I literally never remember to purchase gift tags at Christmastime - and I'm not using the term "literally" for extra drama here. I actually cannot recall a single time I've ever picked up gift tags at the store, put them in my shopping basket, and taken them to the register to check out. What usually ends up happening when I'm wrapping presents is I realize my mistake, try to find a nice-enough piece scrap of paper, scribble the recipient's name on the back, throw on a little Scotch tape, and call it a day. Janky, I know. Hence why I love printable gift tags!
Guess what? Christmas is almost here! I'm super excited, and grateful that I can finally start to decorate my home for the holidays. Last year I went for a Scandinavian-theme with my holiday decor, and this year I'm continuing the motif. I love the care and simplicity of the Nordic patterns that pop up during this season, and I decided I wanted to replicate those patterns on some hand-painted Scandinavian stockings. It was easier than it looks - keep reading to see how it works!
I love the holidays, because there is a never-ending list of activities you can do to celebrate. You can watch movies, decorate a tree, go caroling (tangent question: does anyone actually carol anymore?), wrap gifts, and bake cookies. Most holiday activities are done in groups, too, so they always have the potential to turn into sweet memories with the people you care about. If you're planning on having a holiday party, why not make it a cookie decorating party? Here are some tips to help you create a holly, jolly, fun time for all.
Yep, the season is here and I'm ready to deck. those. halls. Each year, I lean more and more towards minimal Christmas decorations and I love simple black and white with splashes of metallics. I'm a huge fan of a banner or pendent. They are easy to hang and roll up small and compact to pack away for the rest of the year. Banners add a relaxed, informal vibe to a space. This no-sew, narrow NOEL banner is perfect for a tight space. I'm hanging mine on a tiny space on my wall between the door and window.
Felt is one of my favorite materials to work with. It's inexpensive and requires no sewing.
Although it's hard to believe, it's almost that time of year when holiday parties start occupying most weekends. Most people's go-to gift for these kinds of events is usually a bottle of wine, but sometimes it's nice to surprise your hostess with something different. Here are 60 fantastic DIY hostess gifts that you can start thinking about ahead of time to avoid excessive holiday stress.
It's advent calendar time! As I write this post, the Midwest is being walloped by a snow storm. Nothing inspires holiday decorating like many inches of snow, and to stave off decking all the halls, I created a little diy advent calendar village for our children. Read on for the full tutorial.
Using blocks of wood and test tubes, I assembled a village full of tiny treasures to help our family celebrate the season...
Drinking wine and crafting are two of my favorite pastimes, and today I'm combining them into one fun, super simple DIY project. I'm sharing an easy no-sew felt wine coaster project that functions as both a coaster and a wine marker so you don't drink someone else's wine by mistake. Win win! Keep reading to check out the full tutorial... it's surprisingly easy!
The best school assignment in the world is the diorama. It's an indisputable fact: Gathering tiny objects and assembling them into a scene is delightfully gratifying.
Candy is great, and costumes are fun, but what about the music? Whether you like jammin' to Monster Mash or prefer to get down to Thriller, music plays a big part in this spookiest of holidays. But there's more to listen to than just the Ghostbusters theme song (although that is a good one!). Here are 80 songs to get you in the spirit for spirits. From classic haunts to alternative rock, there's a Halloween playlist here for everyone.
We're getting to that time of year where two different things are happening: parties are picking up, and the cold weather is forcing us to spend more time indoors. So... basically the perfect combination for some cozy aromatherapy! The fall season has so many distinct smells associated with it - like crisp winds, earthy leaves, fresh rain - and one of the most recognizable scent combinations is that of mulling spices. Whether you have a dinner party coming up, or simply want to flood your home with the scents of the season, this quick fall simmer pot is sure to do the trick.
Here's a great tutorial on making your own modern house numbers, inspired by the clean lines of mid-century design.
Make these mid-century modern house numbers
The architect Richard Neutra is one of modernism's iconic artists. He's best known for his integration of both his residential and commercial buildings into their landscape, and for his care in matching his work with the lifestyles of his clients, rather than imposing his own...
Cleaning hacks. They're everywhere on Pinterest, and they all claim to be the answer to your toughest, messiest dilemmas. But are they really? I tested 10 hacks in my own house and here's what I found out.
More and more I find myself opting for greener products in my home. Call me a hippie (you're a hippie!), but I just don't want all that toxic chemical junk around me. I've successfully transitioned all my cleaning products to eco-friendly versions, and I'm now dipping my toes in the realm of homemade cleaners. If you've made your own cleansing sprays before, you know the main ingredient is almost always vinegar. I love the cleaning power of vinegar, but hate the smell. Doesn't it just remind you of decorating Easter eggs? This recipe for all-natural wood cleaner doesn't have that overpowering vinegar aroma. Instead, is has a light lemon scent. And I have to say, it's a crazy-pleasant smell. Like I kind of want to wear it as a perfume.
Materials
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin (can be found at the natural foods store)
20-30 drops of lemon oil
This cleaner is easy to make. Simply combine all ingredients in a large bottle, and shake it up! I opted not to use a spray bottle, and instead I'm keeping mine in a simple amber one. The reason is that I've found when I make all-natural cleaners, the sprayer tends to clog up and break. If anyone has any tips to prevent this from happening, let me know in the comments please!
To use this all-natural wood cleaner, distribute a little bit of the solution on a soft cloth, and wipe wood surfaces clean.
This wood cleaning solution is more about getting rid of dirt, and less about polishing. This makes it great for cleaning floors, dishes, or wood surfaces you eat off of or prepare food on. If you're looking to make a cleaner with a little more polishing power, add a tablespoon of olive oil to this mixture.
In case you're curious what each ingredient is for, here's the breakdown: The water is essentially the carrier. The vinegar is the cleansing agent. The vegetable glycerin helps the solution dry faster, and the lemon oil is there to smell amazing.
As Earth Day approaches (mark your calendars! April 22nd!), I've been thinking about ways to reduce and reuse the things I don't need in my life anymore. I'm pretty good about recycling what I can - cardboard, papers, and bottles go in the curbside recycling, and compost I take to the local natural foods store. Plastic bags go to grocery stores with those plastic bag bins up front, along with other random thinner plastics like cereal bags, plastic wrap, and bread bags. If you don't have access to a plastic bag recycling bin, you can reuse your plastic bags by fusing them together to create a waterproof, flexible fabric!
For some reason or another I'm obsessed with contact paper. Maybe it's because it's an easy way to transform objects, walls, anything really. It might be because shelf liner is cheap, or maybe it's the renter in me that loves how temporary it is. Whatever the case, it's a fact that I love vinyl. And it's a fact that I love to DIY, which is how this customized vinyl wall decal came to be.
