Category — DIY

Since most of the recipients have found these in their mailboxes, I am excited to show them to you! A quick funny side note: You will notice that my name is no where on the invite. It wasn’t photoshopped out, I just didn’t feel the need to have it on there. Neither is a phone number to RSVP, since everyone invited knows how to contact me.  However, I also decided last minute (a day later) not to put return address labels on them…  Which led to this facebook message: Did you send Cindy and I something in the mail? It looks like it could be from you but it doesn’t have a name on it. Lucky for me not many of our friends sew their invitations!  A few minutes later I had facebooked the entire guest list to let them know that yes, the invite to a birthday party? That was from me.

Anyways, on to the invites.  I first saw this idea for sewing two-toned ruffled crepe paper on a blog… but it was a while ago and I don’t remember where. I figured I would incorporate it with the invites and voila! I wish it were that easy. I went through 2 broken needles before deciding to just sew the crepe paper and glue it on. I was super disappointed, and still need to google “How to sew on paper,” but I went with it and produced something I was proud of.

A close up of my birthday invitations…

Yes that is sewn crepe paper, I have taken my sewing machine to a whole new level.

Ok, last weekends trip to Joann’s,  plus some online shopping (etsy all the way!) has me almost ready to start sewing.  I think I am going to try it this weekend… wish me luck!

Some of my supplies… (and no, we aren’t expecting, but we have a few friends who are)

Have a lovely weekend!

I have come to accept the fact that I work full time, and therefore can not always take gorgeous, well lit photos of my craft/design projects since most of it happens at night. However, I still want to share some of the valentines day projects I have been working on so enjoy these iPhone pics!
Cookies packaged up for coworkers, doilies and hearts adorning some photos and bryans gift!

Funny story. At our first night of Engaged Encounter we went through a list of fairly common/should be easy to answer questions. Questions like ‘will we open presents on Christmas Eve’ and ‘will we get a dog’ and if you answered yes you stood up, if no then you sat down.  Although Bryan and I were usually standing (or sitting) together, one of the questions, ‘is Valentines day an important holiday’ had me sitting and him standing. He just looked at me like “whaaaat?!” I am pretty sure we were both answering the way we thought we should answer…

Nevertheless, I do love Valentines day. Not for the candy or the flowers (although who doesn’t love getting flowers at work?!) but more for the craft possibilities.  My wheels are already  turning… what kind of cards will I make? What fun homemade gift will I give my loved ones? How will I decorate the house?

These items from Bake it Pretty are helping to grease those wheels.

of a sewing desk. Bryan and I can’t seem to decide on one for our office (he wants white, to match our other desks, I am leaning towards something older and more, well, wooden. If that makes sense).  And until we get a desk, I won’t be able to sew. But. As soon as we do get a desk I need to find an excuse to make some invitations, because I need to do something like this:

Tulle, cupcake liners, paper…  gorgeous. Oh! Valentines day is next month… hmm… The ideas are a-flowin.  You can see more photos of Raya’s handmade invites on her blog, the paper pony.

On a side note, Brandy from Red Collar Prints has found herself with 2 of the sold out 2010 Linda and Harriet calendars.  She would like to offer you the $30 calendar for $20 plus shipping! Just contact her at brandy@redcollarprints.com. A lucky someone snagged it up!

I want to live at this table.

(via)

I love Ikea. Love it. And I know full well that 99% of what you buy there requires assembly. That little wanna-be wrench? Yeah, we are best friends.  So when I saw this post over on Young House Love (one of my favorite home blogs) I was not the least bit surprised. Since the Expedit not only lives in our living room but also our office, these boxes were a must. Here is what my boxes-in-progress looked like:

Coffee and The Office made it bearable. (I should have a finished product picture… but I don’t. However these boxes now store all of my gift wrapping accessories!)

We decided to have a holiday/house warming party which meant I needed to put something together to send out. Originally I was going to just design something and email it a’la PDF but I couldn’t resist printing them. Everyone loves getting mail, and I love sending it!

I went the classic route this time, with a little bit of whimsy in the red font. The wreath vector is from BrairPress.

I would like to put these little pinwheels all of my walls… perhaps one day in a nursery… yes, I think that is a great idea!

From here.