Project Wedding: DIY Invitations

Is it us or does it feel like the months are flying by? Our wedding is about three months away now and - it's crunch time. We are making almost everything, and our invitations were no exception. It was really fun to make these and I think it sets the tone for the overall handmade feel we plan to create. It was super simple and total cost was less then $100. If you are looking for an affordable way to send invites that show a lot of love and character, this is the way to go. Here is what I did, but the options are endless.

I designed four pages to our invites which include: the invitation, an FYI page, a response card, and a page that gives all the info. of our wedding page from Appy Couple (more on that later!). I just played around with different doodles that became the layout for each page. I made a master set of all four squares, got them copied, and did a quick watercolor wash over them (yes. e v e r y  single one of them. I adore the added detail and the finished product. It was definitely worth it). We absolutely loved the prints we ordered from origrami a while back, and we thought they would be a perfect fit for the front page of our invites (also the reason for the size of the pages I created). I wanted to add something to the instagram photo because it just seemed a little boring, so I used the A Beautiful Mess App to write one of our favorite song lyrics from the amazing Me and Mr.Cassidy (seriously check them out) on the front of them, uploaded it to origrami, and wah-la - polaroid like photos to top them off! We wrapped them in a doily and sent them off in our hand made magazine paper envelopes. We included an envelope in every invite to send the response card back in, and a gold heart to seal them up. We also added a little note, incase anyone got confused on what exactly the other envelope inside was for ;)

It was so fun to make these and something really special I hope everyone really appreciates. We are putting a lot of love and hard work into this wedding, and we couldn't be happier with how it's turning out.

Make: A travel kit

Last week we had friends come and visit from Wyoming who we've really been missing. It was a short visit, but the time we were able to spend together was fun and much needed. They were only here four short days and then made the flight back. I wanted to put something together for the trip back and for them to enjoy at home. I found this Travel Tic-Tac-Toe diy that I modified a little bit to keep them busy on their flight home or in the airport, and these diy Handwarmers that I also tweaked a little for them to take back for the cold Wyoming winter. I had to add in some publix cookies, because here in Florida, we are very devoted and loyal to the amazing Publix (which, fyi, is in fact the best grocery store ever.) and when someone leaves Florida and doesn't have one near by, we feel their pain, are sad for them, and don't know how they survive (this may be a tad bit of an exaggeration, but really we are devoted). I put it all together in a little bag and added a little safe travels airplane, which I plan on making more of. I have some fun ideas brewing about little gifts like this. Also, this is apart of 24 by 24, which I am slacking on posting about, but have completed quite a few. So, yeah.  

A date night in blanket fort

A couple weeks ago Dj and I celebrated eight years together. Maybe as the wedding gets closer I'll do a full love story recap. of how it all started, but anyways I was trying to think of something fun to do. We are both always going going going, and we really needed a nice quiet place for the two of us to just be. Dj isn't to fond of constantly going out to eat (because we have hardly any sweet little restaurants that have really good food) So I was thinking and thinking and bam- blanket fort. When I was growing up my house almost always had one. My mom would let me grab anything and everything I needed to construct these massive forts. I loved making tunnels and secret passages and different levels, but for this one I had to simplify (mainly because there was not enough blankets and sheets, which my inner child was not happy about) It was really simple and there really is no rhyme or reason, you just build. Grab every sheet, blanket, pillow, clothes pin, thumbtack, and heavy book stack and attach to anything you can: ceiling, wall, nearby shelf, ... dress form (can you tell those are the things I used) but really it can be anything, couch, chairs, table, etc. It's such a simple and sweet gesture that will make anyone from five to a hundred happy to crawl into and lounge around in. 

 We had such a fun night eating pizza and ice cream, dreaming about the future, and just getting to stop and spend some quality time together. He was so excited about the fort and I was just as excited he liked it. It's still up because it's to fun to take down, but eventually we will have too. I want a permanent  little corner lounge area to take it's place when we do deconstruct it, but I'm still dreaming up ideas. Have you built any adventure forts lately? I would love to see them! Or any permanent lounge ideas!

DIY: Embroidery hoop watercolor mobile

There's an island in the middle of our kitchen and it's been begging for something above it, and since I've been really digging watercolors (and I've thrifted way more embroidery hoops then I know what to do with) a watercolor mobile was the perfect fix for a boring kitchen island spruce up. It was really simple and I love how unique each one came out, and it's instant gratification because it takes no time at all. Also, who knew coffee filters make perfect sun catchers when watercolored, besides most kindergardeners? 

