ring when done body spraying.

Easy! How to Install a New Showerhead | Pretty Handy Girl        

The only initial drawback I found was getting used to setting the body sprayer back into the ring. Once I realized you have to push it in and down firmly, there was no problem.

Wasn’t that easy? Go on and replace your shower head today if you’ve been putting it off!

PHGFancySign

Disclosure: No disclosure necessary. I wasn’t paid or provided with the Delta In2ition shower head. My stepmom paid for it to be installed in the beach condo. I chose this shower head because I wanted to try it out.  

 

Pin for later!

How to Easily Install a New Shower Head

Thanks to my Facebook fan, Heather H., for the ultimate compliment on this lantern. She asked if I got it at Pier 1! Nope Heather, I got it at the Habitat ReStore and it found its way into my hands in this condition:

After a Women Build meeting at the Habitat ReStore a month ago, I spied that dusty relic. An old discarded hanging light fixture. I grabbed it and promptly paid $5 for it. Then I got to chatting with the clerk at the ReStore and absentmindedly walked out without my lantern. By the time I remembered, the ReStore had already closed. It was sad… it was tragic… I didn’t know when I’d be reunited with my light fixture because the ReStore is about 25 minutes away from my home. But, there is a happy ending to my story, my mother-in-law (who gives a good name to all MILs out there) offered to swing by the ReStore the following day to pick up my lantern for me. Hugs to her for reuniting us. But, I had to laugh at the look of skepticism she gave me as she handed over the dusty light. She couldn’t see its true potential, but I could.

How about you? Would you have passed this light fixture by? Or would you have seen the potential?

Well, next time you see a light fixture like that, grab it and I’ll show you how to transform it.

Materials:

  • Old lantern style light fixture
  • Pliers
  • Wire cutters
  • Two screwdrivers (at least one needs to be flat head)
  • Damp rag
  • Sandpaper
  • Plastic drop cloth
  • Kilz spray primer
  • Rustoleum Lagoon spray paint
  • Rub n’ Buff Gold Color
  • Paper towels
Difficulty: Easy
Step 1. Disassemble the lantern by unscrewing all the parts.

Step 2. Use wire cutters to cut the wire to the light housings.

Step 3. Pull the light sockets, bulbs and lighting out of the lantern.

Step 4. Remove the finial from the bottom of the lighting and set it aside with the lantern. Discard or keep the lighting parts for some other project.

Step 5. If there is a chain attached to the lantern, insert the two screwdrivers into the link attaching it to the lantern. Rotate the two screwdrivers in opposite directions as shown to pry the chain link apart.

Step 6. Pry up the tabs on the lantern that are holding the glass in place. Remove the glass panels and set them aside.

These are the parts that I kept for the lantern:

Step 7. Wipe all the parts with the damp rag to remove any dust and debris. Then scuff the lantern parts with sandpaper and wipe off any remaining dust.

Step 8. Set the lantern and parts outside on the drop cloth.  Spray them with Kilz primer, flip the pieces over and spray again.

Step 9. When the primer has dried, inspect the lantern for any paint drips that need to be sanded smooth.

Step 10. Spray paint the lantern and parts with Rustoleum Lagoon. Flip everything after the first coat is dry and spray a second coat of paint.

Step 11. After the lantern has dried thoroughly, reassemble the lantern.

Screw the finial onto the inside of the lantern where the lighting used to attach.

Step 11. Wipe a small amount of rub n’ buff on a dry paper towel. Rub it on the cross bars of the lantern.

Step 12. Clean the lantern glass with windex and a clean rag. Then insert the glass panels back into the lantern.

Admire your new aqua beauty!

The hardest part of this project was trying to decide where to display my lantern. I could see it in every room of our home!

But, ultimately I gave it a place of prominence on our mantle. And included an old picture inside it.

Have you seen these old light fixtures? Could you ever guess that they could be turned into beautiful decorating gems?
Have a great weekend y’all. I hope you make a trip to your local Habitat ReStore and search for your own lantern.

I hope you’ll join Heather and some other friends on Facebook so you can see what I’m up to next!

Sharing with Tater Tots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up Party