HitchDied

Brooch Bouquet Bonzanza

| 4 Comments

I did a lot of work on brooch bouquets today, following Sarah’s instructions.  I think I felt emboldened to work on wedding crafts because my Conservatory Dress went over well at Clue Party (people thought the painted-on checker pattern was always part of the dress, and I cheerfully showed them all the places I made mistakes, because sometimes I’m terrible at accepting compliments).

But remember how I felt when I started working on my Clue dress?  All, “I suck at crafts! Waah!” Right back there today.

First, I kept pricking myself with brooch pins.  Is there some trick to keeping them closed?  Sarah’s method is designed to not destroy the jewelry, and I like that idea so the bouquets can be disassembled and returned to Viki’s incredible stash and incorporated into her future art.  But after a few pricks I started seriously considering gluing the looser pins closed.  On top of my desire to avoid being stabbed myself, I feel like I would be an exceptionally bad bride if I let my sister and future-sisters-in-law be stabbed.  I’m already making them carry around heavy clumps of tangled-up jewelry instead of lightweight and pretty-smelling flowers.

I also had major issues with symmetry. I’m trying to make these smallish, so that I don’t need to use every brooch in the tri-state area. Which meant I couldn’t turn to the obvious solution to an uneven bouquet: adding more pieces to the other side. I tried the upside-down fluffing method, but had mixed results. I think ultimately I will need to add a few more pieces, but take another go at rearranging, preferably after a glass of wine (liquid patience).

But this morning, with a mug of superstrong coffee (liquid “ACK!”), I was about three pin-pricks or two busted clasps away from flipping over my crafting table, the way Jack Bauer would while screaming “WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?” at his needle nose pliers.

4 Comments

  1. you are hysterical…..I know I say this all the time but it is a joy to read new blogs in the a.m. from you….oh my GOD Robbin DO NOT WORRY ABOUT GETTING ANYTHING BACK to me!!!!!!!! I think everyone is going to want to keep theirs…they will each be a treasure I am sure so you do whatever you need to to make them work!!!!

  2. About pin pricks: Um, I may have left that part out of the instructions because there were plenty of brooches that had loose clasps that I seriously considered hot gluing together. The pool noodle and the bed of chiffon ribbon at the bottom help to protect my hands when I hold it.

    I found that the best way to get a rounder shape (but, eh, remember that mine is slightly lopsided) was to make a smaller grouping of a large pin and a few smaller pins and then add THAT to the main bouquet.

    Or you might want to check with Lisa about her method because I think she used a styrofoam ball thingy to shape hers.

  3. HAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

    You know, at least you’re getting started so far in advance. Think of how much your frustrations would amplify if you’d waited until the last minute to work on these. Not only would you be flipping over your crafting table, you’d be dangling your needle nose pliers out the window while screaming “THERE’S NOT ENOUGH TIME!!!!!!!”

  4. i second sarah with hot glueing the clasps together. worked for me! otherwise i would have been covered with pin pricks and my bouquet covered in blood. lovely image, huh?

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