DIY CRAFT

PARTY DECOR

PATERNS

RECIPES

DIY CRAFT

PARTY DECOR

TRAVEL TIPS

Party Planner and DIY Projects

- Canvas Wine Bag Diy
  June 16, 2021Recently, I flew to Dallas for a wine event to teach a workshop of how to make wax canvas wine bags and everyone’s reaction was so positive, I thought I’d turn it into a DIY hostess gift for the blog. I love gifting wine for parties, etc – especially around the holidays. Who couldn’t use another bottle or two? And this DIY idea makes the gift feel a bit more special and (dare I say) more thoughtful since it incorporates a handmade element. Aside from gifting these totes with wine, I was thinking it would be fun to craft these at your party and then let the guests take them home as favors, if you’re feeling ambitious. Just throwing it out there! Either way, you can click through for the full tutorial… And just in case you’re not big on the leather handles idea, you can skip those last couple of steps and instead, tie on some handmade pom poms or even just rolling the canvas down a couple of times and then tying on a monogrammed gift tag, for something more casual. Between the three options, you have a handful of options to include every personality on your hostess hit list. Here’s how to make your now canvas wine totes…. Materials: medium to heavy weight canvas (available by the year at art supply stores) sewing machine and thread fabric dye ( – I used royal blue and black) embroidery floss and needle for hand stitching 3/4 inch wide leather strips Instructions: 1. Start by measuring a piece of canvas for your wine bag, based on the desired size. A good starting point is 28.5 inches long and 7 inches wide (you can measure the width of a wine bottle you have on hand to see if you want to make yours wider or more narrow than mine). And cut with sharp fabric scissors. 2. Once cut, fold the canvas, as shown in photo, and pin vertically, again as shown. I only needed roughly 4 pins because the weight of the canvas was heavy enough to stay in place. 3. Next, at the bottom (folded) end, start by sewing a backstitch to secure the thread, and then sew a straight line all the way to the open end. Be sure not to sew too close to the edge – you’ll probably want to sew your line about a 1/4 inch from the edge. Add another backstitch when you reach the end of the canvas, then cut the thread. 4. Repeat step 3, on the opposite side. Then remove straight pins and cut excess salvage, if needed. 5. While the bag is still inside out, reach inside, find the corners with your fingers and pinch them together. Then use your other hand to secure the two points and create something of a flat triangle, as shown. 6. Measure from the tip to 1.5 inches down, make a mark, and then make a horizontal line across as your guide. Flip over and do the same on the other side. And then pin one of the triangles, so it doesn’t come undone (but don’t pin them together – they’re separate). 7. Start with the triangle that’s not pinned down, sew a straight line across the guide that you made in step 6. Being sure to backstitch at each end. Repeat this process for the other triangle that was pinned. Remove pin and sew line, being sure to backstitch at each end. 8. Using a needle and thread, sew the two triangle corners together. This will keep the bottom flat on the bag and make it even more secure. 9. Line up the seams, then roll back the fabric at the top of the bag 1/2 – 1 inch. Pin down just one section to give you a better idea of where the measurement needs to be and then the roll rest down. Follow that as a guide and adjust as necessary. And then sew and backstitch once again. 11. Turn tote right side out. Next up is dyeing the bag. I do a lot of dyeing projects around here, so I won’t explain the process again…but here’s the step by step tutorial for dyeing if you need a refresher. 12. Once dyed, washed, and dried, you can stop here and add pom poms or a gift tag. OR keep going and add leather straps…. Start by cutting two lengths of leather strap, 8-9 inches long each. Then punch four holes on each side, in the form of a square. See photo for reference. 13. String a needle with embroidery thread and attach the handles to the tote, making sure to run the thread through each hole several times, for security. Cut and double knot string to keep from unraveling. Note: Before adding the leather straps, I actually hand waxed the dyed canvas as well, which helps with making them water-resistnat and a bit more rugged. This process is very easy and I plan to share exactly how to do it in an upcoming post, but decided not to include in this tutorial because it was already pretty lengthy. Let me know if you have any questions though! Hope you liked this DIY idea! Curious to know… What’s the best hostess gift you’ve ever given or received? ... Read more...
- DIY Waxed Canvas Tool Apron
