Hi gang!  I have an updated Valentine Treat Bag PDF that’s available as a free download! These have been pretty popular over the years and I’ve made this version more universal so that it can be used for any homemade treats you might want to give to that special someone.

Just download the file and print directly onto a paper bag using a color ink jet printer. I’ve found that top loading printers work the best and the flatter the bag the better. Once printed, I stuff a Glassine bag inside to help maintain freshness and to protect the paper from oil stains. Then, using a rotary cutter fitted with a scallop blade, I trim the top inch off for a little extra sweetness.

Once you’ve made the bags, fill them with any sweet treat imaginable! I love making heart shaped brownies cut with a cookie cutter or Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies. Whatever you include, I’m sure the recipient will be thrilled!

Instructions are included in the PDF and if you need bags, I sell them in my Etsy shop. The bags are available in Craft and White along with the the Glassine Liner Bags. Enjoy and happy early Valentine’s Day!

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CONDITIONS OF USE: All Twig & Thistle downloads are subject to our Terms & Conditions. Downloads are for personal, non-commercial use only. In addition please do not redistribute or modify any of the templates. If you’d like to link to the pdf, please link to this post directly. Thanks!

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I am so happy to finally share some exciting news! A tutorial that I submitted to Design*Sponge, nearly three years ago, has been included in Grace Bonney’s book, Design*Sponge at Home! I haven’t been able to share it until now but I can say it was definitely worth the wait to be part of such a great project.

If you haven’t seen the book already, you must check it out! It’s a fantastic collection of home tours, DIY projects and step-by-step tutorials. My project is featured in the exclusive Anthropologie version amongst the 16 additional pages of bonus content.

Below are the complete instructions for how to create your own Japanese Masking Tape Book Covers. I was looking to make my home bookshelves a little more appealing and some of my older books needed a good face-lift. With the help of craft paper and simple masking tape, my books were transformed! Hope you enjoy!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend ahead and for those of you celebrating the 4th of July, may you have a fun and safe weekend! I don’t have any major plans but I hope to get some R&R and hopefully a little sun if it ever decides to show up here.

With a few days before the holiday I thought I’d do a round up of some of my favorite crafts I’ve seen lately. Hope you enjoy!

Creature Comforts Fabric Dessert Flags, Two Shades of Pink Mason Jar “Sippy Cups”, Packagery Paper Button Garland

Mother’s Day Breakfast Printables by Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day!

Mother’s Day Gift Tag by Ez of Creature Comforts

Mother’s Day Printable Card by Jennifer Kirk of Ambrosia Girl

Bird Jars by Geninne Zlatkis for Martha Stewart (via Creature Comforts)

I hope you are all had a great week and have some lovely plans for this holiday weekend! I wanted to share some of my favorite crafts for Mother’s Day that I’ve spotted lately. Hopefully there’s still time to put something together if you’re like me and have waited until the very. last. minute. Happy Mother’s Day everyone! xoxo

My husband and I placed an order for new bedroom furniture back in March from West Elm and have watched our delivery date go from 4-6 weeks to five months. We’ve received discounts to compensate for the inconvenience but all we really want is our new furniture and can’t wait for it to arrive!

I’m thrilled to see our room come together but the delay has made us impatient and we’ve even considered making our own. Take a look at this beautiful and insanely creative headboard made from a wood pallette by Stylizimo. With the right bedding and accessories it looks so chic!

While we try to decide if we can wait it out, I’ll be looking into more inventive ideas like this one. And speaking of amazing ideas, be sure to browse around on Stylizimo if you haven’t before, it’s a plethora of talent and inspiration!

With Easter almost here, Mother’s Day is soon to follow! I’ve updated my original Mother’s Day Door Hanger for 2011 and hopefully it’ll come in handy for a few of you.

Whether it’s a gift for yourself or someone you know, I’m sure everyone can appreciate a little down time this Mother’s Day. The best part, it’s a gift that keeps on giving; hang whenever a quite moment is needed and cherish those precious times! All you need to do is download, print, cut and hang! Happy early Mother’s Day!

