Floating Polka Dots

4.2.13

Who’s ready for another photo backdrop?! This one’s kind of inspired by those old school solar system dioramas that everybody used to make in elementary school. Remember those? And here I am, 20 years later, making a life-sized one. So if you want to get in on the floating polka dot action, here’s what you’ll need:

blank wall
a ceiling that you can reach!
3″ styrofoam balls (I used about 20)
gold spray paint
sewing pins
clear thread
thumbtacks (preferably the same color as your ceiling

Start by spray painting all of your styrofoam balls.

Measure out lengths of thread according to the height you’d like your photos framed. As always, my photobooth is about 5 feet wide by 4 feet tall, and starts about 2.5 feet off of the ground. I cut three different lengths of thread (short, medium, and long) so that the frame would be evenly distributed with polka dots.

Insert a sewing pin into a ball and tie the end of thread in a knot around it. Push the pin in so that it’s secure.

Wrap the other end of thread around the point of the push pin once or twice and insert the push pin firmly into the ceiling. You should be able to tug on the loose end of the thread to adjust the height of the ball.

Add balls, being sure to use the viewfinder in your camera to see what space needs to be filled. Continue adding until you’re happy with the look.

That’s it! You can also play with depth as you add your polka dots if you like, so that people could stand behind them, or even in the middle of a big field of polka dots! I love this backdrop for a birthday party or a bachelorette party. It could be so fun with multi-colored polka dots, too. How would you mix it up? xoxo

DIY Washi Tape Chevron Easter Eggs

3.25.13

Okay, it’s the final installment of our Easter egg bonanza! (I just can’t bring myself to say eggs-travaganza. Ew. I said it.) I loved doing these washi Easter eggs last year so much that I wanted to bring the washi tape back and think up a new way to use it. So I did! These take about two seconds, so if you’re in a pinch for time it could be a good idea.

Grab all of your washi and organize it by color groups. Choose three different tapes within one color group. Stretch out about 6 inches of your first color and tear it off. Do the same with the second and third colors, placing them directly on top of the first so that you have a washi tape sandwich (technical term, in case you were wondering).

Cut away at the tape until you have a chevron shape.

Peel the three layers apart.

Carefully tape them around your eggs, one at a time. You may find that you have to bend the tape a bit to get it to fit around the circumference — just smooth any bends or ridges down with your fingernail.

That’s it! These look cool in bunches, so make lots of them! You can also play with the size and shape of the chevron — or just make stripes instead. Happy Easter! xoxo

DIY Stamped Easter Eggs

3.20.13

Remember last week when I dyed eggs with Kool-Aid? The grape ones came out all kind of grungy and busted looking. At first I was sort of disappointed that they weren’t bright purple, but the more I looked at them, the better I liked them! They kind of look like a really intense version of the eggs that I used to find in the chicken coop at my parent’s farm, and so it got me thinking.

I’ve had this feather stamp forever, but you could use any stamp that you have around (or carve one yourself!). I think the key here is the awesome white pigment ink — it looks really cool on the grungy purple-grey color.

Ink your stamp so that it’s got full coverage but be careful not to overload it. Carefully stamp down on the egg. I found it best to start at one end of the stamp and roll it along the side of the egg, because of the curved surface. You might want to experiment once or twice to get a feel for it.

Let the stamp dry and set them somewhere cool! These eggs looked particularly rad hiding inside one of our pots of succulents. xoxo

Photobooth Factory // Scattered Flowers

3.19.13

Happy Spring! And even more exciting, welcome back to our new photobooth backdrop series – I’m loving dreaming up ideas for this thing! Today we’re celebrating Spring with some pretty scattered tissue paper flowers. I think they kind of look like a cross between tulips and poppies. But whatever they are, they’re lovely! And this particular backdrop would be perfect for decoration at a shower or a wedding. Wanna know how to do it? Gather your materials:

tissue paper sheets
scissors
masking tape or glue dots
a blank wall

Start by cutting your tissue paper into sheets that are 20″ by 10″. Fold them accordion style, and cut one end into a rounded shape with your scissors.

