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!

If you’re looking for that little detail to make your 4th of July event perfect, Martha Stewart obviously has you covered. The magazine has generated a ton of ideas over the years and here are a few of my favorites. All of them are just impeccably done and would make a fine addition to any party.

1.4th of July Invitations 2.Berry Cupcakes 3.American Flag Tart 4.Patriotic Ice Cream Wrapper 5.Stars & Stripes Paper Cones

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, holiday or not! I’ll be taking an extra few days to enjoy the long weekend with friends and family and I’ll see you back here next week. xoxo

Check out these A-DOR-able Shirt & Tie gift boxes Kristen from Paper Crave put together! She’s even provided a downloadable template and full how-to instructions on her blog. This is such a sweet and clever idea that would be perfect for all kinds of gifts for dad. Happy crafting and Happy early Father’s Day everyone!

Today’s DIY craft is by Natalie Jost of Olive Manna and is so insanely brilliant! This is one of those ideas that I wish I’d thought of myself and it’s so incredibly easy that anyone can do it. On her blog, Natalie shares how to transform ribbon and fabric into tape and stickers. I’ve had a chance to play around a bit already and am having so much fun adorning things in textiles. Check out Natalie’s full post for complete directions and step-by-step photographs.

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!

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.

Abby was kind enough to post my latest DIY wedding project up on Style Me Pretty yesterday! These DIY Wedding Bags are perfect for favors, bridal showers, or for a midnight snack for dancing guests, the sky’s the limit with a little imagination. Head on over for the full details and a link to the PDF.  Also come back here tomorrow for a coordinating wedding favor, you won’t want to miss it!

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!

Create a simple and tasty brunch tablescape for Mother’s Day with these little fabric wrapped cheeses as a starter. All you’ll need is some fabric, a scalloped rotary cutter, waxed linen twine and enough Mini Babybel Cheeses for everyone. Place in the center of each plate and you’ll have instant decor and a delicious appetizer to get the meal started. Serve with flat crackers, bread and apple slices.

These little favors could easily be used for a bridal shower lunch or even a casual afternoon wedding! Just find a coordinating fabric and you’ve got an easy and inexpensive favor that everyone will enjoy!

Materials
Fabric
8″ Circle Template
Scalloped Rotary Cutter or Pinking Shears
Waxed Linen Twine
Mini Cheeses

Instructions
Download the 8″ Circle Template and cut out along dotted line. Use the template as as a guide to cut out each of the fabric rounds and use a scalloped rotary cutter or pinking shears to create a decorative edge.

Remove the plastic wrapper from mini cheese wheels but keep the wax wrapper intact. Place two mini cheese wheels in the center of the fabric and gather fabric up and around cheese. Tie shut with a piece of string or waxed linen thread and finish off with a bow!

It was so much fun to read all of your favorite Mom stories and see what everyone’s favorite tapes were. A big congratulations to the lucky winner Tong for winning our latest contest! She’ll recieve a combo pack of her choice along with another one to give to her Mother or friend! Shoot me a message with you choice and address and I’ll pass it along to the ladies at TapeSwell.

If you didn’t win, you’re still in luck! TapeSwell is offering a %15 discount now through May 15th by entering code: MDAY at checkout. Thanks for playing everyone and thanks to TapeSwell for the great giveaway!

There are few things that I love more than ice cream in waffle cones. It doesn’t take much convincing to go for a scoop so when I saw waffle butter cookies at Trader Joe’s I knew excatly what I had to do: ice cream sandwiches! They’re super easy to do and would make a great treat for Easter, just pick a pastel ice cream, sandwich it between waffle cookies and violá! Easter eggs! I used strawberry here but mint or sherbert would be cute too, honestly though, can you ever really go wrong when it comes to ice cream?

What you’ll need:
Carton of ice cream
Butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe’s
Round cookie cutter bent into an oval
Large knife
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Wax string

Directions:
Take your ice cream (the boxed kind works best) and cut off a 3/4″ thick slab, it doesn’t have to be exact just thinner than your cookie cutter. Next, use your cookie cutter and cut out ovals from the ice cream, set the ovals on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and put the sheet in the freezer to firm up.

While you wait, cut out 9.5″x2.5″ strips of parchment paper to use as holders for the finished product.

Once the ice cream has chilled for a bit, transfer to the cookies with a spatula. For a little extra sweetness, add decorative chocolate sprinkles; simply roll the edges through the sprinkles for an even coating.

For the final touch, wrap in parchment paper and secure with waxed thread or baker’s twine then freeze until ready to serve. Enjoy!

1. Forgot to wear some green? Spare yourself the pinches and pin on a charming Shamrock Boutonniere from Martha Stewart.
2.”Sip” on a clever Popcorn Ball “Beer” Treat by The Hostess with the Mostess.
3. Stratigically place a few green bell pepper slices on a plate for an instant festive and healthy snack. Via Martha Stewart
4. Whip up a few of these no-bake Mint Oreo Truffles for a sweet dessert from (of course) Bakearella.
5. Dress up a simple cupcake with this downloadable PDF cupcake topper from TomKat Studio on To Be Charmed.
6. Send Kristen of Domestifluff a few air kisses for sharing this downloadable mini “Kiss Me” notecard and be prepared to pucker-up yourself!

Happy and lucky St. Patty’s day to you all! Cheers!