1. Gather your supplies. I used coffee filters, different size embroidery hoops that would fit the coffee filter, and various watercolors. 2. Put the coffee filter into the embroidery hoop just like you would with a piece of fabric. 3. Now for the fun part, use whatever color watercolors you want. Don't be scared to mix and match, blend them together, and just have fun. (I clearly did a mixture of the three) 4. Trim the edges off the coffee filter with scissors. 5. Grab some hooks and your preferred string and hang them to your hearts content. When putting in the hooks you can just screw them right into your desired surface, and if you can't; drill a pilot hole and then screw them in. When I was hanging I just decided on the lengths I wanted as I went, and then trimmed off the extra. 6. That's it- easy peasy! I am planning to change what's going on above the island every so often, but for now I am really happy with this little installation. What are some ways you've brought in color lately (or obsessively used watercolors, because seriously if you haven't used them in a while. DO IT. )

A watercolor print

The last couple of days I've been working on a project for my very best friend while she was away at her  Thirty-One conference. It was the perfect print to help complete her wall of random, and the perfect quote she came up with that really describes both of us to the T. It was simple and fun to make, and I love how natural and organic the outcome is. I grabbed some watercolors, watercolor paper, and letter stickers I had laying around and started laying out my quote (be sure to press firmly down on your letters so they don't start peeling up on the corners).

I tried not to let my brush get to wet while I was going over the letters because the water was starting to seep underneath. I also lightly went over the letters as to not move them accidentally and get paint where my letter should have been.

After I painted the whole paper I peeled up my letters and hung it! I really like how this came out and I can't wait to make more prints like this one. What are some fun ways you've experimented with making your own quote prints?

Repurposed Jeans: American Flag

So, I made dj this flag for his birthday (last thursday) and I had to do it secretly in one day. It was really fun, and obviously is not perfect, but I really dig it. I wanted it to look kind of ragged and worn and I didn't want any of the stripes to be perfect. All I did was cut strips out of two pairs of jeans, cut out the back pocket, and cut stars and the USA (which I traced from a cookie cutter) from the inside of the front pockets, and sewed em' together. For added fun, I used the waistband of one of the pairs of jeans and just sewed it along the edges to look like the "binding" of a real flag. Dj was so excited when he saw this, it made my heart smile. I love making him a handmade gift to go along with almost every occasion because it really adds a personal touch and a little more love to the gift, ya know?  What are some special things you've made for someone? ps. This could technically be part of my 24 by 24, right?

24 by 24: Mini Dreamcatcher DIY.

I'm still chuggin' along on my 24 by 24 (slow and steady wins the race, right?) and this one I whipped up for Dj's sister. She wanted a mini dreamcatcher to hang from the rearview mirror in her car. This was a quick spur of the moment idea, and turned out pretty sweet. I want to try a full scale one soon! 

1. I grabbed the thickest wire I had on hand to make sure it held it's shape (you could use any small round object or thicker wire) and doubled it up to make it a bit more sturdy. Then I wrapped the wire around one of the sides to bundle it together. 2. Cut the wire with little snips or a heavy duty scissor. 3. Choose whatever you would like to wrap around the circle to hide the wire. I used some thin lace and just twirled it around until the wire was not showing through. Be sure to keep a tight wrap going or you'll have some loose spots. 4. I just made a little loop and tied a knot with the extra lace I was wrapping with to make the hanging part, but you could always tie another piece of string, elastic, etc. Then I tied the bottom part of it in a knot so it wasn't such a big loop. 5. I had a vintage doily on hand, so I cut it free from the others. Be careful not to cut off any pieces from the one you're using. 6. Using a embroidery needle, I weaved thin yarn (you could use string) through the little holes around my doily piece. I just weaved it in, wrapped it around, and continued until I weaved it through all the holes. 7. I decided to weave the needle and yarn around the edges so it added a little more detail. I just weaved it in and out of the little triangle pattern I made in step 6. 8. Grab the extra pieces of yarn and lace and cut them into different lengths. Then knot them to the bottom of your dreamcatcher. I added some metal circle charms I had on hand to the bottom of all the pink ones. You could add different charms, feathers, beads, etc. 

Don't be afraid to experiment with your patterns and just go with the flow, dream catchers aren't made to be perfect. They are supposed to be unique and fun! Post links to your dreamcatchers, I would love to see what ideas you came up with!

DIY plant box

We have this sweet little bay window above the sink area in our kitchen that's been begging for something to fill it. In an effort to add more greenery around the house and create something we both would love, we decided to create our own plant box. It was super simple and can be customized to any size or length you needed it to be. We fashioned ours to completely fit the window sill, but it can be tailored any way needed. It's a great way to bring in color and add a little handmade to your home (indoors or out!) and it cost us about five bucks for the wood and the plants cost us about ten bucks so all in all fifteen dollars gives you your very own plant box. All we used were two 1x4" eight foot long planks of wood and some nails. Simple simon. 

First we cut the planks to the size we needed for our windowsill. (sides: 28 1/2" x width of the board \\ end pieces: 3 1/2" x width of the board \\ bottom: 27" x width of the board)

 

and then we cut the dividers (2 3/4" x width of the board). We measured them out according to the size of the plants we were placing in each section, so that will vary. We nailed the ends in first, then the sides and then the middle pieces (when nailing the middle pieces we just did it on the sides and the bottom because we were going for a more rustic handmade look. If you want a sleek look without the nails, you could probably use wood glue, [but don't quote me on that ;)] ) 

 

 

Once everything was all nailed together we drilled some holes in the bottom for drainage. Planting cacti and succulents is probably the safest bet in this box (unless the plants are being set in planters or pots and then placed into the slots) because there won't be an abundance of water and they won't need to be watered as often which means less drainage and sitting water. When placing whichever plant's you choose, be careful when taking them out of whatever they are potted in (especially with cacti). We used gloves so we didn't get pricked and carefully squeezed the side of the plastic pots to loosen the dirt. We also bought some fertilizer soil especially for cacti and put that in with the dirt they were originally potted in. We really enjoy these little lively cacti brightening up our kitchen, and adding a little green around our home... and the fact that they are pretty hard to kill (just incase your thumb isn't so green)

What are some of your favorite DIY planters? I can't wait to add more!

