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Spring by Julie McGuffee
Designing with wire is a breeze with the right tools. Try these wire embellishments using the Wire Jig and Wire Writer – you’ll be surprised how easy it is to be creative!
Materials Needed
  22 gauge Copper Wire
  Small Spool of 24 gauge Bright Green Wire
  Wire Jig
  Wire Writer
  Round Nose Pliers
  Nylon Jaw Pliers
  Fiskars Paper Trimmer
  Fiskars Tiny Hole Hand Punch
  Xyron Adhesive
  Gold and Silver Brads
  12” x 12” Background page – White
  Light Green Cardstock
  Medium Green Cardstock
  Yellow Cardstock
  Green Gingham Paper – 8.5” x 11”
 
Remember to choose colors of paper and embellishments that compliment your photographs. Colors chosen here reflect the colors in my photographs, but may not be the best colors to choose for yours.
Instructions
  1. Apply adhesive to the back of photographs then glue to the yellow cardstock. Use the paper trimmer to trim the cardstock leaving a narrow border around the photograph.
  2. Cut two, 2” yellow squares and two, 1 3/4” squares from light green. Punch a hole in the center of the green squares.
  3. Divide the green gingham paper into four equal, 11’ strips.
  4. To make the flowers insert two of the medium sized pegs into the wire jig about 1 1/2” apart. Wrap the copper colored wire around the pegs three times. Cut the ends even with the top of the loops. Remove the loops from the jig then secure by wrapping ends of wire around the center. Spread the loops apart to make 6 flower petals.
  5. Make a small, tight, flat coil of wire for the center. Attach one flower to the center of the green square by pushing the ends of the brad through the center of the coil, the center of the flower into the hole in the card. Spread prongs apart at the back to secure. Glue to the yellow square as shown.
  6. Make two hearts by wrapping about 5” of copper wire around a marker two times. Twist the ends together then remove the marker from the loops. Gently pull the loops apart sideways to form the heart. Use the round nose pliers to make a loop in one of the ends then trim the other end. Attach the heart to the page by pushing the ends of a brad through the loop then into the paper.
  7. To make the title, write the word on a piece of white paper. There should be no breaks between the letters. Thread the small spool of green wire onto the top of the wire writer then place the jig on top of the word you have written so that it is over the first letter (s). Push small pegs into the jig at the points where the wire changes direction when writing the word. Make a loop in the end of the wire with the round nose pliers then place over the first peg. Using the wire writer as you would a pen, slowly write each letter following the pattern under the jig. You will need to remove each part of the word as you write, so you move the jig over to the next letter. You will also need to rearrange the pegs over the word as you continue.
  8. When you have completed the word remove the last part from the jig. Use the nylon jaw pliers to flatten each part. NOTE: You can also use the nylon jaw pliers to straighten the wire if you make a mistake and wish to start over. Cut the light green cardstock about 1” longer and 1” wider than the word. Make a green swirl for a dot for the “i” then attach the word to the light green cardstock with brads. Apply adhesive to the back of the cardstock with the word attached (your Xyron machine is great for this because it flattens the letters even more) then adhere to a darker color of green. Trim the green so there is a narrow border around the light green.
  9. Apply adhesive to the matted word, photographs, yellow squares and gingham strips. Starting with the outer ones first, glue the gingham strips to the background paper. Arrange then glue the other embellishments in place.
Sponsor: Artistic Wire



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