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Tag: diy


st. patrick’s day tea

12
March

shamrocks in a teacup

I saw some adorable little shamrock teacups and saucers in The Christmas Tree Shop (a bargain store here in New England) about a month ago and and all I could think of was planting shamrocks in the cup!  And, I had the perfect Irish friend to give it to.  So, I purchased one and waited for some shamrocks to be available for sale…which they always are as St. Patrick’s Day comes close.

shamrocks in a teacup

I was so excited when I saw a shamrock plant in one of the bargain stores…yes!

planting shamrocks

planting shamrocks for St. Pat's

I simply planted the shamrocks into the teacup…my one shamrock plant was big enough to use for two cups…I used the sweet little shamrock teacup and…

shamrocks in a teacup

A photo of shamrocks planted in a sweet little teacup for St. Patrick’s Day.

planted some in one of my Jadite cups to add a little St. Patrick’s Day spirit to my own home :)

shamrocks in Jadite

Get yourself some shamrocks and plant them in a container that makes you smile!  I can’t send you a shamrock-filled teacup, so, as a gift to you, here is a St. Patrick’s Day blessing you can pin or send to a friend :)  Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

An Irish Blessing for St. Pat's

Have a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day week!

St. Patrick's Day teabag

Thanks so much for visiting, Jackie

P.S. Please ‘like’ my facebook page by clicking here or the facebook icon at the top of the page so I can share more ideas/inspiration during the week that don’t fit in my posts :)

I am sharing at Coastal CharmTimewashed, Shabby Creek CottageCrafts a la Mode, CrationaryThe Shabby Nest, Little Red House, and Craftberry Bush.

13 comments » | garden, gift ideas

favorite ways to decorate easter eggs

5
March

easter egg decorating

Decorating Easter eggs has always been a passion for me.  I have never stopped enjoying decorating eggs.  When I was small everyone in my family had their own favorite way to decorate the eggs…my mom had a steady hand and could do a great job creating stripes with the dye…those with less patience just threw the egg in the dye and left it while moving on to another activity.

Me, I always liked to try something different.  And, over the years I have discovered that there are an infinite number of ways to decorate eggs.  I usually plan one whole day before Easter to work on Ukranian egg dyeing and another to replicate the natural egg dyes my grandmother created (I will post these next week) from fruits and vegetables…that is in addition to a general egg dyeing session.

Today, I would like to share some of my favorite ways to decorate Easter eggs that I have used over the years.  I hope they will create some inspiration for you as you create your own.  Here are seven of my favorite ways to decorate Easter eggs:

easter egg decorating

Numbers or letters are always a motif I like on any home product so, of course, I also like to use them on eggs.  These numbers were simply written on using a marker.  Pick your favorite style of number and draw it right onto the egg.

easter eggs

 

 

 

 

 

decorated easter eggs

Letters can be written on in the same way….or, you can use some self-adhering rhinestones from a craft store to add some bling.

blinged easter egg

I love to create eggs that look like eggs in nature and I have tried many different techniques.  For example,  splattering paint onto the egg with a toothbrush is great for creating speckled eggs.  For a simple technique that creates a great result, simply apply gel stain to the surface of the egg by using an old rag.  For these eggs, the color I used was called mahogany.

easter eggs

Okay, technically this is not an egg ‘decoration’, but more like an egg ‘creation’, but I had to include it as one of my favorites.  This is a very easy technique and I love the way these eggs coordinate with my coastal style.  Use whatever twine, ribbon, etc. you may like and apply it to a small balloon after coating the twine with ModPodge.  Yes, it is messy, but very easy.  Once the twine is wrapped around the balloon in a desired pattern and has dried, pop and remove the balloon, and you have a beautiful twine egg!

easter eggs with twine

twine easter eggs

Using chalkboard paint is a favorite of mine because it makes a great Easter placecard.  The chalkboard paint is applied directly to the egg.  These days, chalkboard paint can be purchased or made in a variety of colors, so you don’t have to limit your choice to black.  Here I wanted a black and white egg, but you are only limited by your imagination.  You can dye the egg first if you prefer or want to dye the egg to match the color of your decor.

