Currently viewing the tag: "DIY"
I made this pretty and easy coffee filter garland for a recent Ladies Who Brunch that I hosted. The puffs are delicate and elegant. The garland can be customized to suit your special occasion and would look great at a wedding! I found that dipping them in multiple different colors created a soft ombre look.
Coffee Filter Garland
Adopted from Martha Stewart Weddings
Supplies:
Small containers
Rubber gloves
Food coloring or powdered dye
Coffee Filters
Baker’s twine or fishing line
How-To
1. Squeeze several drops of food coloring into a bowl of water big enough to dip your coffee filters in or prepare your dye bath according to package directions. I suggest using rubber gloves, especially if you are using dye.
2. Dip coffee filters, multiple at a time, into the dye until they are saturated. I didn’t dip them all the way in and let the dye bleed up a little to give an ombre look. You can also dip in more than one color. Gently press the extra liquid out of them.
3. Let dry.
4. Stack 12-18 together, and connect the layers by pulling a needle and thread through the center. Use your fingers to fluff up the edges like rosettes.
5. String the puffs on fishing line or baker’s twine and tie knots on either side to keep them in place.
Ever since I bought this canning kit from Costco, I’ve been excited for fall because it means it’s time for applesauce! Canning applesauce is much easier than it sounds. The recipe is simple and having the right equipment is important. If you don’t have the equipment or a pot big enough to make a water bath, you can still make the recipe and keep it in the fridge.
Canning Applesauce – Recipe
Recipe from my mom!
Makes about 6 quart jars
Ingredients:
Enough washed, peeled and quartered apples to fill two large saucepans – about 1/2 bushel
3 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
Mason jars
Canning Lids (new)
Canning Bands
Water bath
Other things that will make life easier:
Canning kit (with funnel, lid lifter and jar lifter)
Directions:
1. Simmer all ingredients until mushy, about 1 hour. Stir frequently.
2. While the apples are simmering, wash mason jars in hot, soapy water and let dry.
3. Place the rings and lids in a small saucepan and boil.
4. Use a funnel to pour hot apple mix into mason jars. Seal with boiled rings and lids – tighten as much as possible! Of course, this will be hot, so use a towel or oven mits to protect your hands.
5. Fill your water bath full enough to cover all the jars, plus 1 1/2 inches. Add applesauce jars and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1 hour.
6. Remove the jars from the water bath and let cool on a counter. You should hear a “pop” when the lids invert and seal the applesauce.
Note: If you don’t have canning supplies, the applesauce will keep in the fridge for a few weeks without boiling!
I’m back with another easy greeting card idea. I had some girlfriends over for Ladies Who Brunch and I used these cards as an invite for the fall-themed gathering. I wanted to do something special and nothing makes someone feel special like a handmade card in the mail!
To make these fall leaf watercolor cards, I used a white crayon to outline a leaf shape. For stencils, I used fallen leaves that I collected. I then brushed watercolors over the front of the card. That’s it!
I slipped a separate paper into the card with all the invite info on it and intentionally left the card blank. I encouraged all of the girls to re-use the card and pass it on. That way two people get the warm fuzzies of receiving real mail.
These watercolor cards can be adapted for any occasion with any shapes or messages. I’m already planning to write “Thank You” and “Just a Note” in fancy handwriting – I just need to develop some fancy handwriting first, of course! It would also be fun to a Christmas tree or a turkey. This is also a great project to do with kids.
P.S.: Check out some more of my greeting card ideas here, here and here.
Today I want to share with you a DIY card idea that you can do in minutes. It’s almost ridiculous how quick and easy it is. All you need for the project is a circle punch and some cardstock.
Punch out circles in various colors that complement your cardstock. I used paint chips that I had swiped from our local hardware store. I chose some fall-themed colors this time but I have made them in almost every color combination you can think of! Glue them on your cardstock in any pattern you choose.
For a finishing touch, I embossed “Thank You” on the card.
