Halloween Cupcake Liner Wreath

While surfing the internet and other blogs, I came across a valentines day cupcake liner wreath. The wreath was really cute and really inexpensive to make. The idea was so ingenious I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it!! I started to think of all the different types of wreaths I could make because cupcake liners come in so many different colors. This is the wreath I found on Tattertots and Jello a super cute craft site!

This is the wreath I have been working on. I used orange thanksgiving cupcake liners (the halloween cupcake liners were too orange) and I used black damask cupcake liners (both are from Michaels and cost about $1.99 each for 75 liners). I purchased the three unfinished letters from Michaels as well. The total cost for the letters was about $4.47 and I had black paint and a paintbrush. I hot glued the letters together and secured the BOO sign with fishing line (the only way I could figure out how to attach it to the cupcake liners without smooshing them!!) I plant on hanging the wreath on one of our doors in the house as I don't think the liners will withstand wet weather.

Fall Ribbon Wreath

This is a ribbon wreath I did over the weekend to hang in our front window. Its made out of dark brown and gold wire ribbon.

Ribbon Wreath

I made this ribbon wreath last night for Kaitlynn's room. I had all this ribbon and thought this was a cute idea. I am going to add a K to the middle and have it sort of float in the middle (im going to hang it with fishing line) What do you think?

Easy Replication

I am in LOVE with Pottery Barn!!! We recently purchased a house and I told my husband we were going to go with a pottery style theme. I love apothecary jars and wanted to use them for storage on my bathroom vanity. Apothecary jars can be found at potterybarn bathroom accessories .

This is what I came up with instead

These canisters were purchased in the home section at walmart. The smallest jar is actually a sugar bowel and was around 2.00 the largest jar was 4.97. So for all 4 jars I spent less than $20.00. I also have a larger apothecary jar I purchased at homegoods for 9.99. It is sitting on my vanity behinde these jars now but is not pictured.

past projects

Before I had Kaitlynn there was a phase where it seemed like everyone was pregnant. I don't remember whose baby shower it was but I had my first look at a "diaper cake". It was a really cute idea that I knew I could re create. For a friends baby shower I wanted to get her a diaper cake and couldn't find any designs online so I took my first crack at making my own. Here are a few of the diaper cakes I have made in the past. I LOVE making diaper cakes!

Goody Bags

For Kaitlynn's birthday Party the majority of the kids at the party are under age 2. I wanted to give goody bags but decided I didn't want to do the traditional candy and toy goody bags. Most one years olds are too young to play with most toys that go in goody bags so I decided to make the goody bags and fill them with animal crackers. This is the sample of what the bag will look like. (minus the cookies)

pom poms

I finally had time to make these pom poms and they were really easy. I followed the directions from the link I posted on the blog. Here is my finished product. I bought Black, white and green tissue paper to match the color theme. I am also thinking of making slightly smaller pom poms to add some variety. I bought packs of 25 sheets of tissue paper for 1.99 at target. The fishing line I also bought at Target for 5.99. Instead of using floral wire as suggested I just used a stapler to secure the accordian folds. So the total cost for one pom pom was about  1.00. The fishing line is about 360 yards and I used about 7 inches on the pom pom. So the cost is minimal. Most websites that sell pom poms sell them for 8 dollars. So aside from the time it takes to actually make them (took me about twenty minutes) it is more cost effective to make them.  After her party my husband and I are going to hang them from her ceiling in her room.

Water labels 2

I went home last night after work and played with the water bottle template. I thought the other labels were a little too boring for a lady bug/polka dot theme. I started off with changing just one label but this was my end product. I have to say I am a little proud of myself and excited at how inexpensive these were to do but how custom they look!

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Water bottle labels

Here is my water bottle that I created using a template in power point.

If you are planning a birthday party, baby shower or special get together dressing up the ever present water bottle is a cute way to add personality to the occassion.  I found a water bottle lable template created in power point that you can change to fit any color theme or event. There are about four to five water bottle labels per sheet and all you have to do is add the full sheet label paper, cut them down to size and stick them on your favorite water. I also read about the idea of covering the water bottle label with cute wrapping paper. You can measure and cut the wrapping paper to the size of the water bottle label and stick with double sided tape!

The top right hand picture is a water bottle that had the label covered with wrapping paper. If you are going to use the water as favors the hang tags are a cute idea. If you are going to drink the water I would suggest using some sort of sticker instead of the hang tag to make it easier to drink.Here is also a link where you can purchase pre made water bottles labels. Cost is about $7.79 for 21 labels. http://www.favorstoday.com/baby-shower/water-bottle-labels/

Here is another link for water bottle label how to'shttp://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-make-custom-water-bottle-labels.html

Day dreaming

"Wishing is good for us. Daydreams, fantasies, castles in the air and aspirations all drive us forward, impel us to make things happen. They also tell us a lot about ourselves. Our wishes come straight from our core, and they are filled with vital information." - unknown

Projects

Here are some of my upcoming projects:

Photo Garland- (This is an example of one but mine is going to be slightly different) I'm not a huge fan of ready made party decorations and this is a great alternative to streamers.

