On Sunday I hosted the first Crafternoon of the year! This month’s project was to make foam stamps then use them to decorate cotton tote bags. I planned on having the party in our backyard, since we recently got a large brick paver patio installed. The weather was’t cooperating, so we started outside and about half way through the party has to relocate into our not-so-spacious home. Everyone was a huge help moving everything so quickly as the rain came (again).
I made everyone name tags so they could get acquainted. I used scraps and supplies I had on hand, and I love the way they came out. So much, that I will try to make a tutorial this week!
I made simple table decorations by reusing (clean) metal cans. I simply spray painted them white, then wrapped a piece of washi tape around them. Filled with some water and a couple fresh cut daisies. After the party, I placed these little cans of flowers throughout the dining and living room. They might become a more permanent fixture. There’re really cute, don’t you think?
Who doesn’t love party favors? For the crafty kid in us, I made little take home cross stitch kits. I will post the pattern and direction cards soon.
Here’s one of the tables right before we started and the rain came!
Everyone brought delicious sweet and savoy treats!
Once the rain started, we moved inside… and just kept crafting!
Here are a few of the bags that were made. I love how each one is so different! Thanks so much to everyone that came. I had a lovely little Crafternoon with you!
What would you like to make next Crafternoon? Please comment and let me know.
If you walk around the mall or peak at Pinterest you may have noticed a new trend in the color—neon brights paired with natural hues. I’m loving the juxtaposition of the heavily saturated hues with organic textures. I thought I would bring a little neon into our kitchen so I painted the handles of wooden kitchen utensils.
There were really easy to make and only cost a couple dollars. Here’s what you’ll need to DIY:
• Masking or painters tape
• Wood kitchen utensils (I got all of these bamboo utensils at HomeGoods for a couple dollars)
• Acrylic paint in neon colors plus white
• Paint brush (a small foam one works great)
Place a piece of tape around the handle or wherever you want the colored section to end. Use the white paint and paint a base coat on the wooden utensil. Allow this to dry completely (if you’re impatient like I am, use a hair dryer to dry it in seconds) then paint the white area with the neon paint. You will need to apply 2-5 coats of the neon paint, depending on the color.
This would be a great, super affordable gift to give! I think it would make a lovely host/hostess gift, or a great house warming gift. Happy kitchen crafting!
Here’s another practical gift that is perfect for newly wed friends and foodies alike. Stenciled monogram tea towels (also know as kitchen or hand towels) are very cheap to make and look lovely in the kitchen. I used the freezer paper stencil method (explained below) with acrylic paint mixed with a fabric medium. The fabric medium allows the paint to set and be washable. You can also use fabric paint, and save some money.
These would also be a perfect hostess gift you give to your friend or family member who is hosting the holiday dinner. The would be an adorable wrapping “paper” for a small loaf cake. Don’t be overwhelmed with the length of supplies or directions. This is a supper simple craft!
Supplies:
• Tea towels (I purchased these towels at Ikea for $.79 each!)
• Fabric paint
OR
• Acrylic paint and fabric medium (like this one, I had both)
• Foam brush or medium size paint brush
• Freezer paper (can purchase this at any grocery store)
• Printer
• X-Acto Knife
• Iron
Directions:
1. Print out the letters or initials using a word processing program. I recommend using a font that is pretty thick and not a script, as a script font will be harder to cut out. I used this font (I’m obsessed with it right now!)
2. Place the paper with the printer letter under a piece of freezer paper that is about 2″ larger than the letter. Make sure the shinny side of the freezer paper is facing down.
3. Using a pencil or sharpie marker, trace the letter (you will be writing on the matte side of the freezer paper).
4. Remove the print out then using your x-acto knife, carefully cut along the outline of the letter. If using a letter such as A, B, D, you will also need to cut out the “inside” of the letter. Keep the “inside” of the letter. you will need this for the stencil.
5. Iron your tea towel to smooth out any wrinkles. Then place the freezer paper stencil with the shinny side down on top of the tea towel wherever you would like the monogram to be. Iron the stencil onto the towel. Make sure you not use any steam or spray while ironing the stencil onto the towel.
6. Paint inside of the stencil then allow to dry. After it is dry, add a second coat if necessary. Then remove the stencil once it is completely dry.
7. Using a dry iron, iron over the monogram to heat set the image. Then you’re ready for gifting!
I made another video tutorial! This one shows you how to make an ombre painted pumpkin. Ombre is popping up everywhere—in fashion, home decor, and design. Why not put it on a pumpkin?
Like many of you, our home is full of a few Ikea staples. You know, classics like the Malm dressers and Expedit cubes. Recently, I have been thinking about how I can remake a few of those pieces. With a little research, I found that others have “hacked” their trusty Ikea pieces and made them into beautiful furniture. I love the idea of using wallpaper to add pattern and texture to the dresser. And Anthropologie drawer pulls would be awesome! If you own Ikea furniture, what are some tips for making them one-of-a-kind?
Shortly after we moved into our home, we painted the foyer and living room. I have always loved wallpapered foyers, however, our walls are a bit too uneven for wallpaper. So I decided to use the paint color we used in the den and paint 10″ horizontal stripes in the entry way. I have to say we absolutely love it and we always get compliments from guests the first time the enter our home!
I’m thinking of replacing the table shown above with this shoe cabinet from Ikea and painting the mirror white. What do you think?
The paint colors used are Behr Ultra Parachute Silk and Ivory Lace in eggshell finish.
We just finished my home office and we are nearly done with our den (photos coming soon). That leaves 2 more rooms in the house to tackle: the guest room and the master bedroom. Today’s post is a little visual guide I put together for the guest room. I fell in love with the bedding, however, I’m not to sure how it’s going to look with the other things in the room. What do you think?
Hi there, I'm Sarah and I love creating things! Read my thoughts on design, craft, food, fashion, photography and color. Hopefully you'll be inspired to make things and encourage others to create.
