Mason Jar Wedding Kit

Remember last year when I wrote about the wedding that my daughters were going to be in?  Well, my little one is going to be in another wedding this fall.  And that means another round of parties: engagement parties, bridal showers, the rehearsal dinner, etc.  (Fortunately for us, we love a good party!)  

With the (extremely fun) engagement party behind us, it's time to start thinking about the shower.  More specifically it's time to start thinking about the shower gift.  

I wanted to go with a handmade gift, and after reading this post by the talented Linda of It All Started With Paint, I knew exactly what I wanted to make.  (Pinned here.)

Linda's project was an Anthropologie-inspired mason jar sewing kit.  As soon as I saw it I realized that, with the addition of a few extras, it would make a great Wedding Day Emergency Kit.

(Because, seriously, you can't have a wedding in the year 2013 without at least one mason jar.  I'm not kidding:  something old, something new, something borrowed, something in a mason jar...  it's the official wedding slogan of 2013.  Really.)

A Wedding Day Emergency Kit is exactly what it sounds like: a collection of things one might need on one's wedding day.   Here's what I included in mine:

• Bobby pins (I went with black as the bride is a raven haired beauty :)
• Advil
• Visine
• Lip balm
• Kleenex
• Hairspray
• Band-aids
• Breath strips
• Disposable toothbrushes
• Tums
• Tide stain stick
• Scissors
• Thread
• Seam ripper
• Safety pins
• Q-tips (I had to remove them from the plastic case to make them fit.)

Isn't it amazing how much you can put in a mason jar?!  (Note: be sure to use a wide mouth mason jar.)

If you'd like to know how I made the pin cushion lid, hop over to Linda's blog for her instructions.  Initially my lid refused to screw on to the jar so I had to remove some of the stuffing from the cushion.  Now it works like a charm.

So what do you think?  Would you like to receive one of these as a shower gift?  Did I forget any important wedding day necessities?  Let me know in the comments.

Don't want to make your own?  

Great news!  

I am now selling my kits.  

Message me at elena@acasarella.net to place an order.

My Succulent Obsession



So it's no secret that I'm a woman who loves herself some succulents.

I mean, I've only written about a thousand succulent posts in my fifteen months of blogging.

Okay fine, maybe not a thousand.

All right, all right.

Four.

It was four posts.

But they were extremely effusive.

(Perhaps overly effusive.)

Some might even say it was a thousand-posts-worth of effusiveness.

If you don't believe me you can read them yourself: here and here and here and here.

See, I told you.  Effusive.

And a love like that, well, it just needs to be shared, you know?

Which is why I decided to whip up a little inspirational clipboard on Hometalk.

(And if you think I'm effusive over succulents just wait until you hear my feelings about Hometalk.)

No, seriously.  If you're interested in home decorating, gardening, organizing, crafting, DIY, or anything vaguely resembling these topics, you need to join Hometalk ASAP.  It's an amazing place to get inspiration.

What's that you say?  You go to Pinterest for inspiration?  Well, that's just fine and dandy, but on Hometalk you can also ask questions.  (And people will answer them!)  Beyond that you can share your  own projects.  It doesn't matter if you're a blogger or a designer or a barista at Starbucks.  If you have any interest in things pertaining to "home," Hometalk is a welcoming community full of tips and ideas that you won't want to miss.

Which brings me back to the succulents.  You see, I'm not the only succulent-obsessed Hometalker.  Oh no.  There are dozens of us.  And using Hometalk's clipboard feature I was able to take a bunch of my favorite succulent posts from Hometalk and put them in one, handy place.

So, if you're a lover of succulents (or you just want to check out Hometalk) follow this link or click the image above to view the clipboard I've affectionately named, "My Succulent Obsession."

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Use a Paper Roll Dispenser to Store Washi Tape

Yep, the title says it all.

My work here is really done.  I can just post the picture and call it a day...

Oh who am I kidding?  You know I'm not a more-is-less kinda gal  ;)

So here's the deal:  I've been trying to get my crafting lair in order.  You might recall some recent posts like this one (about storing my baker's twine in a mason jar) or this one (about labeling the drawers that hold my supplies).  And you might also recall that none of the drawers in that last post were labeled Washi Tape (because I only have so many drawers).

Problem is, the Washi Tape was kind of starting to take over (especially since I got my most recent order from Pick Your Plum).   Unfamiliar with Washi Tape?  It's Japanese paper tape that's great for crafting.  Check out this link to buy some (if you dare).

My solution to the Washi-Tape-takeover came in the form of something I just couldn't let go of: a paper roll dispenser that my daughters no longer use.  Every time I put that thing in the Goodwill pile, I kept  pulling it out at the last minute.  I just knew I would be able to use it someday.

Turns out I was right.

Which means that no matter how hard I try to organize my space it's going to be a losing battle.

