Pom Pom Place Card Holders

Just made some pom pom place card holders, perfect for a wedding, bridal shower, or baby shower! I've been wanting to make some pom pom decor for a while, I remember making little yarn balls when I was younger, and they are super fun! They are so cute and can be done in any color so there are endless possibilities! A whole event full of pom pom decor sounds like a party I'd like to go to! Contact me if you'd like pom pom place card holders for your next event!

Wall Mirrors Under $125

Oh the many positives to hanging mirrors: One, they reflect light to make rooms look bigger. Two, they are like art and bring a certain feel to a room, without the stress that some people encounter when purchasing art. Three, though mirrors can go anywhere, there are certain areas of your house which must have mirrors! Those being the entryway, ALL bedrooms (don't leave you're guests hanging!), and lastly, bathrooms. Four, you can check out your lovely self and make sure you don't have food stuck in your teeth.

1. Bamboo Starburst Mirror $19
2. Glossy Green Mirror $124.99
3. Metal Mirror $103
4. Hanging Round Mirror $29.99
5. Bear Mirror $72
6. Starburst mirror $129

DIY: Patio Chair Before & After

When we moved into our house, I unearthed these white patio chairs in our shed, they were rusted, covered in cobwebs and generally icky. I figured that you see chairs like these EVERYWHERE and I should be able to save us some money by giving them some redesign love. I tried about three different ideas for what the seat bases would be, from fabric to rubber cording, and ended up going with some wood slats. All the pictures are below as well as instructions on how to do this DIY lawn chair project yourself!

Materials:

1. Old lawn chairs
2. Six 8ft lengths of 1x3 pine
3. 48 2 inch machine screws and bolts
4. Spray paint
5. Outdoor deck stain
6. New plastic end caps for the feet

Tools:

1. Electric screw driver
2. Drill bit that can go through metal
3. Saw (hand or electric, there aren't TOO many cuts that you could do it by hand)
4. Foam paint brush

Process:

1. Cut off all the existing strapping and pull of old icky end caps
2. Wipe off cobwebs and grime with soap and water
3. Spray paint chairs with color of choice I used Rust-Oleum Champagne Mist. Allow to dry while you work on the wood.
4. Cut pine to length, I cut mine about an inch longer than the outside width of the bars, I used a chop saw, an invaluable tool for home improvements! 
5. Lightly sand the wood
6. Stain pine with outdoor deck stain so that they are resistant to the weather- allow to dry
7. Use masking tape to hold the wood slats where you want them to go. 
8. Flip over chair so you are screwing through the aluminum chair base first. Screw holes through the wood and aluminum chair frame simultaneously to insure that they will line up when you put in the machine screws. Make sure your drill bit is a bit larger than your machine screws. When drilling through metal, remember to let the drill do the work, go slowly with only minimal pressure so the bit will not break. 
9. Thread screws through the holes and tighten bolts. 
10. Note: I only used four slats on the seat base because I intended to top them with a cushion (the ones in the photo I got at Home Goods for $15 each!), if you don't want to use cushions, I would recommend spacing them a bit closer together and adding a fifth slat. 
11. You're done! Now go get a drink and enjoy the sunshine! 

Best of Wedding Signs

Wedding signage is great for many reasons, most importantly for imparting information to your guests. Whether it be directions to different staging areas for the event, an arrow to the bathroom, or just letting your guest know what's to come, signs are invaluable. Signs can also be great as decor, a place for you and your guests to take photos, and pull together a theme or feel for the day. Though you may be unsure as to where to get such custom items made, event designers (such as myself!) and most graphic designers will be able to design something to meet your needs.

1. String sign: I made one like this not that long ago, I have the instructions on a previous post. these are so fun and can be repurposed as art in your home after your wedding.
2. Black arrows: These are simple and to the point, a great way to direct your guests at a larger wedding site.
3. Raw wood signs: I made these for Alex & Ben's wedding. I used raw edge boards to play in with the rest of their decor. 
4. Light bright sign: This sign is so cute and simple, and easy DIY project that can say whatever your heart desires. 
5. Program sign: I love this idea in lieu of individual paper programs. Place this large painted sign in a place where all your guests can see it. It adds to the decor and would probably cost around the same as paper programs. 
6. Chalkboard sign: This is a lovely idea for a first impression of your event, include pertinent information such as a schedule, menus, and numbers for local taxi companies so guests can drink with abandon!
7. Photo montage sign: Building a wall with a painted message and little shelves is a great way to incorporate mementos and photos in an outdoor wedding where there may not be an obvious place for such items otherwise. 
8. Small chalkboard signs: By having a bunch of small chalkboard signs made, you can have various signs filled out the day of if you are not sure of what you may need beforehand. 

Buying Happiness with Little Puppies

A couple people I know have been getting puppies recently, which makes me jealous and takes me back to when our dogs were itty bitty. There is little that makes me happier than getting some snuggle time with a cute little puppy (or a full grown dog for that matter). The smell of puppy breath can brighten any gloomy day! This is a picture of our American Mastiff, Truman when he was eight weeks old and about 25lbs, that was a little over a year and 135lbs ago. It blows my mind to look back at these pictures and see how quickly he has grown! Hope you have a great weekend and snuggle your dog or find someone else's to squeeze! Cross your fingers for nice weather, I have projects to do!

Wedding Favors: Cookie-Dough Cheesecake Jars

These cookie-dough cheesecake favor jars were the last element I made for Sylvia and Brian's wedding. I probably ate about 10 of them as I was making them because they are ridiculously delicious. These were set up on a table for guests to take as they left the wedding, because after all that dancing, it's nice to have something to eat on the car ride home! These are for sale in the store. Edible favors are so much better than some kitschy object that guests will either forget or trash after your wedding, why not give them something they will actually enjoy? We had the couples wedding logo on the side of the jars, a little message of thanks and description of the dessert on the top, and these super cute little wooden spoons tied to the side so that you can truly eat them anywhere! The other designs I did for this couple were their invites, programs, and escort cards, which I've shown below.

Lovely Ceiling Light Fixtures

All of the bedrooms in our house have ceiling fans. Big, white, ceiling fans. We haves central AC, and the feel of fans gives me the heebie-jeebies so I want to take them all down. Though I am a big fan of table and floor lamps for "mood lighting" and general every day lighting, having a good ceiling light is generally more convenient. I may end up making my ceiling lights when push comes to shove to save some money, and to do something custom and interesting. That being said, these are some of the lights that have sparked my interest. They are all different or unique in some way, and each has some element that I find appealing.

1. rattan: This lamp is lovely with lots of character.
2. modern: I love this classic mid-century pendant.
3. schoolhouse: Who can resist a classic school house styled lamp? Not me!
4. geometric: This one is quite pricy, but so lovely, this has the potential to be a DIY project.
5. wire cage: Another pricy option, but this one would be an EASY DIY.
6. gold leaf: Classic and lovely if you had the right space for it.