  June 14, 2021I got my sewing machine out for the first time in a while this week and put the waxed canvas that I made last week to good use! Since I’m out in my dad’s garage making things for the blog all the time, I thought it’d be a good idea to make myself a tool apron to add a bit of style out there – and so I have a pencil and hammer within reach at all times instead of having to search everywhere to find one. What you need: -Waxed Canvas -Scissors -Straight Pins -Sewing Machine (With a heavy duty needle.) -Leather -Rope How to make it: -Measure and cut a rectangular piece of waxed canvas that goes almost all the way around your waist. -Take the top of the canvas and fold down 1/2″, fold again 1/2″ (so the raw edge is hidden) and pin in place. Repeat the same steps with the bottom of the large piece of canvas. Straight stitch about 1/4″ in along both seams to hold in place. -Repeat these steps with the sides of the canvas. -Cut a smaller piece of waxed canvas. (Mine was 17″ x 9″ – change this based on the size of your apron.) -Fold down 1/2″, fold again 1/2″ (so the raw edge is hidden) and pin in place.Straight stitch along top seam. -Fold each of the other three sides the same way but pin to the larger piece of canvas before sewing. -Stitch 1/4″ in along these three sides to attach it to the larger piece of canvas – make sure you do not stitch the top closed! -You can add separate pockets by stitching from the bottom seam up to the top of the canvas pocket. -Add a small strip of leather to the side large enough to slide a hammer handle into. Make sure you stitch over the leather several times to secure it. -I used leftover cotton rope as the ties. I cut two 18″ pieces and laid each one across the backside of the top of the apron. I stitched over the rope several times in three places to secure it. ***Make sure you give your sewing machine a thorough cleaning after sewing with waxed canvas. ... Read more...
- DIY Snack Tin
  June 11, 2021Make both the snack tin and the tasty mix that goes inside with just a few easy steps. I’m pretty sure I got my love for snack food from my dad. My dad always stocks the fridge and pantry with chips and salsa, meat and cheese, or an assortment of nuts. Because there’s always room for a snack! That’s why one of my favorite things to make him for Father’s Day is a delicious snack mix. This sweet and spicy mix is so easy to make you’re going to want to make an extra batch to keep for yourself. Watch the video and make a batch of this sweet and savory snack mix for all your favorite guys this Father’s Day! SWEET AND SPICY SNACK MIX RECIPE adapted from Cooking Light INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup pecans pieces 1/2 cup unsalted almonds 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 cups tiny pretzels 2 cup crispy rice cereal squares 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/4 tsp cayenne, optional SUPPLIES Metal tin for gifting Printable sticker paper DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE FATHER’S DAY LABEL DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, half of the thyme, salt, cinnamon, red pepper. Meanwhile, spread the almonds and pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Make sure to use a timer and watch them because nuts burn easily! Once toasted, combine the nuts and butter in a large bowl. Mix them until the butter melts completely. Then stir in the pretzels, rice squares, and syrup. Add the sugar mixture to the nut mixture. Spread the nut mixture back on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring the mix half way through baking. Take it out of the oven then add the remaining thyme. Cool completely. Download the printable Father’s Day labels, print them on adhesive paper, and cut them out. Peel and stick them on the lids of the metal tins and fill up with the snack mix. Now they are ready to gifted! The finishing touch on a handmade gift is always the packaging! Scoop some of the snack mix into a metal tin and add a festive sticker on top. Just print out the free printable label on sticker paper, cut it out, and stick it to the tin lid. It looks so good, he might think you bought it that way. But it can be our little secret. 😉 ... Read more...
- Father’s Day Watermelon Card with Printable Template
  June 9, 2021Father’s Day is coming up and while it can be difficult to figure out what colour of tie to get for Dad for Father’s Day, a hand made card is always going to be a hit. This DIY Father’s Day Watermelon Card is the perfect way to show Dad that he is ONE IN A MELON! So punny, just like Dad! This card is made with Craft Foam Sheets and I even have a printable watermelon template that makes it easy to avoid a pinterest fail and make your card look amazing. Googly eyes add that final touch of personality to your card. DIY Father’s Day Watermelon Card Supplies: Black, Pink, Red, Light & Dark Green Craft Foam Sheets White Poster Board or Cardstock Scissors Googly eyes White Glue Black Marker & Pencil Instructions: Begin by downloading and printing the MELON template. Cut the template out. Trace the melon template onto the red craft foam sheet and cut out. Glue the melon onto white poster board or cardstock. Cut the bottom of your melon template off. Trace the watermelon rind onto dark green craft foam and cut out. Glue rind on top of red craft foam. Cut a smaller rind from light green craft foam and glue on top of the dark green rind. Glue on googly eyes. Cut small rosy cheeks from pink craft foam and glue in place. Draw on a smile with a black marker or cut one from black craft foam and glue in place. Draw seeds onto the melon with black marker. Add a message with marker or print a message and glue onto your card. ... Read more...
- Father’s Day Questionnaire Printable
  June 7, 2021With Father’s Day right around the corner, I’ve been trying to brainstorm a few fun gifts that our two year old can give to dad. Last Father’s Day she wasn’t talking much, but since then she’s become quite the chatterbox. This Father’s Day questionnaire is the perfect way to record her hilarious comments and doubles as the perfect (and easy!) gift. Father’s Day Questionnaire Printable isn’t just for dad. We didn’t want to forget her Grandpa’s either, so we made a similar version just for them! For best results, download below and print on thick card stock. The download includes two different color schemes and sizes for Dad and Grandpa. Happy Father’s Day!... Read more...