easter egg placecard

Seldom is anything decorated done in my house without some type of coastal influence.  Here, I have dyed a batch of eggs and then used small rubber stamps to add some of my favorite coastal words…sand, sea, surf, sun.  Inspirational words work really well also.  Of course, names of guests or family members is another option.

coastal decorated easter eggs

Here are some more coastal inspired eggs.  In this case, I used stickers to mask off a white area.  I created the shape I wanted by cutting it out from Contact paper and stuck it onto the egg where I wanted the pattern to remain white.  Then the egg was dyed.  After it dried, I used a very thin permanent marker to outline the shape and add a few details.

coastal easter eggs

I hope you enjoyed sharing some of my favorite ways to decorate Easter eggs.  Use these easy techniques as inspiration to create some of your own decorated Easter eggs.  Please pin your favorite!  If you want to keep the eggs indefinitely, be sure to remove the contents of the egg before dyeing.

decorated easter egg

Thanks for sharing.  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. Sharing this post at Coastal Charm, Craftionary, Timewashed, The Shabby Nest , A Pinch of Joy, 6 Days of Spring at French Country Cottage,  The Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush, and At The Picket Fence.

26 comments » | diy, holiday

sweet & handpainted for baby

26
February

diy handpainted onesie

Today I am making a baby gift for a friend and thought I would share the DIY instructions so you can create one for your favorite little one.  I love to paint baby clothes with original designs…this particular one is not difficult to create and can be accomplished quite easily no matter what your skill level.  This particular design creates a garment that is also very appropriate as an Easter gift.  I am breaking it down into simple steps that can be fit into your day between other activities.

Start out by purchasing your desired baby garment in an appropriate size for your recipient.  If the gift is for a baby that has not yet arrived, I recommend not getting the 0-3 month size.  Newborns vary in size and you don’t want to risk it being too small.  Always better to go bigger rather than smaller!   I prefer 100% cotton items for babies and I check the label to be sure I am purchasing an all-cotton item.  Wash and dry the garment to be sure any shrinking is done before you paint your design.  Paint also adheres better to a washed garment.

bannerdiy handpainted onesie

While your garment is in the dryer, you can make your stencil and assemble your materials. For the first part of the project, you will need the paint color you decide to use for the lollipop…pick a pastel pink, blue, or yellow.  I mixed my color, but you can purchase or use craft paint in the exact color you desire.  You will also need a stencil brush and a stencil.  No need for a fancy stencil.  I used a piece of cardstock…you can use a piece of a gift box, cereal box, or any miscellaneous cardboard that is ready for the recycling bin.  After you locate a piece, simply cut out a 2 1/2” circle.

Insert a piece of cardboard between the front and back of the garment to protect the back side of the garment in case the paint bleeds through.

Hold the stencil firmly in place and paint the color you have chosen using an up and down motion with the stencil brush…using an up and down motion will prevent paint from seeping under the edges of the stencil.

Let the paint dry thoroughly.

diy handpainted onesie

Iron the painted area, keeping the cardboard inserted and putting a clean rag over the design first to protect your iron.  This step will set the paint.

Now you will need a cotton swab, clear glitter paint, dimensional paint in a color close to the one you used for your circle, a dimensional paint in an off-white or beige for the stick of the lollipop, and a scrap of 3/8” ribbon – I like a polka dot ribbon, but any ribbon in a coordinating color will do (just make sure it is colorfast).

Next, use a cotton swab (one of my favorite ‘go-to’ utensils) to put glitter onto your painted circle.

Then, use a dimensional paint to add a spiral to your painted circle, starting from the middle of the spiral and painting free hand to the outside of the circle.  Then, paint the stick of the lollipop.  You may also decide to personalize the gift with the baby’s name.  If you decide to do this, wait until all the other paint is dry to reduce the risk of smudging it.

Let this dry overnight before sewing on a ribbon embellishment.  Be aware that small items can be potential choking items for small children.  I brush a little clear nail polish on the edges of the ribbon to prevent fraying.

