Such Pretty Things

Pretty Paper Flower Easter Eggs

A number of years ago I published a paper flower Easter egg tutorial, but I thought I would do another version for 2019!

This eggs are even simpler to make!  You will need some faux eggs( I chose wood ones from Target, but you could use plastic, foam, etc...), mini paper flowers (easily found on Etsy, Ebay or at your local craft shop), a scissors, and a glue gun.

You will need to cut off the flower heads in order to glue them to your eggs. Leave a bit if the stem so that the flower head can be securely attached.

Continue until the entire egg is covered with flowers...

I just love these - they are so easy to make and would look so pretty in a centerpiece or a very special Easter basket!

Happy Crafting!

xo

Jessica

 

DIY Honeycomb Easter Eggs

I have been collecting vintage honeycomb Easter eggs for many years...

I just adore their pastel colors...

But they are becoming harder and harder to find - especially at reasonable prices.  So, I thought it might be fun to try to make some similar ones myself...

I bought some honeycomb paper pads in white. You can find them here.  I just traced half an egg shape onto the pad, being careful to make sure the glue lines were running horizontally (hold the pad up to the light if you are having trouble seeing this). For a fully 3-D egg, I needed to cut two identical pieces for each egg.  Once I cut out one shape, I used it as a template for the others. Then I used a glue stick to join the two halves together and let them dry.

For my egg colors, I wanted to mimic the vintage two-toned ones, but I went for horizontal stripes rather than vertical ones (so much easier!). I used very watered down tempera paints and a light touch with my brush. Some tips: Don't over-do it.  Too much watery paint and it will ruin the delicate tissue paper. Just touch the paint brush to the outer surface and the paint will naturally dip down into the interior spaces. If you are using more than one color like I did, allow the first to dry before starting on the second.

I just love the results and they were so easy and fun to make! Ya gotta try it!

XOXO
Jessica

 

Target Tuesday: Sparkly Tinsel Wreath

You may have seen the pretty vintage-style wreath at Anthropologie this season...

Sadly, it completely sold out before I could order it.  But thanks to Target and some vintage ornaments, I discovered I could easily make a similar one myself - and for under $10! I found the tinsel covered wreath in the Dollar Spot at Target. At only $3, it was a true bargain!

I love that the tinsel was a combination of silver and gold strands - it gives it more of a vintage-look, don't you think? And the wreath form is already covered with the tinsel - all ready for some decoration!

All I needed to complete the look were some mercury glass ornaments.  There are many reproductions out there, but if you want true vintage (and there really is nothing quite as beautiful), you can find them very inexpensively at yard sales and thrift shops - especially if you look in the off-season. I bought a bag of all the ones seen on my wreath for only $5!

If you can't find vintage, Target also has tubes of adorable mini ornaments - 16 for $1!

To attach the ornaments, you will need some thin jewelry wire - just thread a piece through the ring cap and twist a few times to secure.

You can then use the wire to easily secure the ornaments to the wreath.  Personally, I like to gild the lily, but you could certainly add fewer ornaments and it would still be lovely.

Although I was really disappointed to miss out on the Anthro wreath, I think I may even like mine a little bit better. :-)

Happy Tuesday!

XOXO

Jessica

Pretty Crafts: Paper Straw Garland

I don't know about you, but I just love paper straws.  And they seem to be available everywhere right now...and in so many pretty colors and patterns!

Well, I have a ton of them left over from previous parties and I have been trying to come up with something fun to do with them. Then I remembered making these as a kid...straw garlands!

If you want to make some, they are sooooo easy!  You will, of course, need some paper straws in your favorite colors and patterns (there are so many choices out there - striped, dotted, floral, chevron, etc...). I find mine primarily on Etsy, but almost every party and craft store carries them these days.

You will also need some string (I like this gold metallic beading thread) and some beads (I chose these because they reminded me of tiny Christmas ornaments)...

All you have to do is cut your straws into similar length pieces.  I just eyeballed it. The smaller the size, the more your garland will be able to curve tightly. You also might want to try varying the lengths for added interest. Alternate straw pieces and beads to make a pattern that you like.  HINT: Make sure your bead diameter is bigger than the opening of your straw or else the beads will not act as separators.

Settle down in front of the TV and in no time, you'll have a pretty, paper straw garland! These are fun to make with the kiddies, too!

XOXO

Jessica

Target Tuesday: DIY Pastel Napkins

With the holidays fast approaching, I find myself dreaming about pretty table settings, linens, and centerpieces.  I love to use cloth napkins on my table, but they are generally expensive and a major pain to keep clean and pressed. When I came across these simple, inexpensive cotton dishcloths at Target, I immediately envisioned them as delicate, pastel napkins...

