Fri-DIY - Tissue Paper Flowers

I am in the midst of planning an engagement party for some very dear friends. As such, I have been happily sequestered in my craft room for many hours working on decorations, invitations, and plans in general. These are some flowers I created that will be gracing the entry walls en masse the evening of the party.

The flowers are super quick to make, about 5 minutes per flower, and don't require any special crafting tools. What you do need is:

Tissue paper in the color of your choice
Scissors
Hot glue gun

Cut out 6 inch circles from the tissue, scalloping the edges slightly as you cut. You will need 11 circles per flower.

Once you've got a nice stack, crumple them all up and gently smooth back out. This step is important so the flowers have some nice volume and texture and don't end up looking flat.

Heat up the hot glue gun. Lay one circle flat on your work space. Fold another circle in half, then in half again to make a wedge shape. Put a dab of hot glue at the point end of the wedge and glue to the flat circle. Repeat with 3 more circles to make the first layer.

Then do it again with 4 more circles but glue so they overlap the spaces between the wedges of the first layer.

Finally, take 2 more circles. Fold each in half, add a dab of glue at the middle of the fold and glue each to the flower. All done!

Along with party wall decorations, I have also used these to finish off a wrapped gift and as napkin holders for parties. I am sure you can come up with many more uses for them, too!

FriDIY - Home Spruce Ups

Drum light tutorial from Cantaloupe Corner

This week's FriDIY features a few projects to spruce up things around the house. Like the cool lampshade above. Most home improvement stores sell hanging lamp kits (Ikea, too) and the rest of the materials are readily available and inexpensive. I'd love to see a bunch of these in coordinating colors hung from a portico for an outdoor party.

Curly ribbon wreath from Embellished Bayou

I love the curly ribbon wreath above. The directions are super easy to follow and I especially enjoy the summer-ready colors she chose. If I saw a wreath like this on a front door, I would just know I was going to have a good time in that house!

Perfect boxes tutorial from lovelydesign

Finally, this project is one that would make the husband roll his eyes at me. He wouldn't be able to understand putting time and effort into making perfectly sized boxes. But I do, and luckily Sharilyn at lovelydesign does, too!

Fri-DIY Wallpapered Table

Spring has finally hit the South. It makes me want to open every window and change everything in the house. So, I can't help but love this DIY makeover from guest poster Abby Matthews over at Craftynest.

Happy Spring!

Fri-DIY Pleated Flower Wall from RUCHE

We already know I love Ruche, so how awesome is it that they post some stunning DIY projects on their blog? The wall of flowers is incredibly awesome, relatively cheap, slightly labor intensive, but not in an off-putting way. More in a 'cannot wait to host another bridal shower and make these en masse' way.

Fri-DIY - Get Organized

Did you make any resolutions for this new year? I only made one, to try something I have never done before once a month. I made a list. I'll post it soon and update my progress here as I check things off.

HOWEVER, if you made a resolution to be more organized, this week's Fri-DIY has ideas to help that task be easier and more stylish.

I love the simplicity of the envelope organizer above from Cathe Holden. A great idea for repurposing and every day item into something helpful and pretty good looking. Especially if you spring for some of these pretties. One of these could be hung on the fridge or a wall in the house, or fold it up and keep it in a pocket book so it's always handy.

I have a long, deep affection for labels. So obviously I am madly in love with these typewritten labels from Karyn over at Make Something. I think these would be great sewn onto fabric totes, or onto wide ribbon and tied around sheet sets to keep them together.

If a desk or pantry area needs some help, whip up a batch of these pretty covered cans like these from scissor variations. Any paper would work, or check out this great collection of crate labels at flickr.

A pretty filing cabinet? These are the things pretty organizational dreams are made of. Thanks to the ever talented team at design sponge for dreaming it up and making it happen (and showing us how).

Even better, pretty file folders to fill the cabinet with! Perhaps my stash of vintage sheets needs to be put to use for some of these.

Hopefully these ideas will inspire better organization and not just crafty procrastination. Scissors at the ready!

Fri-DIY

Felt Rosette Wreath from Domestifluff

This week's Fri-DIY is full of inspiration for decking the halls this holiday season. I am so in love with the Rosette wreath above, but it seems like the kind of project that I would have needed to start last June! I think it would also look great done in tissue paper. Maybe that could speed the process along?

Handmade Gift Bows from How about Orange

Never pay money for gift bows again thanks to the great tutorial over at How About Orange. She always has great ideas, but this one really is a winner.

Christmas Light Canvas from The Martha

Martha's pretty idea marries art and twinkle lights. The perfect solution for a dark corner in need of some Christmas spirit.

Paper Ornaments from Design Sponge

While cutting strips for the gift bows, cut a few more to make these pretty paper ornaments. I'm planning on making them supersized and hanging from the ceiling this year.

Happy crafting!

