Favorite 15-- Book pages

Have you all seen this pin?? I just love it. I think the simplicity of the dark, light and greens are just beautiful. I wish I would have seen these before my wedding and shower. It's a new favorite decorating style that seems so cheap!

Source

My suggetion: Keep the pages in the same quality--- I would have used all yellowed pages.

To save money: Buy a new book for $1 at the Dollar Tree and tea or coffee stain the pages yourself!

The event: Bridal shower, baby shower, back to school bash, birthday party, wedding, graduation party, or a book group party

Branch out: Use all pages from Dr. Seuss books, Golden Books, science books, love stories, etc... Make it themed to match your party.

Splurge: make wreaths from pages of a book or into pommanders, have a typewriter or library index card guest book, give book mark favors, use quotes or phrases from books on your invitation and in your vows, title tables after favorite books, use a book as the ring bearer pillow, etc.

 

Happy Planning!
Krista



Going Away Party

I got to host another little shin-dig, but this one wasn't for a happy occassion... Ok, maybe I'm selfish, but it wasn't happy for me....   I very very very very close to friend is moving away.... We had her bachelorette party two weeks away and then realized how soon she would be moving, so we had to have one more "girl's night" before she loads up her car and moves to The Sunflower State. 

We had a pitch-in for tacos and desserts. I threw together some directions at the last minute to make it fitting. I think everything cost me $5. I bought 4 bunches of sunflowers at the Dollar Tree, two poster boards 2/$1 and used a free map I found in my car.  I did also use those glittery clothespins that I made for the bachelorette party and didn't get to use, as well as black streamer that I bought and didn't hang.

Map and Sunflower centerpiece

Her state information

I framed a ton of pictures of all of us girls around my living and dining room

Each girl got a picture from the bachelorette party and driving directions from here to there.
She got directions from there to here. :)

I didn't get a good picture of it, but I also made a banner with "We Will Miss You" cut out from map and glued to poster board triangles. I used Dollar Tree jute string that I already had on hand.



One of the girls said during our goodbyes that it's not a good-bye... It's an "until next time."


That's what I keep telling myself.... she's not moving to another country or leaving us forever....
Until next time....
Krista
Happy Planning!





Favorite 14- A love for Ombre

Anyway else loving all of the ombre goodies out there. From hair to wreaths, dresses to curtains... Ombre is taking over the fashion world. When I saw this Martha Stewart centerpiece, I fell in love!

Source   Are you surprised that it's Martha Stewart?? We shouldn't be, right?!

My suggetion: Make the colors fade a little better. There seems to be some variation in the darkest shades of pink. I think I would try to make the blend better.

To save money: Buy artificial. Your flowers don't have to be real and expensive to get different shades. Look around for full flowers that don't have colored centers.

The event: Bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, wedding, book group party, family dinner, Mother's Day, church luncheon.... This would be gorgeous for any occassion!

My spin: I don't think I would change this.... L.O.V.E. IT!

Branch Out: Imagine all pink or blue ombre for a baby shower.... how sweet! Also, you don't have to worry so much about matching those shades of pink/blue (they NEVER match) since you're hitting almost every shade!!! Use all white dishes, table coverings, vases, etc..

Splurge: Make ombre table coverings.
Serve an ombre cake.
Make ombre invitations.
Wear ombre attire.
Use tissue paper poms in graduating shades of your color of choice.
Create ombre backdrops from different shades of sheets/material sewn in large ruffles. (When I think ombre for a party, I think ruffles....anyone else?!?!)

Happy Planning...

The Grand Exit

That moment when you exist the church and run through the crowd of guests to the getaway car is one you'll never forget. There are so many ways to ask your guests to help you make a grand entrance!


Birdseed (rice is bad for the birds)
Bubbles
Biodegradable Confetti
Rose Petals-- natural  not artificial/silk
Applause
Clappers
Sparklers (night wedding)
Natural Lavender
Bells
Tiny Poms (must be cleaned up)
Ribbon Wands
Leaves
Miniature Beach Balls
Paper Airplanes
Butterfly Release
Balloon Release (check laws and ordinances in your area)
Fake Snow (probably needs to be cleaned up)
Glow Sticks (night wedding)
Ribbon Pulls
Silly String
Whistles
Fireworks (night wedding

Whatever you choose as your grand exit, make sure it is displayed in a beautiful way. Using the cardboard box that the bubbles came in isn't very attractive..... Use bushel baskets for a fall wedding, galvonized buckets for a barn wedding, decorative baskets from a home store.... the display is important!

Think outside of the box!

I saw photos from a wedding in a neighboring town where the bride and groom put rose petals on the ceiling fan blades. Just as the bride and groom kissed, the fans turned on and tons of red petals came showering down. The looks on the faces of the guests were priceless!

Imagine walking under a bridge or balcony as guests toss petals, leaves or confetti from above!


Pair your exit with a unique getaway vehicle--- vintage bikes, a carriage, a classic car, golf cart, tractor and wagon, lawn mower, four-wheeler.... Think about what is meaningful to you two.... Make sure you will be able to enter and exit the vehicle in your dress and that you won't catch it on fire with the engine!

DIY Glittered Clothespins

If you read my "A Night for the Girls" post, then you read about how I didn't get to use these gorgeous things. I was very bummed, but they are still so pretty and so easy that I have to show you how to make them. I made mine black and clear just to match my party, but imagine these things pink, white, brown.... with festive sparkles or girly glitter. The possibility are endless. You could also decoupage them with paper to match your theme, but I've never tried it.

Please don't judge my photography. My sister is the photographer, not me. I have a point and shoot camera and I'm lucky to get good pictures from that. I've never studied how to know what kind of ap. to use and f/200 blah blah blah thingy to choose. I usually shoot on Auto and look for the green hand to pop up and tell me it's clear! haha I was also painting these at night and had zero natural light until the next day when I got the pics below....

ignore the dirty window and sill! yikes!

What I started with

Black paint and a sponge brush (14/$1 at Michaels on sale)

How I started

NIGHTMARE! By the point of trying to get into nooks and crannies, I was thinking that buying glittered clothespins would have been a better idea!

I ended up holding each clothespin and jamming the sponge into each crevice to try and get as much paint as possible on it. My left hand was covered in paint

When they were painted and dry, I covered them with craft glue and rubbed it in with my finger.



I already owned the paint, glue and glitter (I'm pretty excited that I have enough craft supplies in stock that I can actually say that!) That tacky glue I have had since 2004-2005. That stuff never runs out!



I sprinkled the glitter on, rolled the paper up and dumped the excess back into the tube.

When I decided to make more, I hooked all of the clothespins to a dowel rod and SPRAY PAINTED them..... oh my goodness ya'll, I can't even tell you how much easier that was! I then repeated the glue and glitter process.
Please don't hand paint yours...BIG mistake! Spray paint is the way to go!


Planning to make these for your party? Please send me a picture of how they turn out for you!