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Home » decorating » Make DIY Wood Shim Flowers! #LowesCreator

decorating, diy, spring, spring project, tutorial · March 28, 2013

Make DIY Wood Shim Flowers! #LowesCreator

Tatertots & Jello is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

I have a slight obsession with making Wood Shim Flowers – they are so cute! For the #LowesCreator challenge this month, Lowe’s challenged us to bring the outdoors IN. And I thought these Wood Shim Flowers were perfect!!

Here are the ones we made for my Spring Mantel: 

 

We even figured out a way to make three different sizes of Wood Shim Flowers!

 

Here’s how to make the DIY Wood Shim Flowers:

  • Buy some of the awesome shims from Lowe’s – the good contractor ones. They’re bigger and less brittle. Make sure you have plenty of glue or glue sticks.
  • For the large flowers, lay out six sets of five, lined up against the thicker end. For medium flowers, lay out six sets of four. For small flowers, you make these in pairs, so lay out six sets of three, but group them in pairs about an inch apart. See pictures 2 and 3.
    Get the glue gun warming up while you lay out the shims. (Note: you can use wood glue instead – and it might be more secure, but it will take longer to dry.)
  • Glue horizontal shims across each set. As in picture 2, notice that you want to set the horizontal piece more than halfway up from the thick end of the shims because you’ll be cutting a fairly sharp angle. For the smaller flower pairs, see picture 3 – you’ll put two shims across those. Don’t be afraid to move those even a bit closer to the middle than I did. If you square up the left and right ends you’ll have fewer cuts to make later.
  • Once your glue has hardened, take your glued shims to your miter saw. You should wear gloves and eye protection. With your saw set at the standard 90 degree angle, trim off the extra horizontal shim piece (the part that hangs off like a handle). Save the pieces you cut off; you can use them later. (See picture 4.) When you cut the small sets of shims, you’ll cut the middles off.
  • (Optional: if you want to make your cuts extra smooth, you can quickly trim the thick ends of the shims so the ends are all even, but that just increases your odds of cutting your angles straight later. See Picture 5.)
  • For the smaller flowers, you’ll need to cut them in half (see Picture 6) – you will make two flowers out of each set of three shims, which is why you put two shims across each. Cut each now. (For the medium flowers, you might want to trim 2 or 3 inches off of the thin end to make them more proportionately sized.)
  • Set your miter saw on a 30 degree angle (see picture 7). (Our old compound miter saw that had seen us through three houses’ worth of crown molding, was acting up, so we picked up a new one a while back that’s a sliding compound miter, making the cuts even smoother.)
  • Measure and mark the middle of your uncut shim block – whatever size it is – along the thickest end. (For me, the larger flowers are about 7” wide; the small ones about 4” wide. The medium ones are easy because they’re in sets of four – so the middle is between the third and fourth shims). If you have a saw that has a ruler along the back – and especially if it has a laser to show you where the blade goes – this will go faster, but it doesn’t matter. See Picture 8.
  • Lay the shim block with the thickest end towards the back of the saw. Set the saw to cut at the 30-degree angle beginning in the middle where you made the mark (see Picture 9).
  • Cut the shim block to make the first half of the bottom of the petal (see Picture 10).
  • Flip the shim block over – we’re going to cut the other side of the bottom of the petal now (see picture 11).
  • Make sure the shim block is square against the back and that it’s lined up correctly and make the second 30-degree cut (see picture 12).
  • Turn the petal so the longest part is against the back of the saw (Picture 13) – lowering the saw with it turned off to see that it’s lined up correctly (or using the laser line) – to cut the same angle horizontally across the back of only the end shim. When it’s lined up correctly, make the cut to look like Picture 14.
  • Flip the petal over and repeat the last step to make the other side of the petal. (see pictures 15 and 16)
  • You’re done with one petal (see Picture 17) – cut the rest in a similar manner. Note: if you’re like me, sometimes a shim will crack, split or just plain blow apart. Don’t sweat it – just glue some more. Other times one shim will come off from the petal – you can re-glue it later.
  • After you’ve cut all of the petals for one flower, you can lay out the flower face-down and use the shims on the back in whatever way seems to work best to hold each flower together. (See pic 18).
  • Paint however you like (see pic 19).
***Here’s how I hung them on my wall — I hot glued a length of ribbon to the back of each flower and used the space in between the ribbon to  hang them on the wall with 3M Command Strips. Easy peasy. I love that when I am done all I have to do is pull the Command Strips off and there are no holes in my walls.

 

You can follow along with Lowe’s on Facebook for more great ideas and sign up for their FREE Creative Ideas Magazine with TONS of great DIY  ideas and instructions!!

lowes creative

Have a CREATIVE Day! 

xox

 

PS — It’s Friday! 

My favorite day of the week. 

Why?? It’s the time when I can see YOUR great ideas!

I hope you can stop by for the Weekend Wrap Up Party!

I love to feature YOU!

The party starts tonight at 6 pm MST.

Thanks Lowes for the gift cards to make this project. 

Posted By: Jen · In: decorating, diy, spring, spring project, tutorial

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Comments

  1. mindlessmistake62.soulcast.com says

    May 31, 2014 at 7:29 AM

    whoah this blog is fatastic i love reading your posts. Stay up the great work!
    You understand, many people are lookijng around for this info, you can aid them greatly.

