Happy Monday to you all! I have two really exciting things to share today so I’ll get right to it. The first announcement has been so hard to keep quiet but I am so thrilled to announce that yours truly will be part of a Halloween/Fall feature in Better Homes & Gardens! Three other bloggers and myself were asked to contribute and take part in an online contest where we’ll each create four designs based around a specific concept. Our first project (sneak peek above) is scheduled to appear in the October issue due on newsstands September 5! Each project will be voted on by online readers and the Better Homes & Garden’s Staff to select an ultimate winner. The blogger that wins the entire contest will then be featured in next years issue along with another Fall themed project.

I have some seriously talented competition and am beyond humbled to be part of this exciting event. I never, in a million years, thought I’d be featured in such an iconic magazine nor be competing with several of my favorite bloggers! The other three are: Nicole Balch of Making It Lovely, Elizabeth Owen of Mabel’s House, and Suzonne Stirling of Urban comfort. I’ve already seen of what they’ve been up to and I can honestly say that the butterflies are starting to flutter. These ladies have got some skillz so it will be a challenge for sure! I’ll be sharing more about each of the projects as I go and shamelessly asking for votes as well. I hope I can live up to the task and maybe win one or two rounds. Keep your fingers crossed for me and stay tuned!

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The next bit of news is about the posts for this week. I will be taking some much needed vacation and have asked my good friend Tara Lee to hold down the fort while I’m away. You probably all remember her ADORABLE circus themed letterpressed baby shower invites from awahile back. Well, she’ll be here starting tomorrow, sharing more of her creative projects and design inspiration for the rest of the week!

Tara is such an inspiration to me creatively and she really is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. You’ll be in great hands so please join me in welcoming her to Twig & Thistle! Check back tomorrow for Tara’s first post.

I’m back today with a few more photos from my husband’s 3oth Birthday Surprise. Sadly I was so busy the day of the event that I wasn’t able to snap any pictures of the party but I was able to shoot some of the details afterwards. I really went all out with the decorations too so I’m bummed that I don’t have any pics to share.

To coordinate with the “meat tooth” theme, I made meat inspired buttons that people could wear as they saw fit. It was a nice ice breaker for people that didn’t know each other and a fun token from the party. We can all use a little flare now and then!

I knew that people would be dressing up, so I wanted to make sure Tula was properly accessorized . I’d seen this tutorial in Martha Stewart Weddings on how to make flowers from silk and tulle so I sewed one and attached it to a matching homemade dog collar. Tula was quite the trooper and looked perfectly adorable in her oversized corsage!

(*Note: all addresses have been modified)

I am so excited to finally be able to share a project that I recently finished! My husband just celebrated his 30th birthday and I’ve been busy planning a surprise party for the last few months in honor of his special day. He has what I like to call a “meat tooth” so I ran with it and created the invitations with a subtle carnivorous theme.

I’ve been wanting to use the faux bois paper from the GMUND Savanna line for some time and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I letterpressed the invitations with white ink and printed the RSVP’s digitally. The RSVP arrows were also printed digitally and then run through a Xyron to make into stickers, I then post applied each one by hand for a layered effect. The envelopes were made from folded craft paper that was cut down to size. I wanted the addresses to look like a stamp so each recipient’s address was printed individually. I then folded the envelopes to resemble meat packaged from the market and sealed shut with meat stickers which were generously given to my by my local grocery store.

The invites proved to be a ton of work but I’m thrilled with how they turned out and it was definitely worth it for my amazing husband. I was quite the sneak letterpressing while he was gone on business and “staying late at work” to put together each of the invites. We had over 50 guests for the event and he was completely surprised. I’ve got more details to share, including favors, so be sure to check back tomorrow!

I’m so excited to be guest blogging over on Sweet Designs today! Amy Atlas has been a huge inspiration to me over the years so I was completely honored to provide a picnic inspired DIY project for her site. You can see my paper chopstick holders and get full instructions on how to make the custom paper napkins right here.

Thanks so much to Amy for having me and I hope you all get a chance to get outdoors and enjoy a meal outside! Cheers!

The 4th if July is coming up this weekend and for folks in the states that means fireworks, friends and entertaining. I thought it’d be fun to make a week of it and share some of my favorite Independence Day themed projects and designs.

First up, Chocolate Dipped Rice Crispy “Popsicles” on a stick. I got the idea from Balancing Motherhood and thought it would be a fun addition to any 4th of July Celebration. The whole process is super simple, just make rice crispy treats (directions on the box), cut into 1″ x 1″ x 3″ rectangles, add a candy stick, dip in melted chocolate and enjoy! You could easily add sprinkles and wrap them in cellophane for portability too.

As promised, I’m back today with the last of my sisters baby shower details. I had so much fun putting it all together and preparing all the pieces. I think the cake topper was my favorite part and hopefully it’ll be something they can keep for some time.

The favors were a keepsake that each of the guests got to take home and were based off these that I had seen in the portfolio of Rebecca Thuss. Mine didn’t come out nearly as beautiful but they were still a sweet addition to the event. I wrapped two shortbread cookies in clear cellophane and put them inside the fabric envelope. These little envelopes could hold any number of things really with the proportions adjusted to fit. Below are instructions for how to make your own.

