Everyday Celebrating

DIY: Rainbow crepe paper wreath

Loving this crepe paper wreath from Fiskars.  Visit their site for the full tutorial!  

Make one out of any color combination.  You have plenty of time to get started on a red, white and blue one for July 4th celebrations!

Wordless Wednesday: Paint chip garland

via Grace and Light Studio

DIY: Umbrella wreath

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

Looking for an easy colorful way to decorate warm weather patio celebrations?

All you need is a wreath form and a bag of drink parasols (found at party supply stores).

Family Chic shows additional photos. While she didn't use glue, I do recommend that if you're using this outdoors, I would definitely hot glue in the umbrellas.  Those umbrellas wouldn't last long in a thunderstorm.

You can coordinate the colors of parasols used for any celebrations... red, white and blue for July 4th, etc.

Also, this would make a great centerpiece lying flat on a table.  Fill the center with a floral arrangement or if your wreath is large enough, place a pitcher of margaritas in the middle.

Cheers!

 

Still time to: Recognize your friends on Mother's Day

There are only two times per year that I send out a mass mailing of cards.  One is around the Christmas holidays and the second is for Mother's Day.

 How can I have so many mothers, you ask?  

Well, I don't.  I have one.  (Hi, Mom!)  But what I do have are lots of FRIENDS who ARE mothers.  
 And I like to recognize them on Mother's Day each year.

I've been doing this for several years now, long before I had a child of my own.   It began when I joined an online chat and journaling group more than 10 years ago.  Ladies from all over the world were on this site specifically to talk about planning their weddings.  I became close friends with several so much so that we traveled to each other's weddings, went on vacations together, etc.  

As time went by, both my "real life" friends and my online friends were starting families.  Conversations gently swayed towards the ups and downs of motherhood and even before I had a child of my own, I realized that being a mother was one of the hardest and most important jobs ever.  So I began sending them all Mother's Day cards just to remind them of how great they are and what an amazing job they are doing as a mother every single day.

You're probably thinking it's expensive.  Cards are expensive these days.  BUT... the Dollar Tree has Mother's Day cards priced at 2 for $1.00!  So for $10 plus postage, I can have a little smile show up in the mailbox of 20 women on a day that's meant just for them.  

And who doesn't like to be remembered?

Gift idea: Date night!

Love this idea!  Shannon from Find Joy in the Journey shares this wonderful gift of 12 date nights.
For Christmas, she planned out 12 dates for her and her husband.  Mostly things that are free or inexpensive and most dates are activities they've never done. She put one in each envelope.  At the beginning of the month, they open the envelope and schedule the date around their current schedules.

Inside the envelope is a description of the date and additional items like tickets or a gift card, etc.

If you start planning now, you could easily have this done and ready to give this Christmas.  Plus, it spreads the expense out over time if you are purchasing tickets/gift cards. 

This idea would also be nice in a family or child version.  Fill each envelope with a family activity, document each activity through photos and make a nice SmileBooks photo book to document the year!

 

DIY/Tutorial: Embroidery floss Easter eggs

This is still one of my most popular posts even 2 years later.  It gets tons of traffic all year long.  Bumping it to the top just in time for Easter.

Creative take on the easter egg "ornament" from Crafts for all Seasons
Here's how to make them:

• small balloons
• embroidery floss
• scissors
• pin
• a fabric stiffener such as Stiffy
• string

How to:

1.  Blow up balloons and tie off.  Make them small to realistically resemble eggs.

2.  Cut your floss in long lengths.  About 2 feet. 

3.  Pour the stiffener into a small bowl.

4.  Dip the floss into the stiffener and soak. Pull each length out and get rid of the excess by running the floss through your fingers.

5.  Wrap the floss around the egg.  Make crisscross patterns and cover it until it looks how you'd like. Don't be afraid to use different colors on one egg.

6.  Tie the string to the knot.  Hang them to dry overnight.  They need to be thoroughly dry.

7.  After it is completely dry, pop the balloon with the pin.  Gently pull the balloon out through an opening in the floss.

Eggs can be hung or displayed in baskets, centerpieces, etc.

DIY: Easter Egg bouquet

Looking for a last minute centerpiece idea for your Easter table or children's party?

Ms. Not So Perfect created this fun Easter decor using easy to find plastic eggs and skewers.

Visit her blog for the step by step.  So cute!

DIY/Tutorial: Easter bunny craft project

A repost of an archive post ...a great craft project, just in time for Easter....

Kim Vallee of At Home with Kim Vallee posted these adorable felt bunnies she was planning on using for her upcoming Easter celebration.  Problem being, a retailer couldn't be found for the bunnies that are produced by Daft.  Kim sent out the call for someone to help create a template and how-to for these simple bunnies.

Enter Everyday Celebrating!
I was thrilled to jump in and design the template to make these bunnies come to life!

It only takes 2 pieces of craft foam or felt per bunny... plus scissors!  That's it!

Visit Kim's site for the downloadable template - compliments of Everyday Celebrating and At Home with Kim Vallee!

DIY: Unique easy outdoor chargers

I happened upon this great table at Shanty 2 Chic and was intrigued.  Notice the chargers?  

They are pieces of wood!

A great idea!  Have pieces of wood cut to your desired size, then stain to match your decor and then finish with a water based protective finish.   If they get left outside, no big deal!  

Visit Shanty 2 Chic for the full tutorial and more photos!

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What are YOUR favorite things about summer?  What are you looking forward to?
Come chat with us over at Blog Frog's Memories in Motion community!   

April Fools Cupcakes

If you love baking amazing treats and even if you don't, but can appreciate them, you NEED to know Liz at Hoosier Homemade.  

She whips up some of the coolest food I've ever seen.  True fun food that are some serious conversation starters over at our Blog Frog community Memories in Motion.

I thought I'd share some of her April Fools Day cupcakes.  

Nuggets and Fries!

Corn on the cob and hamburgers!

Here are one of my faves.. snowcone cupcakes

Aren't those fun????

And look at THESE.. just in time for the Final Four!  She even has a video showing how to make them. Add Hoosier Homemade to your reader, even if it's just to admire her works of edible art!