There are so many methods for easter egg dyeing out there, it really allows you to tap into your creative side.  Watercolors, nail polish, marbled pattern, tie-dye, glitter, the possibilities are endless.  I haven’t dyed eggs in years, but I thought I’d give it a try.  I went the more traditional route with the classic PAAS brand dye kit, but I played around with some fun dipping techniques to create layered effects.  I also wanted to try out decorating eggs with Sharpies.  I have a large collection of markers I use for sketching, and it seems like a total no brainer to use them for adding detailed designs to the eggs.

I had so much fun dyeing the eggs, and trying out techniques like ombre, and layering colors in interesting combinations.

The sharpies were great to work with, much easier than watercolor or acrylic paint.  They give you a huge amount of control for adding detail, plus they dry quickly, and don’t smear, which is also nice.  Just make sure your eggs are totally dry before you start to draw,  then go for it!

So much fun, I remember why I loved doing it so much as a kid.  What’s your favorite method you use to decorate your easter eggs?

Have you seen the movie Lost in Translation?  It’s one of my favorites.  Every time it’s on I have to stop and watch it, at least for a little while.  Japan is on my bucket list of places to visit, so I think that’s one of the reasons I love it.  Remember that moment when Scarlett Johansson’s character hangs the cherry blossom mobile from the ceiling?

I’ve been on the hunt for one forever, to no avail so far.  Then I figured, why not just make one?  I’ve been dreaming of spring here in the midwest, and it’s the perfect way to add some cheery, whimsical blooms to our homes decor until the real flowers start to bloom.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• pink paper or card stock.
• scissors
• one package fabric wrapped stem wire, I chose brown, but green would work too.
• coordinating floral tape.
• a toothpick
• a hot glue gun
• a floral punch.  I found this one at Joann’s, but most craft stores will have something similar.  Or you could cut them all out by hand (good luck though, I ended up using about 60-70 blooms for this mobile.  Phew, that would be a lot of cutting).

Start by punching out your cherry blossoms.  I used about 6 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of pink card stock, which ended up being about 70 blooms.  You don’t have to pre-cut them all, just work til you have a good pile going to start with.

To start your mobile structure, take one piece of stem wire and create either a loop or a hook to hang your mobile.

Take the wire with the loop.  This will be the center of your entire mobile.  Next take 4 or 5 of your wires and cluster them around the center wire.  Line them up so the bottoms all match, then about half way up the wires begin to wrap with your brown floral tape.  Wrap about 1 1/2 to 2 inches.  Next add 4-5 more wires, and repeat, moving downward in increments.  You will end up with 4 or 5 tiers of wires, depending on how many stems came in your package.

Next poke a hole in the center of each paper blossom with your toothpick.  Slide the blossoms one by one onto the wire, with either 3 or 4 per stem.  Use a tiny bit of hot glue on the side facing the center to secure the blossoms in place.

Keep adding your blossoms, and your mobile will begin to fill in and take shape.  There will be lots and lots of glue strings, but don’t worry about that right now.

Cut out a handful of extra blossoms and don’t poke holes in them.  Glue them here and there to your secured blossoms to create a layered effect and fill in your mobile a bit more.  Pull off all your glue strings, and hang wherever you please.

There are so many things that I love about this project.  It’s lightweight, and so versatile.  You can customize the blooms to any color, and it could be used for home decor, party decor, or even wedding decor (as pictured above).  Imagine a ceremony arch covered in bunches of these sweet hand made blooms!  I hope you’ll try making your very own cherry blossom mobile, and bring a bit of spring into your home.

