Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Adorable Wedding Idea!

wedding reception photo display ideas

This wall of family wedding photos is absolutely adorable. Such a fun way to make everyone feel like they are part of the occasion!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Fun Gift Sites

Don't you just love all the articles in magazines and on blogs for gift ideas? I always gravitate towards Real Simple's "50 Gifts Under $50." When I think about it, I haven't actually bought many presents based on these lists. I just like the new shopping sites they introduce you to or remind you about. This year I'm perusing
Great gift ideas at UncommonGoods
Scratch MapPortable Ping Pong SetPresident Block Set

 Top Left: Scratch off map for just $24
Top Right: Ping Pong anywhere! May need this just for me and the hubs.
Bottom: Presidential blocks. I want writers! Get it? Writers Blocks? haha (sorry nerding out a bit)

They also have literary iPhone covers! Ack! I need one!

Literary Art iPhone4 Cases


Perpetual Kid - Fun & Unique Gifts
MY FIRST AUTOBAHN TAPE GALLERYWorld's Largest Gummi BearCardboard Astro Rocket

Left: Autobahn tape and car kit. This may be calling my nephews name...
Middle: Five pound gummy bear. Really. It's five pounds. I love gummy bears, but that's just too much.
Right: Cardboard rocket ship...random but I like it.


Okay those are mostly silliness. A good girly one is


Lucky Minimergency Kits Jonathan Adler Wall Calendar Kate Spade's Favorite Solid Pencils
Semikolon Business Card Box-StripeLilly Pulitzer iPad Covers Kid Lists
Jadeite Desk SetDwell Studios Sticky Notes




They've got items from Lucky Magazine, Lilly Pulitzer, Jonathon Adler, Dwell Studio, and Kate Spade. So many feminine and stylish office stuffs!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Problem With Improvising

After seeing numerous deco mesh wreaths on Pinterest, I decided to whip one up.
Cute, how I thought this would be easy.
When I got to the good ol' Hobby Lobby, they were out of poly deco mesh in any color but HOT pink. I found mesh garland.  Then I got a wreath form and some pipe cleaners to twist around my mesh garland.
I attached the pipe cleaners to a 20" wreath (the only size left at my neighborhood HobLob)  form every couple inches.
First problem: 20" makes an enormous deco mesh wreath.
The wreath form wasn't going to work. My friend Magan made one using a wire hanger. Phew, that was easy to fix.

Once I switched my wreath form, I went back and put my pipe cleaners on again.

Second Problem: pipe cleaner slides all over the place
I had no real solution for this without waiting to order one of THESE. The wires on that guy are attached and won't slide all over like the pipe cleaners.

Finally, I started to add the mesh garland. I attached the end of the mesh garland to one pipe cleaner, measured off about a foot of garland and attached it to a pipe cleaner 2" (before they started sliding...) away from the last one. I continued that around the my wreath and used 18 ft of mesh garland.

Third Problem: Mesh garland does not equal poly deco mesh. Looks fairly similar...shoulda thought about the texture. It doesn't fluff the same. The little bubbles or puffs between each tie down do not stay bubbled or puffed up very well.

I wrapped silver ribbon around the wreath, added a few sprigs of sparkly stuff, and put a letter in the middle. Here is the final product:


It is still festive and cute.
The mesh isn't as poofy as I'd like it to be. If I had picked up the right materials to begin with...things may have gone a little smoother..... : /