At just $3.99 for a pack of four, the price was right! In just a few hours this past weekend, I managed to dye a ton of these beauties (it's so simple and very addicting!).

If you want to make some for your own holiday table, here's what you'll need:

-100% Cotton White Dish Cloths (Target's Flour Sack Kitchen Towels by Room Essentials)

-RIT Dye (I used the liquid, but the powder works just as well)

-a large plastic bucket

-table salt (approx. 1 cup per dye lot)

-rubber gloves (very important!)

Directions: Decide how many colors you want and divide up your cloths accordingly. I made at least four cloths in each color. I may have over-done it, but it was so much fun - I just couldn't stop! Fill your bucket with very hot water and stir in about a cup of salt (this will help "set" your dye).  Instead of following the package instructions for the dye and water amounts, I just added a few drops of the liquid dye to my water. You can always add more, but to achieve the very pale, pastel tones, just add a little to start. Make sure to thoroughly wet your cloths first and then quickly submerge them in the dye bath and swish them around for a few seconds. The longer you leave them in, the darker they will be.

Now, if you want to make a darker shade of the same color (i.e., light pink and dark pink), just add a few more drops of the dye. Rinse the dyed cloths in cold water until the water runs clear. They can then be tossed in the washer and dryer according to the wash instructions. Tip: If you are dyeing different colors like I did, be sure to thoroughly rinse your bucket out in-between each color.

The best thing about these, is that for about $1 a piece, you can have a custom-colored napkin! And if they get really badly stained with lipstick and red wine, you can always toss them and make some more.

I am thinking of wrapping mine with some vintage millinery flowers...

Very simple and very pretty.

Happy Tuesday!

XOXO

Jessica

 

Valentine Candy Box Makeover

I am a big fan of makeovers...especially when it comes to packaging. There are plenty of perfectly good items out there that could be even better with just a little effort and creativity. :-)  So, when I saw these cute little chocolate heart candy boxes on sale at the drugstore for only $1 a piece, I knew I had to give them a little makeover.

This is one of those projects that is super inexpensive and so easy, but the results are fantastic!  Here's what you'll need to make some:

-Small chocolate heart candy boxes (I got mine on sale at CVS, but they sell them everywhere)

-Scrapbook papers (I chose these gold and glittered papers for their luxe look)

-Fabric flowers or other embellishments (ribbons, rhinestones, etc...)

-Scissors

-Paper Glue

-Pencil

-Ruler

Directions: To begin, unwrap your chocolate boxes from any cellophane wrapping and carefully remove the top. You are going to use it as your stencil for the box top. Just flip it over and trace the heart shape onto the wrong side of your scrapbook paper. You will also need to cut out a long rectangular strip of paper to cover the exposed sides of your box - just measure the width.

Carefully cut both of these out.

If you plan your placement, you can get about three tops and three strips from just one piece of 12" x 12" scrapbook paper! Next, glue your shapes to the box top and sides.  I like to use a glue stick or sticky dots. Allow to dry completely. Now the fun part - decorate your box!  I went for simplicity with these pretty fabric flowers from Martha Stewart Crafts...

 

They retail for $6.59 for a set of three, but I used my Michael's 50% off coupon, which made them only $1.10 each! I just love how these turned out! These would make excellent classroom valentines or party favors.

XOXO

Jessica

Chocolate Ball Christmas Ornaments

When I found these pretty foil-covered chocolate balls, I just knew I had to do something fun with them.

They reminded me of my vintage mercury glass Christmas ornaments, so I thought - why not turn them into mini ornaments!

These are so easy to make - you gotta try them!  Here's what you'll need:

-Small foil-covered chocolate balls (similar ones here)

-Inexpensive mini ornaments (16 for $1 at the Target Dollar Spot)

-Glue gun/sticks

-Narrow Ribbon

To make my chocolate ornaments, I began by carefully removing the hangers from the mini ornaments that I bought at Target...

They came off very easily.

Next, I used a bit of hot glue to secure one to each chocolate ball.  Hint: try to put the glue inside the hanger opening to minimize any glue from showing on the outside of the ball.  Allow to dry and add a bow or loop of narrow ribbon to the hanger!

These would look so pretty scattered on your holiday table, hanging from a mini tree, or even adorning a holiday package. ***Please note that these are tiny (i.e., a choking hazard), so keep them away from the little ones!