Yummy and beautiful hot chocolate sticks, what more could you possible want? *sigh. It’s been a little on the cold side lately and these lovelies would make the days all that much warmer. The genius AmberLee of GiversLog came up with these and has step-by-step directions on how to make them. Bottoms up!

As promised here is the rest of the goodies for the DIY Oscar Party! I thought a candy tray would be a fun way to serve your guests and what Oscar party would be complete without a ballot! Mine are designed to let guests make their predictions and keep track during the ceremony. There is a place on the back to record the final score to help you pick a winner if you’re awarding a prize. Also note, not all categories are represented due to space constraints.

Candy Bag Toppers Download
Fill 3 5/16″x5 1/8″ cellophane bags (buy) with candy and staple in the center. Print out candy bag toppers onto solid sticker paper (found at office supply stores), cut to size, fold in half the long way and affix toppers to cellophane bags. Don’t have sticker paper? Just print onto cardstock paper and affix with double-sided tape.

Candy Tray
Inspired by the candy girls at Alt, I thought a candy tray would be a perfect touch to the party. All you need is a white tray and a length of red ribbon. Tie the ends of the ribbon together. The knot should rest behind your neck and the ribbon should go under the front of the tray. Then just fix the ribbon in place with strong tape or thumb tacks!

Ballot Download
Print double-sided onto 8.5×11″ card stock and fold in half length wise. Coordinate with red pens.

I love movies and with the Academy Awards coming up I thought it would be fun to make an DIY Oscar party. Here’s everything you need to throw your own! From invitations and ballots to popcorn and treat bags, just print, cut and enjoy!

Invitations Download
Print onto 8.5×11″ card stock, trim to size then use a 3/4″ hole punch to notch the corners.

Envelope Liners Download
Print onto 8.5×11″ paper, trim to size and afix with glue stick to the inside of an A7 envelope.

Popcorn Bags Download
Print directly onto white 5×7″ bags, available in my Etsy shop. If you don’t have an Ink Jet or if your printer doesn’t allow you to print odd formats, you could always print the label onto sticker paper (found at office supply stores) and post apply it to the bag.

Check back tomorrow for the ballots, candy bags and one other surprise!

Chocolate Strawberry Sandwiches by Lisa Wong Jackson of Good On Paper as seen on Mint. Yummers!

Love Chart Pouch from Inkbloom as seen on One Pretty Thing

Candy Orchard CD Packaging Kit by Ayako Akazawa of Chronicle Books

Conversation Candy Bar Wrappers from the lovely ladies at Nice Package

Love Coupon Matchbooks by Rachel of Benign Objects via Elephantine

My favorite starting point for ALL things craft, One Pretty Thing, has countless sources of other inspiration. Be sure to click on over and feast your eyes on all the goodies!

Aren’t these the most adorable barrettes you’ve ever seen?! I spotted this tutorial over on The Purl Bee and had to take note. Complete with thorough step-by-step instructions and fantastic photographs, this is one craft we could all learn how to do. I’ll hopefully be sporting one of these in my own hair soon!

Here’s a DIY for you if my other ones were a little too sweet for your tastes. There’s nothing like a gift that will remind your special someone of you twice a day! I can’t think of a better way to start your morning than with a sweet little love note. Simply wrap one of these tags around your loved one’s toothbrush and be prepared for smiles!

I spotted these adorable toothbrushes and they became the inspiration for this Valentine’s Day gift. You can find them online at amazon.com and Almanders Alley.

The template includes four sayings, a him and a her and a blank one for your own ideas.

Included sayings:

I’ve got a sweet tooth for you.
You’re too sweet for words.
You’re the toothpaste to my toothbrush.
You satisfy my sweet tooth.

Download the template here and enjoy!

Back by popular demand! These were a big hit last year and I’ve been getting tons of emails lately about them so I’ve made an updated version for 2010! Just download the file and print directly onto the paper bag. For more detailed instructions and other printing suggestions visit my previous post here. Once you’ve made the bags, fill with heart shaped brownies cut with a cookie cutter.

Last year one reader suggested that a wax paper or glassine bag be placed inside to preserve the craft bag. I loved the suggestion and incorporated it into these photos. To make the scalloped edge, simply cut tops of bags off using a rotary cutter and scalloped pinking blade.

Additionally, I now also carry the brown craft bags in my Etsy shop. Sold in packs of 25 they’re great for all sorts of crafts, gifts and little treats! Not a fan of the craft bag? I also stock them in white. I’ve got a few more Valentine’s Day goodies coming this week so be sure to check back often!

Psst! You can find those adorable straws over at Garnish! They come in red, blue and green – oh the possibilities!!!

*UPDATE! I completely spaced on the fact that the rest of the world writes their dates differently so please forgive my polarizing design. I’ve created another file which you can download here with the date 14.02.10. Apologies and please enjoy! xoxo, Kathleen

With only a few days left before Christmas, my list of projects that I can realistically complete in time is dwindling down. Luckily, the ever talented and generous Amy, of Eat. Drink. Chic., has created some very charming DIY crafts just in time. These projects are easy enough to make with the limited time left and yet you’ll look like you spent loads of cash and time with these beauties. Be sure to click over to Eat.Drink.Chic. and download each of these projects for yourself.

From top: Jumbo Gift Tag , Holiday Mail Stripes Tag, Holiday Treat Bag