These got sent off to the doctors who wrote me letters of recommendation for residency. I also made each of them a bag of pumpkin pie granola, which I will share pictures and a recipe for soon!
It was so great to have a weekend off of studying. I can’t believe it’s only 9 days until I take my licensing exam! To procrastinate, I’ve been cooking and baking up a storm and I can’t wait to share what I’ve been up to! Do you anything special planned for Halloween?
P.S.: Check out some more of my greeting card ideas here and here.
After weeks of silence on the blog, I’m so excited to unveil what has been occupying my time. And for once, it’s not school! My fiancé, Pat, is an amazing photographer. He’s booked a few weddings and engagement sessions through friends and family, but word of mouth can only get you so far when you don’t have an online portfolio. We’ve talked about him taking the next step in his business for a long time and creating a website.
I recently had my first taste of self-hosting and blog design with this blog, as I transferred from wordpress.com to wordpress.org and signed up for GoDaddy web hosting. Here is the final product, I hope you’ll check out Pat’s site and consider booking him for your special day!
Patrick H. Photography:
Now that things have quieted down with school, I finally had time to DIY the silverware that drew attention in this post. I wanted to do something that tied in the burlap and gold with bright blue accents.
These was a pretty easy project that I’m sure you can figure out without directions. I just took a paintbrush and some gold glitter glue, like this, and brushed a few coats onto the end of the silverware. I did two coats to cover the last third of the stem and one coat over then entire stem for an ombre effect. You can do any color or design to make it perfect for your event!
P.S. – Don’t forget to enter the Tom’s Giftcard giveaway that I’m holding!
Here are some great links for disposable silverware:
- Modern Lola
- Amazon
- Eco Gecko
I love reading (looking at?) fashion blogs like Pink Peonies and Atlantic-Pacific, but the idea of doing my own outfit posts had never crossed my mind until this week. For one, I don’t shop often enough to have new outfits to share. Secondly, I am not terribly photogenic and the idea of flashing my awkward mug all over the interwebs just seemed a little ridiculous.
Why did that change, you ask? A few weeks ago I made a skirt out of a pair of white pants that I never wear. Then, I got inspired to try to do an ombre/ dip-dye look. I was so stinkin’ happy with the result and wanted to find a way to share it. Pat agreed to take some snaps of me looking awkward modeling in the park behind our house. Luckily, Pat is incredibly patient and talented – he managed to make me look halfway decent!
Dip Dye Ombre Skirt
Note: This is a good project to do outside on a nice day because it can get pretty messy!
You will need:
Garment
Rit or other fabric dye in the color of your choice
Bucket
Salt
Laundry detergent
Clothespins
Disposable gloves
1. Using gloves, prepare dye bath following package directions. I doubled the amount of dye powder that the recipe called for because my pail was too small to hold enough water and I didn’t want to waste half a packet.
2. I’ve seen some sites fashion a wooden rod to suspend the article over the dye bath, but I am too impatient and not skilled enough for such things, so I just held it skirt over the dye bath. First, I held just the first inch of the skirt in the dye bath for about 15 minutes, until it became the dark purple color you see at the bottom. I think this is an advantage to doubling the dye concentration, as it is quicker and easier to get a deeper color. Note: You may want to do a test or scrap fabric to see what color your water is. I had a leftover pant leg that I used for this purpose.
3. I used some extra fabric to soak up some of the dye concentration so the purple wasn’t so dark before I dyed any more of the skirt.
4. Next, I very quickly dipped the skirt in the dye bath up to 1 inch below the distance that I wanted purple.
5. Lastly, I dipped the skirt slowly in and out of the dye back to fill in the gradient you see between the lightest and darkest parts. Each time I dipped a little less of the skirt in the dye bath.
6. Lastly, I dipped the skirt all the way up to the entire part that I wanted dyed. Because you have used up some of the dye to do the rest of the skirt, the water will be slightly lighter than in step 4.
7. Gently wring out only the area that is covered with dye and hang to dry using the clothespins. Make sure this is in an area where the colored drips won’t stain anything – like outside!
