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Tag: diy


99 cent diy table numbers

5
July

Wedding Table Number 99cent DIY pleasure in simple things blog

The cost of throwing parties, particularly weddings, has gotten crazy expensive.  The good news is that the little details that make events special can definitely be beautifully executed with very little cost.  Like my friend Phyllis says “it’s not what you have, but what you make of it.”

Wedding Table Number DIY pleasure in simple things blog at ocean

These easy DIY table numbers are made from 99 cent plastic – yes, plastic – Ikea photo frames!  You may need to spend a little more than 99 cents to create one if spray paint and paint pens aren’t part of your craft supply repertoire.  I happen to have both of these items on hand.

diy wedding table number process pleasure in simple things blog

You can choose a color spray paint that best matches your party décor, but choose one with a label indicating adhesion to plastic.  I like metallic paints because they add an air of elegance to the final product.

Wedding Table Number DIY with shells pleasure in simple things blog

Purchase one frame for each party table.  Unwrap each frame, removing the two acrylic plastic inserts and place them aside.  Spray the 2 pieces of the frame(s) completely with 2-3 light coats of paint, following the directions on the spray paint can.

Wedding Table Number DIY protective covering pleasure in simple things blog

While the paint is drying, you can add the desired table number to one of the 2 acrylic pieces using a white, (or whatever color you choose), paint pen.  Be sure to remove the protective plastic covering the acrylic before you begin.  If you aren’t comfortable drawing a number freehand, no worries!  Simply print out a number/type style you like from your home computer and trace it!  That is the beauty of the acrylic!  Once completed, you can put the second piece of acrylic carefully over the painted piece to protect it from scratching.

Wedding Table No DIY pleasure in simple things blog

Lastly, screw the bottom piece of the frame into the top section and slide in the acrylic pieces.

Wedding Table Number DIY floral pleasure in simple things blog

Beautiful, right?  These table numbers coordinate well with many different party themes and decors.  I hope I have inspired you to give them a try!  Of course, you can always use your painted frame to display a photo!

Wedding Table Number DIY close up pleasure in simple things blog

Note:  I used Rust-Oleum metallic spray paints in the colors – some photos are in pure gold and some in hammered rosemary.  The pure gold is a smooth finish.  The Rust-Oleum hammered metallics create a textured paint finish that you can see in my close-up photo above.

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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sea glass spray paint

7
June

Krylon sea glass paint pleasure in simple things blog

We have all made sea glass looking jars from glue, water, and some food coloring – haven’t we?  If you haven’t, please don’t even try it!  There is a new sea glass spray paint that makes this process so much quicker and so much less of a mess!  The effect is created, literally, in seconds -and dries almost as fast.  It is possible to transform your entire recycling bin of bottles in mere minutes!

demonstrating Krylon sea glass paint pleasure in simple things blog

I actually had an empty recycling bin when I decided to demonstrate this new Krylon spray paint, so I made a quick trip to the dollar store.  I found some great looking bottles for this exercise and sprayed some to use as table numbers – a fun way to dress up party tables!  After spraying, I just added numbers.before and after Krylon sea glass paint pleasure in simple things blogOf course, there are tons of ways to use the bottles once they are painted!  Like…making labels to add to a bottle – easy to do with a home computer!

sea glass painting pleasure in simple things blog

Because I ended up buying bottles from the dollar store, they are all the same size and shape, but the beauty of using this paint is that you can create a cohesive grouping of bottles by simply painting a variety of shapes and sizes all in the same color.

Krylon amber sea glass paint before and after pleasure in simple things blog

This Krylon sea glass paint is available in more colors than you probably have sea glass!  They include lemon, aqua, ice, cornflower, rose, sea foam, ruby, and amber.  Of course, though I didn’t use it for this exercise, ice is probably my favorite!  Yes, white is my favorite color in sea glass!

Here is an example of the amber color paint.  I used it on a clear glass candlestick.  When I put some of my brown sea glass next to the painted candlestick, look how similar they appear!

Krylon amber sea glass paint pleasure in simple things blog

Krylon sea glass paint at night pleasure in simple things blog

 

I hope I have inspired you to create something fun of your own in your favorite sea glass color using Krylon spray paint!

P.S.  For an evening party, battery operated lights in bottles are a nice addition. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on sea glass spray paint | diy, inspiration, sand & sea

wine cork magnets diy

3
May

diy cork magnet pleasure in simple things blog

A quick and easy DIY today.  A great way to repurpose wine corks is to turn them into refrigerator magnets!