:-)

Jessica

 

Pastel Pumpkins

As you probably know, I am not a traditionalist when it comes to Halloween colors.  You see, the color Orange and I are not friends. We actually have very little to do with each other. Over the years, I have vacillated back and forth from barely tolerating Orange to shunning Orange completely. Obviously, this is kind of a problem when it comes to pumpkins. I've done my best to work around it though. I've used white pumpkins and pink pumpkins in the past and they both worked out pretty well. But this year, I thought I'd totally go for it and make some pastel colored pumpkins. I bought a bunch of tiny white pumpkins and used powdered food coloring to paint them.  If you just mix up the powder with some vodka or clear extract, it makes a wonderful paint...

And I just love the finished texture - almost like a chalk paint...

...and you can mix up any colors you desire. I even used some sparkly gold for the stems!

Perfect for my "Orange-free" Halloween!

:-)

XOXO

Jessica

 

 

The Cake Decorating Party: Take Two

Yay!  We did it!  Mini-mini-me managed to stay healthy this time around and the cake-decorating party (finally) went off without a hitch! I can honestly tell you that I have never been so happy to have a party behind me. But, it really was a great party and I promised to share, so here it is...

We had twelve girls attend the party. This was a manageable number, but I really wouldn't suggest going too much higher than that. Upon their arrival, we greeted the girls with one of the frilly no-sew tulle aprons that I showed you all previously. They seemed to go over pretty well - I mean, who doesn't like tulle and ruffles? After the girls washed their hands and put their hair back in ponytails, they got busy decorating their cakes.  I had already set up the table with all the necessary cake decorating supplies and a two-layer cake was placed at each setting. Now, if you have the time and the desire, by all means, bake the cakes yourself. Sadly, I didn't have the time (or the desire), so I ordered them from a local bakery. ;-)  I specifically requested that the cakes be "smoothly" iced with white icing and with no additional piping or decoration. This was important because I wanted the girls to have an opportunity to practice with the icing bags.

I had pre-filled 12 icing bags with six different colored (pastel!) icings and fitted them with a variety of tips.

I placed one bag at each place setting, but made sure to instruct the girls to take turns sharing colors and tips. I also set out plates of pretty sugar flowers that I bought from a cake supply shop...

...and lots and lots of butter-cream roses (which I had piped myself ahead of time)...

Of course, there were also a variety of colorful sprinkles and sugars...

Each girl also received a hunk of pink fondant with which to practice making their own roses and decorations. The girls took the task of decorating their cakes very, very seriously.

And, as you can see from the results, the cakes turned out just beautifully!

Some, like my daughter, took the opportunity to truly "gild the lily"...

While others showed a bit more restraint and went for a simpler design...

When everyone was finished decorating, the girls went off to sing, dance, and scream to Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, while I packed up the cakes and quickly switched the table over to party mode. Instead of paper plates and cups, I used these pretty pink and aqua plastic ones that I found at Target in the children's housewares aisle! They were such a great deal, too - about 50 cents a piece! And we can use them over and over again!

We had scheduled the party for mid-afternoon, so I was luckily able to avoid the whole pizza ordeal (not good when you have shabby chic white sofas!). Instead, we served cake (ordered from a favorite bakery, so as to not destroy any beautiful works of art)...

..and ice cream with confetti sprinkles. Beverages included pink paper-wrapped water bottles and pink lemonade. Served with lots of pastel striped straws!

And if that wasn't enough sugar, I also gave each girl one of the old-fashioned candy baskets that I showed you the other day...

When it was time to go home, the girls left with their beautiful cakes, a cake decorating kit, and their tulle aprons.

So, that's it. We did it! It was lots of fun and Mini-mini-me had a wonderful time, but next year I think I'll be doing my best to convince her to go bowling!

Don't worry - we'll make it pretty :-)

XOXO

Jessica

Old Fashioned Candy Cup Favors

I made these little favors for Mini-mini-me's cake decorating birthday party...

I had actually intended for them to resemble old-fashioned candy (or nut) cups from the 1950's and 60's (LOVE that retro look!), but my friend, Michele, promptly informed me that they looked just like little Easter baskets! She's right, of course. But whether you use them as birthday party favors or Easter baskets (how timely!), they are easy peasy to make!

I simply used a bit of hot glue to attach a little sprig of forget-me-nots and a tiny pink bow to each basket.

Then I filled them with pretty pastel candies (O.K., Michele, those are speckled jelly bean eggs in there). :-)

Be back soon with all the party details!

XOXO

Jessica