8. When the skirt has been hanging for at least a few hours, rinse with cold water until it the water turns clear, holding the garment so that the colored water doesn’t run over the non-dyed portion. A garden hose or laundry sink is good for this part, if you have one.
9. Hang the garment up with clothes pins again and let dry completely.
P.S. – I thought about doing a tutorial about how I turned an old pair of white jeans into a skirt, but it seemed like too much work when it’s so nicely explained here.
Tank: J. Crew | Skirt: DIY | Bracelet: This post (Similar here) | Watch: Gruen (Similar here)
Every time I log onto the J. Crew website or get one of their emails, I immediately want to purchase every last thing. Their looks are so stylish yet accessible and versatile! Unfortunately, I am not made of money and don’t have unlimited closet space, so purchasing one of every thing is not in the cards for me. I’m always looking for a way to get some of their looks with pieces I already own or can make myself. When I got an email a few weeks ago featuring this wrap around fabric bracelet, I knew I could make something very similar without the $22.50 price tag.
Here is what I did:
J. Crew Wrap around Bracelet DIY
You will need:
Scrap fabric – I used an old H&M top (100% cotton) I had in the Goodwill pile.
Thread in a matching color
Sewing machine (see below for a no-sew option)
Safety pin or chopstick
Needle
1. Cut your fabric of choice into 2 inch strips. Longer strips are better, but you can always sew multiple short pieces together.
2. If you have a sewing machine, fold your strips in half with the pattern side in. Sew a straight stitch along the cut edge to make a fabric tube. Turn the tube right side out with a safety pin or chopstick. (For an example, check this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn3YY4KYD9E). Repeat with as many tubes as you’d like to make the bracelet length of your choice. I had enough to make a total of about 6 feet of tubing.
3. Sew your multiple tubes made in step 2 together to make one long tube. To do this, I just sewed straight across and trimmed the edges to about 1/4 inch.
4. Fold the tube in half and make a knot at the fold to create a loop big enough to stuff a knot through to create a clasp.
5. Have a friend hold the loop or tack it to something sturdy and twist the two tubes together. Tie a knot at the end.
6. To make sure the twist didn’t unwind. I took a needle and did a simple hand stitch the length of the bracelet weaving in and out of each side connecting the two strands together. I did this very quickly, doing about one stitch every inch or so.
7. Wrap around your wrist, put the knot through the loop and you’re set!
Alternative No-Sew Method: If you don’t have a sewing machine, you can try to dampen the cloth strips and twist them together. This will result in a thinner bracelet with a bit more frayed ends, but generally the same result!
If any part of my instructions were unclear, please let me know and I will try to clarify!
P.S. – Check back on Friday, I’ll be doing a DIY post on the purple ombre skirt I’m wearing!
Even though our wedding is a year away, since I’m DIY-ing as much of it as I can, I’m getting started early. This weekend, I tackled our wedding tableware. To decrease costs and hassle, we’re using disposable plates. Despite this, I wanted them to be unique. I dressed them up a little with this easy DIY. I plan to repeat the process with cups as well.
DIY Gilded Plates
Materials:
Clear plastic plates
Protective gloves and mask
Gold spray paint – I tried numerous types and the Krylon Short Cuts is the only one that really worked. Many others have something added to them to give a “gold leaf” texture. This doesn’t look as nice for some reason.
Painter’s Tape – A thicker size, like 2 inches, will make your life easier
Glade Press ‘n’ Seal Cling Wrap
1. Press painter’s tape firmly on the ***underside*** of your plate. (*Important – don’t spray paint the side of the plate that people will eat off of!)
2. Cover the side you don’t want sprayed with press ‘n’ seal wrap. You can reuse one piece for many plates
3. Spray exposed part of plate with an even coat of spray paint
4. Remove cling wrap and let dry
5. Gently remove painters tape
I’ll feature the matching cups in a future post!
I came home today to a stack of tree stump cuts that will be repurposed into cake stands! Pat snagged these from a nearby business that had just cut down a tree.
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