  2. TidyMom says

    April 21, 2013 at 8:45 AM

    So fun Jen!!
    Thanks for linking up! I featured your post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2013/recipes-and-craft-ideas/

    Hope you’re having a fabulous weekend!

  3. Stephanie says

    April 16, 2013 at 7:07 AM

    These wall flowers are so cute. Who would have ever thought.

  4. Sara says

    April 15, 2013 at 3:00 PM

    Love this idea!

  5. krystie says

    April 13, 2013 at 9:53 AM

    These are so sweet!

    • Boom Lift Rental says

      August 16, 2013 at 1:22 AM

      It’s nearly impossible to find knowledgeable people about this subject, but you seem like
      you know what you’re talking about! Thanks Boom Lift Rental

  6. Kate @ Eating in the Shower says

    April 11, 2013 at 8:38 AM

    These look so cute! What a creative idea. Thanks for sharing,
    Kate

  7. jodidurr says

    April 9, 2013 at 10:35 PM

    These are absolutely adorable. What a clever idea. It’s just a happy space!

  8. Diana Rambles says

    April 9, 2013 at 10:09 AM

    Very pretty!!

  9. Jessica@ fourgenerationsoneroof says

    April 2, 2013 at 3:01 PM

    Ok seriously……do you ever sleep? Like, you are cranking out the projects over here!!!! I was thinking oh, maybe this is an old post? NOPE, a new one! Good grief, you are like wonder woman. Pinning! 🙂

  10. Cody says

    April 1, 2013 at 11:04 AM

    How big are the shims that you get? I can only find the ones that r 6ft long.

  11. Amy at LivingLocurto says

    April 1, 2013 at 10:42 AM

    Very cute Jen!!

  12. Deb Hrabik says

    March 31, 2013 at 5:41 PM

    I love the scale and how the bold colors pop. Very fun.
    Great rustic barnwood style.
    Deb@LakeGirlPaints

    • Jen says

      April 1, 2013 at 1:24 AM

      Thanks Deb!! I appreciate your comment so much!!

      xoxoxo

  13. Donna @ My Sweet Things says

    March 30, 2013 at 6:43 AM

    What a super fun eye catching idea! I’d love this punch of color in my home! Thanks for sharing!

    • Jen says

      April 1, 2013 at 1:25 AM

      Thanks Donna!! I really do love it. Those colors really make me smile. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment!

      xoxo

  14. blacklambphotography says

    March 29, 2013 at 6:03 PM

    What a cute decorating idea. I love the colours.

  15. Krista @thehappyhousie.com says

    March 29, 2013 at 4:25 PM

    Absolutely STUNNING! LOVE! I love how they stand out on your white paneled wall as well. Thanks for sharing!
    Krista

    • tatertotsandjello says

      March 29, 2013 at 5:28 PM

      Thanks Krista!! Have a wonderful Friday!!

      xoxoxo

  16. titicrafty says

    March 29, 2013 at 2:20 PM

    Is so lovely and the whole space look fantastic!!! Live it!

    Hugs
    Cami

    • tatertotsandjello says

      March 29, 2013 at 5:27 PM

      Thanks Cami!! Have a wonderful Friday. Thanks for the nice comment!!

      xoxo

  17. Mardell says

    March 29, 2013 at 11:48 AM

    Good tutorial! I just discovered these shims and wondered about what to use them for. My husband usually makes his own from his shop. What a good idea! So colorful and they have a lot of impact. I think this is a good craft to share with a teenager seeking a little color in her room.

    • tatertotsandjello says

      March 29, 2013 at 11:50 AM

      Thanks Mardell!! And how cool that your husband makes his own shims. I think they would be SO cute on the wall of a teen or tween bedroom!!

      xoxo

  18. Kayla says

    March 29, 2013 at 10:42 AM

    Those are so adorable! Love them! : )

    Kayla
    http://www.lovelucygirl.com

  19. Angelina Fracchiolla says

    March 29, 2013 at 10:38 AM

    I TOTALLY Love these!!! This is such an Fabulous idea.. It would be adorable to turn one of these into a CLOCK, how cute would that be.. 😉 Thank you for sharing the step by step with us!
    xo
    Angelina

    • tatertotsandjello says

      March 29, 2013 at 11:50 AM

      Thanks Angelina!!

      I love the idea of making one into a clock. or I was trying to think of a way to use one on a door instead of a wreath. Thanks for the sweet comment!

      xoxo

  20. arzea says

    March 29, 2013 at 9:12 AM

    I love this! just love it!

    • tatertotsandjello says

      March 29, 2013 at 11:51 AM

      Thanks so much!! I really love them too – the colors make me so happy. Thanks for stopping by!!

      xxox

  21. kleinworthco says

    March 29, 2013 at 7:32 AM

    Oh how cute & I just LOVE the color choices. Exactly what I would choose.

    • tatertotsandjello says

      March 29, 2013 at 11:52 AM

      Thanks!! I really do love the blue and green colors. There are so many great spray paint colors out these days!

      xoxox

  22. Read Full Article says

    June 19, 2013 at 8:42 AM

    Touche. Great arguments. Keep up the great effort.

  23. web site says

    June 20, 2013 at 8:57 AM

    Hey there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

Hi! I'm Jen Hadfield. I'm a mom of 5 restoring an 1891 home in the heart of Salt Lake City. I love being creative and sharing simple ideas to make your life easier and more beautiful!

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