5 Easy Spring Projects 17 April 2014  |  Nicola

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and we’ve got a lovely long bank-holiday weekend stretching out in front of us – here at StickyTiger Towers, we’re planning on spending the days making fabulous things and working our way through a good supply of chocolate (well, it is Easter – it’d be rude not to!). Here’s what we’re going to be crafting this weekend.

Decorated Plant Pots

Spring equals sunshine (well, some of the time, anyway!) and that means one thing – getting our trowels out and filling every inch of our houses and gardens with fresh new plants. From trailing ivy in the bathroom to leafy ferns and seedlings in the greenhouse, whatever you’re growing, it’s going to need a pot. Rather than choosing one of the gazillion identical varieties from the local garden centre, why not buy a simple white or terracotta pot, and then customise it yourself? If it’s going outside, we’ve got some great decoupage papers, available in several different patterns, and will dry watertight using Mod Podge Outdoor as a sealer.  For indoor projects, paint on your own designs using some of our alcohol inks or distress paints, add an eclectic beaded pattern or even just wrap some washi tape around the middle.

Simple Floral Corsage

We love a good accessory here at StickyTiger, and they don’t come any simpler to make than a floral corsage. Perfect for Spring, they’re the ideal way to begin experimenting with fabric and embellishments, as you literally make it up as you go. Choose from brightly coloured felt, or vintage floral style fabrics, then cut out petal shapes and begin layering, interspersing with lace as you go. Finish off with beads, buttons or trims, and then attach your corsage back. Easy!

DIY Stamped Garden Cushions

If there’s one thing we love about the arrival of Spring, it’s how much time you can spend outside; eating, reading, crafting, relaxing – basically everything that takes place on the sofa during the winter can be moved out into the sunshine. Make your outdoor days more comfortable by constructing some simple and unique floor cushions; using some plain cotton, make a simple envelope cushion cover and then using one of our stamps and fabric ink pads, get decorating. We’ve got plenty of nature-related designs that are perfect for Spring, from the flower corsage cling stamp to the Yellow Owl Workshop owl in tree stamp set – or you could grab our Magic Stamp mouldable foam and create your own designs.

Easy Paper Pinwheels

Pinwheels are great; not only do they brighten up the garden while you’re waiting for the flowers to bloom, they also make a great display in a vintage glass bottle inside. The best news is that they’re dead simple to make too; there are loads and loads of tutorials online with detailed instructions, but it basically involves folding printed scrapbook paper in a certain way, before attaching them to a piece of dowel. Simple, and addictive!

Makeover your Wardrobe

The arrival of the sunshine and warmer weather means it’s time to pack away those jumpers and boots, and dig out the t-shirts and maxi dresses. If last years clothes aren’t exactly filling you with excitement, though, don’t send them all to the charity shop just yet – grab the scissors and get customising. Pumps and basic sandals can be given a makeover by constructing ribbon bows and gluing them to the toes or straps, while skirts and dresses can be brightened up with haberdashery trims and strips of lace attached to the hems. If you’re a denim lover, try customising jeans pockets with fabrics, or embroider some patterns around the shoulders and buttons of a denim shirt.