What You’ll Need:
Fabric
Scissors
Scalloped Rotary Cutter
Thread
Shortbread Cookies
Diaper Pins

Instructions:
1. Cut fabric into strips about 5″ wide x 9″ long. Fold top of fabric in 1/2″ towards wrong side of fabric and hem. Repeat on bottom edge.
2. Once both top and bottom edges have been hemmed, fold bottom portion of fabric up approvimetly 3.75″ creating an envelope. Sew along both edges 1/2″ in; securing both sides of the envelope.
3. Add a little detail and prevent fraying by trimming the sides with pinking shears or a scalloped rotary cutter. Be sure to fold top over to where it will approximately be once favor is inside then cut – the scallops will align and the envelope will appear more finished.
3. Finally, slide favor inside envelope and secure with a baby pin!

For Part II of a Baby Shower In Blue I wanted to share some more details. With the help of my husband, we made a four-tiered white cake with lemon curd filling and a lemon butter cream frosting. For the topper, I ordered some blank nesting dolls and hand painted them to match the illustrations from the invites. It took some trial and error in painting, but I think the final result turned out pretty well.

Each seat at the table had a crossword puzzle based on Allison and Ryan and words related to pregnancy and parenthood. The game was a great way to get people mingling and having fun. To add a bit of whimsy to the table, old fashioned grey and white striped straws adorned each glass. Lastly, for favors, I made little sewn envelopes based on these by Rebecca Thuss. I put wrapped shortbread cookies inside and sealed with a baby pin. Be sure to check back tomorrow; I’ll be sharing the How-To for the fabric favor envelopes!

I’m so excited to share with you Part I of a baby shower I recently designed! My sister Allison and her husband Ryan are expecting a baby boy so I jumped at the chance to do something special for them. I loved the idea of using Matryoshka Dolls as the theme, so for the invitations I illustrated these to resemble the parents and the boy-to-be.

I letterpressed the invites myself and was able to save a little bit of money by using thick blotter paper. I then coordinated them with cute blue craft paper envelopes and lined them with a custom flower pattern from the invite. For the address I was able to print directly onto the envelopes with my laser printer. Above are some process shots of the printing process in the studio.

The rest of the shower coordinated with the nesting doll theme and the colors from the invitation which I’ll be be sharing more of tomorrow. In the mean time, I’m guest blogging today on PaperCrave and you can see more pics and get full instructions for the easy DIY baby shower banner (seen above). I hope you’ll stop by and say hello to Kristen and I!

As promised, I’ve got another wedding DIY for all of you today! Better yet, this Book Cover and Bookmark coordinate with yesterday’s DIY Favor Bags. Adorned with the phrase “True love stories never have endings” this bookmark says it all. What better way to celebrate your big day than with a beautiful book to remeber it by.

Weddings are a day shared with family and friends and a brief moment to express your gratitude and feelings for one another. Sometimes it’s hard to say it yourself so let your favorite book or collection of poems say it for you. Simply cover a book with paper in coordinating colors and weave a bookmark through for the perfect favor. The best part, the bookmark doubles as a seating card with space at the bottom for a name or note.

A book favor would be lovely at an intimate wedding or at a book themed bridal shower. These would also make perfect gifts for your wedding party as a token of thanks. Don’t have a favorite book? Cover a journal or album of photos instead. It’s a simple way to add a personal touch to just about anything.

Materials
Decorative Paper (Like these from Snow & Graham, Elum or Hello Lucky)
Color Printer
Card Stock
Craft Knife
Ruler
1/8″ Craft Punch
Ribbon

Instructions
Download the Bookmark Template and follow directions within the template on how to enter names, cut and construct. Punch hole at top with 1/8″ craft punch and thread coordinating ribbon through hole at top. Add a little more detail by adding an eyelet to the hole before tying the ribbon.

Pre-cut and fold your decorative paper to wrap around your book. If the book already has a cover, use as a template for the new one. If creating one from scratch, make sure it’s the same height as the book and remember to leave at least 3 inches on either side to fold in to the inside front cover. Once wrapped, firmly crease the spine and edges with fingers.

To weave the bookmark through, you’ll need to create two slits in the center of the book cover using a craft knife. The slits should be slightly wider than the book mark; approximately 2″ wide. I recommend making a sample one to practice and use as a template for the remaining book covers. After slits have been cut, wrap cover around book and carefully weave bookmark through slots.

I am so excited to share my latest project with all of you! This Personal Library Kit would be the perfect gift for a mom on Mother’s Day, as a favor at a book themed bridal shower or a nice treat for yourself. Never lose a book again and keep track of who’s borrowing them. All you need to do is print, cut, staple and you’ve got a nice gift set for any book enthusiast!

The set includes Pockets and Check-out cards for your books, Tabs to keeps the cards organized in a filing system, a Book Jornal to keep track of your favorites, a Band to wrap around the set and lastly a bookmark that doubles as a gift tag! See below to download and get the instructions.

Materials
Clear Box or Wooden Recipe Box
Colored Cardstock
Color Printer
Craft Knife
Ruler
Bone Folder
Stapler
Mini Pencil

Instructions
Download Part I of the Personal Library Kit. PDF contains the Checkout Cards, Pockets and Band to wrap around the box. Follow directions within the template on how to cut and construct. The file contains only brown ink so you could really print this onto any color paper that you like. Would look great in black and white too!

Download Part II of the Personal Library Kit. PDF contains the Book Journal, Bookmark and Dividers. Follow directions within the template on how to cut and construct.

Once you have all the pieces constructed, place inside box with coordinating mini pencil and wrap with the band. I purchased the clear box from the Container Store (not available online) but you can also purchase it online through Amazon. Adorn box with bookmark and voilá, you’ve got a sweet little book-lovers gift! Hope you enjoy!