Spring Cleaning Party

It's that time of year!  Spring Cleaning Time!!  Now I have never claimed to be a good house keeper but Spring Cleaning is so....satisfying!

When we lived in Missouri we had a neighbor who showed me how to really enjoy a good Spring Cleaning.  She started in the liquor cabinet.  Yes she did.  The whole neighborhood was invited over and everyone was asked to bring a dish to share and a bottle of whatever liquor they had that was nearly empty.  Then the 'hood polished it all off together! 

When hosting a Spring Cleaning Party one must be careful because they can easily get out of hand...I'm not mentioning names.  Ya'll know who you are...Tracy.  Amy.  What?  Anywhoo...here is how I am setting the tone:

Next I made a banner using scrapbook papers that I have.  I cut them into circles with a template and then painted the letters in the middle.  I tacked string across that I hung the letters from with clothespins.

I then made coffee filter flowers.  First you put a little water in a bowl and dye it with food coloring.  Next crumple a coffee filter into a wad and drop it into the dye.

Keep adding wads of coffee filters.

Turn them so they get covered in the dyed water.  Next remove the filters, ringing them out as you do, and setting them aside.

To dry them I just tossed them into the dryer for about 10 minutes, periodically checking on them.

To make the flowers you need toothpicks, tape and your dry and dyed coffee filters.

Stick the toothpick in the center (does not need to be exact center) and tape it to the toothpick.  Repeat sticking the same toothpick through the centers of coffee filters and taping them until you have the size flower you desire.



Wa-la!



I am loving all of the decorations you can make with coffee filters!  Check this out from my friend April's photography blog.  April's design was featured in SeaShine magazine:

If you go to April Mae Creative then scroll down to SeaShine Magazine feature, there is a link to the article that has directions on how to make those lovely garlands!

I absolutely love this garland:

My mom called and asked what I was up to.  When I told her about the decorations I made she said, "It sounds like you have too much time on your hands."  Truth is though it took me just a little over an hour to make the scrapbook garland and the filter flowers!  The only thing that had to be purchased were the coffee filters because my coffee maker does not use the pretty ruffly kind.  Otherwise free and easy.  That's how I like it!