Hello there my creative friends and hello everyone I hope you are all having a fantastic and productive week so far
If you have been following my little crafting journey here on Hive, you know that for quite a few weeks or months now, my world has revolved around fuzzy wires and got busy. I have twisted, bent, and glued a few of those colorful pipe cleaners into bouquets, headbands, and little potted plants for my small store here at home. Sometimes a hit and most of the time I miss but i am learning. You guys have been incredible with your support for my fuzzy creations, and I am so grateful for that. It has kept me very busy, and honestly, it’s been such a fun ride seeing what I can create with just wire and fuzz. Although I must admit that I need to set aside my other creative projects.
But, as any crafter knows, the creativity and curiosity never really stops. One good comment and one satisfied customer keep me going. I started thinking recently that while I love the wires, I want to offer my loyal customers more options when they come back. I want to have something for everyone’s taste when they visit my little shop. So, I decided it was time to challenge myself and add a new material to my bag: satin ribbons.
It is a totally different ballgame, let me tell you. Moving from the sturdy, bendable nature of pipe cleaners to the slippery, delicate folds of satin ribbon has been a learning curve for me, but oh my gosh, the results are just so elegant. There are some people who prefer them over the fuzzy wires.
I used to focus on cute, smaller items like these little three flower pots with the red and yellow blooms, or these tiny, intricate pinwheel flowers that fit right in the palm of your hand. They are adorable and perfect for small gifts or desk decor you can give to your teacher or anyone with a desk. But working with ribbon has allowed me to create something that feels a bit more luxurious and grown-up.
I just finished my very first full satin ribbon bouquet after browsing some diy tutorials online. That is how we learn now right? I have to share this experience with you because I’m honestly obsessed now. I really wanted to play with textures and deep colors for this one. I crafted luscious red satin roses that have such a beautiful sheen to them, and mixed them with these deep purple flowers that almost look like velvet. To make it pop, I wrapped it in pink paper with this cool purple mesh netting, and even added a little light up pink butterfly for that extra "wow" factor.
And because family is everything to me, I could not resist adding a special touch. I included a small tag that says, "Forever thankful for you, Mama". It just felt right. Whether it’s for a birthday, Mother’s Day, Teacher;s day or just because, I think these ribbon bouquets are going to be perfect for making people feel special.
Now, I know these photos of the finished products look neat and pretty, but let me give you a real life reality check of what my "small store at home" looks like right now. It is absolute chaos behind the scenes. If you look at my work area, it is a whirlwind of creativity and mess.
My desk is currently buried under layers of colorful beads, rolls of unused ribbon in every color imaginable like the golds, purples, greens, reds and my trusty tools. You can see my scissors, tape dispensers, and the ever present glue gun all fighting for space next to the actual materials. Notice I even have the green gas tank sitting right there next to delicate flowers because, this is one of those things that keep me motivated. I love surrounding myself with quirky little things that bring me joy and spark some creativity and inspiration. We need that in this diy kind of world.
If you zoom out a bit, you can see the scale of the operation. My bright orange plastic drawers are overflowing with supplies, and the racks behind my desk are packed with inventory from finished fuzzy wire leis and headbands to baskets of potted plants waiting for new homes. There are rolls of tulle and mesh stacked up high on the shelves, red velvet display stands waiting for jewelry, and just... stuff everywhere.
Honestly, keeping this organized is a job in itself. There are so many menial tasks involved in just tidying up the ribbons, sorting the beads, and making sure I have space to actually work without gluing my elbow to the table But even when I’m caught up in the mess and the hustle, seeing the shelves fill up with new creations makes it all worth it. Not to mention seeing a happy face leave with my bouquets
I am still in the process of organizing this chaos and perfecting my ribbon technique, but I am so excited for you all to see these new additions in person when you visit.
I would love to know your thoughts. Are you team #FuzzyWire or are you loving the new #SatinRibbon vibe? Let me know in the comments!
lovelotz
Ally
