The Faux Flower Series: Billy Button (Craspedia) Flowers

Billy buttons (or Craspedia) are one of my favorite flowers. Their unique shape and bright yellow color make any bouquet or centerpiece a little more modern and energetic. I've made a vase of these as a centerpiece for my coffee table, but they would be a wonderful addition to a sweet bride's wedding. Read more to learn how to create them below!

SUPPLIES
You'll need:	Brands I used:
Yarn (Fine Weight)	Lion Brand Bonbons Yarn from Michaels
Crochet Hook	Boye 3.5MM hook from Jo-Ann
Floral Wire Stem	Ashland 18 Gauge from Michaels
Hot Glue Gun with Hot Glue Sticks	ArtMinds from Michaels
Tapestry Needle
Bobby Pin
Cottonballs

You’ll need to know how to read crochet patterns to follow instructions
one. make a magic ring, chain 1 round 1: 6 sc into the ring (6 st) round 2: 2 sc in each st around (12 st) round 3: (sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st) around (18 st) round 4-6: sc in each st around (18 st) round 7: (sc in the next st, invdec) around (12 st)	KEY sc = single crochet st = stitch invdec = invisible decrease

two. stuff with cottonballs

three. pierce the cottonball with floral stem wire and affix using a dot of hot glue

four. round 8: invdec (6 st)

five. fasten off. stitch hole closed and weave in the end

Check back next time for another tutorial. Thank you for reading!

The Rope Series: Nautical Knots Centerpiece

Brainstorming for this month's Rope Series, I knew there would be at least one sailor knot thrown into the mix. (Perfect for when you're about to "tie the knot" eh? ;) Every fourth of July, I obsess over nautical styles for a few weeks. I was experimenting with different knots this week and found that this one, called the "Monkey's fist" or "Monkey's paw," was aesthetically one of my favorites. In this nautical knots centerpiece, I used a thinner rope because it is much more flexible for tying and a paler color to give it a lighter, breezier nautical vibe.

I searched on Youtube for a tutorial on how to make this knot and I wanted to give credit where it was due, so please refer to forresttrenaman's monkey's fist tutorial.

I did make a few small changes to mine though. I wanted my knots to be small and light, so I didn't add a ball or weight in the center. Also, after tying the knots, I snipped off the extra rope on the ends and tucked them inside.

WHAT:
Centerpiece element

SUPPLIES AND WHERE TO FIND IT:
Rope - Found at Home Depot
Cylindrical Vase - Found at Michaels
Cardstock - Found at Michaels
Optional: Martha Stewart Nautical Stencil - Found at Michaels

ONE. Tie knots using the Youtube tutorial above.
TWO. Place knots into a glass vase
THREE. Paint a nautical image such as a boat, anchor, or ship wheel onto thick paper and place into vase to decorate.