I hope everyone is having a fantastic Labor Day weekend!  This is our “anniversary weekend” (what can I say we like to celebrate!) and we have enjoyed a very relaxing time with the Lil Man!  He is too much fun!  In between hanging out with him though – I managed to make a cute fall wreath that I can’t wait to show you guys!  Isn’t it adorable?

Ok – so how did this pretty little creation come about?  Well for starters, I decided I wanted to make a fabric flower wreath after seeing WAAAAY too many that I loved all over blogland and Pinterest.  But I didn’t want to spend a ton of time making fabric flowers.  I do have a 9.5 week old baby that requires a lot of my free time!  So instead of cutting out multiple layers and stacking them – I decided to make two different types of flowers that only require one long strip of fabric.

For the first kind of flower, I took a strip of fabric and folded it accordion style.

Then I stitched the front corner together. 

Next, I cut around the edges one side to make them look more “petal” like.

And then we you unfold it and put both ends together – you get a nice flower!  See!

Then you just run a quick stitch down the ends to keep your flower together.

The second way I came up with was to again fold the flower accordion style and trim the edges.

Then, holding the first petal in the center – I folded each subsequent petal under and around until you make a full “flower”.  Then just throw a couple stitches in the middle to hold all the petals together and you have a flower.

Either one of these methods will allow you to make several flowers very quickly.  I made all the ones for this wreath in an hour one night while catching up on an episode of The Closer.  (I love that show!) 

Then I needed a wreath!  I decided to try out a tip I found on Pinterest and shared on my Facebook page last week.  Instead of paying for a wreath form, I went to Lowe’s and picked up a piece of 6 foot by 1 inch pipe wrap from the plumbing department.  It cost about $1.50 with tax.  And because it was 6ft long – I was able to cut it in half and I can make another wreath out of the rest later on!

The other awesome thing about using this pipe wrap means that you can make your wreath into whatever shape you like.  I decided to turn mine into a tear drop shape and then wrapped it with yarn. 

Next – I used button covers (which you can find with the zippers and other findings in your fabric store) and spray painted them with my favorite can of Krylon ORB!  (Oil Rubbed Bronze – for any newbies)  Rather than stitch them onto the flowers since I was pressed for time – I used a hot glue gun and just stuck them on!  I love that they look a little like Black Eyed Susan's! 

Then I put the flowers on using some stick pins and voila – I had a beautiful scrappy fall wreath!!

How about a few more shots of it?  Ok!

I also made a little hanger by braiding a couple pieces of yarn together.  Cute huh?  I love it!

So there you go!  A quick easy scrappy fall wreath!  I just love how it turned out!  One last picture ok? :)

Alrighty – what do you think?  Think you will make one like it?  Love my quick and dirty flowers?  I wanna know!

Linking this up to

I Made a Wreath out of What? Party with The Nester @ The Nesting Place
Metamorphosis Monday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Tip Me Tuesday with Laurie @ Tip Junkie
Before and After Party with Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick
Get Your Craft On with Kim @ Today’s Creative Blog
Tutorials and Tips Tuesday with Beth @ Home Stores A to Z

 

Who doesn’t love a good summer BBQ?  With Father’s Day this weekend and the 4th of July around the corner you may be planning a summer party of your own.  If you are – let me share some great entertaining finds that I have seen browsing online!  All of these are under $25 so you don’t have to break the bank while keeping your party looking good.  And as always – I am not being compensated at all for sharing these – this is just me finding great deals for you!

I think having one of these great drink dispensers is always handy during a party – it keeps you from having to refill a pitcher multiple times and the built in ice tray is perfect for keep it cool!

Drink Dispenser from World Market – $19.99

I am loving this next set of ketchup and mustard bottles!  So vintage and cute!!!  And you can’t beat the price!

Ketchup and Mustard Bottle Set from World Market – $3.99

You need a good serving tray and this bright Melamine one is the perfect touch!

Multi Floral Melamine Serving Tray from Target – $9.99

Love these Stars and Strips placemats and napkins!  The placemats are cork!  How cute are those! 