Diy letter: stripes + polka dots

Our home is coming together lately, and I am really enjoying all the handmade touches that we have made. It is important to have a little bit of your creativity alive in your home. So today I added a little color and pattern to a J that's been patiently awaiting the chance to be brought to life. 

1. You will need a large paper mache letter (I got mine from JoAnn Fabrics) 2. Tape off how wide you want your stripes to be, I approximated, but you could measure. I used some washi tape, but you could use painters tape just as well. 3. Paint in the taped off area with your paint color and wait a couple of minutes, do a second thick coat, and wait about ten minutes more for it to dry. Slowly peel off the tape. 4. I added some polka dots (because I am obsessed) to the stripes using gold paint and the top plastic round part of a thumb tack (or any small circular item will do) Then wah-la it's ready to be displayed! Have you DIY'ed any letters lately?

 [ If you like these letters check out my Wood Plank Letter DIY ]

Cardboard flowers diy

So for Earth Day I was working, and I decided to make little cardboard flower pins for all my co-workers. Not only for the cute factor, but because I wanted people to ask about them, to be aware that day was earth day, and to know that they were made using recycled cardboard and that they should go home and make something from recycled materials as well! (one can dream right?) They were really simple to just throw together and were so fun! A great way to add a little color to any outfit! Heres how I did it:

I picked random empty cardboard boxes I had in the pantry from snacks 1. cut out different size circles 2. stacked them to make sure they fit and put some hot glue in-between each circle. 3. cut a thin strip of cardboard and rolled it up tight and then let it go, so it kind of naturally unravelled. Then I put a dab of hot glue where it is hanging open, and glued it to itself. 4. Hot glued my roll-up on top of my circle stack for the middle of the flower, and cut out a piece of cardboard in the shape of a leaf. 5. (not pictured) glued a little pin on the back! Ta-da recycled cardboard box flower pin. Have you recycled and repurposed anything fun and interesting lately? 

DIY: Wood plank letters

These letters are so fun. With all the wood planking going on in diy design, I thought 

these wood planked letters would be perfect, and they don't require any power tools! 

1. Supplies: I used these paper mache letters from Joann Fabrics / random pieces of thin pressed wood [can be found at Joann's or Michael's] / a hot glue gun. 2. I started to measure on my wood how big I wanted my wood strips to be, but then I decided that I wanted a more rugged unique look, so if you want them to be perfect- measure each one. Then I cut them with scissors to the width and size I needed them. Again mine are not perfect because of the look I was going for, but by measuring and drawing guided lines with a ruler, you can make yours straight and perfect. 3. Place each wood plank on your letter before gluing them down to be sure of any changes you want to make. 4: Glue em' down!

Our letters are going to go on our frame wall (pictures of that soon!)

Have you embellished any Paper Mache letters lately?

DIY: Polka dot wall art

As we are putting together our little home I have been in search of fun wall art to fill some empty spaces. I am basically obsessed with polka dot anything since, well, forever- so this was the perfect opportunity to use them as a happy addition to our sad walls. I've been on the hunt, and have scoured etsy for talented art; but today I decided on just DIY-ing my own!

 For this little project I used: a piece of matte board / an old frame / random paints / and a dabber. To get the perfect size piece of matte board, I just traced the inside of my frame to see how big I needed it to be. After that I used my little rounded dabber I found at Michael's Craft Store to make my polka dots. The polka dots don't come out perfect, but that's what makes it unique! Sometimes I had to smooth out the circle because of the little bubbles that form from pushing down the dabber. I wanted to just have pops of color so I did all the grey and black first, and then added in the brighter colors. I'm really happy with the way this turned out! What are some fun wall art ideas you've come up with?

A Tea-riffic Valentines

I have quite a few tea drinkers in my life (including myself) and I thought this was a cute and simple valentines to give out to just about anyone, and this can be used not just for valentines but for any occasion really!

1. Fold your coffee filter in half and then in half again, make sure to cut on the side with a the fold because you are making a mirror image. 2. Stack hearts on top of each other and start to sew from the bottom tip of the heart. 3. Leave a little space at the end to fill with your loose tea, and then continue to sew it up. 4. Thread your yarn/string through your button and tie a knot in the back, then cut the excess. 5. Sew your string onto the flip side of your heart bag by just sewing over it to keep it in place, tie a knot at the end of your yarn so it doesn't slip out. 6. Draw a little tea cup and cut. 7. Secure the yarn to the back of your paper tea cup by using a little piece of fun washi tape, then drape your teabag over the side. 8. Write a sweet note and you're done! Hope you find someone special to give this to xo.
Loose tea used:Teavana White Tea