Such Pretty Things

Target Tuesday: 4th of July Centerpieces

Are you planning a 4th of July BBQ this weekend?  Well, here's an inexpensive and super easy centerpiece idea for you.  I found these adorable red enamel-coated buckets and miniature American flags (3 for a dollar) in the Dollar Spot at Target.

To make my centerpieces, I first wrapped the base of each bucket with some vintage-looking ribbon in a white and red pattern.  Since you don't need much, this is a great way to use up some scraps.   

Secure the ribbon to the bucket with some double-sided tape.

Next, fill your buckets with some water - you might want to use floral foam for added stability.  Now, choose your flowers.  I decided to use blue-hued Hydrangeas because they fit the patriotic color scheme, just happen to be one one my most favorite flowers, and are FREE (they grow in my garden!).

Clip them to fit the height of the buckets and be sure to cut the stems on the diagonal - Hydrangeas are very thirsty and this gives them more access to water.

As a final step, insert a mini-flag or two.

There you have it - for about $1.50 (plus the cost of your flowers) you have a great centerpiece for the 4th.  Try making a bunch of these and sending them home with your guests as a sweet little party favor.  Oh, and the tablecloth is a pretty vintage fabric that I just hemmed - had to get a little pink in there somewhere!  :-)

Happy Tuesday!

Lucky Me

This stunningly beautiful fabric cuff bracelet was made for me by Natasha.

  

How lucky was I to get her as my partner in the cuff bracelet swap!  It's absolutely gorgeous - all my favorite pastel colors!

   

And it's truly a work of art.

Natasha dyed the velvet fabric she used for the base and then hand-embroidered the pretty lace with beads, rhinestones, and my favorite millinery flowers - Forget-me-nots.

 

Thank you so much, Natasha!  I love it!

Pink Cupcake

I just had to post a picture of this pretty pink cupcake from Bittersweet Bakery in Old Town Alexandria, VA.  Aside from being incredibly delicious (that's fresh strawberry butter cream!), I just thought it looked so pretty sitting there on my vintage rose-covered plate. :-)

Have a wonderful Friday!

Jessica

Target Tuesday: Glass Beverage Dispenser

I found this super cool glass beverage holder at Target this week.  I had been looking for one for the longest time, so I was so excited to find it in one of the kitchen housewares aisles.  It's currently on sale for $16.99, which is a great price, as I have seen these selling for for as much as $100!  It's just perfect for Summer entertaining.

It's really just a large glass jar with a handy spigot for dispensing beverages.

You can obviously put any drink in it that you wish, but I thought some icy, old-fashioned pink lemonade would be yummy.  Here's a great recipe from Ina Garten if you want to make some yourself:

Ingredients:

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (5 to 6 lemons)

1/2 to 3/4 cup superfine sugar, to taste

1 cup crushed ice

4 cups water

2 teaspoons grenadine

6 maraschino cherries  

Directions:

Place the lemon juice, sugar, ice, water, and grenadine in a blender and process until completely smooth. Place a cherry in the bottom of 6 glasses and pour the lemon juice mixture in the glass.  

I like to add lots of fresh lemon slices to the jar. 

They look so pretty floating in there!

And for an extra sweet treat, try rimming your glasses with some pink sugar. Just wet the edge of your glass with a lemon wedge and dip in in some sugar crystals.  Always a BIG hit with the kiddies (and grown-ups, too!).

Yum!

Happy Tuesday!

:-)

Target Tuesday: Coming Soon...

Hi All,

I seem to be having some major problems off-loading my photos from my camera, so I won't be able to post Target Tuesday today.  I hope to have the problem resolved as soon as I can get some tech support (i.e. when my husband gets home from work and can help me!).  So, please check back tomorrow...it will just have to be Target Wednesday this week!  Sorry!

:-)

Jessica

Vintage Cuff Bracelet

I was delighted when the lovely and talented Natasha Burns recently asked me to take part in her cuff bracelet swap.  I was even more delighted to find out that Natasha, herself, was my swap partner!  I had never made a cuff bracelet before, so I was excited to try to make one.  Natasha told me that she especially liked cream and pastel colors with a little bit of brown thrown in, so I went through my stash of vintage supplies and came up with some gorgeous old vintage lace,

some luxuriously soft vintage velvet ribbon,

some beautiful old velvet millinery flowers in the palest shades of pink and cream,

and some exquisite vintage French sequins.

I sewed the entire thing together with some vintage thread, too - not a drop of glue was used.  :-)  I am mailing the cuff out to Natasha tomorrow, but I'll give you a few sneak peaks...

Thank you, Natasha, for including me in such a fun project!