- Beer Bouquet Tutorial – Beer Gift Idea for Men!
  June 4, 2021Not sure what to get your man for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary? How about a beer bouquet? It’s simple to make, and he’s sure to love it. Whine alert – men have it SO much easier than women when it comes to gift-buying! Amiright? Especially when it comes to an occasion for a smaller gift, like Valentine’s Day or anniversaries. All the guys have to do is stop by the florist (or Trader Joe’s!) for a bouquet of flowers and a card…but there is no “standard” romantic gift for men! (Unless I’ve been missing something all these years??) Our 8th wedding anniversary was this summer, and we don’t typically do big anniversary gifts for each other. I wanted to get my husband more than a card, but didn’t have any good small gift ideas either. So I decided to get him a 6 pack of craft beer…but dress it up a little bit 😉 A beer bouquet! It was pretty simple to put together – I used my Silhouette to cut out paper roses and leaves from red and green card stock. If you don’t have a cutting machine, though, you can find plenty of rolled paper flower templates on Pinterest to print and cut out by hand. I rolled the paper rose around the top of the beer bottle, using a few pieces of double-sided tape to attach it. Then I added some leaves to the side of the bottles and a green circle to the lid. Of course, I couldn’t put this beautiful beer bouquet back into a plain old 6 pack holder…so I used some wrapping paper to cover it up and make it look a little bit nicer 😉 Ta-da! A bouquet for men! My husband was surprised and impressed. And another positive, when he put the beer in the fridge he didn’t have to worry about guests grabbing his special “rose” beers by mistake. Maybe this will become an anniversary tradition! This DIY Beer Bouquet would make a great gift for Valentine’s Day, too, don’t you think?... Read more...
- Father’s Day Printable Bottle Tags
  June 2, 2021Looking for a clever Father’s Day gift? These Father’s Day Printable Bottle tags are a fun little gift for Dad! It couldn’t be any easier, just grab Dad’s favorite beverage and add these printable gift tags. You might also find one of these gift ideas for dad to make him feel special and loved. FREE FATHER’S DAY PRINTABLES Download the tags and print them on cardstock. I chose kraft colored cardstock but any color works! Use a 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 inch circle punch to cut out the opening for the neck of the bottle. You can also send these to print at your local copy shop to save some ink. ll you need now is your Dad’s favorite drink! A fun way to wrap up a gift for a dad who loves beer or wine. These little tags really are the perfect Father’s Day card and are sure to make him smile. PERFECT BOTTLE GIFT TAGS FOR YOUR DAD Gift a pop-top to the top pop! Isn’t that such a cute play on words? This saying is perfect for soda or beer bottles. Are you the reason your Dad drinks? He will get a kick out of this one for sure, lol. These tags fit on wine bottles too. It’s Father’s Day and we can’t keep it bottled up! It is time to say thanks to all the awesome Dads. Whatever you do make sure you write a note and tell Dad you love and appreciate him. A sincere note means so much and will be cherished for years to come. I hope you have a special day!... Read more...
- DIY: Rainbow Felt Table Runner
  May 31, 2021I prefer celebrating St Patrick’s day with bright rainbows (and…pots of gold!) over the usual green theme. Especially when it’s been a dreary, wet, muggy week like the one we’ve had here in San Francisco. Today I’ll show you how to make this pretty rainbow table runner that you can use for a St Patrick’s Day party, birthday party, or just to brighten your afternoon tea parties. Supplies for table runner: Craft felt in a rainbow of colors, scissors, chalk marker (or pen), ruler, cotton strip of fabric, heat and bond iron on adhesive sheets, sewing machine and white thread. Supplies for pots of gold: Mini mason jars, masking tape black or chalkboard spray paint, gold coins. Keep reading to see the full tutorial… Step One: With your ruler and chalk marker, make marks on a piece of felt every 2 inches. Step Two: Draw diagonal lines up so you’re making 5 triangles per felt sheet Step Three: Carefully cut out your triangles. Repeat steps 1-3 on all the colors you’re using for the runner. Step Four: Line up a rainbow strip of colors, markings side up on your ironing board. Match them up right against each other as neatly as possible (it might not be perfect). Step Five: Cut a strip of heat and bond paper the size of your rainbow strip and place on top. Bumpy side down, touching the felt triangles. With a hot iron, iron the sheet to the felt which will adhere it. Step Six: Trim the edges of the heat and bond sheet off. Step Seven: Cut a piece of cotton fabric the width of your triangles and finish the edges on the sewing machine Step Eight: Peel off the paper backing from the heat and bond sheet and place sticky side up on the ironing board. Step Nine: Lay your white fabric carefully on top of the felt triangles (sticky side is up) and iron it on. Work in sections and use steam if necessary. Continue ironing until the entire section is adhered. Step Ten: Repeat on the rest of your rainbow sets until the length you desire is complete. Make sure when you’re adding sections together that you’re careful to line them up right against each other. For the pots of gold I spray painted mini mason jars with chalkboard paint and filled with fake coins. Writing names on the pots of gold would be a nice touch for a children’s party or for place settings. Find adorable kids to join you in the celebration! ... Read more...