You have probably seen me do this before if you follow me on Facebook, but since there are so many special occasions coming up soon, I thought this easy project was worth mentioning again today.

starting a cork magnet pleasure in simple things blog

Do you sometimes save a cork from a special occasion bottle of wine?  Well, here is a practical use for it.  Instead of putting it in a jar, make a magnet!  You can even make a notation on the back of the cork with a fine point permanent marker to remember a particular occasion associated with the corresponding cork.

glueing magnet onto a wine cork pleasure in simple things blog

And, if you like all the magnets on your refrigerator to coordinate – which I am sure you do (!) – you should be able to salvage plenty!  Each cork makes two magnets.  Just cut each cork in half and use a glue gun to attach a strong magnet on the back of each.

diy cork magnet pleasure in simple things blog

I particularly liked the cork I pictured here because it had an initial on it.  I gave it to someone who had a name starting with the letter B!  Enjoy!

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

1 comment » | diy, food & festivities, gift ideas

‘beachify’ your bottles

22
April

diy shells for wine bottles pleasure in simple things blog

The weather has finally turned here in Connecticut and I am loving every warm, sunny second of it!

For Friday field trip today, I am taking you into my wine cellar. (Not really, I don’t have a wine cellar – although I do keep a bottle of wine in my cellar!) But, I am showing you a bottle of wine!

shells for wine bottles pleasure in simple things blog

Warm weather not only makes me smile, but encourages me to find summer enhancements that also make me smile. A super simple one is to add a shell garland to your summer wine! A glue gun and a couple of shells (or beach glass) glued to a piece of twine create some easy summer décor! Just glue a shell – preferably found at the beach – onto each end of a length of twine and wrap it around a bottle!

shells on twine for wine bottles pleasure in simple things blog

These make great warm weather napkin rings as well!

If you are giving a bottle of wine as a gift, you can even roll a cute summer dishtowel (maybe a lobster or crab motif) around the bottle and tie it on with the shell enhanced twine!

beachify wine bottles pleasure in simple things blog

An easy way to add a feeling of summer and a smile! :)

Happy sunshine! Thank you for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on ‘beachify’ your bottles | diy, gift ideas, inspiration

recipe for love

12
April

a spoon from bridal shower activity pleasure in simple things blog

I recently went to a really fabulous bridal shower hosted by the future bride’s mom – with some help from the gals in the bridal party. Today, I am sharing one of the activities created for the event.

place setting with woooden spoon  pleasure in simple things blog

When I walked into the shower, I noticed wooden spoons tied in gold ribbon graced all the place settings. They certainly seemed appropriate for a bridal shower; particularly for this once, since both the future bride and future groom are great cooks!

bridal shower spoons for love activity pleasure in simple things blog

But, it wasn’t until a little later into the shower that the true purpose of the spoons was revealed. These spoons were meant to hold each guest’s ‘recipe for a happy marriage.’

spoons for love pleasure in simple things at a bridal shower

Fine point permanent markers were passed around to guests and each spent some time creating the perfect ‘recipe’ for the bride-to-be; recording it onto a spoon.

creating spoon bridal shower pleasure in simple things blog

What a sweet idea to collect the sentiments of all the guests!

bridal shower spoon pleasure in simple things blog

The groom’s mom’s message to the bride-to-be. :)

After the bride-to-be chose her three favorite spoons, the bridal party displayed them in a shadow box and awarded prizes to the authors of the three chosen sentiments. Priceless! (With a little more time, maybe the spoon handles could be dipped in metallic gold paint or gold-leafed as part of the permanent shadow box!)

shadow box from bridal shower activity pleasure in simple things blog

I hope you are inspired by this sweet ‘recipe for love.’

Please stop back on Friday when I will share some of the wonderful decor from this shower.  I can’t wait to reveal the fabulous venue!

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

1 comment » | diy, inspiration

fabric herb tags with grommets

29
March

mint herb tag pleasure in simple things blog

You may remember I used grommets on some of my holiday gift tags this past Christmas. They create such a wonderful detail on a simple tag! Today, I am using grommets again on tags, but this time on fabric rather than paper.

fabric herb tags pleasure in simple things blog

Adorable tags can be created using scraps of fabric, letter stamps, and grommets. The tool for applying the grommets cost only a few dollars at your local craft or fabric store and is available in many sizes. Once you own this simple tool, you will find so many ways to use grommets! The only piece of equipment you will need, in addition to the grommets and the grommet tool, is a hammer.

I cut little flag shapes from my fabric scrap and rubber stamped onto them the names of my potted herbs. Adding the grommets creates the perfect little detail to add some twine for tying the tags onto the handles of my herb pots!

making fabric tags pleasure in simple things blog

As you can imagine, these tags have some wonderful applications! Using them as place cards and tying them onto napkins is a sweet way to use them. The ties can be made from natural twine or in a color to match a specific table décor. They make sweet gift tags to personalize a wrapped gift. Or, a number of them can be used to make a banner for a birthday cake. In planning a wedding, they can be utilized as escort cards.

fabric tag tied on herb pot pleasure in simple things blog

I hope I have inspired you to make up some fabric gift tags! How will you use them?

fabric tags with grommets pleasure in simple things blog

Thank you for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. To see how I used the grommet tool to create sea glass gift tags, click here.

2 comments » | diy, garden, inspiration

time to plant easter grass!