I have used this same design idea to embellish a canvas tote bag, using three lollipops (pink, blue, and yellow) side by side and personalizing with the baby’s name.

handpainted onesie tutorial

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on creating an adorable painted garment for your next baby gift.  Have fun with it!

I will be sharing this week at Craftberry Bush, The Shabby Nest, Craftionary, A Pinch of Joy, and Crafts a la Mode.

Thanks so much for visiting!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

9 comments » | diy, gift ideas

diy animal ornaments

3
December

diy animal ornament

Isn’t it great to be able to find a use for something old?  Even better if you fall in love with the results!  That is what happened for me when I decided to turn old plastic animals into tree ornaments.  I am sharing an easy tutorial on how I did it.

This is what you will need:

  • plastic toy animal
  • ModPodge (or white glue thinned down with water)
  • wax paper
  • pages from an old book, cut into strips
  • twine or ribbon (for hanging)
  • straight pins (a couple for each animal)
  • glue gun & glue
  • black paint or permanant marker
  • sparkles (optional)

1.  Decide what animal you will be working on.  If you don’t have one, you can easily find one at a dollar store or craft store.  I am partial to sea creatures, so I started with a dolphin.  As it turned out, the dolphin was the quickest because it had simple lines.  The more complicated the shape of the animal, the longer it will take because you will be covering the body with the strips.

2.  Assemble your materials.  I put the ModPodge in a paper cup I had trimmed down – just to make cleanup easier.  You can’t see it in the photos, but I used a sheet of wax paper to keep the animal on during the process and for drying.

3. & 4.  The first thing I did was to attach a hanger.  I used a piece of twine.  I decided to use two straight pins to attach the twine since the body of the animal is hollow.  (Just be sure it does not come out the other side of your animal.)  I then put a big glob of hot glue on the point of attachment – just to be extra sure it stayed attached…overkill?

5.  Next, I put ModPodge on both sides of a strip of the book page and attached it to the dolphin.  I continued attaching pieces in random directions until the entire piece was covered.  (You will want smaller pieces for more detailed areas.)  There is no need to cover it all in one sitting…I did mine over the period of a few days because I would work on it when I had a couple free moments.

6.  When the animal is completely covered, let it dry thoroughly.

I originally had planned to accent my piece with a thin gray paint wash, but I liked the way it looked and decided to leave it the way it was.  I did add some sparkle (great with the reflection of the Christmas lights) and added a couple features with a marker (I wanted to use dimensional paint, but the bottle of black I had was dried up).  On the elephant, I painted just the tusks in an off white.

I love the way they came out!

I don’t have my tree up yet, so I couldn’t demonstrate how they will look when they are actually on the tree…for the opening photo, I hung the elephant on one of my houseplants – you get the idea!  On this project, I repurposed the plastic animals and the old book…can you tell which book I used?  Any readers out there?  In the spirit of the season, if you can guess the book, I will send you a holiday gift.  The first one to email me the correct title gets the surprise!

I hope you enjoyed this easy diy tutorial to transform your plastic toy animals into Christmas ornaments…  Now, to figure out how to repurpose all those Legos and Matchbox cars!

Thanks for stopping by, Jackie

12 comments » | holiday

easy diy gift ideas

30
November

A photo of the beachy pencil gift…It can be adapted to any interest – I am working on a book lovers edition to give to my book group friends this year!

The holidays hang heavy in the air – and what a festive air it is! – and I am working on some homemade gifts.  I know many others out there are also making gifts for the holidays, and sometimes it takes a little inspiration to come up with something new for those special people on your list.

For today’s Friday field trip, I am going through the pleasure in simple things ‘archives’ – posts of 2012 – and have picked out some do-it-yourself gift ideas for you!  Simply click on the gift name in green to be directed to the instructions to make that particular gift.

I will share more ideas in the days ahead, but I hope this list will help you find something to make that will be perfect for someone on your list!  Enjoy!

GIFTS…

A photo of chalkboard magnets – a fun gift idea that is easy enough to have the children help create!

A photo of easy to make color-dipped wooden spoons that can be created in any color.

EDIBLE GIFTS…

A photo of homemade Irish Cream in decorated bottles…a great holiday gift to make!

