Everyday Celebrating

DIY: Personalized Dinnerware!

So I'm gonna say flat out.  I WILL be doing this.  You know how there are some crafts you come across that makes you just stop in your tracks?  That was me with this.  LOVE!

I stumbled upon this great trick over at Brooklyn Limestone.  And while I've written on plates in the past, this just really stood out to me.  

Basically, she bought inexpensive white dishes.  (Hint: Goodwill or even Dollar Tree)

Then she wrote on them using a Porcelaine 150 pen.  Want to write text like in the photo?  Use painters tape to create the lines.

Want a damask or other design?  Use a stencil.

This opens up unlimited possibilities for holiday dishes.  Write the words to your favorite Christmas Carol!  Write a message to someone on their birthday!  Write the words to your wedding song on your anniversary.  ENDLESS possibilities.

And making a set would make a great gift!

Hop over to her blog and check out the rest of the photos.  

SmileBooks METREAT 2011

Let me tell you about something NEW....

As a blogger, I spent last year at several different blog conferences.  And while those were fabulous, definitely,  I wanted to create something new this year.  Really focus in my time on an aspect of my life that I've been neglecting.

I felt like there just wasn't time to see FRIENDS.  Being a wife and a mother and an employee and blogger and gosh knows what else, women tend to put friends last.  In the heirarchy of life, it just slides to the bottom.  You figure they'll always be there.  We'll catch up later.  And then months roll by, even years and the catch up never comes.  Sound familiar?

Earlier this year I decided to reprioritize some, slow down on blog conferences and create something new.  Where, for one long weekend, I'd focus on celebrating friendships.  To really do what it took to make it happen, for me.  I began talking this over with one of my best friends NakedJen and the METREAT was born!  

What is the METREAT?  
It is taking time out for yourself to reconnect with those you normally let slide.  It's about taking the time to create memories and inside jokes and to celebrate life and the amazing things in your life you have to be thankful for.

For this first METREAT, SmileBooks came on as the title sponsor and you've heard me talk about them before. They help you create amazing photo books with ease!  Not only that, they have a design service that will design the book FOR you because they realize that not everyone has the time or maybe they'd like to spend that time creating MORE memories!   

As a sponsor of the METREAT, SmileBooks is offering a 40% discount on photo books through 9/30/11.

Just follow the link to learn more and get started.  Their photo books are perfect to create documentation for your summer memories such as:

• a baseball season
• graduation
• summer vacation
• trip to the grandparents
• July 4th celebration
• Back to school
• boating season
• fishing tournament

and of course, birthdays and other celebrations!

Do you have questions about how to create books or other questions to ask the SmileBooks team?

I'll be hosting a Twitter party on Thursday, August 4 at 8pm EST.  Use the hash #METREAT. I'll be joined by Tracy of the SmileBooks team and she'll be on hand to answer any questions you have about creating your own photo books.  We'll be chatting about taking time for yourself and documenting those memories and also how to upload your books to Facebook to share!

In the weeks to come, I'll tell you more about the METREAT and show you the photo book.  In the meantime, here's one of the great photos from the weekend!  

Thank you to SmileBooks for their support of creating new memories!

 

Still time to: Draw a portrait of Dad for Father's Day

Those of us with children love seeing their perspectives in drawing.

Design Editor provides a great FREE printable for Father's Day.  Simply print it out and have your child draw a portrait of Daddy.  So fun to compare their skills year after year!

 

For the new mom: Hospital survival kit!

I love this idea from My Own Road!  

When you're pregnant and even in the hospital, everyone brings gifts for the BABY!  But what about the MOTHER?   Whether you have a traditional birth or a c-section, the Mom is exhausted after and while the new baby is totally worthy of all the fuss, it's so nice for the MOM to receive some pampering as well.

Jennifer of My Own Road created some fabulous printables to attach to gift bags.  Create your own hospital survival kit for the new Mom.  While most Moms have a hospital bag packed, fill this bag with some things they may not think of or just a few pampering items like these things that Jennifer recommends:

Visit her site to read the descriptions.

As someone who had a c-section and stayed in the hospital for 4 days, I can tell you that this would have been a VERY welcomed gift!  

Jennifer has created those printables in both pink AND blue.  Save them for your next visit to the new Mommy!

