If you need an extra shot of DIY today, check out my latest DIY for Poppytalk! All it takes is a little clay and a little paint. Head over to see the full tutorial. xoxo
DIY Don’t-Pinch-Me Barrette
Here’s the deal. I always forget St. Patrick’s Day. Leading up to it, I’m totally on the ball — and then on the day of, I always find myself greenless and getting pinched. So I’m taking a stand. And obviously, making an accessory. Duh.
If you always get stuck without a stitch of green, you should definitely make one of these little guys. Consider it your protection. I have your back, you guys. All you need is a barrette, a glue gun, and whatever little green goodies you have around your house. Think glitter, sequins, beads, ribbon, embroidery thread — you get the picture.
Start by wrapping your barrette with something to cover the metal portion. Embroidery thread or ribbon work well. Glue down the ends and make sure they are secure.
Cover any bald spots with glitter or sequins. Just put a big ol’ pile of hot glue on there and dip it in some glitter. Boom. Use a few little pieces to jazz up one end of the barrette.
Done! Just don’t forget to clip it in your hair on the 17th! xoxo
DIY Gold Polka Dot Table Runner
I’m sorry. I’m sorry, okay?! I’m sorry for all of the gold and all of the polka dots. But I’m a girl who knows what she likes, and this is what is happening right now. And I dare you to tell me it’s not adorable.
If your life is devolving into a nonstop parade of gold and polka dots as well, I highly suggest tackling this beyond-easy table runner. It’s no-sew, super fast, and high impact. So if you are on the bandwagon, gather your materials!
- a piece of duck canvas one foot wide and long enough to accomodate your table
- gold fabric
- scissors
- fabric glue
- sponge paintbrush
Start by cutting out your gold polka dots — mine are 2″ wide. Cut enough to sprinkle around your table runner. Set them out on your runner to estimate the final placement.
One by one, brush fabric glue onto the back sides of your dots and place them (glue side down) onto the runner. Continue to smooth them over the next few minutes so that they don’t develop bubbles. I learned that one the hard way, and a couple of bubbles are still hanging around in my dots. I decided to be okay with it.
If you included any polka dots that overlap the edge of the runner, trim the excess so that the edges are even.
Let it dry and iron the runner if needed — I’d suggest ironing the back side. That’s it! I told you it was easy. I think this thing calls for a polka dot party! xoxo
DIY St. Patty’s Cups with Airheads
Kiss me, I’m Irish! Actually I’m not Irish whatsoever, so instead of kissing me, just pass me a little cup that’s made out of candy and filled with whiskey. Yeah. That sounds about right.
I’m so stoked to be partnering with Airheads for this cute (and tasty) little holiday celebration! When they asked me to use Airheads to make something that people might use at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, I was so excited to try these little cups out. And if booze isn’t involved in your festivities, you can fill them with punch, food, candy, or any other thing you can think of. And the best part? When you’re finished, you can eat ‘em. Gather your materials:
- Airheads candy in green and white
- rolling pin
- microwave
- freezer paper
- printer
- pen
- kitchen scissors or knife
Before we get started, a word to the wise: If you’re making the smaller cups, they’re best used as shot glasses or for holding small candy. The larger cups are better for snacks. In addition, if you’re filling the cups with liquids, it’s best to drink them quickly, as they’re not made to hold liquid for extended periods of time (the liquid will dissolve the Airheads). They will, however, hold up for hours with dry foods!
Start by microwaving your airheads to get them to soften. I found that about 15 seconds was right for me — be sure to do a test first. Place the microwaved Airheads between two pieces of freezer paper, with the shiny side touching the candy. Roll them until they’re flat and smooth but not too thin.
Next, print out this template and decide which size of cup you’d like to make. Trace it onto the freezer paper. The large rectangle goes with the large circle; similarly, the small rectangle goes with the small circle. For the large cup you’ll need three Airheads, and for the small you’ll need one. Cut the shapes out of your freezer paper, place them on top of your rolled-out Airheads, and cut around them with your scissors or knife. (Be sure not to try this step with plain paper — it’ll stick to the Airheads and get messy.)
Make some tiny shamrocks by grouping four tiny rolled balls of Airheads with a roll for a stem. Flatten slightly by putting this formation between some freezer paper and applying a bit of pressure.
Place a shamrock on center of the circle, which will serve as the bottom of your cup. Roll the long piece into a cup shape, overlapping the ends slightly. Pinch the overlap together firmly to ensure that the cup is watertight.
Put the two pieces together. Pinch the seam at the bottom, again to make sure the cup is watertight. Double check that all seams are secure to avoid leaking if you’ll be filling them with liquid. Mold the cup into your desired shape.
These are best served fresh, so fill ‘em up and set ‘em out! If you’re using them as shot glasses, be sure to pour and then drink up quickly. (And don’t forget to take a bite afterward.) Cheers, and be sure to check out Airheads on Facebook for more fun. xoxo
This post is brought to you in collaboration with Airheads. All content, ideas, and opinions are my own. Thank you for being supportive of the sponsors who continue to keep Lovely Indeed up and running!
