Embroidery Hoop Glam

I love how some of the most simple items can be turned into something glam and gorgeous with just a bit of glitter and glue. Take, for example, the humble embroidery hoop and clothespin. I saw this sweet fall wreath over at Budget Wise Home and fell in love with it's simplicity.

Seriously, who would have imagined something like this from cardboard, clothespins and an embroidery hoop with some wood stain and a bit of satin ribbon to snazzy it up? So....I started thinking about all of the clothespins that I have left over from another project (to be revealed at a later date) and an embroidery hoop and cardboard and realized I had the beginnings of my own wreath and since Christmas will be here before we know it (YIKES!) I started playing around with that in mind. And, the great thing about this project is that it's amazingly inexpensive to make and, except for the clothespins which can be picked up for just a couple of dollars, you probably already have everything you'll need on hand.

Here's what I used:

Mod Podge
Liquid Fusion
2 sheets of scrapbook paper (1 12-inch piece is enough if you just want one color)
Martha Stewart glitter (aquamarine crystal and white gold)
Cardboard
Craft Smart acrylic paint in ivory
8-inch wooden embroidery hoop (the inside piece)
Exacto knife
Charcoal gray ink pad
Ribbon (optional)
Glittered snowflake cookie cutters (optional)

Just follow these instructions, they're the ones I used and they're really straight forward and easy to follow. I have no idea why I chose these colors because I have absolutely nothing in my house that coordinates with them; I did, however, have all of the embellishments for them so there it is. I'm sure you've been in the same place before....

I cut out my cardboard circle and painted it ivory.



Then I covered the embroidery hoop with Mod Podge inside and out and sprinkled glitter all over it which gets a bit messy and leaves you looking like Sparkle Shimmer Barbie! When both were dry, I fit the cardboard over the hoop.

Then I just started working on the clothespins. I covered most of them with papers (just on the front side) which I inked all around the edges for a distressed look and some with glitter (with the glittered clothespins, I first covered them with paper then a coat of Mod Podge and then I dipped them in the glitter). I ended up using 61 but you might use less depending on how close together you want yours to be.


When all of the cardboard was covered I added knotted bits of silver ribbon, edges burned to stop fraying and distress, and two glitter-covered snowflake cookie cutters that I had left over from something else I was playing with.


Once everything was in place, I used the Liquid Fusion to glue down the snowflakes and then each clothespin and I'd like to paint the back of each pin with some silver paint and give them a coat of Mod Podge for protection. I still have to look for some ribbon to hang it with ~ don't have the perfect one right now.

What a way to glam up the holiday though, right? Love it!

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