(Because now I feel justified in keeping everything I "might use someday.")

Watch for me on A&E  ;)

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DIY Ring Holder

A few months back my daughters and I caught a show on HGTV.  It was called "Clean Freaks," but it really should have been called "Neat Freaks" because the focus was on storage and organization.  

The show was hosted by Sabrina Soto who spent part of the time taking the viewers on a tour of her own home.  One of the things she showed us was a piece she uses to store her rings.  It was a simple block of wood with nails hammered into it.  The whole thing was spray painted white and it just had a funky-cool vibe.  (I have scoured the internet looking for a picture that I could link to but have not been able to find one.)

I decided I wanted to make something similar with items I had around the house.  And while I have plenty of nails, I was plum out of wood-blocks so it was time to get creative.

First I took a small canvas and lightly drew out a grid pattern in pencil.  Then I poked a thumbtack through the canvas wherever the lines intersected.  After that I spray painted the entire thing.

  

And it looked really cool but there was one problem: I needed to find a way to keep the thumbtacks in place.  I decided to go with earring backs.  I purchased rubber ones with a big hole (5mm) so they would fit over the thumbtack.  (You can buy your own here.)  And of course, if I'd had a spare cork board lying around I could have used that instead of the canvas (which would have eliminated the need for the earring backs), but I like to use what I have when I can...

After that it was just a matter of hanging it on the wall.  I used Command Picture Hanging Strips.  They are a flipping miracle and you can buy your own here.

I really like the finished product which I will be moving into my closet.  I have lots of fun costume-y rings which will look as cute on the holder as they do on my fingers!

Linking:

http://cupcakesandcrinoline.com/2013/04/project-inspired-linky-party-week-8/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20CupcakesandCrinoline%20(Cupcakes%20and%20Crinoline)

http://thediydreamer.com/from-dream-to-reality/from-dream-to-reality-linky-party-61/

http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/04/chic-and-crafty-party-44.html

http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2013/04/10/hookin-up-with-hoh-143/

For the Love of Labels

If there's one thing the people who love me and live with me can tell you, it's that I enjoy labeling things.  I have, in fact, become the butt of many a family joke as a result.  (If you look closely at the image above you will notice that my husband has labeled the label maker for me.)  Buy your own label maker by clicking HERE.

But that hasn't stopped me from putting my mark on just about anything worth marking.  From the shoe baskets...

...and hat baskets in the closet...

...to the shelves in the pantry, few areas have escaped my wrath.

It should come as no surprise, then, that when I received my Silhouette for Christmas I would regard it as a kind of label maker on steroids.  (You can check one out HERE.)

Look what I was able to do with my Silhouette, some vinyl and some painter's tape:

These are the drawers in my "craft room" (aka my corner of the garage).  And yes, they make me happy every time I walk past them.  Buy your own drawers HERE.

Totally worth the ribbing, don't you think?

This post includes affiliate links.  

When you click  on them and make a purchase, I receive a small profit.  

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A Hostess Gift For Easter

If you, like me, are lucky enough to be invited to someone else's house for Easter, you might be looking for something to bring.  (You know, a little, "thanks-for-cooking-so-I-don't-have-to," gift.)

This year I decided to make my own using my favorite plants: succulents.  (Read more about that passion here and here and here.)

The concept is simple.

Take a ceramic egg crate (you can buy your own here)...

...and fill it with cactus soil.

Then remove the succulent from its pot and insert it in the egg crate.  (You might need to brush some soil from the circumference of the roots to make it fit.)

Repeat with the rest of the succulents until you're happy with your arrangement.

Eventually you might want to re-pot them in a bigger container...

...until that time you can mist them with water from a spray bottle (in lieu of watering).

Happy early Easter to all!

Pick Your Plum!

Are you familiar with Pick Your Plum?

If so, you already know how awesome it is.

If not, I am thrilled to be the one to enlighten you!

Pick Your Plum is a daily deal site that peddles my favorite kinds of wares: craft & baking supplies, home decor, clothing, and more.

The quality of their product is high, and I say that as someone who has purchased numerous items from the site.

What have I purchased?  Well, the Baker's Twine and alphabet stamps from my Valentine's Day post are both from PYP.  (I was *so* excited when I saw those alphabet stamps in a fancy-pants store for more than twice what I paid for mine.)

I've also gotten a huge supply of Washi Tape, adorable chevron printed paper bags... and the list goes on and on...

But here's the catch: the deal goes up in the morning (7 a.m. Mountain Time) and they only sell it for the day (or until it's gone... whichever comes first!).

The good news is that you can check the daily deal via my blog every morning so you'll never miss out!  There's a link on my sidebar.  See the arrow in the picture below.

Are you as excited as I am?  

If not, you will be once you've made your first purchase!

Enjoy your plum!