DIY Swan Garland

Hey! It’s Katie and I want to talk about garlands. Oh, how I love them! Are there any others out there like me? I honestly believe you can never have too many. Like, I don’t even have a mantle in our home right now, but I still string them everywherrrrrrre. You can probably tell by my enthusiasm on the subject that this is a post dedicated to the newest garland addition in my home. She is so darn whimsical and pretty. Let me introduce you to: SWAN GARLAND.
Supplies
–white Sculpey clay
–swan cookie cutter
-parchment paper
-rolling pin
-chopsticks and washi tape (optional but recommended)
-yarn/string and needle
-acrylic paint in white, black, and salmon
-toothpicks
-aluminum foil
-white feathers

Let’s begin! Tape the chopsticks to your parchment paper. My craft table is never clean, so I used a cutting board wrapped in the parchment paper to ensure I had a very smooth surface. Once your rolling area is prepped, grab that Sculpey clay and knead it until it’s soft. Roll the clay out in preparation for cutting. (Can you tell my “rolling pin” was a drumstick? It worked.)Before we continue, I just want to point out the purpose of the chopsticks. It’s easy to roll clay without a border, but the chopsticks definitely ensure a more uniform shape to your garland. Just sayin’.

Use your cookie cutter to cut out the swan. If you need help removing the clay from the mold, try tapping the clay gently with the blunt end of a pencil. Repeat as many times as you’d like. My garland is eight swans wide. After you’ve gotten all of your swans cut, use a toothpick to create holes for stringing. Please take a sec and make note of where my holes are placed (pictured above and below). If you go too low with them, your swans will try to swim upside down. Nobody wants that. Or, maybe you do. If you do, disregard this advice.

So … now it’s time to throw the swans onto an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake those guys according to the package instructions.After baking, throw on a couple coats of paint and finish with a feather. When they’re all dressed and pretty, string them up and find the perfect place in your home for a whimsical bevy of swans.

I love these guys because they’re great for the holidays, but I will totally be using them year-round. They could compliment so many different seasons. I’m basically just scanning my house trying to figure out how many of these garlands I can get away with making. Now, who else is ready to grab some black Sculpey clay and make a dreamy black swan garland? I smell a craft party coming on! xo. Katie

Credits//Author: Katie Shelton. Photography: Katie Shelton and Janae Hardy. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.