Crafting Failure - What Not to Do

Have you ever started a craft or decor project and just not like how it was looking... only to continue and further dislike it? That happened to me for the first time this past week.

Each major holiday I usually craft a new wreath for our entry door. As we celebrate Independence Day (Fourth of July) here in America I love decorating with the traditional patriotic Red, White & Blue! So, two weeks ago I decided to come up with a new wreath idea (new to me). I have seen mesh wreaths all over the internet but I had never made one. I decided to give it a try. 

My first mistake was that I wasn't smart enough to look and see how people were actually making them, I just set out to do it all on my own. 

The first picture shows the materials I had purchased to make my wreath. It looked like a good start. I was going to paint the stars white and cover them in white glitter (which I already had). The mesh I was planning to gather, loop and tie around the wreath.  

In my mind, this was going to be so cute!!! However, I quickly discovered that the bright white wreath form looked horrible under the mesh. The mesh is very very see through. It didn't seem to matter how much I gathered and scrunched it around the wreath... I just kept seeing the white styrofoam still showing through. I was so disappointed with it that I just pulled it apart... which means I forgot to take a photo of my first failed attempt!

At about midnight I got the idea to use a wire coat hangar as my wreath frame. I bent and shaped the hangar until it was round and used the top as a hook where I would be able to hang it from. Since the mesh is so full and fluffy I figured the wire frame would work. And it did... 

I used thin craft wire to attach the mesh to the wreath frame (coat hanger). Every six or so inches I gathered the mesh and twisted a wire around it to fasten. When I was done with the blue I pushed it all together semi tight around the frame. I had planned the blue to be about 25% of the wreath and then the red/white the other 75%.

As I started adding the red and white mesh I realized that choosing two totally different size/thicknesses of mesh was a big mistake! The blue mesh was only 6" wide while the red/white mesh was 21" wide. Making many blue loops and then pushing them together made the blue look nice and full. 

As I got started with the red/white mesh it started looking lumpy and lopsided right from the beginning. Although it is not as noticeable in the photo, I just couldn't deal with the lopsided look. I walked away from it for a couple of days and then went back to it... but I still wasn't happy with it. I ended up pulling it apart. I am going to save the mesh for a future craft, but this is one project that I admit was a FAIL.

So this is pretty much a lesson in what not to do. But as long as I learned from it (and I did), then I guess it's not a total fail.

I know with a blog called Anyone Can Decorate, I shouldn't make mistakes :) But, I am real and I wouldn't want anyone to think that I always get it right. We all make mistakes, and it's okay!

Blessings,

Diana