Stars and Stripes Napkins and Placemats from World Market – $5.98-9.99

Love this vintage print on this green melamine dining set.  Very groovy!

Green Geometric 12 pc Melamine Dinnerware Set from Target – $21.99

I adore the print on this Party Tub!  Such a pretty pallet!

Summer Goddess Print Party Bucket from World Market – $19.99

Another handy cute item would be this steel utensil caddy!  Perfect for keeping all your flatware organized!

Steel Blue Utensil Caddy from Target – $9.99

Finally – having a couple of these mesh food guards are a godsend when you have an abundance of pesky critters that also want to enjoy your tasty treats.  And for a set of three – you can’t beat the price!

Set of Three Collapsible Mesh Food Tents from World Market – $8.98

So there you go – eight great summer entertaining essentials!  Find anything you had to have?  What is your must have accessory for a good BBQ?  I wanna know!

Well with Memorial Day weekend kicking off the outdoor party season this past weekend I thought I would toss together some party prep ideas that you can use for your own festivities this summer! 

1.  Don’t be afraid to use mismatched regular wood dining chairs as part of your set up

As this picture clearly shows – mismatched wood dining chairs can look eclectic and chic for your next al fresco dinner party.  And let’s face it – you would feel way more like saying “al fresco” with these chairs than you would with some folding plastic ones! 

eclectic patio design

2.  Create conversation spaces

Parties thrive on conversation and good company!  So make sure you set up areas at your party that facilitate that fact.  This seating area provides you all the key components – a comfy place to sit, a seating arrangement that let’s people face on another and a table to set food or drinks on. 

contemporary patio design by los angeles COCOCOZY

3.  Make it feel like a vacation

Nothing makes a party feel more like an escape from the real world than giving it a little island vibe!  I love these painted patio chairs.  They create a fun, bright atmosphere without a whole lot of effort!  Throw in some colorful pillows and towels and you are set for an island attitude on your local latitude!

Photo via Better Homes and Gardens

4.  Light up your night

Nothing keeps a party going like a little light!  Let’s face it – it is hard to talk in the dark.  But don’t think you have to get all expensive with your lighting.  This is still one of my favorite ideas – terracotta pots, a little sand and a bunch of plain white candles.  Bonus points if a couple of them are citronella to keep away the bugs!

Photo via Southern Living

5.  Don’t be afraid to use your “fine” china

If it is a small get together – you can really make it feel more homey and inviting by using your regular dishes or even something a little nicer.  Just remember your audience and know when to go all out and when to break out just the Chinet.

contemporary patio design by san francisco architect Sutton Suzuki Architects

6.  Have a “signature” drink

It doesn’t matter if it is a pitcher of sangria or just something colorful like the picture below – but having a signature drink for your get-together can be one of those special touches that makes people anticipate coming! 

Photo via Better Homes and Gardens

7.  Make some shade

If you are entertaining during the daytime – it is advisable to have a shady spot where the fair skinned and overheated can gather.   Umbrellas or canopies can be a great way to set up some shade that is also portable.

mediterranean patio design by other metros landscape architect Carolyn Chadwick

There you go – those are my seven tips for Outdoor Entertaining!  Now what about you?  Do you have a great tip that you would love to share?  I wanna hear it!

I love hydrangeas!  And for some reason I have had them on the brain.  So I decided I wanted to do a quick wreath with some this weekend.  Here is what I came up with – the rest of the post is how I got there! 

Full lush faux hydrangea stems are normally pretty pricy.  Never fear – I just picked up a couple cheap less fluffy stems at the dollar store and cut them apart with some wire trimmers.

Next I took a couple of them and bunched them together to get that big full look that I love.  Isn’t that a better?!?

Then I added in a little bit of the greenery to give it some more texture and covered a cardboard initial with a little moss!  I love the way it came out!

It makes me smile!  Ah – what I wouldn’t give for a big ole bush of these outside my door!

One more and then I will stop I promise!

