I’ve always loved pussy willow branches and think of them as a hopeful sign that spring is on its way. With the big snow piles finally melting, I went out to gather some sticks with the idea to make my own pussy willows. Colorful ones.
I gathered a dozen or so small branches, a bit thicker than a pencil and about 3 feet long. I trimmed away the little off-shoot branches, leaving just a nub. This is the perfect place to add felt balls as the pussy willow buds.
Using a glue gun, I glued 1cm felt balls every 4″ or so along the branch on the little nubbins. I put just a dab of glue on the ball, then pressed it tight against the branch for a few seconds until it was secure. I buy felt balls from Ornamentea and also Woolly Fabulous. This was such a fun project and it couldn’t have been easier!
I love how they brighten up a corner, just like fresh spring buds. Nice decor for Easter, too, don’t you think?
Oh, Springtime, are you coming? This weekend was full of sunshine and promise. I’m hopeful.
*** I hope this inspires you to make your own! If you blog your creation, please link back to this original post. Thank you and enjoy!***
Oh I love those, what a great idea to add some subtle color.
What a fabulous, colorful idea for Spring! I might just have to try that. Thanks for sharing!!
Nancy
http://www.coeurdalenegifts.com
coeurdalenegifts.blogspot.com
I love pussy willows and this Betz spin on them is marvelous! I just happened to get Wooly Fabulous’ pdf on how to make 100’s of felt balls. This is the perfect project to get me to use it!That corner in your home looks beautiful and spring ready!
super cute!
Gorgeous and happy! Hugs – Lurlineâ„
Hello Betz,
These are fabulous!
~ Gabriela ~
I was just day dreaming about pussy willows…wishing we had had some here. This project is brilliant and cheerful! I think I’ll make this today!
I love this idea and the resulting effect is beautiful and cheerful.
Hi! I’m new to your blog. I just saw you from a retweet on twitter. Great blog! I LOVE this sweet colorful pussy willows!
Those are wonderful! I love the surreal element of color!
love, love, love…..definitely going to make some of these for my office : )
thanks for sharing!
What a cute idea! This would add spring cheer to so many places: a preschool classroom, a doctor’s waiting room, a shop window, a restaurant…and of course, in a lovely home, just as you’ve shown it!
Oh! How incredibly sweet! I am definitely going to try this, thank you so much! What a lovely idea…
xo
Melissa
This is a great idea and the colour would make it a wonderful thing to keep all year….thanks for sharing it!
I am SO making this! I have an empty corner that this would look great in.
Oh adorable!! So colorful and fun.
What a clever idea! They look great!
So simple and yet I never would have thought of it! Thank you for sharing all of your creative ideas!
Hi Betz!
I love this idea !! đ
Marce
That’s a wonderful idea
those are adorable, betz!
the CUTEST! can’t wait to make my own; thanks, Betz!
Aww, I love this soo much! I can’t wait to make a vase full. I’ll be linking as well.
So pretty – very fresh and Springlike!
l.o.v.e. this idea…would like to put it on my blog and will link to you…ok? farmandfrufru.blogspot.com
can’t wait to make some…thanks..sharon
Sure, Sharon, thanks for asking!
This is so super fun! Thank you for all the inspiration you share!
Oh, Betz! Quite the most wonderful pussywillows. (And, so glad to learn that they’re glued on and not individually felted. ‘Cuz that might cause me to put my head in the oven (no worries, it’s electric…)
This is such a great idea. Just beautiful for spring.
I absolutely love these. It’s still snowing here…I need some Spring. I am going to work on making my own. This is charming. Thanks for sharing
love it.
this will be something to do with my sick children and we can have pussy willows ( I and one of my twin boys are allergic)
thank you
Clever!! Looks really cheerful!
bellissimo…
I really love this post. I am so attracted to bare winter trees with white lights. LOVE IT. You just gave me a great idea of how to bring that into my home.
Hi dear Betz! Your blog is very kind and interesting! Have a nice day! đ
I love these, as soon as I saw them I ordered some little felt balls. Just to be clear, these are actual pussy willow branches, right? It seems from what you said they are just regular tree branches. I can’t wait to make these. Thanks for the inspiration.
Tonya,
No, these are just plain ol’ branches from I-don’t-know-what-kind-of-tree! đ Anything long and willowy will do!
Have fun,
Betz
BRILLIANT! I love these. I’ve loved pussy willows since I was a kid. These really made my day.
I have always loved pussy willows. I have tried in vain to grow pussy willow bushes in my yard several times but it seems the deer love them as much as I do and they gobble them up! This is such a beautiful idea. Thanks for sharing it. I’ll be linking.
Fabulous idea!
Oh I am so happy I came across a link to this post. Rainbows and Pussy Willows are a few of my favorite things, what a wonderful combination! Thanks for sharing your idea.
How do I follow your blog…I love it đ
This is such a fun an sweet idea! Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE this idea! And i am so relieved to hear that you BUY felt balls. I have tried so hard to make lots of tiny felt balls and it just takes me so long…….i’ve been wondering how you produced so many.
Ooooo! I think I spy the start of a bloggie trend. Love those!
Every year the second grade class I volunteer with does a pussy willow project. It’s normally with crayons and paint but not this year!
wow…this is great…i so want some for my very own!
oh so nice. great idea. thank you for sharing.
LOve this idea and thanks for posting where to buy the balls. That Ornamenteo store is fab.
Carey
Fantastic idea! I blogged it here: http://wickednweird.blogspot.com/2010/03/let-there-be-rainbows.html. Can’t wait to make my own! Thanks for the inspiration. đ
Such a wonderful, wonderful idea and our family makes toys and rustic decor of branches – this would be lovely in our rustic cottage.
Warm wishes,
Tonya
I didn’t really find the same material, but it ended up a nice decoration anyway. Posted some pictures in my blog.
Oh Betz, do I ever love this idea! So the other day I picked up some 1/4″ white pompoms (I like the reality of them) that looked slightly oblong in the package. I think these will make great pussy willows. Collected some branches yesterday so I will be working on this project shortly. Thanks for the fantastic but simple idea and especially thanks for sharing! These will look great on my table.
What a wonderful idea. I cannot wait to add this design to my home.
Thank you
Love the branches, toooooo! What a way to add color and we have so many branches around here!!!
blessings, debbie
What a wounderful idea to bring a little spring colour inside! Thanks for sharing.
Petra
That is such a cute idea! I saw something similar in a shop window in Japantown in San Francisco except they were teensy origami flower buds on branches. Yours are just as cute and way easier, I may have to make some!
I love this! COUld I steal a photo to mention it on my blog, fastercraft.com?
Beautiful! I am going to incorporate these into my Kid’s Craft Along project for April with proper credit and a link back to here of course. Thanks for the inspiration!
Betz, lovely idea! I just blogged about my front hall creation. I love them! So much cuter to have the bright rainbow of color in with my pussy willow branches instead of them just being plain.
http://squirrelacorns.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/pussy-willows-in-wool/
Thanks for this cool idea! It reminds me of a Swedish tradition (since the 1930’s or so, I think) called pĂ„skris. There they take branches you can force to bloom in springtime and tie colorful feathers to them to liven up the look until the leaves come.