Dec 17, 2010

diy nut + crystal garland

my door this year,
a costco cypress garland, lights, and
my diy garland made with nuts, chain and chandelier crytals.
i love that i can reuse the nut + crystal garland next year and in years to come!
next christmas, we will hopefully be out of this rental house,
and i think the garland would look fabulous on a mantle!

supplies for this project:
2 pairs of pliers 
(needlenose or jewelry are best)
nuts
chandelier crystals
chain 
(i bought mine at lowes)
screw eye hooks
jump rings 
(available in the jewelry section at craft stores)
the first thing is did was to drill two holes 
in each nut--one on either end.
(as i stated in my post with my wreath---this can be really difficult!)
next, i put a dab of hot glue in the hole, 
and then screwed in the eye hook.
once i had all of my nuts drilled with the screw eyes attached,
i started assembling my garland.
i used the pliers to open the jump rings and the chain.
 i used a jump ring in between each
 eye hook and crystal and in between
each chain link and each crystal.
 i used this pattern:
3 nuts (with crystals in between) 
+ 2 crystals 
+ chain (5 links)
+ 3 crystals 
 chain (5 links)
+ 2 crystals 
+ 3 nuts.
i kept repeating until it was the length that i wanted.
the last 14" of the garland is all crystals + chain.

this garland would also look great
for fall and thanksgiving decorating!
i really like the mix of the
natural nuts and the shiny crystals 
and the dainty chain.


i couldn't find gold eye hooks,
but i  would have used them if i could have found them.




hopefully next year, this garland will be

16 comments:

  1. I LOVE your garland, what a fantastic idea!

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  2. Oh Autumn, this is absolutely beautiful!!!! This could be in Martha!

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  3. That's so clever and pretty! Love the way it turned out...

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  4. Oh I love this! Beats the heck out of our cotton ball and felt garland!
    Really though, just beautiful

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  5. Sooooo stunning...love this neat lloking garland! Love your blog, so I’m going to follow along. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  6. BRILLANT juxtaposition of the glam and humble. love it.
    Mary Ann

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  7. Hi Autumn! Thanks for coming by my blog and leaving a comment about my porch! It is so nice to connect with you!

    I love what you have done here with the nuts and chandi crystals! So inventive! I also LOVE the Costco garland!! I sooooo need to go to Costco...I have never been!

    Merry Merry!!

    Polly

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  8. Hello! I found you at Cottage Instincts and I am loving your blog! I wanted to invite you to enter my $50 American Express giveaway and my link party that are both going on this week! Keep up the great blogging and happy holidays! -Dana

    http://danajeanward.blogspot.com/2010/12/50-american-express-giveaway-ends.htm

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  9. love the garland! I am your newest follower!

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  10. I love this idea, it's so festive! I going to have to try this one. Have a Merry Christmas! Mary

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  11. Nuts over this,,,,I want to wear this as a necklace....
    pve

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  12. Love your holiday decor ideas and your blog! Thanks for popping over to mine!

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  13. Totally unique and beautiful! Great tutorial as well. So glad you could Mi4M :)

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  14. make sure you store that garland in a sealed plastic container. I had a nut garland & squirrels got to it in the attic!!!!

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