Jessica

Father's Day: Designer Ties

Here's a fun DIY gift for Father's Day that the kiddies (and you!) will enjoy making.  Sure, lots of Dads out there will be getting a tie this Father's Day, but how many of them will be getting a custom designed one made with lots of love?  

Here's all you need to make one yourself:

-a tie in a fabric and design of your choice

-good fabric glue

-rhinestones, beads, ribbons, etc...

-tie box and tissue

I started with these pretty, pink silk ties (a real man should be able to handle a little pink, right???), but you can obviously use any color or design you wish.  I buy ties throughout the year - whenever I see them on sale.  End-of-season department sales and discount stores are a good place to look for them and you should be able to find a nice silk one for under $10.  You could also recycle an old one of Dad's and just spruce it up a bit.

Embellishing the tie is easy and it's a great way to use up your pretty millinery scraps,

some vintage ribbon,

and some vintage rhinestones, too.

Simply arrange your design (using the materials of your choice) and then glue them to the tie with a good fabric glue.

I am leaving these for my daughters to finish themselves, but you get the general idea.  If pink isn't your Dad's idea of cool, you can make these in a more traditional color palette.  I've found that vintage striped grosgrain ribbons and buttons work just great.  

Be sure to let your tie dry completely before packaging it up.  I like to wrap ours in some pretty tissue and a real tie box to give it that real "designer" feel. Dad will be sure to love it...and he will be the envy of all the other Dads!  :-)

Happy Father's Day!

Jessica

Target Tuesday: Gingham Dinnerware

I found these pretty melamine plates in the Summer Decor aisle at Target this week.  I love the bright green and white gingham pattern.  Great cottage style and they were only $1.99 each!  

They are perfect for outdoor dining or a summertime picnic.  Or for just enjoying some sweet treats to celebrate the last day of school...

How cute are these little cookies!

There are also plastic drinking glasses to match the plates.

I decided to just use one as a vase for some dainty pink spray roses.

:-)

Happy Tuesday!

A Wonderful Trip and Some Ruffles, Too.

Yes, two posts in one day!  I am trying to make up for being MIA since last Tuesday. :-)  

But I have a really, really  good excuse.  You see, I went on a little road trip to Leesburg, Virginia, last week.  The wonderful Heather of Pretty Petals and Stephenie of Just A Little Bit Pink invited me to join them and some very talented women in Leesburg for a day of shopping and treasure hunting.  What an incredible bunch of women they all were - so very creative and sweet, too!  I am sure that you already know who they are, but if by some small chance you have missed them out there in "Blogworld", you must check them out...

Andrea: Velvet Strawberries 

Lori: Faerie Window

Pamela:Pamela Jane's Studio

Karla : Karla's Cottage

Amy: Inspire Company

Hope: Paper Relics

Beth: Gathering Dust

Robin: Thrifty Miss Prissy

Sadly, I was so enthralled with talking and getting to know everyone that I managed to take almost no pictures - except for some of this gorgeous prom dress at On a Whim.

How could I possibly pass by ruffles like these?

Too lovely for words.

:-)

Jessica

Pretty Summer Reading

Well, Summer vacation is almost here (only two more days of school for us!) and I have begun thinking about sunny afternoons spent by the pool and warm, breezy days by the beach.  One of my most favorite things to do during Summer vacation is to catch up on reading all my design magazines and books.  I collect them throughout the year, but never seem to have the luxury of just sitting there and perusing each page.  Here are just a few that I am so excited to finally have the time to enjoy...

I fell in love with Atlanta Bartlett's beautiful books while I was in the UK last Summer.  Her newest book, Easy Elegance, is absolutely stunning!

The photographs are by Polly Wreford and they are gorgeous!

I think I must duplicate this bed somehow...

And wouldn't you love to have this door with the peeling vintage wallpaper!

At Home with White is another one of Atlanta Bartlett's lovely books.

 

Again, the wonderful photos are by Polly Wreford...

I think I need to re-do my kitchen to look exactly like this one.  I love the "unfitted" look...

Another great book I have on my reading list is Thriftychic by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell.

The pretty photos are by Simon Brown and the book is full of great budget decorating ideas - all in a shabby, cottage style.

Another great cottage kitchen.

I must have every cupcake book out there, but Bake Me I'm Yours Cupcake by Joan and Graham Belgrove is one of my favorites.

Not only are the photos pretty to look at, the book has terrific recipes and lots of great decorating tips.

And finally, have you seen the June 2009 British issue of Country Living?

The issue is devoted to roses and filled with glorious photographs...

Do you have any beautiful design books or magazines that you've read lately and would highly recommend? Please let me know and I'll publish a list for everyone in an upcoming post...

:-)

Jessica