Last week someone asked me if I ever messed up on my DIY’s.

I literally laughed so hard that tiny little snorts came out.

Me?

 Mess up on my DIY’s?  Have a project go south?  Not turn out like I hoped?

Every. Single. Day.

But this DIY?  I didn’t mess it up.  Not even a little.

But along the way to making this project?

You’ll never believe what happened.

 

I finished the project (it only took an entire documentary on King Henry VIII’s palace) in an afternoon.

And then?

I took it outside to style it.  If you write a blog and you have to photograph things to make them look clean and white and bright you have to take them outside for the best light.

Except?

Except it was hot and humid and I started to sweat.  It dripped down into my eyes and dripped down my face and under my arms.  Beads of sweat were everywhere.

But I’m a professional.

I persevere in the face of sweat.  So I styled these flowers and put the camera on a tripod aiming down so I could catch this overhead shot and climbed up a ladder to focus and click the button to take the picture.

Standing there looking down into the camera I felt sweat dripping down the back of my shirt.  I swiped at it.

And then?  

The sweat swiped back.

I jumped off that ladder and danced around on one foot and twisted my shirt and tried to reach around and grab whatever was swiping me.

Around and around I spun.

Grabbing and twisting and turning and spinning and dancing and swiping.

Until.

Until I watched in horror—-as a wasp fell out onto the ground.

I froze.

Then I slowly tiptoed backwards into the house as I watched the wasp fly away.

See what I mean?  Sometimes I mess up on the DIY’s.

And sometimes?  They mess up on me. 🙂

How to Make a Felt Garland for Summer

Step 1:  Choose your felt

Choose wisely.  You don’t want felt to be too thick and you don’t want it to be too thin.  Choose relatively non-wimpy felt for this project.

Step 2:  Cut out flowers

I just cut out a variety of simple flowers and leaves.  I think they were left over in my brain from first grade.

Step 3:  Punch holes in flowers

You want to use a tiny hole punch for this.

They sell them at the craft store.  The smaller the better.

Punch two holes in each flower and one in the leaves.

Step 4:  Thread the flower

Using leather cord (you can find it in the jewelry section of the craft store) start at one end and thread the flowers.

Step 5:  Keep threading and tie off the end

Continue threading your flowers until your garland is long enough and then tie off the end.

When you are done—the garland will look a little like this.

It’s such a fun addition to your outdoor party or your summer mantel.

PS  If you want a fun demonstration of this, I’ll be on Channel 5 tomorrow at 11:00am CST on Talk of the Town showing how to make this garland.

PPS  And—as if life couldn’t get any more awesome?  I’m heading out right now for Nashville to tape the AUDIO of my new book So Close to Amazing.  You can pre-order the book here.  The audio book will be available for purchase next month.

I checked my voice before I left.

It’s full of extra exclamation points. 🙂

 

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Comments

  1. Image for Hedy Hedy

    Just last week I swiped at something and it was a wasp, but he got me. Second one in two years. My hand hurt like the devil for two days, got red the second day and swelled. Last year I got stung on the cheek and it didn't hurt at all but swelled right away. Be careful, they seem attracted to water.

  2. Image for Tracey Tracey

    I so want to make this. My daughter would love to do this too. She is 17 and she LOVES projects. She is currently crocheting a blanket for a friend's three year old son. The pattern is way more challenging than I would attempt, but she has a friend to help her and she is forging ahead. And her mom is cheering her on. But my baby is going to camp today. A day long anticipated and looked forward to is here. One child is leaving and another will be home for a few weeks before he goes back to college in Aug. Raising kids is hard. But I think letting them go is harder.

  3. Image for Kris Kris

    My daughter is at camp ... she would love to make this, but not today. :) Scary story about the wasp. Stay sting-free!

  4. Image for Michelle Michelle

    LOL!!!! I'm not really afraid of bees or wasps but if one had gotten down my shirt, I guarantee I would have done a little dance too! That.'s hilarious. I told my daughter once when she was little and didn't want to play outside because of the wasps in the garden that they were more afraid of her than she was of them. Her response was, "But I'm the one running away so I don't really believe that." I had no argument for that :-) Darling garland, by the way, and looks fun to make!

  5. Image for PJ PJ

    I cannot wait for the audio book. I foresee it accompanying me on my fall road trips to Connecticut. Imagine the people on the road with me staring at me as I laugh and, sometimes, cry.

  6. Image for Elisa Jenkins Elisa Jenkins

    Oh my!!!! Who knew crafting could be so hazardous, LOL! Can't wait to see you on Talk of the Town; DVR is set!

  7. Image for Meryll Rose Meryll Rose

    For those of you who don't live in the Nashville viewing area, here's how to watch KariAnne live on Talk of the Town on Tuesday! Go to www.newschannel5.com Click on "All Sections" at the top of the page Click on" Video" Click on "Live Newscasts". You'll see our show starting at 11am CST - and the show keeps running on a loop all afternoon until our next newscast at 4pm. Or, if that's too many clicks - check here https://www.newschannel5.com/talk-of-the-town after noon and the individual segment will be posted. Also - we'll do a Facebook Live tomorrow at 10:30am - it's always a blast chatting with KariAnne - so here's the link if you want to tune in! https://www.facebook.com/NC5TalkOfTheTown/ Hope to see you then!

  8. Image for Sharon H Sharon H

    Oh holy crapola, Miz karianne! I am literally falling out of my chair just IMAGINING this scene....because I have been there and done that. Exactly. On more than one occasion, I can tell you. Glad you didn't get swiped AND stung....swiped by a wasp is close enough.... I know the trip to Nashville must be incredibly exciting!

  9. Image for Barbara Barbara

    LOVE the colors you picked for the garland- looks like a fun project! Have fun doing the audio- glad it will be your voice and not some movie star, but HEY YOU ARE A STAR!!

  10. Image for Botanic Bleu Botanic Bleu

    KariAnne, Of course your voice is full of extra exclamation points... YOU WROTE A BOOK!!!!!! YOU ARE AN AUTHOR!!!! Go girl, have a grand time on Channel 5 and in Nashville. Judith

  11. Image for Nancy Nancy

    Ummm...so glad I asked that question but not about the wasp!!! Maybe even bloggers need disability insurance. Cute garland. Nancy @ Slightly Coastal

  12. Image for Do Do

    Love felt garlands! A dear friend sat on a wasp when we were kids. She killed the wasp, but he had his revenge. A stinger in the bum is painful!

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