DIY Greeting Cards

Here are some cards I recently made for a friend's silent auction + trivia night. If you're interested in attending, it'll be held at BalMar Cocktail Lounge in Seattle on March 5th at 7PM. $10 will get you in the door, and all proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

DIY Mini Terrariums

If you're looking for an easy, last-minute DIY gift, I'd highly recommend terrariums. They're aesthetically pleasing, affordable, and... who doesn't love plants? To make one, all you'll need is:

- Succulents and cacti. I found mine at Home Depot for $3-$4 each.
- A cute glass container. I found mine at Hobby Lobby for $10 each.
- Potting soil. You can find this at your local gardening supply store for $5-$10.

Remove the succulents and cacti from their respective containers, and simply re-pot them in your terrarium. If you're having trouble getting the soil to lay flat, add a few drops of water, and press down using a plastic spoon.

DIY Faux Cacti Place Cards

I'm guest posting over on A Fabulous Fete today! Check it out here.

Spring Pastels and Bling Birthday Party

I've been itching to throw a party for the longest time, because of all the inspiration I was getting from Pinterest. My birthday just so happened to be last Friday, so I used it as an excuse to do so.

In my opinion, the decorations are what make a party (besides the company, of course). I managed to spend a little over $20 on mine. Here is the breakdown:

Tissue paper for tassels (tutorial here): $1 for 40 sheets via Dollar Tree

Gold tinsel: $1 via Dollar Tree

Balloons, 6 total: $10 via Party City

Tablecloth: $1 via Dollar Tree

Flowers: $7 via Trader Joe's

Paper + Glitter for diamonds: Free (already had this stuff at my house)

Later in the night, my friends and I enjoyed a taco bar, and chocolate fondue. B also made the most amazing triple lemon cheesecake. I couldn't have asked for a better celebration! A part of me wishes I could do this more often, but I've already run out of excuses to throw a party. Sometimes I think about how fun it would be to be a party planner, or a prop stylist. There's no way I could pick up another hobby with everything I'm doing now, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't consider it for the future.

I've never liked the quote, "You can do anything, but not everything", because as Liz Lemon always said, "I can have it all."

Four Non-Traditional DIY Gifts for Valentine's Day

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things about Valentines Day was getting to make my own cards and gifts. Things haven't changed much, now that I'm an adult.

Here are 4 DIY gifts I plan to check out before next Friday:

1. Mini Heart Pinata
2. Cement Valentines
3. Glittering Cookie Sandwiches
4. Gold Foil Pots + Succulents

DIY Pom Pom Bouquet (using low-cost to free materials!)

It took me a while to decide on the theme I wanted for my office, but from the beginning I was sure of one thing. Whatever I decided to do, it was going to be extremely cheap.

I've been seeing pom pom bouquets on Pinterest for a while, and decided to try my hand at them. At first, I was set on multi-colored pom poms, but eventually found a better, and cheaper option. Don't laugh... but I had two pieces of macrame rope saved from a really nice shopping bag I threw out a few months back (I wish I could remember the store!). I unraveled them, and ended up with a bunch of really nice, thick string. Perfect for this project.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Tree branches, yarn or thick string, a hot glue gun, and scissors.

INSTRUCTIONS

Making the Poms

1. Prep your string in one of the following two ways: fold 2-4 feet of string in half over and over again -or- wrap the same amount of string around 2-3 fingers until you run out. Either way, you want to end up with a 2 inch segment.

2. Tie a separate string around the middle of your segment to prevent it from unraveling.

3. Cut the ends of your segment so that there aren't any "loops" (refer to the last photo in this post).

4. If you used string similar to mine, this would be the time to further unravel it, if needed. I found combing through the string to be helpful. If you used yarn, no further unraveling is necessary.

5. Fluff!

The Rest

Once you have your poms, glue them on to your branches with hot glue.

Tip: for a different look than what I did here, use short, straight branches without twigs sticking out of them, and only glue your poms to the tip of each branch. See example here.

DIY Instagram Photo Display (for $4 or less!)

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

- Floral wire or string/butcher's twine

- Depending on whether you use wire or string, you'll need pliers or scissors

- Two thumbtacks

- Instagram photos. View my tutorial here to learn how to print them with iPhoto!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place two thumbtacks 3-4 feet apart.

2. Measure out 3-4 feet of wire or string, leaving about 2-3 inches of slack.

3. Wrap/tie each end of string around a thumbtack.

4. Hang your photos! Since this was going to be in my office, I found it appropriate to use paper clips. Another option is to use clothespins. I've seen mini ones at both The Dollar Tree and Michael's.

Post any questions below. I'll help in any way I can!

How Save and Print Instagram Photos with iPhoto

What you'll need: 4"x6" photo paper, iPhoto.

Part 1: GET YOUR PHOTOS!
1. Go to your Instagram Webstagram webpage (this is different from your actual Instagram webpage) by searching "[insert your Instagram username here] Instagram". It should be the 2nd or 3rd option in the results. Make sure the link begins with WEB.STAGRAM.COM...

2. You'll notice you can't right click to save the images. When the images are viewed in a list, you'll also notice that in the corner of each photo, it says [T | M | L] aka "tiny", "medium" and "large". Click on the L, to get the largest version of your photo. This will open the photo in a format you can save.

3. Right click, and SAVE to your desktop and drag it into iPhoto, or SAVE directly into iPhoto.


Part 2: PRINT THEM!
1. Open iPhoto.

2. Double click on the icon of the image you want to print.

3. Go to FILE, PRINT, and click on CONTACT SHEET

4. Change the paper size and type to 4"x6" photo paper, then click CUSTOMIZE. Refer to the image below if you're confused.