Unfold the tissue, and at the square end, gather the tissue together by crumpling it slightly. Fold a piece of masking tape around itself so that it’s double-sided, and place it on one end of the crumpled tissue paper. (You can also use large glue dots for this — I preferred masking tape for this project.) Stick the opposite end to the other side of the masking tape so that the paper forms a flower shape. Mold the paper until you’re happy with the shape of the flower. Now make a bunch of these!

After your flowers are all made, start placing them on the blank wall with rolled masking tape or glue dots. Decide on your pattern and continually step back to see your progress. I preferred a scattered look, but this would also be beautiful with a solid wall full of flowers.

Now have fun! How pretty would this be behind a dessert table, too? It’s kind of somewhere between photo backdrop and art installation. Happy Spring! xoxo

DIY Kool-Aid Easter Eggs

3.18.13

You know when you wait until the last minute to dye Easter eggs, and you go to the store, and there are only sad, broken eggs and an empty space where there used to be egg-dying kits? Yeah, that. I’m kind of that girl.

But if you’re that girl too then I have a brilliant idea for you! Actually, lots of people have had this brilliant idea but this is the first time I’ve tried it. And I’m going to break it down for you. So on the day before Easter when the dye is all gone, just go get some Kool-Aid and you’re golden.

Basically, it’s rad because all you need is Kool-Aid and water — no vinegar, no icky chemicals, blah blah blah. And it smells delicious, like a candy factory. So grab a bunch of different packets, some cups, and you’re good to go.

I used about 2/3 cup of water to dissolve each packet. The flavors I chose were Strawberry, Lemonade, Black Cherry, Grape, Lemon-Lime, and Berry Blue.

A few things to know: Lemonade will not make your eggs yellow. It’ll just kind of make ‘em off-white. And Grape makes them a sort of grey-ish brown, which I actually loved (next week I’ll show you what I did with the Grape eggs). So the key to getting lots of colors from a Kool-Aid dye is mixing the packets.

Rad, right? If I had to do it over again I’d get a few more packets — I mean, if you can get five for a buck you might as well go to town! So do it up right and get every color in the rainbow. Happy dying! xoxo

DIY Blingy Easter Eggs

3.14.13

It’s going to be an Easter egg-fest around these parts for the next few days, and we’re kicking it off with a sparkly bang! Some of my favorite Easter eggs are the ones that don’t use any dye at all. You can put these fancy little huevos together in a split second if you have some rhinestones and a glue gun.

Just make sure your eggs are at room temperature, decide on a pattern, and go to town! Put a little dab of hot glue on the back of each rhinestone and carefully place it on the egg. Use tweezers for the smaller ones if it helps. (And by the way, isn’t Mr. Lovely a smashing hand model?)

So whaddaya think? Are you going the traditional egg-dye route this Easter, or are you up for something a little more flashy? Come back tomorrow for another out-of-the-box Easter egg idea. xoxo

DIY Leather Tassel Keyring

3.12.13

This is a little DIY I’ve been dreaming up for a while, but I had a hard time deciding on the simplest way to make it happen. I’m pretty sure I figured it out, so this one is as easy as can be! If you want to make one (or seven, like I did because I just couldn’t stop), gather your materials:

leather (or faux!)
scissors
pen
ruler
super glue
key ring
clip
rubber band

Start by cutting two strips of leather — one that measures 3″ by 1/4″, and one that measures 10″ by 3 1/2″.

Fold the smaller strip in half, through the keyring. Apply glue to the ends of the strip and affix them to each other. Hold with a clip until they’re dry.

Cut 1/4″ fringe into the other piece of leather. Leave a 3/4″ strip uncut on one long side.

Starting at one end, apply glue and affix the short strip with the keyring.

Begin rolling the fringed piece tightly around the smaller strip, applying glue approximately every inch or so.

Glue the end of the fringed strip down onto itself. Secure with a rubber band until the glue is dry.

That’s it! So simple, right? And I love how put-together and expensive it looks. I had a little fun experimenting with different lengths and sizes, so feel free to mix it up! And this little guy is now part of my daily essentials. Have fun! xoxo