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.  

DIY: Snow drift candle holders

I love these snow drift candle holders from Living with Lindsay! 

So easy to make with mod podge, epsom salts and glitter!

Remember, you can get plenty of extra vases at Goodwill!  Even mason jars would be cute or small votive holders! Add in some red and pink glitter for a nice Valentine's Day vase!

Visit Lindsay's site for a full tutorial with photos!

Host a Snow Day party!

That's my son, Keaton, about to nail me with a snowball on the snow day we enjoyed Monday.  We live in a neighborhood packed with children and yet he was the only out for most of the day.  I was really surprised.

And much later, while we were enjoying hot chocolate and drying out, I was thinking we should have knocked on doors and had a Snow Day party!

Of course, we knew a couple days before of the weather forecast and it would've been fun to put something together for the neighborhood children.

And it doesn't have to be complicated.  A few ideas:

• Start by serving a warm lunch.  A large pot of chicken noodle or vegetable soup would work well. A standard soup that many children will eat.  Add a grilled cheese sandwich and use a cookie cutter for fun shapes like a snowflake!
• Stock up on scarves, gloves, hats at places like the Dollar Tree.  The Dollar Tree frequently has 2 pairs of gloves for $1.  For next to nothing, you can fill a basket with extras for when it's time for a change from wet items.
• Stock up on supplies for a snowman.  Buttons, carrots, pull some sticks for arms, etc.  Also, clean out your closet and provide the children with some clothing for Frosty then donate when you're finished. 
• While you're at the Dollar store, stock up on squirt bottles.  Fill with water and a few drops of food coloring and children can "paint" the snow.
• When it's time for a break, how about these cute snowball cupcakes from Tidy Mom

• Of course, hot chocolate is essential!  Create a hot chocolate bar and let each child add toppings such as chocolate chips, colored marshmallows, sprinkles, or whipped cream!  

It doesn't have to be pefect or fancy to create snow day memories!  Don't forget your camera!

DIY: Ribbon Wall

This year, in one room of my house, I constructed a ribbon wall to use as a backdrop for Candy Cane Christmas.

The frame was built out of 1/2 inch pvc.  After measuring the area I wanted to cover, I ended up with 4  10 ft pvc pieces.  I cut them to roughly 6 ft.  And made a square by using the coordinating T joints. 

From there, just hot glue strips of ribbon onto the top pole.

I'll warn you, you're going to go through quite a bit of ribbon, especially for a 6 ft wall like this was.  I stockpiled ribbon for some time to use for this project - finding ribbon on sale and even scoring big rolls of red velvet ribbon at Goodwill.  Tip:  if you're making one last minute for Christmas or you want to make one for next year, Michaels has their hoilday ribbon 60% off right now!  Plus a 20% off coupon here.

The ribbon lays flat.  Unfortunately, in taking these photos, the heat was blowing and the ribbon is moving. 

Make sure to trim the bottom of the ribbon to the length you need. You want the ribbon to lay flat and straight and not buckle at the bottom.

This ribbon wall concept would work great for other occasions as well, backdrops for birthday parties, showers and weddings.  They would be beautiful outside with the ribbons blowing in the breeze!  This red and white one would even be great for Valentine's Day!

Ribbon walls create a great dimension and texture to a focal point!  Try one!

 

DIY: Birthday Countdown

December is a BUSY month for my family.  In ONE WEEK we have

• my son's birthday
• my birthday
• my wedding anniversary

Because of the cluster of celebrations, we really try to make my son's birthday special.  December is a hard time to have a birthday.  Christmas is flooding the stores and people have a tendency to clump your birthday and Christmas together as one - if they don't overlook it totally.

This year, I've started a new tradition with my son's birthday by making him a birthday countdown calendar.  Similar to an advent calendar, this countdown will feature a small trinket every day for one week before his birthday.

This is an adaptation of an holiday countdown seen by Family Fun magazine.  Here's how I did it:

First, you should decide on how big your number will be.  This will depend on how many trinkets you're trying to include.  Mine was over 2 feet.

I started with 2 pieces of felt.  With one large piece, I cut out the number.  My son is turning 4!

Next, I edged the 4 in rainbow ribbon.  Important:  No Christmas related ribbon.

I had these cardboard house letters I had scored at Goodwill.  They were about 2 inches long.  I had no idea what I'd use them when I bought them, but liked how they looked.  They were perfect for this project!  You can use puffy paint, letters from a Cricut, stickers, etc.