5. Once in the CUSTOMIZE window, go to SETTINGS. Uncheck TITLE to get rid of the caption.

6. Next, look for the scale below the photo labeled COLUMNS. Drag the ticker all the way to the left, until it says "1", on the right side. Refer to the image below if you're confused.

7. Hit PRINT, and then PRINT again.



8. Once the photos are printed, you can trim the white edges around your photo to your liking (I used a paper cutter to get extra straight lines), and voila! You've got your printed Instagram photos!

Have questions? Leave them in the comments, and I'll help in any way I can.

Stay tuned for a tutorial on how to make an Instagram photo display. Coming next week!

DIY Macrame Wall Hanging

As some of you know, I recently started a new job, where I was given my own office. Aside from the work itself, one of the things I was most excited about was getting to decorate. After extensive brainstorming and research, I decided on a natural, bohemian, playful theme.

Going with the bohemian theme is this DIY macrame wall hanging. I want to take a moment to say 'thanks' to my friends K1, K2, and their dad for helping me out a -ton- with this project.

We used this tutorial with the following alterations:

-- I got my rope from Home Depot. It was kind of pricey ($18 for 200'), and hard to work with because of how slick it was. Something I didn't know was that they actually make something called "macrame rope", which is much softer, easier to work with, and actually intended for this kind of stuff. You can get it at your local craft store for under $5. I highly recommend going with this option.

-- Instead of finishing off the ends of the wall hanging with double hitch knots, we opted for fishtail braids for a more unique, feminine look.

-- To better achieve the vibe I was going for, I added a fake fern, and a few mini daisies.

scissors via Amazon, tools via Home Depot, flowers via Micheal's

6 Creative (And Easy!) Ways to Wrap Your Gifts

images via 1/ 2/ 3/ 4

Something I love just as much as handmade gifts is customized gift wrap. With the holidays right around the corner, I've been experimenting a lot with different materials and styles. In this post, you will find some of my favorites!

1. Add a spruce garnish. I originally heard about this idea via my friend K, who will be wrapping all of her presents this way, this year!
2. Baker's twine. This stuff has really grown on me. I especially love it when paired with parcel paper.
3. A mug. This would work well for flowers (both real and fake), chocolates, t-shirts, and other small things.
4. Newsprint. I used to do this all the time. You can also use book pages... but then again, who would want to rip up a book?
5. Ribbon. As seen in the picture below, you can go crazy... or stay simple.
6. If you don't feel like using a traditional gift wrapping bow (you know, those ones that have been around forever), try making your own paper pom. There's a tutorial below. Just click on the link marked "6"!

Happy Crafting!

images via 5/ 6

DIY: Gold-Dipped Seashells

card: Confetti Splendor on ETSY //candle: Small Gunns //tea towel: Little Korboose

Something I look forward to each year is visiting Laguna with G and his family. We usually take 3-4 days in September to spend time with his grandparents, and relax. The house we stay at is right on the beach, so naturally, we spend a majority of the trip playing in the ocean, and soaking up the sun. 

This year, G and I decided to do some seashell hunting. We were lucky to find two giant ones: an albacore, and a spiral-looking one, in addition to a few smaller ones, but unfortunately, a lot of the smaller ones lost their shine after being rinsed off.

With the free time I had today, I decided to spruce them up with some gold paint and a color-blocking technique I've been seeing all over Pinterest. Read on to learn more about the technique, and how it can be applied to almost any object.

TOOLS: shells (in my case), painter's tape, gold paint (I used multi-surface metallic paint by Martha Stewart Crafts), and a paintbrush. STEPS: 1. Tape the part of your shells you don't want the paint to be on. Important: be sure the tape is tightly sealed, all the way around your object. 2. Apply 2-3 coats of gold paint. 3. Let dry. 4. Peel the tape off very slowly to reveal your gold-dipped treasure!


Typically, it's easier to do the color-blocking technique on objects with fewer nooks and crannies, but with a little patience, anything can be "dipped in gold." Other objects this technique can be useful for: -- Large beads -- Wooden utensils -- Paint/makeup brush ends

Coffee Filter Flowers

During week's Crafternoon, my friends and I made coffee filter flowers (tutorial here). Under the instruction of my craftiest friend, K, we were able to successfully create beautiful, immortal white peonies and dahlias. When they were all finished, I couldn't help but to think of one of the only Taylor Swift songs, where she sings a line about coffee-- 'Holy Ground'. The lyrics may not make sense to you in the context of this DIY, but for me, they serve as a tribute to my idol.

A little tip regarding the flowers: in the tutorial I mentioned above, the lady recommends using a stapler to keep the coffee filters together after you've created the flower. I found it helpful to use hot glue in between every 2-3 layers, instead.

DIY: Animal Jars

For this week's Crafternoon, K and I made these animal jars. I've been eyeing tutorials on Pinterest for quite some time now, but was unsure as to what I would use them for. Coincidentally, K had all the supplies, so we went for it. They turned out much cuter than I predicted, and the one that I made is now sittin' pretty on the bookshelf in my room. Read on to find out how to make your very own animal jar.

TOOLS: empty jars, glue (we used hot glue, but if you wish to use something stronger, I'd recommend super glue or E-6000), plastic animals, and paint (we used Martha Stewart's Multi-Surface Acrylic Craft Paint in 'Gold').

STEPS:
1. Clean each jar and lid set. I find that Windex works really well for removing sticky residue.
2. Glue one animal on to each jar lid.
3. Paint 2-3 coats on to each animal+lid. Wait approximately 5 minutes between each coat.
4. After the paint has completely dried (for the type of paint that we used, this takes about 1-2 hours), screw the lid back on to the jar... and you're done! If you used hot glue, do not twist the lid back on to the jar while holding on to the animal, as hot glue does not tend to have a very strong bond to smooth metals and plastics.