It’s no secret, I absolutely love flowers, and I guess I better since playing with flowers is what I do for a living.  It should come as no surprise then that spring is one of my favorite times of year.  Some of the most fantastic blooms are available right now, like gorgeous peonies, tulips, and hyacinth, and lots of other blooms you can only find in the cool months between February and April.  I think that one of the most common questions I get is “how did you learn about flowers”.  The short answer is experience, and asking lots of questions.  When I started my floral design business a few years ago, I knew little to nothing about flowers, and the number of varieties was intimidating to say the least.  Today I thought I’d share a spring flower recipe with you, placed in a simple hand painted box.  I’m so in love with geometric patterns right now, and I let the colors of the flowers inspire the peach and pink color palette, with touches of gold.

This arrangement is pretty simple, made up of four different flowers.  I think one of the keys to making an interesting arrangement is mixing texture and scale of flowers.  Even a monochromatic arrangement can be interesting if you take these elements of design into consideration.  Here’s what I used for this arrangement:

• Tweedia: Delicate, naturally blue flower.  Comes cut on short stems.  Be aware that when you cut this flowers it does ooze a white sap that can be a little bit sticky and irritating to the skin.
• Tulips:  Although tulips are available almost any time of year at the flower market, they are a spring flower (at least here in the midwest).  They come in a large variety of colors and variations.  These are simple orange California tulips.
• Hyacinth: Super fragrant, with thick hollow stems, these are a stable spring flowers grown from bulbs.
• Poppy:  Ah, the ever elusive poppy.  At least here in the midwest it’s elusive at the floral market.  It’s super delicate so it doesn’t do so well in shipping, but when you can find them, they’re pretty amazing.

I bought these wooden boxes very inexpensively online.  I think they’re great because they’re a blank canvas, so to speak.  They look fresh and modern just as is, or you can paint, stain, or decorate them however you see fit.  Also because they have a low price tag they’re perfect to give plants or flowers to friends in.  Hope you’ve enjoyed my floral recipe post.  If you love flowers take some time to experiment with them, it’s the best way to learn!

I LOVE sewing.  Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t completed any projects to brag about, it’s mostly been straight lined, super easy pattern type projects.  However there’s something so satisfying about creating your own things from scratch.  My favorite home decor items to make are pillows.  They’re quick, and simple, and it’s the perfect way to freshen up a room or piece of furniture.  You can even create different covers for your existing pillows to change with the seasons.  Today I’m giving a quick little step by step to create a geometric patchwork pillow, that’s colorful and modern. (Note: this is not a beginning sewing project, a basic knowledge of using a sewing machine and hand stitching is not covered in this tutorial).

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A mix of solid color fabrics to make your geometric shapes.  I’d go with scraps, or buying fat quarters at the fabric store.  You don’t need very much for this part of the project.
• A coordinating, or neutral fabric for both the front, and back of the pillow.  About a 1/2 yard altogether.
• Batting to stuff your pillow, or a separate pillow insert if you are just making a sham.
• Scissors or a cutting wheel
• Thread in a coordinating color
• Sewing machine
• Pins
• Optional: Cutting mat.  If you like doing patchwork or quilting projects I find it to be invaluable.
• Optional: zipper, snaps, or ribbons (this is only if you are making a sham rather than a stuffed pillow).

For my project I used a 12 x 16 inch pillow insert, but you could create a 16  x 16 inch square with this pattern, or a different dimension, just make sure to adjust your measurements accordingly.  First I cut out all the pieces for the pillow.  I found it easiest to measure out one triangle, then use it as a pattern to cut all the others.  I cut 8 triangles total, measuring 5 inches on all sides.  6 of the triangles I cut out of my color fabrics, the last two I cut out of the neutral muslin that I was using for the rest of my pillow front.  These two neutral triangles were placed on the ends of the rows, as they were going to be cut in half.

For the rest of the face of my pillow I used a neutral muslin fabric.  I cut out two 16 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch muslin rectangles (size of pillow plus a 1/4 inch seam allowance on each end and top and bottom).  Last I cut out the back using a coordinating green fabric.  This I cut 16 1/2 x 12 1/2.

I took the triangles and laid them out on my pillow to make sure that I liked the order of the colors.  Play around a bit and see what you like best before you start sewing.