Next, cut a strip to tape the toys onto.  I wanted the numbers to run down the middle of the 4, so I cut a strip of felt to fit on top of the 4, but between the striped ribbon.  After you're sure it fits, hot glue numbers onto the strip.  Make sure you space them out because one trinket will be taped behind each number.  You want to give enough room between numbers.

When it's dry, flip the strip over and tape trinkets behind each number.  I used items from the dollar store.  A yo yo, a truck, a ring pop, a top, etc. You can use packaging tape or painters tape.

Next, hot glue the top of the strip to the felt number.  Only glue the top down.  You want it to hang and be easily accessible.  For each day, you cut that day off and give the toy to the child. So make sure the bottom is left hanging.

To hang it, I created a loop out of scrap felt. You'll also have to tape the sides to get it to lay flat against the wall.

In the end... here it is!  Ready to go!  

Here we go... Holiday 2010

Well, folks, it's time!

Yes, I know.  The turkey hasn't been carved yet.  But when you go to the trouble of putting a few trees up and hand crafting decor, you want to take your time, have fun with the process and enjoy the finished work.  So we're starting now.  With this 6.5 ft white beauty I recently purchased from my friends at Goodwill.   It was a STEAL and I was thrilled to get it because I wanted a white tree for this year's theme... Keaton's Candy Cane Christmas!

Stay tuned.. I'll be sharing how I make the decor including many re-purposed Goodwill finds as well as showing you how to create a ribbon wall, a table skirt, large faux candy canes, bunting, and fun (and surprisingly beautiful) decor out of coffee filters... and more!

It's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas!

 

What does this mean?

Do you know what this symbol means? 

It's the official donate icon!

As you know, I'm a big supporter of Goodwill.  Both in shopping and donating.  You may not know this, but Goodwill's mission is more than inexpensive clothes and fabulous decor to be repurposed. The items you donate and purchase translates to services for those that need help finding jobs. 

We are approaching what is traditionally known as the "season of giving" and I encourage you to start a Goodwill donation pile while you're switching out summer clothes to winter clothes, maybe finding holiday decor you no longer wish to use or trying to make room for your child's new toys from Santa.

I have the perfect way to make it fun!  Goodwill is hosting a contest for those that donate.  Simply visit their website and download the symbol above.  Place it on an item you plan to donate and take a photo.  Upload the photo to their Flickr gallery to share with the world.  There are lots of great prizes and all by donating and decluttering!

What could you donate today to help the life of someone tomorrow?

 

Fall raffia vase

I love this raffia vase!  Amanda at The Hand Me Down House shows how to make these beautiful textured vases out of mason jars, raffia and Mod Podge. 

I love the colors of the raffia and how they create such a great texture!  These would be nice for a rustic fall wedding.  Make the vases ahead of time and give them to your florist to fill.

And remember.... Goodwill or thrift stores for the jars!

DIY: Halloween filler decor

Do you have a Halloween display but need something with height or need something to fill in the end spaces?  Make this easy urn with only 4 items.

The urn:  Originally beige.  Bought at Goodwill.  As you know, I buy these whenever I see them at Goodwill. Just add spray paint!  They are perfect for floral arrangements.

The sticks:  I bought these at Goodwill as well.  They were in a large bundle.  They've been in my garage for a LONG time and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them (until now.)  They were originally brown.  You don't even have to buy any - just use sticks you find in your area.

The Spanish Moss:  Dollar Tree!  Only used 1 package for 2 urns.

The Helper:  My son, Keaton.  

You can see where the sticks were brown.  Just drop some floral foam into the urns.  My son had a ball poking in each stick. Then I spray painted the whole thing black.  When dry, fill in the urn with spanish moss and you're done!

These would make perfect Thanksgiving pieces too.  Just paint GOLD or maybe cover the sticks or urn in gold leaf!  

Everyday Events: Mastering the Art of French Cooking Dinner Party

The time of year is perfect for an outdoor dinner party!  Julie of A Reason to Get Together took advantage of the perfect weather and her love of Julia Child to put together a French dinner party in her back yard.

Julie had each of her guests bring a dish out of a particular cookbook as well as the wine that complimented the dish.   For invitations, she used Evite which kept track of what everyone was bringing and avoided duplications.  

This party was extremely budget friendly and Julie shopped her decor from previous parties as well as her local thrift stores and yard sales.  For example, the ties on the backs of the chairs were strips of sheets she found at yard sales.

She created 60 YARDS of bunting herself that draped from the fence and trees.  The same patterns of fabric were used as napkin rings.

I love the fabric flowers! 

Drop in to Julie's blog to see more photos of this fresh vintage design!