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.  

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!

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: 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!

 

Still time to make: Children's Thanksgiving table

First things first... did you enter to win a roll of Scotch tape?  Perfect for holiday crafts and wrapping!

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Amanda of It's Always a Party at the Sparklers shares this adorable Thanksgiving children's table set up AND a free set of Thanksgiving printables.  Look at the cute table!

On her site, she gives a full tutorial on how to make that fabulous centerpiece out of Dollar Store placemats!  Awesome!  There's still time to create a fun table for the smaller guests!

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Still need ideas for Thanksgiving food, decor, traditions, activities?  Join us over at Blog Frog to discuss these and more!  We'll help solve the dilemmas! 

DIY: Creating easy table skirts & Tape giveaway!

 
Thanks to Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape for sponsoring my writing about crafts. Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win free sample rolls to help with your upcoming holiday needs.

I thought I'd show you a super easy way to create a quick table skirt.  All you need is a light piece of fabric and this... 

Let's get started!

I have this buffet and I use it as a focal point of holiday decor in one room.  There is a Christmas tree next to it and I usually work with one theme.  This year's theme is candy canes.  So, I want to create a consistent color palette which means covering up the cherry wood.  

I use double sided tape to temporarily wrap the table in fabric for a fitted table skirt.  Now, before you get anxious, yes, I do place the tape on the wood but don't worry... it comes off easily.  That being said, I don't guarantee that the tape will hold for a long time so this tutorial is meant for a quick, one evening table skirt.

The first thing you want to do is measure your fabric.  You do not want excess fabric.  The heavier the fabric, the more it pulls on the tape which means tension on the fabric.  

For the bottom of the fabric, the part that goes to the floor, if you don't sew, cut the fabric a bit longer than needed and tuck under.  Always better to cut longer than shorter.

Also, before you start on the table, make sure your fabric is ironed.  You'll see why I say that later. LOL

Then we're ready to attach!

I start on the side and press the fabric into the tape smoothly and evenly.

When you get to a corner, you fold the fabric like you're wrapping the corner of a present.

Here's the other corner...

Here's what it looks like in the end.  See that lovely crease in the fabric?  Definitely iron your fabric!
I've talked about it before and I'll say it again, a wrinkled tablecloth can ruin any table decor.  Your eye automatically goes straight to the crease. (Believe me, I'll fix this.)  LOL

After the taping is done, Then you can cover the top with a runner or another piece of bunched up fabric for depth.  I placed a candy cane striped fabric on top just to show you.  Next.. start adding your decorative pieces!

Easy, temporary table skirt!  

Please learn more about Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape and other Scotch(R) Products and join the conversation on the Scotch(R) Brand Facebook Page and via Twitter. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

 

WIN A ROLL!!!

EDITED: Thanks to 3M, 10 Everyday Celebrating readers will win 1 roll of Scotch Tape!  Perfect for upcoming holiday crafts or wrapping those presents!

How to Enter:
1. Leave me a comment telling me approximately how many rolls of Scotch tape you go through during the holiday season. 

Extra Entries:
2. Like Everyday Celebrating on Facebook.  Leave me a comment letting me know you became a fan and leave your username.

This giveaway will end on Saturday, November 20th, 2010 at 11:59  PM EST. Winners will be announced on the blog and on Facebook

Everyday Events: Fall Hootenanny

Nashville reader Jennifer shared with me her recent party and although it was billed as a Halloween party, the details would work for a super cute fall get together!

From Jennifer:

"This party was obvioulsy inspired by Owls and I had everyone come to the party as their favorite "Creature of the Night". Owls are definitely my favorite creature of the night! ;) I wanted to give my house a "foresty" feel so I brought in twigs and branches from outside and set them around the house. We also hung silver stars and yellow paper lanterns that gave off an eerie glow and served as my full moon. A fog machine added a misty appearance."

"My dessert table was the spotlight and all of the food was owl themed. I made the cake pops. They were devil's food cake on the inside and I made a batch in chocolate and a batch in orange (to match my invitation). They turned out great and were a HUGE hit at the party.

 

"I also made the owl cookies, owl brownies, and mice truffles. The owl brownies ("wise old brownies") were inspired by Dylan of Dylan's Candy Bar in New York. I added a piece of sheet moss in the middle to give it more of an "outdoorsy" feel and draped the table in brown burlap. Black fabric was the backdrop and a large yellow paper lantern hung for a full moon."

One of the guests dressed as a black cat and read tarot cards all night for the other guests. Everyone loved it and had a wonderful time!

If you're in Nashville and need an event planner, check out of Jennifer of Mr and Mrs Events

Vendors used:

My invitations were made my Shawna Sheahen of Paper Millie Press
The food labels were made by Stacy Splonski at Sugar Tree Studio
The fabric owls were handmade by Jason Parker Counce with Jason Parker Counce Designs
All pictures were taken by Daniel Brown, http://www.flickr.com/people/23044994@N06/

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Need more fall and Thanksgiving ideas?  Decor, recipes, crafts and other conversations are happening right now on the Seasonal Celebrations Community on BlogFrog.  Join us!  We'd love to help you create the perfect celebration!

Still time to make: Pumpkin Pops

I love pops!  I've been making them for a long time because a) they are cute!  b) they are easy!  and c) who doesn't like sweets on a stick, right???

Above are my Valentine's Day pops from 2009.

For Halloween this year, I made pumpkin pops for my son's daycare party.  Here's how ya do it:

Here's what you need:

• orange candy melt
• large marshmallows
• lollipop making kit
• green ribbon 
• wax/parchment paper

First, spread wax/parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Heat up your candy melt in the microwave and while it's melting, place the sticks into marshmallows.
(I use lollipop sticks but you can also use toothpicks.  I'm not using toothpicks because this batch is for smaller children.)

 

Dip the marshmallows into the candy melt, covering each.  Then pop them into the fridge to let them harden.

From here, you can draw pumpkin faces on each one.  Do not try using a pastry bag.  One of the easiest ways is to use a toothpick and dip it into melted chocolate.  Much easier to draw with, less bulky, etc.  I had originally planned on doing this but realized at the last minute that I had run out of chocolate.  

Another option is covering in sprinkles!

When they are dry, add the "stem" by using green ribbon.  I'll be individually packaging these in the lollipop bags that came with the kit.  They make great treats for children to take home.  

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!