Hey Look: PRETTY PACKAGING IDEAS
I think my favorite part of gift-giving is wrapping the goods. I really don't mind if the wrapping paper is being ripped off afterwards, I simply enjoy spending a lot of time and thought on making a present look as pretty as possible. Here's some cute and creative gift wrapping inspiration I found around the web: Washi tape ideas: Sweet Paul (left) and Tea For Joy (right) Lace gift wrapping: Sweet Paul, Colorful fabric packaging: Handmade Weddings (via Haystack Needle) Simple glitter ribbon on craft paper (Besotted Brand) & Colorful woven paper (Craftzine) Pretty doily wrapping - left: Facil Y Sencillo, right: A Creative Mint Confetti on double-sided tape: 3@12, Confetti dipping fun: Tokketok Left: rainbow yarn on craft paper (via babble), right: bunting, pom garlands and yarn (two shades of pink) Left: great idea for wrapping a cookbook (Sweet Paul), right: signature gift packaging by Inhaus Press
Tinted Mason Jars in Rainbow
I’ve been experimenting with tinting mason jars to create a look like those old vintage ones that are difficult to find anymore in second hand stores. I think I’ve finally honed in on the perfect method. Would you like to see how it’s done? Fill them with flowers, or illuminate an outdoor party filling them with battery operated tea lights or a strand of twinkle lights. copyright 2014 liz stanley // all rights reserved
picture lampshades
PINTEREST UPDATE: This is a post from 2010. I do not take custom orders, only the tutorial is available. The lamps have held up wonderfully. As many of you requested, Marie is sharing a little tutorial here on how she made her lampshades. When she made them she was not planning on doing a tutorial for this blog, so be sure to thank her for taking the time to write all this out. Marie is happy to do custom orders for those that prefer buying over making! * LAMPSHADE – Hobby Lobby carries self-adhesive shades & nightlights, Target has some smaller lamps for $19 that would be perfect for this project, I’ve found some lamps & shades on Craigslist. * GLUE – I used a hot glue gun for the first lamp. * VELLUM – I buy this in packs of 20 (I think) in the scrapbooking section of Hobby Lobby. * CRAFT KNIFE OR SCISSORS, PENCIL & RULER – to trim the vellum, I used a ruler and pencil to mark the cut lines & then used a craft knife and self-healing mat to cut the vellum. That’s it! Marie Darby
Hanging String Balls
Whattya need? BalloonStringScissorsGlueJar How do I make glue string balls? Step 1: Hang inflated balloon from ceiling. Step 2: Put string and glue in the jar with a hole in the lid. Step 3: Wait until dry (try to contain yourself). Created by Dane Holweger
DIY Marbled Glassware
When graphic designer and artist Joanna Bean Martin shared with us her technique for marbling the bottoms of glassware with nail polish, we couldn’t wait to try it ourselves. Who knew it would be such an easy way to add color and pattern to your next tablescape or party? Remember, the brighter and bolder colors you use, the more the glasses will radiate and glow. Have fun! You’ll need:flat bottomed glasswarevariety of colorful nail polishclear nail polisha disposable plastic containernail polish removerpainters tapetoothpicks Mask off the bottom of the glass with painters tape. Fill a disposable, plastic container with water. Layer the colors one on top of the other. Submerge the bottom of the glass into the polish. Allow to dry completely before applying a layer of clear polish. Once everything has dried, remove the painters tape and touch up with nail polish remover and a cotton swab. Your glowing glasses are finished! Bottoms up!
41 Easy Things To Do With Mason Jars
DIY Picture Tiles - You Will Never Buy a Photo Frame Again
Lately I’ve been having this huge urge to decorate the house. This is big news. I do not decorate. Arguably, one of the reasons why is because I. absolutely. hate. to. buy. mass. produced. decor. Anyway, this extends to photo frames. Nope. Long story short, I discovered this method of transferring my photos cheaply, quickly, and beautifully to something uncommon and unique. Tiles. The only thing that’s not particularly crunchy about this is that it uses Modge Podge or similar (and I’m not sure what’s in Modge Podge). It’s just grainy and doesn’t dry clearly. Boo. BUT, if you can overlook that one minor issue, I think you’ll love this. And it will be glorious. Here’s how you do it. First, you need to go to Home Depot, Lowes, or something like it. (FYI, I found that Lowes prices on tiles were cheaper than Home Depot. I like the stone tiles, because they have texture. So you pick out your tiles in the sizes you want. And then you get home and gather what you need. Cut them out. Go go go! Love me?
How to Make Leaf Skeletons
I wanted to share with you a project from one of my readers who shares with us how to make leaf skeletons. I LOVE this! I have several leafs in various forms displayed in my home and knew I needed to make some of her leaf skeletons to add to my decor. I love how a pattern of leaves can enhance the beauty in your home. So I asked Heather if she would mind sharing her project with you. I have spent hours and tried various ways of making these. You need washing soda, not baking soda! Gather your leaves. Washing soda is a strong base so you may want to wear gloves when handling the leaves. You will add 3/4 cup of washing soda and 4 cups of water to your pot of leaves. Keep going, you will need to add more water so your pan doesn’t dry out. When 1.75 hours are up fill a glass baking dish with cool water. I carefully removed them and rinsed with water and added clean water to the pan. If you’re still with me, this is what I ended up with… I have a maple leaf which turned out not so well.
Star Map
Note:You can't use fishing line. Don't even think about it. It just doesn't conduct light in the right way. You can buy optical fiber by the reel, but there are better and cheaper ways to get it*: For large star maps; a fake Christmas tree works very well! For smaller star maps; the retro-tastic 'UFO Lamps' are a great source of fibers, and are pretty easy to find in dollar stores. Both of these sources are great! Just consider: * The more stars you have, the better it will look. [*] Some fiber-by-the-reel is sold here.
