Bride Kit DIY
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Here is a really cute gift for someone someone getting married. It’s a Bride Kit that has little odds and ends you may need during the wedding day when it isn’t convenient to get to the grocery store. For the presentation we got a wood box and made a transfer using Temporary Tattoo Paper
Click through for the free download, more photos and full instructions
Paper Calla Lilies DIY
Usually when I think of calla lilies, I think of plain old white ones. But there is a whole world of colored calla lilies out there. Gorgeous pinks, corals, mangos, yellows, and deep purple, even. Colors that make me want to go find gelato or sorbet right this instant. Here is a simple way to dress up a gift using just a few supplies – maybe for your dear, sweet mom for Mothers Day?!
Materials needed: various colored paper, tape, stapler, hole punch, yellow crepe paper streamer, scissors.
Step 1: Begin by cutting a square of paper in the shape of the top left image shown above. The size of the paper will depend on the size of the flower you want. I used a range of 3 – 5 inch squares.
Step 2: Cut a 5 inch piece of crepe paper, fold it in thirds width wise, then in half length wise (I made a bunch of these all at once, production line-style). Pick up your petal shaped paper and bend both sides together while holding the crepe paper rectangle inside. Staple the layers at the base of the flower and set aside.
Step 3: Repeat, and staple this flower to your first flower. When you have two or three flowers stapled together, you will want to hide the staples by covering them with a green leaf. I used a little double-stick tape to secure the leaf to the flowers.
Step 4: Punch a hole through the leaf and flowers, for your ribbon, twine or string to go through.
Step 5: Wrap your gift and tightly tie your flowers on top.
You can put as many flowers on each gift as you like – check out the photos below where I went kind of nutso with the flowers!
I have to give credit to Abbey at Aesthetic Outburst for the clever and cute idea of using neon electrical flagging tape – available at the hardware store – to wrap gifts.
Happy Wrapping!
Art for Everyone
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I’m a longtime fan of 20 x 200 for art. We are still waiting to hear if we got our apartment in San Francisco but I’ve already started decorating it in my head. Here are some of my favorite pieces on 20 x 200 right now.
First, this awesome print of Kite Hill.
These elephants for the entry way or maybe the boys’ room.
I am obsessed with this foggy print, it is so gorgeous.
This galloping print of a racehorse.
I love Christian Chaize’s beach series.
Lisa Congdon’s work is awesome. I want this print of vintage airline tags.
I love this poplar print for a living room.
This foggy “Food” sign can come in my apartment anytime.
I really love Sharon Montrose’s work. These three ducklings would be so sweet in a nursery.
Even thought the apartment is small I sometimes like the look when art takes up the whole wall. This picture above from Elle Decor is really inspiring. On a side note I love really really what 20 x 200 has done for the art world. For so long good art seemed inaccessible for most people. 20 x 200 offers great art by amazing artists and a range of price points so everyone can find something for them. Save $15 on orders of $50+. Code HAPPY Expires 4/30.
Which ones are your favorites? Also, do you think big art will make my small apartment look bigger or smaller?
Parties to Pretties – A Booth of Smiles!
I know that photo booths aren’t foreign to anyone these days – they are almost a staple at weddings and/or the local bar. You can’t go wrong with some silly props ( and creepy masks ), bright colors, good friends, and lots of smiles!!
Booth Picture by : Candice Lake / Balloon Picture by : Geronimo Balloons / 01. Pink Hat Prop / 02. Confetti Garland / 03. Mod Cloth Dress / 04. Pig Mask / 05. Glitter Boots / 06. Chalkboard Speech Bubble
Paris Apartment: Living Room
I had thought at some point I would take nice photos of our Paris apartment so I could remember it but of course that was low on the priority list in the midst of moving so here are some pictures I took of our living room last summer. These photos weren’t taken on the same day which is why the art is in different places in some of the photos.
We’ve loved living in this apartment. It is located in the 7th arrondissement with great food streets like Rue Cler and Rue Grenelle nearby and and six bakeries within two blocks of us! It is located across the street from the Eiffel Tower and you can even see it out our window (just a tiny bit.) When it sparkles in the evening it catches my eye while I’m working or reading to my kids on the couch. It always makes me smile and reminds me that I’m living in Paris.
When we rented it in February 2011 it was partially furnished. This was a blessing and a curse. It meant that we didn’t have to buy beds or a refrigerator (in France unfurnished apartments don’t come with appliances!) But it also meant we had to live with some funny old lamps I didn’t love. In fact the sofa it came with wasn’t very comfortable and I was dreading living with it for the year so we decided to have it taken to storage and bought the navy blue velvet one you see below. (Which by the way we are selling the sofa this week. If you are interested and can come pick it up by Thursday email me and I’ll make you a great deal.) We had to make due with some things but a lot of the pieces in the apartment were antiques and were nice and sturdy. It was a challenge to decorate it when it was temporary–for things like art we made some of our own and I think the biggest trick is to try to have lots of plants around to make things feel homey. Live plants make everything feel better. For all my sources see the list at the end of the post.
In case you are curious here are the before pictures and here was my inspiration board.
Click through for more pictures and sources.
My name is Jordan. I'm a party planner and letterpress printer from San Francisco. I just moved abroad with my husband and two kids to Paris for a year. Not Texas, the good one.
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