CONDITIONS OF USE: All Twig & Thistle downloads are subject to our Terms & Conditions. Downloads are for personal, non-commercial use only. In addition please do not redistribute or modify any of the templates. If you’d like to link to the pdf, please link to this post directly. Thanks!

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I’m just head over heels for this charming bunny doll by Karen of Maggie Makes! Lucky for us she has a completely stellar tutorial on her blog. The instructions are super detailed and you’ll be up to your ears with dolls in no time!

Cute little bunny garland that can be cut and assembled quickly and would make a great last minute addition to any Easter celebration! Hat tip to Pinterest for the find, and link to Titatoni’s adorable site where you can get the download.

Titatoni is in German and so are the instructions but it looks fairly simple to follow. Can’t wait to give it try!

1.Paper-Maché Eggs and Basket 2.Botanical Eggs 3.Egg Pigs! 4.Paper Cutout Easter Eggs

5.Chocolate Eggs 6.Chocolate Cake with Phyllo Nest 7.Sugar Cookie Bunnies 8.Ganache Cake and Marbled Truffled Eggs

Hi Friends and happy Monday! I thought I’d start the week off with a DIY project that I created for larger events like weddings, showers or anything that requires multiple tables. Instead of traditional numbered cards I thought it would be fun to number the napkins instead. They make for a striking presentation that your guests are sure to remember. The template comes in black but can be easily customized by changing the color of the napkin.

Complete instructions and step-by-step photos after the break.

Materials Needed:
Cloth Napkins
3″ Circle Punch
Iron-on Transfers (light colored fabric)
Iron
Ink Jet Printer

I came across these covered books on Pinterest last week and fell in love! Liz Tamanaha of Paislee Press created these beautifully simple covers and shared a tutorial on her blog. I love how any book can get an elegant makeover with just a few easy steps. See the complete tutorial and get free downloadable labels here.

Even though I have bright red hair, I’m not the least bit Irish but that doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate St. Patricks Day like I am! This week I’ve got two DIY projects in honor of ol’ St. Pat and this first one is a sweet twist on a pot of gold.

Simply cut rice crispy treats into the shape of gold bars, wrap in parchment paper and gold foil and serve! Don’t worry about cutting them perfectly, once wrapped in the gold foil, they truly look like the real deal! Fun for a party, lunch boxes or even shimmering favors!

I’ve got a couple of fun DIY projects I did that I can’t wait to share with you but first, I wanted to show this adorable project by the talented ladies of One Charming Party.

Sara and Brittany purchased the clear bags from my Esty shop,  filled them with gold coins and dressed them up with a label. The cute “It’s your lucky day!” printable is available for download on their site and I’m told there are more St. Patrick’s Day goodies to come!

To kick things off here, I’m thrilled to finally share some projects I put together specially for the latest issue of Utterly Engaged! The goal was to create three projects that could be used during the wedding using mainly paper cups. I love the concept of taking inexpensive staples and transforming them into pretty wedding details. As we all know, weddings can add up quickly so finding ways to cut costs without it looking like it is a win win!

I ended up creating a simple wreath to be used during the ceremony or as decoration throughout the reception. By simply sliding the cups inside of eachother and securing with hot glue, this was a surprisingly easy craft.

For the second project, I wanted to create a centerpiece that would be both inexpensive and multi-purpose. I wrapped espresso cups in fabric and used them as planters for small plants. At the end of the event, guests could take these home and transfer them to their own gardens.

Lastly, 8oz. paper cups were dressed up with a simple paper wrap, filled with hot cocoa powder, marshmallows and adorned with a wooden spoon! Serve with hot water and encourage guests to warm up and take a cup home!

All the detailed instructions and more images can be found in the latest issue of Utterly Engaged along with a plethora of other amazing articles and contributions. Cheers!

My sister-in-law, Johanna, made the most adorable Valentine’s for her son’s class. These felt monkey finger puppets come complete with heart shaped faces, belly buttons and tails! They are just so stinkin’ cute and I had to share! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone and have a great weekend! xoxo