- Rainbow Scarf Tutorial
  May 28, 2021It’s super cold here today, the coldest day of the year so far by a long shot. It has been snowing in all kinds of places across the country (places where it doesn’t usually snow!), fortunately we are all cosy inside with the fire going. You will remember the rainbow fingerless mitts I made a little while ago for Maia? Well after much pestering here is a crochet rainbow scarf to match. I really love this colour combination, so bright on these cold winter days, and perfect for wrapping around a little neck to keep out the chill! Very easy crochet rainbow scarf pattern. Using DK (8ply) yarn of your choice and a 4mm crochet hook. Leave a long end (approx 15cm) and chain 150 in pink. Turn. Half double crochet back along your foundation chain. Fasten off, change to red and leave a long tail end on both the last colour (pink) and the new colour (red), these long ends will become your tassels.Turn. Chain 2 and half double crochet along length. Fasten off, change to yellow and leave a long tail end on both the last colour (red) and the new colour (yellow).Turn. Chain 2 and half double crochet along length. Fasten off, change to green and leave a long tail end on both the last colour (yellow) and the new colour (green).Turn. Chain 2 and half double crochet along length. Fasten off, change to light blue and leave a long tail end on both the last colour (green) and the new colour (light blue).Turn. Chain 2 and half double crochet along length. Fasten off, change to dark blue and leave a long tail end on both the last colour (light blue) and the new colour (dark blue).Turn. Chain 2 and half double crochet along length. Fasten off, change to dark purple and leave a long tail end on both the last colour (dark blue) and the new colour (dark purple).Turn. Chain 2 and half double crochet along length. Fasten off, change to light purple and leave a long tail end on both the last colour (dark purple) and the new colour (light purple).Turn. Chain one and single crochet along length. Fasten off and leave a long end in light purple. Tassels. You should have long ends at both ends of your scarf. Tie the two closest long ends together and secure each ‘tassel’. Cut two 30cm lengths of each colour of your rainbow stripes. Matching your stripes to you additional tassels, lay the additional pieces of yarn over your tassels and tie together. Cut the tassels so they are all the same length (obviously you don’t really need a photo to show you how to do this, but here is one anyway…) Enough of photos, Im ready to get outside with the others, Mum… ... Read more...
- May Day Made Better
  May 26, 2021May Day reminds me of how I’ve never been good the anonymous acts of kindness. I do love to help. With three younger siblings there was always a child in need of shoe tied or a nose wiped. When I was old enough to babysit for other families, I delighted in sweeping the floors and doing the dishes to please the returning parents. By junior high, volunteering was vital in my life. First as a lawyer, now as an executive coach, helping is my jam. An enneagram assessment affirms my identity as a Number Two—The Considerate Helper. Being kind is easy. Being anonymous not so much for me. Unlike countless friends and family I could name (naming them would rob them of their incognito intention), I feel compelled to tell someone else about good things I’ve done. It’s quite unattractive. I know people who’ve sacrificed vast quantities of time, money, and blood with most people in their life never knowing. For years they give and give without the need to mention it to a soul. The joy in their giving is enough. When my children were growing up, we celebrated secret giving by making May Day deliveries. We fashioned little handled baskets with colored construction paper, filled them with candy and nuts, and hung them on the doors of neighbors. Ringing the bell and running away before anyone saw gave great delight to the giver. For someone who is well loved by many, it both surprises and disappoints me to see how I seek assurance from the outside that I am a good person inside. Yet I make a boastful beg for the approval of others under the guise of simply sharing. In contrast to the joy in the giving, a sad dose of shame is delivered the instant I speak of the deed. While there are many out there inspiring good acts, I know myself too well to claim that’s my goal. In this era of compulsory COVID adaptability, I now add staying silent more often to the list of useful skills to develop when the old ways of doing things no longer work. Wanting to keep my neighbors safe, there will be no May Day baskets this year. I may do some other kind act, but I promise not to tell you if I do. Happy May Day.... Read more...

Recipes, Parties, Crafts & Travel

Get Our Newsletter

Latest Posts

ABCmouse Educational

Ethel M Chocolate Gifts

FUN SUITS

Shop Fun.com for Back to School supplies!