Tutorial for my Pinecone Trees

www.shop.thewoolacorn.com

I've been asked to create a tutorial for my Pinecone Trees which are currently on the cover of Holiday Crafts 2010 magazine.  It's super easy and I have a kit in my shop with all the supplies you need to make them!!!  Keep in mind that you can whip them up in any color combination and use them for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Easter, New Year's Eve or any other holiday.  I did mine in a combination of bright colors that I just happen to like for Christmas.  (You supply the reindeer).

The trees are decorated with needle felted wool balls.  Needle felting is the process of poking wool roving with a special kind of barbed needle.  It is insanely sharp!  As you poke the wool, the barbs on the needle cause it to "felt" together... much like that time you washed a sweater and it came out the size of a potholder.  Now, before you start, I want you to raise your right hand and repeat after me.  I {state your name} do solemnly swear that, while poking the needle, I will not glance at the TV, give my children the stinkeye, or shoot a knowing glance at anyone in the room.  I will keep my eyes on the needle at all times!!!  You're still going to poke yourself but I bet you catch on real fast!


First thing... use a bottle brush and scrub the pinecone to loosen any seeds and dirt (do this over a trash can).  If the pinecones are sticky, you can bake them in your oven at 170 degrees for an hour to harden the sap.


Make the balls:  Take a small wisp of wool and roll it into a ball.  You can always add more wool to make it larger, but you can't take wool away if it's getting too big.  So begin with just a little bit.  Start poking your needle into the wool, turning the wool and moving it every few pokes so it doesn't stick to the foam pad.  If you keep rotating the wool, a ball shape will appear.

After you've made a bunch of balls, head to the sink.  Using hot soapy water, gently roll the balls one by one, in the palm of your hand.  This will really tighten the fibers together and give them a nice round shape.  If they start to look orb-like, use less pressure.  Squeeze them with a towel when you're done.  They will dry pretty quick if you just leave them on the counter.  Using the Tacky Glue, stick them onto your pinecone.  I make about 25 balls for a 2-2.5" pinecone.

To make the base, cover the wooden spool with glue and roll it in German Glass glitter.  Let dry.

Use the same glue to attach the base to the pinecone.  It's OK if you have to play with it a bit before it sits just how you like it.  If it's sitting crooked, you can tuck a little ball underneath to balance it out.  Ta-da, you're done!


Shop.theWoolAcorn.com

The kit contains 3 real pinecones, 6x8x2 felting pad, 2 felting needles, 3 wooden spools, German Glass glitter, .66 oz bottle Aleene's Tacky Glue and Pure Wool Roving in 8 colors.  Directions included as well.  Feel free to email me if you need a consult!  But, really, it isn't hard!  Click here to purchase!

Linking up with these fabulous bloggers:
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.blogspot.com/
http://itsablogparty.com/home-for-the-holidays-party/
http://itssoverycheri.com/
http://alittlelovelyblog.blogspot.com/
http://itssoverycheri.com/2010/11/14/its-so-very-cheri-party-time/
http://iamalongfortheride.blogspot.com/2010/11/saturday-is-crafty-day-22.html
http://www.finecraftguild.com/diy-craft-tutorial-linky-party-20/
http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com/
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/
733blog.blogspot.com

Craft-O-Maniac
http://happytodesign.blogspot.com/
http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/2010/11/market-yourself-monday_15.html





































































 
thethriftyhome.com

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It's a Giveaway!!!!!

Those oh-so-clever women at The Blog Guidebook are hosting a giveaway this week... and guess what they're giving away???  ME!  Well, my acorns, to be more specific.  Check out their blog, which is all about blogging and note the super savvy style of their site (I might be a smidge jealous).  And enter to win... the contest ends on Tuesday, October 19th.  All you have to do is become a follower of The Wool Acorn, leave a comment telling us your favorite acorn color, and leave a comment at the giveaway on The Blog Guidebook.  That's one follow, two comments.  Piece of cake!!!  And if you want to see a whole slew of acorn colors... click here.

Halloween decor at A Shore Thing

Every now and then I experience the great thrill of walking into a retail space and getting the urge to pull out my camera.  They just seem to get it right.  Everything from unique and sharp merchandise to a magnificent display style.  My dear friend, Laura, took me one of these places... a fabulous, creative new shop in Newburyport, Massachusetts.   A Shore Thing at 1 Titcomb Street was a feast for the eyes and I finally just had to ask if I could whip out a camera.  That's when we met the most delightful shop owner.  Ever.  Melissa Sievert was in the shop that day and with her business partner, Carol Gautreau Bent, they've created a shop to see!  We ooh'd and aah'd over everything which is currently all done up for Halloween.  I can't wait to see what they do for Christmas.  They had so many great ideas for decorating your own space and lots of treats that would make perfect gifts.  My cell phone pictures don't do them justice... I have to go back.

A plant stand used to elevate smaller pumpkins

Orange crinkle paper under a glass cloche

Tree branches on the ceiling with hanging paper lanterns

Bat garland in triple swags

Gourds inside a display case



A wire crown over a plate as a cloche



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These ceramic vases in white were spectacular.  Decorated on the inside they illuminated the image with a candle inside.

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Graham Brown Wallpapers all about drama

I wish I had a picture of the powder room my mother wallpapered in 1977.  We were living in Acton, Massachusetts and she was thrilled to bits when she found a bright green fern pattern.  Since the half bath was super tiny, and the wild ferns were super enormous, it was like walking into a jungle.  Or a green crime scene.  I think she covered the ceiling.  Don't get me wrong... in 1977, it was funky and fabulous.  I think wallpaper sort of fell out of decorator favor for awhile... but boy, is it back and bigger than ever.  Take a look here at Graham Brown wallpapers.  They are hip and chic and oh so inspirational.  Even the website is divine!   They also happen to have the Exclusive Amy Butler Wallpaper Collection.  I'm in!

  

Hands on hips

Don't you think this design is perfect for me?  My children do.  They call me the squirrel.  Because I make handmade needle felted acorns, I am forever searching for another magnificent oak tree that produces acorns that are just the size and shape I need.  Some trees offer up a cap that's too small, too wide, too rough, too, too, too!  So if I find a tree I like, I hang around.  A lot.

But then there's the issue with the squirrels.  Some squirrels delicately remove the nut, leaving me a perfectly intact cap.  Other furry terrorists rip 'em apart all willy nilly and bite big chunks out of the cap.  I stand there, with hands on hips, glaring at the squirrels and threatening to get a cat.  Then the big yellow school bus comes and my children (plus a few others) look at me with a stupefied stare.  I've offered the squirrels a training seminar, we're in negotiations.  I'm going to ignore the bus thing.

The image... that's from Iomoi and, boy, do they have some beautiful stuff.