Next it was time to sew the triangles together.  If you’re a beginning sewer I’d recommend pinning the triangles together as you go to make sure the seams line up nicely.  Unfold them and check to make sure you like how they’re looking as you go along.  Make sure to flip the triangles as you sew so you end up with one straight row.

Next I sewed on my two muslin rectangles.  It’s a good idea at this point to press your front piece, just so it will lie nice and flat.  At the ends of each row the two neutral triangles will hang over the edge, outside your rectangle.  Trim them to match the line of your rectangle so you get a nice straight edge.  In other words, you should have a rectangle that will be the front of your pillow.  Pin your front and back of your pillow to each other, with the “good” sides facing each other.  Sew all around the edges with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  If you are stuffing your pillow with batting leave a slit about 1-2 inches long in the bottom seam of your pillow.  Fill it with batting, then hand stitch it shut.  If you are creating a sham leave the bottom edge open, folding over 1/4 inch and stiching a nice finished hem.  Attach your snaps, ties, or zipper and insert your pillow.

Now you’re finished.  Enjoy your pillow, and create more using different colors and sizes.  Sewing is something that gets easier with practice, so don’t get frustrated, and keep trying new projects!

I’ve had this step stool since I got married.  It belonged to my grandmother, and my mother, and I nabbed it to use at my work bench in my studio, and later in my kitchen.  I love it for multiple reasons, but the main one being it’s functionality.  It’s great to have around the kitchen with shelves as high as mine, and the fact that you can also pull it up to our island to have a snack or hang out while dinners being cooked is an added bonus.  My grandmother’s entire house was decorated in the 60′s, and almost every single room had some shade of avocado green.  This included the poor little step stool.  With our kitchen in the final stages of being finished I decided it was the perfect time to freshen it up a bit.  I purchased some adorable apple print oil cloth at a local store, and grabbed some tools.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• fabric: I chose oil cloth because it’s easy to clean, and durable.
• batting (optional)
• scissors
• needle nose pliers
• hammer
• you may need other tools depending on the stool you’re recovering.

The first step is to remove the top of the seat.  If you are lucky enough to have found a step stool similar to mine the seat is in two easy to separate parts.  You can see the metal tabs in the photos above.  These were all that held the two parts together, so I simply bent the tabs with needle nose pliers until I could pry them loose.  The vinyl fabric wasn’t attached with any sort of adhesive so I simply pulled it off.  When re-covering a piece of furniture it’s always a good idea to keep the old fabric as intact as possible so you can use it as a pattern.

I laid the old vinyl on my new oil cloth, using it as a guide.  I made sure to cut a generous amount of extra around the edges since I couldn’t flatten it completely.  I wanted to allow some allowance for the edge of the seat, and extra oil cloth to tuck in.

I had some extra batting from a recent quilting project, so I decided to add it to the chair over the old foam, just to give it a little extra cushioning.  I secured my fabric in a few spots to the seat with tape so I could get a nice stretch.  I wouldn’t advise using glue, just in case you’re like me, and like to change things often.  I notched out the corners to get rid of any extra fabric that was covering the metal tabs.  Once I was satisfied I placed the top piece of the seat on the bottom seat and tucked my corners in carefully.  Because of this particular stools design the fabric was almost self stretching, so I got a nice snug fit.  I sat on it to flatten it all the way to the bottom part of the seat, and pushed the metal tabs back down to secure them back together.

I absolutely love my up-cycled vintage step stool, it’s like having a new piece of furniture for my kitchen.  The graphic red and white print coordinates perfectly with my other red accessories, and I love the fact that it gives new life to an old piece.  Hope you’ll try re-covering your own stool!

My dear friends had their first baby in October of 2012, and this summer I, along with three friends, hosted a baby shower.  We created a sweet event for a little boy, with a slightly nautical theme, and color palette inspired by momma Ellen’s nursery décor.  There were tons of little details, and decorative touches, and it was one of the most fun events I’ve hosted at our house.