4
March

fun Easter grass pleasure in simple things blog

It is that time of year when I plant grass in every pretty container I can find in preparation for Easter! So, for today’s Friday field trip – a quick peek at a couple past containers to give you some inspiration for grass plantings this year!

You can click on this link to get instructions on planting grass in your favorite containers

Or, click here for the link on planting grass in eggshells!

easter grass in eggs pleasure in simple things blog

Such fun!

I have started my grass planting for the year and will be sharing my creations soon! I hope today’s post will serve as a reminder for you to start your Easter grass!

Happy planting! (Tip: Be sure to use potting soil, not outdoor soil – you don’t want to bring any unwanted insects, etc. in from outdoors!)

spring quote pleasure in simple things blog

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on time to plant easter grass! | diy, holiday, inspiration

pencil love

12
February

Nora Ephron quote pleasure in simple things blog

I have a love for pencils. I can’t help it. I prefer old school notebook and pencil over a keyboard any day. And, I certainly wouldn’t give up my beautiful Kate Spade organizer for the electronic phone version! I love the aesthetics and the feel of a good organizer and I would never reduce all my painstakingly made plans to lifeless little boxes on the calendar of my android!

The pencil by Allan Ahlberg

Pencil inspiration for the next generation! The wonderful children’s book by Allan Ahlberg.

For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing a little pencil love!

cool erasers from CW Pencil Enterprise in NYC

Some really cool erasers from CW Pencil Enterprise in New York City. A ‘must visit’ for any pencil lover!

I enjoy both using pencils and giving pencils! Some of my past pencil gifts have included some DIY fringed pencils that are perfect for Valentine’s Day (click here for the link),

fringed pencil diy pleasure in simple things blog

customized ‘beachy’ pencils (click here for diy),

beachy pencil gift pleasure in simple things blog

and personalized pencils for book lovers (click here for diy).

Book pencils pleasure in simple things blog

I love giving pencils with customized printing. They are so fun to create and it is a fun challenge to contain a message to a limited number of letters!

I hope I have inspired a little pencil love today! :)

Dalton Ghetti's pencil sculptures

Check out my Facebook page today to read more about these amazing carved pencil tip sculptures by artist Dalton Ghetti!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on pencil love | diy, gift ideas, inspiration

valentine’s day gift diy

9
February

stamping for Valentines Day pleasure in simple things

A rubber stamp is a great accessory for some Valentine’s Day fun!

A simple tag, brown paper, or muslin bag can transform a little something into a special valentine for someone you care about – all you need is a Valentine’s Day themed rubber stamp.

stamping fun for Valentines Day diy pleasure in simple things blog

If you don’t already own them, pick up a Valentine’s Day rubber stamp and a red ink pad in the dollar section of Target or in a local craft store. Choose a stamp with a simple line design – they work the best for this type of application.

valentine tags pleasure in simple things blog

A stamped muslin bag can be used to tuck some treats into a lunch box or to gift a ‘cup of tea’ (slip in a teabag) to a friend. I often find packages of these muslin bags, priced very inexpensively, at HomeGoods in the home utensil section – they are sold to make herb sachets. They can also be purchased at a craft or paper store.

using a valentine stamp for wrapping pleasure in simple things blog

Many other household materials can be used as Valentine’s Day wrapping. Brown bags are perfect to stamp and can be used as gift bags or wrapping paper. Tissue paper, fabric scraps, and dishtowels also work well.

diy valentine stamping pleasure in simple things blog

Any scrap cardboard can be cut, stamped, and used as a gift tag. I like making tags cut from paint sample swatches to stamp on as well. Wrap up a single cupcake or cookie and add a cute homemade tag!

a xo pleasure in simple things blog

I hope I have inspired you to have a little stamping fun this Valentine’s Day!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on valentine’s day gift diy | diy, gift ideas, inspiration

olive you valentine

2
February

olive you valentine with martini glass pleasure in simple things blog

Aaah, yes. I still have a little more ‘pun’ up my sleeve for Valentine’s Day! Today, a valentine that appeals to the over 21 crowd!

My idea for ‘olive you’ was to incorporate a martini – seems logical when talking olives, right? I knew I wanted almonds coated in white chocolate, tinted green, with a red accent for the ‘pimento.’ I actually pitched the idea to a small, local candy store and they created some at my suggestion! So perfect for my valentine idea!

olive you candy valentine pleasure in simple things blog

Next, I created a topper with a martini glass and the ‘olive you.’ I love it!

olive you valentine packet gift pleasure in  simple things blog

There are certainly more ways to incorporate the martini theme using this idea. The completed candy almond packet could be tied onto a miniature (‘nip’) bottle of vodka! Or, the almonds could be wrapped in a martini glass with an ‘olive you’ card tied to the stem!

I hope you are inspired to use the ‘olive you’ theme for your valentine!

olive you martini glass valentine pleasure in simple things blog

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on olive you valentine | diy, gift ideas, inspiration

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