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: How to make Chocolate BUTTER

Chocolate BUTTER?

YUMMY! 

Would make a great gift, even!

Find out how to whip up some over on one of my fave blogs, Giver's Log.

DIY: Custom stamped plates

Are you addicted to dishes?  One of those people that love to have different dishes for every occasion? 

Yep, me too.

I have a LOT of dishes and to be honest, once I use a specialty set, I don't want to use them again.  I want something new that fits in with the new theme, etc.  

See where this is going? 

Exactly.  Where to put them all when you're finished?   Dishes take up a lot of storage.  Especially if you're just hoarding them and never really reusing them.

Enter this great idea from I'm Topsy Turvy.

Want a great plate or a great design for a special occasion?  Stamp it!   Yep, that's right!

Buy regular stamps and add the color on with food markers such as these Wilton Food Writers:

 

Just color the stamp with the markers and stamp the plate!

You can have fun, custom plates for any occasion!  Add a monogram, a graphic, lines, etc.  Your design is only limited to what types of stamps you can find!   Plus, the food markers are edible and wash off so you have a clean slate (plate) for next time!

Valentine's Day trinkets for GIRLS!

I've over at Nashville Parent magazine talking about these.....

Find out what they are, where to get them and how to use them for an inexpensive Valentine's Day treat for classroom girls.  C'mon over!

DIY: Cake/dessert stands

I love these amazing cake/dessert stands by the ladies of Bee in our Bonnet!

Made with wooden candlesticks and dowels, plus squares of solid wood and doll house trim, they are sturdy!  

Visit their site for the full photo tutorial.  If you're willing to tackle a wood project, these would make a great gift for entertaining friends. 

Last minute gifts!

So Christmas is THIS WEEK!  Have you heard?  As with every year, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seems to roll like a runaway train and before you know it, you're smack dab in the middle of Christmas week and may have forgotten a gift or two.

And who doesn't like to receive something fabulous delivered right to their door?

Recently, I was sent some fabulous gifts by the lovely team over at 1-800-Flowers and I want to share with you that these gifts are not your everyday fruitcake.  These are amazing gifts that not only make an impression... they are amazing in taste as well!

First up, Cheryl's cookies.  Yes, they are a box of cookies, BUT... they come beautifully wrapped and taste wonderful.

I opened the box to find the cookies presented in this.  Beautiful, right?  A sparkly box.  I guarantee you will want to keep the box, even.  It's THAT beautiful up close.

Open up the box... each cookie is wrapped individually!    Buttercream frosted! yum!

Cheryl's cookies are a perfect and affordable gift.  And, Cheryl's has a cookie club!  Send someone the gift of cookies all year!

The next item I received was the sleigh gift basket.  I wanted to show you how this arrives because don't you always wonder when you order a gift, how it's presented and if they take enough care in packaging it?  

The sleigh basket is rather large.  And the above picture is what it looked like when I received it.  It came in a large box and inside the box, the basket was braced with dividers. This basket wasn't going anywhere!  (Just how you want it!)  The basket itself was shrink wrapped and draped with a beautiful gold and red bow.  It literally looked JUST like the photo on the website:

The sleigh is beautiful and can be reused as hoilday decor for years to come. It would make a great serving piece!  Drap a beautiful napkin inside and serve holiday rolls or Christmas morning cinnamon rolls out of?   Or reuse it for a wonderful holiday centerpiece!

If you're stumped over what to buy someone, feel like you're running out of time but want something special and beautiful?  Just hop over to 1-800-Flowers or 1-800-Baskets.  They will be shipping even on December 23 to get them to your loved ones on for the holiday.  Below are the order deadlines.  Make it easy on yourself and order NOW and know that something beautiful will be delivered straight to their door!

And guess what?  MyDaily.com is offering 25% off code that can be used before December 31. Just use the code "Daily25deal" for 25% off your order.

1-800-BASKETS.COM (Christmas delivery on orders placed by 1 p.m. EST Dec. 23)

 

Fannie May Fine Chocolates (Christmas delivery on orders placed by 11 a.m. EST Dec. 23)

 

Cheryl’s Baked Goods (Christmas delivery on orders placed by 3 p.m. EST Dec. 23)

 

The Popcorn Factory (Christmas delivery on orders placed by 3 p.m. EST Dec. 23)