(photo courtesy of Ellen’s blog White Table Style)

After the little guy was born (his name is Watson), I decided that I wanted to create a quilt for him.  Quilting has quickly become one of my favorite hobbies.  I usually create very simple designs, they’re an easy, and very personal gift that I can give to friends and family.

For Watson’s blanket I used the same fabrics that were included in some of the shower décor.  I also wanted to add a touch of vintage, because like me, Watson’s mom, Ellen, is a vintage enthusiast.  I ordered a few pieces of vintage feed sack fabric.  When choosing them I tried to stick to a similar color palette of reds, blues, greens, and yellows for the whole quilt, and chose fabrics in fun patterns that weren’t overly feminine.

I thought the quilt turned out pretty cute, and I hope that it’s something that Watson will be able to enjoy for years to come.

You may have figured it out by now if you’re one of our readers, but I like to make things.  I knew that Morgan and Carrie of Ampersand Design Studio were working hard on a fabric project, but little did I know just how adorable it was going to be.  They announced their designs with a look-book full of bright color, pattern, and lots of ideas on lovely things to DIY using their fabric.  Now that’s creative!  Here’s a little bit more about their project and inspiration:

“We are SO excited to finally share, “Cream & Sugar” our debut fabric collection with Windham Fabrics!! We fell in love with all things tea-related when we studied abroad together in England, so we were thrilled to design a collection around this passion! If you pretend you just got invited to the happiest, most colorful tea party in town, then you pretty much get the picture!  We hope our fabrics will add some color and fun to your next party and in your home!”

You ladies are so inspiring!  (check out their post for even more details about their collection.  All photos by Eric Linebarger).

Working in the floral design business if there’s one thing that I have a lot of leftovers of (other than gorgeous flowers) it’s votive candles.  Most brides don’t want to use half burned candles for their event, so we end up with boxes and boxes of used candles.  I decided it was time to put them to good use with a simple, eco friendly project.  Why not melt them all down and make something new?

(Just a few notes: Making candles is messy, I’d suggest laying down a protective surface on your countertop, table, so the wax dripping don’t get everywhere.  Also you will obviously be dealing with heat.  Candle wax is flammable so be very careful!)

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Vintage glassware (a lot of these containers were $.45 at a thrift store.  They’re super easy to find.)
• Old votive candles (I ended up using 5 flats of a dozen, and got exactly six candles out of it).
• Candle wick.  I purchased mine at the craft store.
• Aluminum pitcher, also purchased at the craft store.  You can make your own double boiler using a pan and a larger pan, however I found the pitcher super easy to pour from, and it wasn’t very expensive either.
• Bamboo skewers.
• Metal screen for straining out wicks, etc.  You could also use cheesecloth.
• Crayons (for dyeing the wax).
• A knife (I ended up using a butter knife instead of the one pictured.  It’s safer, and works better for prying the candles).
• Large pot for boiling water.
• Cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil.

Step One: Pry the votives out of their glass holders.  I used a butter knife, went around the edges, and they easily popped out.  Dump them into your aluminum pitcher, wicks and all.  If you don’t have votives in glass containers, then this step can be skipped, just drop them in your pitcher (or pot).

Step Two: Put about an inch of water into your large pot on the stove top or in my case I was lucky enough to have an old electric griddle that I can’t use for cooking anymore.  I liked this alternative because it lets me control the temperature.  If you’re using a stove top turn your burner to medium heat.  You don’t want to melt your wax on crazy high heat, the optimum pouring temperature is 325 degrees or so.  I turned mine on 350, and it took about 40 minutes to melt all the wax.  You want it to be completely melted, so it looks like liquid.

Step Three: While your wax is melting prep your candle wicks.  Measure about how long you need your wick, then add another inch and a half or so.

Step Four: Dip your wicks into the wax.  Your wax doesn’t need to be completely melted at this point, just enough that you can get your wick in and get it covered.  Lay the wicks out on a cookie sheet so they can cool.  You can pop them in the fridge to speed this process, but I didn’t find it necessary.