Candy bar - This is more for the adults as the kids are mostly too young to enjoy any of the candy.
I have all the jars already from our wedding so this is a good chance to  re-use them.  I am not going to dedicate an actual candy bar table but will use the apothocary jars and candy to add decoration to the cake table.

I am going to start on these Pom Poms today on my lunch break. This is a wonderful DIY website http://tammymitchell.typepad.com/life_in_pictures/2009/03/crafty-corner-tissue-paper-pom-poms.html. The cost for these poms poms are about 8.00 each at most places. You can make them for about $0.97 each. This is a huge savings and they are gorgeous.

Direction

I need to take a step back and figure out exactly how many decorations I want for Kaity's birthday party. I have so many ideas I am not sure where to start or which ones are most important!! I was going to work on a party hat but I dont think Kaitlynn will wear it. She has taken to wearing headbands so I think I might try to design a cute headband to go with her tutu. (Possibly just antenna's from her ladybug costume since that is the theme of her party).

I have to remember too that this party is supposed to be chic on a buget and it is really easy to get wrapped up in all the cute decorations!

I've decided against using special polka dot plats to match the theme and instead I am going to tie everything together with coordinating napkins, cups and cutlery. This website has the cutest polka dot decorations! http://www.polk-dot-market.com/

I also found this cute favor idea for a kids party. This is a crayon roll that would be a wonderful favor for kids along with a coloring book. All it would take is some fabric and a sewing machine. These crayon rolls could go in backpacks for school or be easy storage at home. This is also a cute idea for older girls as a makeup brush holder.

I've nixed the party hat idea for now so I need to find a new project to start on. I am definetly going to use these cake plates for our food table.  You can find them at Homegoods for about $12.99 (smaller ones are available for around $7.99). They come with a ribbon but it is easily changed out to match whatever theme you are going with. This is a perfect piece to invest in because it can be used at all sorts of events.

tea party

These tea CUPcake molds are absolutely adorable! I found this idea on http://www.poshlittlebaby.com/. These would be the perfect decoration/entree at any tea party!

Cute and easy centerpiece Idea

This centerpiece has the perfect colors to match our theme. It would be really easy and inexpensive to make.

Gorgeous Tutus

I have to share this wonderful website. I was browsing through the tutus listed on ETSY.com and came across this picture. The tutus are sooo adorable and relatively inexpensive. The pictured tutu is listed for $32.95 with $7.95 shipping.

Hat's off to Kaitlynn

I found this hate on ETSY.COM and loved it because it matches the colors of Kaity's birthday party theme. I am going to try to replicate the idea. 

cost  $ 19.99

Her Chair

This is my next project: Kaity's highchair cover for her birthday. I saw a high chair cover and a tray skirt on a few websites. I thought that making a tray skirt would be a pretty simple task considering I still had a lot of left over tulle from making Kaity's tutu.

Splurge:

(photo courtesy of Esy.com) Cost not including shipping: $ 55.00

Steal:

I used left over tulle fom her tutu and made this cute little garland thing to hang in the front of her high chair. I don't need to make a cover for the back of the chair because the pattern is black and will match with anything.

Here is my little bug in her high chair:

So I've completed three projects so far and I've spent about 60.00. That seems like a lot but I still have left over tulle and I made the tutu and high chair cover for the price of what a normal tutu would cost if purchased online. 

Kaity's tutu after I added some hot pink tulle to it yesterday.  

The Cost was approximately $20.00

Splurge:

Cost of this tutu is $85.00 http://www.perfectshowers.com/

There are other websites that feature inexpensive tutus and you could probably purchase one for $20.00. (I think its more fun to make them!)

Party Challenge

I've challeneged myself to throw my daughter a chic first birthday party on a reasonable budget. I've found many cute ideas that I hope to duplicate at a fraction of the cost- Think I'll be able to do it?

The invitations previously posted are a digital file that is available for customization at only $15.00 (found on ETSY.COM), You upload the jpg. file to a photo printer, such as walmart, costco, target, etc. and you can print as many invitations as you want. We are inviting 70 guests so for the invitations it would cost approximately $25.00 (Reasonable in my opinion considering we paid $150 for Kaitlynns birth announcements).

Budget-

$25.00 for 70 invitations

Splurge-

Courtsey of Tinyprints.com approx. cost is $100.80 for 70 invitations.

Total savings equals $75.00.

Imagine

Without leaps of immagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.

-Gloria Steinem

Hello world!

So, I started this blog after visiting so many other blog sites. Just yesterday I was browsing Google looking for ideas for my daughters first birthday party and came across a blogger who had posted pictures of a birthday party she had been too and the theme and decorations wereabsolutely adorable! I figured if I found inspiration from someone else's blog maybe someone would find inspiration in mine.

Kaitlynn's 1st birthday party theme; Pink Ladybugs (we call her Kaity bug).
http://www.etsy.com/listing/54691594/pink-ladybug-birthday-photo-invitation?ref=v1

Party planning is so much fun even if she is too young to remember it! We will always have the pictures!