HOLIDAY THEMED GIFTS…

A photo of an easy and inexpensive ornament you can make yourself.

FLORAL GIFTS…

A photo of a painted glass vase that is easy to create and can be made in festive colors or metallics to give as a holiday gift.

WRAPPING IDEAS…

BOOK IDEAS…

  • My Favorite Reads  Scroll down to the ‘recommended’ section to find a great book for the reader on your list.

 

Thanks for visiting!  Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy pleasure in simple things, Jackie 

P.S. I may be a little late posting November’s book giveaway winner…I have been without internet service for a week!  Hope to get up and running soon!  Thanks B. for letting me use your computer today :)

3 comments » | holiday

5 ways to dress up votives for the holidays

27
November

holiday votives

Don’t candles just scream the holidays?  Now that Thanksgiving is just a fond memory of pies past, holiday decorating is in full swing and candles always play a big part.  Standard votive holders are a great part of creating a seasonal ambience.  Because votive holders are small and inexpensive (less than $1. each), they can be grouped in large numbers at little cost to pack some great holiday punch!

There are so many ways to transform these mild-mannered little guys into something beautiful for the season.  Here, I am sharing five easy ways to transform these simple glass containers into something special for your holiday vignettes.

1.  Reason for the season

holiday votives

Covering a votive with a favorite prayer or religious saying is a great way to pay homage to the season.  Here, I simply typed up a prayer on my computer and printed it out on vellum instead of regular printer paper.  After trimming it to the proper size, I attached the two ends together with a decorative sticker.  A wax seal in red is another great option to attach your message in an attractive way.

2.  Chalkboard fun

holiday votives

Adding a chalkboard sticker or painting the votive with chalkboard paint is a great way to write out a holiday word (think jingle, jolly, sparkle, joy, etc.).  Or, use as place cards and/or table favors at your holiday get together by writing the guests names on the chalkboard section.  I cut a rectangular shaped piece from chalkboard Contact paper – a handy items to have on hand for a multitude of uses.  For something more playful, try cutting the shape into a snowman, santa’s hat, candy cane, or other seasonal shape.

3.  Shells are always welcome

holiday votives

In my home, shells are always a part of my coastal decor – including my holiday decorations.  Any natural items are always beautiful to use to decorate.  Tie shells onto votives with scraps of ribbon or raffia, or use a glue gun to attach securely.  I love scallop shells on the votives because the candles gives a wonderful glow through the transluscent shells when lit.  Shells, sand dollars, starfish, sea glass, or even mini red and white bobbers clipped onto a Christmas ribbon – in keeping with a coastal theme – are great items to use!

4.  It’s a wrap

holiday votives

Any scraps of fabric can be wrapped around or decoupaged onto the votive.  I love to use burlap, because the candle glow comes through the loose weave of the fabric.  I like to tie a piece of burlap with a ribbon and then glue on a small piece of linen stamped with a holiday word.  (Try stamping  ‘ho’ on three separate votives to group together!)  These can also be utilized as place cards or menu cards.

5.  Christmas icons

holiday votives

What item instantly makes you think of the holidays?  A candy cane?  There are so many icons that can be utilized to give an instant holiday feel…think red & white or ribbon candy, a jingle bell, or a holly sprig.  These are all items that will give a votive an instant holiday transformation.  Grab your holiday favorite, or pick up an inexpensive ornament at a discount store…maybe a red sled, an ice skate, or an angel…either tie with a pretty ribbon or raffia, or glue onto your votive to complete the look.

I happen to celebrate Christmas, but these ideas work just as well no matter what holiday you may celebrate.  Incorporate your own icons and colors into your decor.

I hope you enjoyed these five easy ways to dress up your votives for the holidays…a great way to take pleasure in simple things.  Enjoy!

 Thank you so much for stopping by, Jackie

I am sharing at Craftberry Bush…check it out!