Once your wicks are cool, take your bamboo skewer and place it over the rim of your glassware.  Wrap the wick around the skewer, making sure it just touches the bottom of the candle.  Trim of the excess wick.

Now your wax should be melted all the way through.  Be careful it’s REALLY hot.  I used an oven mitt to hold the pitcher.  Take your piece of screen and hold it over your vintage container.  Don’t set it on the container or else your wicks will move out of place.  Carefully pour the wax into the container.  The screen will catch any of the old wicks or debris in the wax.  Once your wax is all poured make sure your wick is positioned where you want it, and then leave the containers alone to cool completely.

I had enough wax to do 6 candles, so I decided to do the ones in the clear containers in a color.  The best way to dye wax?  Crayons.  I used half a crayon for this batch.  The wax poured a nice dark blue color, but ended up a light/medium blue color.  Take this into account when trying to determine what color you’d like to make your candles.

Once your candles are completely set (containers should no longer be warm to the touch) go ahead and trim your wick. Leave about a 1/2 inch of wick.  You’re all set, and ready to burn them.  The fun thing about this project is that you can make them all different colors, in any kind of containers you want.  Would they make a super fun gift set for a friend.  You can also add scents to them.  I didn’t get into that because it’s a whole nother world, and there are TONS of options.

Thanks for checking out my ec0-friendly candle making project.  Now go out and create your own candles!

There are so many amazing local businesses that I love to visit, but as an avid crafter Urban Arts and Crafts is absolutely one of my favorites.  It’s a hand maker of things dream!  They carry fabric, and sewing supplies, tons of yarn, scrapbooking, and stamping tools, findings for jewelry making, as well as chains, and beads, and many other crafty sundries.  Not only do they have all the standard crafting items, they often have them from companies you won’t find everywhere else.  When I’m looking for something for a home sewing project it’s one of my stops to find fabric with a colorful, modern print.  Their collection of scrap booking papers in eclectic, and contemporary, and I was definitely tempted to buy the home letterpress kit they carry.

An overview of the shop, plus their sweet cat whose always lounging around the store.  And just check out the delightful selection of fabrics.  So many colors!

Loved this line of scrapbooking paper.  So colorful, and modern.  Plus look at the tiny hearts, and the camera printed sheet.  Too cute!

Thanks for taking a tour of one of my favorite shops in Kansas City.  You can find Urban Arts and Crafts, and more store information online here.  New to crafting?  They also teach classes for sewing, knitting, crochet, jewelry, and more.  Plus the staff is amazing, super helpful, and knowledgable about their products.  If you’re a crafter visiting Kansas City, it should definitely be on your list of place to go!

I’m always looking for super simple DIY’s to share.  Sure I’m always up for a crafting challenge, but let’s face it, most of us don’t have a ton of time and energy to devote to making things, especially if it comes to your wedding day.  No worries though, this fun, modern, guest book idea is quite literally a two step process.  Nothing could be easier, and what I love about it is that that the guest book from your wedding will become a piece of artwork in your home rather than just a book on your coffee table or bookshelf.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Wooden letters.  I got mine at Joanne’s and decided to spell out love.  However choose whatever word you’d like, or even your last name, or perhaps your initials.
• Spray paint.  Customize your letters to fit the color palette of your wedding, or if you’re thinking ahead, coordinate them with the room in your house you plan to hang them in.  Classic white or black are always good options as well.
• Paint pens.  Choose a color that compliments your spray paint choice.  For this tutorial I went with white.

Step Two: Have your guests sign your letters at your reception.  Display them on a table with instructions and multiple paint pens.  You can even do a sample message just so they get the idea.  Have fun with your display!

That’s it!  Once your receptions over your guest book is complete and you have an art piece for your new home that is a reminder of your special day together.  Hang on the wall, or place on the mantel, or a book shelf.