So what about you – is there a flower you would just love to have at your house?  Or perhaps you are lucky and you already have that flower in your garden? I wanna know!

Linking this to

Metamorphosis Monday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Tutorials and Tips Tuesday with Beth @ Stories of A to Z 
Tip Me Tuesday with Laurie @ Tip Junkie
Get Your Craft On with Kim @ Today’s Creative Blog
Hooking up with HOH with Allison @ House of Hepworths

I had so much fun making this wreath!  Some of my favorite memories from my childhood were about Easter Egg hunts.  I mean – we got into it!  Waiting for the parents to hide eggs all over the back of a wooded hillside and then just tearing out after them like we were caged beasts!  It was so much fun.  So whenever I see a plastic Easter egg – I can’t help but have a little smirk on my face. 

What I started with was this ivy wreath I got on clearance from Ikea for $2.99.  I had gone out and hung it on the door earlier this weekend as a potential spring wreath candidate.  I love how full it is.  And that is what got me thinking about hidden Easter eggs.  (You guys should know by now how random my little brain can be!)

So I went out and got a pack of plastic eggs from the dollar store.  Then I dug into my floral supply stash and got some floral picks out.  My little eggs came with holes in the bottom – which was totally convenient for me.  I just ran the wire through and twisted it to secure.

Then I flipped the wreath over and wired all the eggs on from the back.  I was hoping this would provide the “hidden” look I was going for – and I think it did!

Check out the finished project!  I love it!

I think the ways the little eggs poke out from behind the leaves is just too cute!

I can’t wait to be able to do egg hunts with our little man.  It is so funny the things you start to look forward to once you know you have a little one to prepare them for!

Can you spot all eighteen eggs?  It might take a little while to find all of them!

I think it is the perfect wreath for about $4!  Here is one last shot!

So there you go!  What about you?  Got any Easter decorating going on at your house?  Do you have fun memories of Easter egg hunts from your past?  Planning one for this year?  I wanna know!

Also linking this to

Metamorphosis Monday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Spring Link Party with Kate @ Centsational Girl
Get Your Craft On with Kim @ Today’s Creative Blog
Tip Me Tuesday with Laurie @ Tip Junkie
Show and Tell with Becca @ Blue Cricket Design
Hooking up with HOH with Allison @ House of Hepworths
Transformation Thursday with Gina @ Shabby Chic Cottage
Show and Share Day with Chris @ Just a Girl

Weekend Wrap Up Party with Jen @ Tatertots and Jello

My Valentine’s Day wreath was still up this weekend – which is a little sad since we are a couple weeks past that now!  So I decided to do something up for St. Patrick’s Day. 

Now I feel like I have done wreaths over and over and over since fall – so I wanted to change it up a little and come up with something a little different. 

Here is what I came up with – a St. Patrick’s Day welcome basket! 

Isn’t it cute?  I love it!  All of this is from the Dollar Store!  I grabbed three stems of some glitter covered florals – some are three leaf clovers and some are carnation-looking flowers. 

Then I added some larger shamrocks!  I got a twelve pack of these and took these six and glued them onto straws.  I painted the straws brown with a little craft paint.  And because they were bendy straws – I was able to lean and bend each little shamrock pick one way or another.

I put it all in an adorable little green basket and then topped it off with a cute little felt sign!  Ack!  I just love it!

I think it feels so festive!!  Normally I don’t do any St. Patrick’s Day decor but this was just too cute to pass up!  So what about you?  Are you decorating for St. Patty’s Day this year?  I wanna know! 

Linking this to

Metamorphosis Monday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Tip Me Tuesday with Laurie @ Tip Junkie
Get Your Craft On with Kim @ Today’s Creative Blog
Make it Yours Day with Carolyn @ My Backyard Eden
Transformation Thursday with Gina @ The Shabby Chic Cottage
Weekend Wrap Up Party with Jen @ Tatertots and Jello
Show and Share Day with Chris @ Just a Girl

Also linking this up to the CSI Project’s Green Challenge.  Link up your St. Patty’s Day projects too!