2 comments » | holiday

diy ornament from ikea heart

13
November

diy ornament

I found this three pack of glass heart ornaments at IKEA for $5.99.  Boy, did that get my holiday spirit in full swing!  It was tough to limit myself to one package…but,  I did.  My initial intent was to monogram an initial on the front…very simple, very elegant.  But, I ended up changing my mind as I got going.

ikea ornament

First off, I removed the ribbons – red and white gingham is just not my thing… I decided to use some scraps of paper I had with some (French?) writing…it seemed romantic and the perfect thing to combine with a heart.  I cut the paper to the size of the heart.  I then brushed Mod Podge on the right side of the paper and adhered it to the glass.  When it dried, I wrote my (romantic) message on the back with a super fine permanent marker and brushed Mod Podge over it to protect it.

diy ornament

Next, I embellished the heart with a little key and some sparkle.  There are many ways to go with decorative touches, but I thought the key went so well with the heart and the romantic theme.  I used old twine to tie the key onto the ornament and used my glue gun to add a little piece of glittery twig.

diy ornament

A photo of my completed ornament crafted from an IKEA glass heart ornament.

Lastly, I tied on my own piece of ribbon to replace the gingham.  I have plenty of various ribbons, but I really liked the look of the seam binding…it is actually white seam binding that I had coffee stained to look less white and more ‘antiquey’.  That’s it!

diy ornament

For the second heart, I also decided to use paper with script writing.  For the third, I used an old book page that I first rubber stamped with a crown.

diy ornament

 

diy ornament

There are so many ways to adorn these beautiful (and affordable!) glass hearts, and making ornaments is a great way to use scraps of paper and ribbon you may have left over from other projects.  Nostalgic black and white photographs would also work really well.  Wouldn’t these ornaments also make great shower or wedding favors?  Or, to give as a great ‘first home’ or ‘first holiday together’ ornament?

diy ornament

This is just one of the many ways to use this item…and there are many more great items for holiday gift creations at IKEA.  I have a few more IKEA projects in mind.  If you live near an IKEA, I suggest a trip…it will definitely spark some creative ideas!  I hope you enjoyed this ornament diy.  This is my first official ornament creation for 2012!

diy ornament

Thanks so much for visiting!  Take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

3 comments » | diy

diy ballard designs burlap wreath

12
October

This week, friday field trip is through the pages of the Ballard Designs catalog.  Don’t you just love this catalog!? 

It is always such an exciting day when the Ballard Designs catalog arrives in the mail!  So many beautiful things!  This burlap wreath really caught my eye when I opened the latest edition in this week’s mail.  I love the neutral color and, heck, I have plenty of scrap burlap around…I know I can make my own!  Do you want to try your hand at making a Ballard Designs inspired wreath?  Read on.

A photo of my completed diy Ballard Designs inspired burlap wreath.

These are the materials I used:

  • 60 pieces of burlap – 1″ x 8″ rectangles
  • some additional burlap scraps (to cover the wreath)
  • 1, 8″ grapevine wreath
  • glue gun and glue sticks

(optional:  white ribbon and white berries or other decorative accents)

First, I covered the wreath with scraps of burlap just in case it showed through.  I simply used scraps I had and glued them onto the grapevine wreath using the glue gun.

BIG WARNING!  Since the burlap is such an open weave, the hot glue is going to be extremely dangerous…I suggest you use something other than your fingers to press down onto the burlap or wear some type of gloves to protect your fingers from burns.  Be very careful!

I cut rectangles from the burlap – 1″ by 8″ pieces…I cut mostly by eye, so the sizes of the pieces were not extremely accurate.  I estimated that I would need about 50 loops and ended up needing 60.  From here on, it is just a matter of glueing on the strips by gluing one side and then the other side directly to it.  I just glued them randomly around the wreath, filling in spots that seemed empty as I went.

The strings happened pretty naturally as pieces would unravel…I helped a few along.

And, that is it!  I really love it!  The original was hung with a long strip of burlap, but I wanted to use a white ribbon.  I also decided to add some decorative white berries.  I planned on saving it as a holiday decoration, but I like it everywhere I hang it…I think I may leave it on one of my inside doors…maybe I will add some sparkle to it come the holidays!

