Not a wreath, but a personalized door hanging

I came across a door hanging this past week from one of my favorite blogs I read.  I knew I had to make it right away.
So, after gathering all supplies at various locations, my crafting friend came over, and we worked together and made our own personalized ones.

I will say, it took longer than I expected.
Then again, I am a slow crafter.
It took me about 5-6 hours, my friend was done in about 4.5, except hers wasn't quite done, she didn't make her banner before she left.
I would love to post hers when it is finally finished. (if she wants me to)

• Personalized letter (I got mine from Michaels, it measures 13" tall, you could go bigger, but I would not go smaller
• ~ 1 yard of muslin fabric, cut into strips (or something similar to cheese cloth)
• paper for pinwheel (or buy one like I did)         (I really had planned on making the pinwheel, I even borrowed my friend's silhouette machine, but found such a cute pinwheel already made at Michaels, so I couldn't resist)
• paper and/or ribbon for banner (I used ribbon and burlap)
• either a wood trim or chalkboard sticker  for “Welcome” plaque
• 1 striped straw
• Glue gun and glue sticks 
• Crafter's glue
• Baker’s Twine
• ***optional - burlap

• I cut strips of the muslin/cheese cloth like fabric, and then cut each piece to fit around the section of the letter, wrapping it around in the back.

• I started at the bottom and glued them around layer by layer, using the crafters glue, until the whole letter was covered. I made the layers close, but you could put them further apart.  The more it frays, the better, in my opinion.  

• Then I made my banner.  The original banner I saw was at the top of the letter, but with a "J", that was impossible, so mine had to go at the bottom.  I was going to make my banner out of paper, but I loved the ribbon I bought so much (and it was too big for the ribbons with the pinwheel), I decided to use it for my banner.  I used 2 ribbons and burlap, 2 of each one, cutting the edges into different angles.  I did burn the edges so they would not fray.  Burlap is hard to work with as it wants to come apart easily.  I placed the banner at the bottom - I could then see where to place the pinwheel & ribbons above that.

• To make the banner, I took a thick needle and poked a hole in each corner of each 'flag'.  I thread some twine through the needle and then wound that through the banner.  I tied off each end in a little knot.
• I then hot glued each corner of the banner onto the bottom of my letter.

• I bought my pinwheel from a sticker sheet at Michaels, but the original pinner made hers from her Silhouette.  She may have made her banner from that too. (not sure)  I glued my bought pinwheel to some flower embellishments with hot glue, just to give it an extra thickness.
• I also added a square of burlap behind the entire pinwheel.
•   
• Then I hot glued the pinwheel on top of the striped straw.
• 
• The hardest part was the ribbons, it just isn't my speciality.  It is what it is.  I have no advice, I am sure you can make yours much prettier than mine :)  

• I tied the coordinating ribbon and hot glued it to the striped straw. 
• I placed the pinwheel on top of the ribbons.
• I then added a chalkboard sticker (from Martha Stewart), glued it to a piece of cardboard, and hot glued it right below the pinwheel and on top of the ribbons.  
• I wrapped a strip of burlap at the very top of my J, tied it in the back and hung it on my door hook.
• 
  
• 

This picture shows plain cardboard in the frame.

I called my daughters down to look at it as I always value their opinions in my projects.

My girl A, said "you used cardboard in your frame?"

Umm, ok, time to change it, after less than 20 minutes of being hung up

So I quickly swapped the cardboard for some burlap

I know, I don't usually have burlap hanging around, but I had recently bought a burlap table runner (from Michaels) that had extra to spare.  

I cut a square to fit the frame....and VOILA

For now, these colors clash too much.  ~ and not just for this, but with most door hangings I have created~So with that in mind, that is why I added a frame to the back of my letter so that it wasn't cream on top of cream.   (as in after the door gets painted) 

Right now my door is burgandy.  I am trying to get my husband to paint it in cream.  

The man is on board, so that is a good thing.

We also ordered a nice rug for our front porch, which will go nicely to with our recently added lanterns.

Can't wait for it all to be put together.

I just now have to wait for the door to be painted cream.

And I love the way it turned out

the original post came from here:
http://tatertotsandjello.com/2013/04/spring-initial-and-bunting-wreath.html