How To - Fabric Garlands

Party garland from the purl bee

I have long loved all things garland. Nothing says special occasion better than some pretty fabric or paper hanging from above, swaying gently. As an added bonus, garlands, banners, bunting, whatever you call it, packs a lot of decorative punch for relatively little DIY time and effort. There are lots of great tutorials out there. Here are a few simple ones to get started.

paper n stitch fabric banner tutorial

While this tutorial from craftstylish is technically for a mobile, it could easily be adapted to make a garland instead. Try one out for your next party, or make a pretty one for a new baby's nursery. Or just for yourself!

Home Style - Mark Lund

Plotting a mini re-vamp of our bedroom and being inspired by Marc Lund's photos.

Home Style - Homegrown Flowers

Spring is in full swing (couldn't resist) in my garden. Even though I have a black thumb and have tried to kill the roses in my garden, they come back even better every year.

I snipped a few this past weekend and made a quick centerpiece for mother's day dinner for my sister. I love these little pink vases I originally bought for this party and I love them even more grouped together. A grouping of tiny vases is a handy trick. The small vases keep the flowers upright and you only need a few blooms in each for a lush looking arrangement.

Home Style - John Tunger Fire Pit

I want this bad... real bad.

Home Style - DIY Wall Art

Recessions suck. But, cheap DIY art work the recession forces us to make is great! Check out the project my friend Matt did over the weekend. White curly willow, a few screws, and voila! I especially like how the willow pieces are very organic and contrast with both the dark wall color and the angular furniture. Good job, Matt!

How To - Everlasting Flowers

It's officially spring time, and in my little part of the world, everything is blooming! Lovely, but it makes me sad that they last only a short time. Luckily, there are numerous great tutorials for making blooms that will never wilt or die. Above is from the very fun domestifluff.

Of course Martha has her own marvelous ideas.

The lovely ladies at Vintage Glam Weddings have great instructions to make a pomander, which was from Martha, too, but has since been removed from her website.

Once Wed's always fabulous DIY section hit gold with these adorable fabric flowers. (You can see my attempt here.)

And last but not least, this cute topiary aptly named 'felt fabulousness on a stick' comes from lollychops!

Home Style - Cookbook Storage

Many thanks to Danielle over at apartment therapy SF for featuring my wire basket of cookbooks today!

How To - Shamrock Garland

I created these to decorate the house for our St. Patty's party this coming weekend. I am ashamed to admit that I also shelled out money for some truly tacky decorations, so I needed something handmade to protect my reputation. The garlands are quite adorable, but I unfortunately can't hang them until the evening of the party. Apparently, my wild beast of a dog has a thing for eating paper shamrocks.

Start by cutting out many many shamrocks, about 2 1/2 inches long. I cut them out freehand, but a small stencil would work, too.

Using a sewing machine join the shamrocks by sewing down the middle of each shamrock, feeding the next shamrock though at the end of the previous. Keep joining them in this manner until you reach the desired length. Mine range from 5 to 8 feet long.

Admire the cuteness. I briefly considered making these into shamrock leis as well, but then thought paper cuts on the neck doesn't exactly encourage a fun party atmosphere. However, felt would be very cute. And I actually think I have a few yards of green felt hidden away somewhere. Excuse my while I rummage through some closets...

Home Style - Silhouetted Wood Coasters

If I could marry these, I think I would...

Home Style - Mini Mobile

Due to the recession, and the husband's general disapproval of spending money, my near future won't include a purchase of one of these lovely mobiles for the downstairs powder room. Instead, I tried my hand at making one. Several puncture wounds and one hand cramp later, I completed the above pictured birdie mobile. I also have a new appreciation for the mobile-making ladies I featured previously.

Home Style - Mimosa, Pantone's color of the year

tables from West Elm

Pantone has announced that 'Mimosa' is their color pick of the year for 2009. They chose it because it's 'the color of change, of hopefulness, of warmth and of good cheer.' How nice. For more, check out this article, and get ready to bring some yellow into the home this spring and summer.

Home Style - Bird Mobiles

BIRDie from etsy seller emiliefriday

I have long thought I need a mobile of some kind in my downstairs powder room. Unfortunately, I saw the one I really want several years ago, but I would have had to sell a kidney to afford it back then. Now, I can't find anything else like it. However, I DO really like these bird mobiles I found over at etsy. Any one of them would be a pretty addition to a home.

Butterfly mobile from etsy seller khamm75

Ok, technically, these are butterflies, not birds, but I still like them.

Colorful Birds from etsy seller BotonDeAmor

Birdie Silhouette from etsy seller spindesigns

Home Style - CB2's first 2009 catalog

I got CB2's new catalog in the mail yesterday. If you've never heard of them, definitely check them out. They are Crate and Barrel's cooler, younger sister. My home style doesn't totally fit their super modern aesthetic, but I always find lots of things I love (and their prices are great, too). Like the vases above, they are gorgeous and the most expensive one is still under $25.



And check out this super cool, camp inspired lamp. In yellow, even!


They also make it in chrome, too, in case yellow isn't your thing. These would be great flanking a (rarely used) fireplace or as bedside lamps.

I am also quite fond of the Avec sofa. It comes in red, too. Also, check out the description of this sofa on the site or in the catalog. Does it remind anyone else of Peterman from Seinfield?