Photobooth Factory // Streamers
So we’ve all been hanging out on Lovely Indeed for a while now, and I’m getting to know you guys. I’m hearing you loud and clear — what you like, what you don’t like, and what you love. And apparently, you party animals love a photobooth backdrop. So my good news for you is that we’re starting a new monthly column here on Lovely Indeed, with a new DIY photobooth backdrop for you to try each month! You all seemed pretty stoked about this one and this one, so here’s hoping you’ll love what I have in store.
First up, a really easy and really cheap backdrop that you can put together with just a blank wall and two ingredients. Gather your materials:
- a few colors of crepe paper
- masking tape
- scissors
Start by deciding the dimensions and height of your backdrop. For our purposes, I’ll be making backdrops that are meant for shots of your guests’ torso and head — not full body. So this backdrop is four feet tall and five feet wide, and starts about 30 inches off the ground.
At the top of your backdrop, stretch a piece of masking tape sticky side out, and tape it to the wall with two smaller pieces. The long piece of tape needs to have the sticky side facing outward so that you can stick the crepe paper to it.
Start attaching pieces of crepe paper, a little over four feet long. Snip the ends so that they’re square and match up the edge with the masking tape. Overlap the pieces slightly. Continue this way until you’ve worked your way across the entire backdrop.
Roll a few pieces of masking tape so that they’re double-stick, and spread them across the top of the backdrop. Cover the top edge with a long piece of crepe paper to mask it and give it a clean finish. Do the same on either end to cover the smaller pieces of masking tape.
At the bottom, stretch a piece of masking tape across all of the crepe paper, sticky side in. The goal is to contain all of the streamers so that they don’t fly out of place during photos.
Mask the bottom with crepe paper using the same method that you did on the top. Snip the uneven edges of crepe paper so that all of the ends are hidden.
There! Now party on, dolls. I think this backdrop took me about 30 minutes to put together (and about 30 seconds to break down), so it’s perfect if you’re in a time crunch for a party. Have fun! xoxo
Spread the Love // My Blog Crush
Do you guys know Amber over at Damask Love? She’s one of my favorite folks online, and she has organized a super cool campaign to spread some love around blogland! It’s called Spread the Love, and she’s partnered up with Clear and Simple Stamps to help people create paper projects inspired by their favorite bloggers! How rad is that? When Amber contacted me about the project, I was beyond happy to participate and create something inspired by one of my faves.
My blog crush is Danni, from Oh, Hello Friend. Danni’s blog has been inspiring me since day one, and she’s a never-ending source of kindness & creativity. The first thing that popped into my mind was how she always makes those awesome books full of notes for people that she loves. I thought that Clear and Simple Stamps would have some perfect materials to make an homage to a book of notes, inspired by Danni!
I wanted to make a little love note to some of my friends from NYC (I’ve been missing them since we moved to Los Angeles), so The States and Airmail stamp sets were perfect. I also used the Alpha Modern set to stamp some words, and cut some hearts to put in one of those perfect little envelopes.
Also, I have to say — I’ve never used Clear and Simple’s products before this, but they totally rocked my world. I used to be a stamp fanatic when I was younger and sort of got out of the habit, but this stuff could seriously get me back into that world. Their products are high quality and really, really fun to use. The Type A in me also loves how organized their packaging is!
Anyway! You should hop over to Damask Love to see the rest of the folks who are participating in Spread the Love! You can also learn how you can jump in and join the project. Big, huge thanks to Amber and Clear and Simple for spreading the love. xoxo
DIY Suede and Gold Leaf Polka Dot Mousepad
I know what you’re thinking. And no, I’m never going to stop with the gold leaf DIYs. It’s the best thing in the world, so just get on board you guys. Okay, glad we had that talk.
Now! I found myself recently bemoaning the fact that my mousepad was old and icky and had seen waaaay better days. It still functioned, but man did it look gross. So it was retouch time. If you’ve got an old mousepad that needs a little zhush (how do you spell that?) or a mousepad that just ain’t cute, this is the DIY for you. Gather your materials:
- old mousepad
- enough suede (or leather, or faux leather — you get the idea) to cover the mousepad
- scissors
- pen
- freezer paper
- hole punch
- iron
- ModPodge
- gold leaf
- two craft paintbrushes
- spray adhesive
Start by tracing your mousepad onto the backside of your suede, and cutting it out. Set that aside. Punch holes in your freezer paper and cut a small square around each hole. Place them strategically on the front side of your suede, and iron them shiny side down so that they stick.
Next, use a paintbrush to paint ModPodge inside of each hole. While it’s wet, apply a small patch of gold leaf. Pat the gold leaf down with a dry paintbrush.
Let the ModPodge dry for about 30 minutes and carefully remove the freezer paper, being careful to keep the edges of the polka dot intact. Let the glue dry overnight before you use the mousepad, and be sure to dust off all remnants of the gold leaf, to keep your mouse safe.
Finally, cover the back of the suede with spray adhesive and affix it to your old mousepad. Be sure that you match the edges well before you press firmly.
Woah! So much better. And now it’s like a little polka dot party every time I use my computer. Have fun! xoxo
