Monday, June 27, 2011

Pinwheels (Pin Wheels) for a wedding!

A sweet friend of ours is getting married in a couple weeks.  Her wedding will be in a beautiful park setting.  This sweet girl loves color and selected pinwheels as a way to bring color into her wedding.  The challenge was to figure out how to make these colorful pinwheel in all sizes, and how to get them pinned onto dowels (or sticks).

I played around the ideas for a days.  I tried pins, push-pins, tacks, nails and more, but just couldn't make them stick without the fear of them popping off in an outdoor setting.  Then one morning as I was running the light bulb in my head went off.  (It seems my best thoughts and ideas come when I'm on my run!)  Use my nail gun!

I used the smallest finish nail my nail-gun would shoot.  Then I stuck the dowel, or sticks (we're using both), on the crack of our deck boards, shooting the nail into the top, so that it goes through the other side, but doesn't actually get nailed to anything!  Perfect.  Now just make the paper pinwheels!



To make the paper pinwheels we used various sizes, 12" squares down to 4" squares.  I fold them corner to corner, and open them back up.  This gives me a line to use for my cutting.  I cut down to about an inch or two from the center. 



Then fold one of each tip into the center. Set this on top of the nail and push through.  Now on the nail I put a pearl or bead, then take a pair of pliers and bend the nail back down onto the bead.  This holds it all in place. 



Because we used so many kinds of papers we often doubled up the thinner papers, which also gave contrasting colors and patterns. To make sure the papers didn't separate I just dabbed some glue on the corners of the papers.  For the smaller ones we used straight pins, with white heads.  Using a pliers I cut off the ends and curled them so a skewer stick could be used.  Then a dab of hot glue to make sure they stay attached.



The bride will line the isle of the ceremony chairs with pinwheels.  She'll also use them all around the reception.  Then as centerpieces on the tables, we'll have vases filled with sand and 5 pinwheels in each vase.  The pinwheels will be used on the cake and food tables, too.  Should be colorful and fun!


   Have a great day!  Blessings, Heidi

(Linked to Between Nap's Metamorphosis Monday here,and Tip Junkie Homemade Projects Tuesday here.)

4 comments:

Scrap for Joy said...

This was a fun, colorful, low cost way to decorate. I can just see the aisle lined with spinning pinwheels...cute! Hey-this Pinterest thing is fun and I laugh every time you and I like the same thing. Kindred Spirits I'm telling you!
xoxo
Joyce

Corey~living and loving said...

I had to giggle when the bride told me you were making the pinwheels. I didn't know you knew her. and....I had seen you "pinning" the pinwheels on pinterest. tee hee.....will you be at the wedding? oh and she told me that you said she could use your chalkboards. I was going to bring them back over the weekend, but now if it is alright, I'll be taking them to her wedding.

Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...

Oh how wonderfully fun, Heidi!

Amy M. said...

What a sweet idea! Pinwheels seem to be everywhere right now and I just love them!!!

-Amy