If you are a Ballard Designs catalog  ‘virgin’, do yourself a favor and check it out:  www.ballarddesigns.com

I hope you enjoyed this friday field trip with a Ballard Designs catalog inspired diy burlap wreath!

Thanks for visiting, Jackie

P.S. This wreath is posted on “Friday Happy Hour” …check out some of the other great ideas:  http://www.craftberrybush.com/2012/10/party-time-happy-hour-5.html

11 comments » | diy

easy candy table favors

28
September

friday field trip

Don’t you LOVE that section in Target where everything is a dollar?  I can’t walk into the store without stopping to look at everything in that section…I always end up picking up something I have to have!  It is only a dollar, after all!  This trip, I was on a mission to find an item in the dollar section that I can use as a favor to hold candy.  When the college kids are home, it is always fun to include a favor on the table for family dinners.  Candy is a natural with the kids (of all ages) and at this time of year it seems a little more legitimate!  There were quite a few possibilities when I started rummaging through the shelves.  (You can check out a few more of the options on my facebook page  www.facebook.com/insimplethings .)

But, when I came across these zippered burlap ‘pencil cases’, I knew they were perfect!  Plenty of room for candy and very seasonal!

Here is what I did to dress up my $1. find!

First, I decided I wanted to add the word ‘boo’ in black letters.  A personalization or the word ‘treat’ were also options I considered.  I also toyed with the idea of glow-in-the-dark paint, but decided I liked the stronger contrast of the black against the burlap.  I simply stenciled the three letters onto the bag using cardboard stencils and black acrylic paint.  (Slipping a piece of cardboard in the case to protect the other side in the event paint should bleed through.)

 

 

I cut a length of ribbon and tied it to the zipper pull.  I chose a black grosgrain with white polka dots.

And, that’s it!!  Great favor for a dollar, don’t you think?  And, plenty of room to fill with candy!  (Oh…I did buy rubber spiders at Target also…they were 4 for a $1!  Love the white polka dots on this one!)

A photograph of a favor for a seasonal table made from an item purchased from the Target $1. section.

 

 

Hope you have some fun creating seasonal table favors from Target’s $1. section –  great for those with a sweet tooth ;)

Thanks for visiting, Jackie

5 comments » | diy

photo tutorial for velvet pumpkins

25
September

Notes: I decided to try and present directions best I could since I had so many requests for instructions.  I hope this helps.  I think part of the success of this project is to have a beautiful velvet.  I used a silk velvet.  As much as I love white, I think the velvet fabric colors that show depth are more beautiful – you can’t really see depth in the white.  They did not carry silk velvet at the local craft store or many of the fabric stores.  I was able to find it at a fabric store in Norwalk, CT called Banksville Designer Fabrics (www.banksvilledesignerfabrics.com).  I am sure there must be some sources online also, but I didn’t check.  Banksville had a half yard minimum which cost $12.50.  With a half yard you can probably make approximately twenty 7″ pumpkins.  A 5 lb. bag of rice would probably be sufficient for a dozen pumpkins.  Rice is pretty inexpensive, so if you plan on making a lot of pumpkins, buy a huge bag.  Stems can be found at pumpkin farms from unwanted pumpkins or squash.  I think the crazier stems you can find, the better – the stem can really add personality to the pumpkin.  If you don’t have any farms nearby, you can purchase a small pumpkin for a $1 at a grocery store if you have no other way to get a stem.  I think part of the beauty of these pumpkins are the real stems, but I have seen people use sticks from trees or cinnamon sticks on fabric pumpkins.  I think driftwood is also a fun option.  Of course, you can use the same procedure  I demonstrate to make pumpkins from other fabrics. I love to seek out new fabrics…like at Mood in New York City.  I also often use fishing line instead of thread (particularly on larger pieces) since it is so strong and won’t break.  If you aren’t crafty or would rather purchase some really beautiful velvet pumpkins rather than make them, look at http://www.hotskwash.com/hot-skwash-online-store/ .  This is the company that made the pumpkins that inspired me to try and create some and they sell them in an amazing array of colors.  If you have any questions on how I created mine, please send me an email and I would be happy to help you out! 

Thanks for visiting, Jackie

7 comments » | diy

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