Hang a Little Glitter: DIY Glitter Hanger

3.18.2015

Because I am easily distracted by all things that sparkle, it has taken me a while to write this post. I just cannot stop gawking at these photos. I am in love. With a hanger. Take a backseat husband, we are on the hanger express. Gold, sparkly, and shiny?! Yes please.

Since I now have your full attention, take a look around for a moment. Do you notice any other new, gold, and sparkly things? What better way to introduce my new blog to you, than with a post about sparkles! Because you obviously love both my new blog and my new hanger, let the contest commence: Just for fun, which do you like better? (No, you cannot have my hanger if it loses)By now I’m sure you realize that anything with glitter, sequins, or sparkles has my full attention. If I’m doing a little “online research” (read: shopping) and I find something with these requirements, it is immediately pinned.

Unless I can make it myself. Then it gets done. I made my own glitter hanger by buying a pack of wooden hangers at Wal-Mart ($2.50/5). I bought the large glitter there as well ($3.47 – you can do at least two hangers with one package). I spray painted my hanger gold beforehand and Modge-Podged the living heck out of that hanger. Glitter everywhere (heaven!). After it dried, I put another heavy coat of Modge Podge on top, so glitter wouldn’t cover my closet (as if that would be a bad thing). And voila! The most amazingly beautiful hanger you’ve ever seen. You’re welcome.

Until next time my friends…I am off to stare at my hanger.

DIY, Holidays!, Party Planning

St. Patrick’s Day Treats // Roundup

3.16.2015

Well it’s here. Sort of. You have one more day to get all of your little St. Patrick’s Day treats together. I was an official procrastinator (as usual), and didn’t put together my treats until this weekend. Then, when I ended up with one very lackluster treat, it was too late. Oh well, it’s the thought that counts. And the amount of sugar it contains. Probably more about the sugar. Maybe I should add a little more. Do you think a bottle of liquor would fit inside? Maybe that’s a little inappropriate. Ah well. I made little treat bags for the ladies in my office. I picked up all sorts of green, gold, and white candies (Party City has individual pieces you can buy), added in a little fluff, and put them all together in little treat boxes I found at Party City. I used tags from Short Stop Designs, that you can print here. They’re adorable. I would have created my own, but they wouldn’t have been half as cute. (Note: the shamrock banner in the first photo is also printed from Short Stop Designs)I also wanted to put a little spin on the traditional Skittle tubes I see all over Pinterest. Skittles are great and all, but they cannot compare to Sour Patch Kids. SPK’s rule my sugar world. And with the new inclusion of the blue kid, my life is complete. Seriously, the only thing that could make it better would be to ditch the green kid. Who eats the green ones anyway? You can print the tag here if you’d like to make your own. And I’ll even overlook it if you decide to use Skittles instead. I’ve saved the worst for last. My lackluster treat:

Whenever a holiday approaches, I attempt to come up with something cute for everyone at work (that won’t empty my piggy bank). Making forty treat bags can get a little pricey. I came up with such a cute idea. Or so I thought.

The idea was to get green, white, and orange treats and put them together in a little bag to imitate the Irish flag. I thought the idea would turn out much cuter than it did, but this is what they’re getting. They can’t be greedy. I printed the tags, put licorice and a wax bottle in each one, and will hand them out tomorrow. Hopefully everyone is on such a sugar high that they overlook the lackluster gift.What are you doing tomorrow?

DIY

A Little Stuffing Goes a Long Way

3.12.2015

If you’re a child of the 80s, you must remember stuffed animal hammocks very clearly. I know I do, because I wanted one so badly for years. I mean, what else do you do with the eighty-seven stuffed animals of various shapes and sizes that must be displayed to all of the visitors you have? I got real tired of setting them up one by one on my bed every morning. Every seven year old knows how important it is to make a good first impression. Since getting rid of any of them wasn’t an option, I needed that hammock.My mother must not have agreed with me because I never got my hammock. And although I have officially given up on getting one (it just wouldn’t flow with our bedroom’s theme), I still have several stuffed animals that I just cannot part with. They may or may not be stuffed into a box that my husband has no idea is there. If we ever have a child I will remind her of the sacrifices I made so she could have stuffed animals that are twenty years old (and my box of Barbies, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and a Troll collection). What child wouldn’t want those toys?! Because I didn’t have enough already (or because I was super busy on Saturday night watching Dateline) I decided to see if I could make my own stuffed animals. Because you know, that is what really cool 30 year old women do on Saturday nights.Turns out, I can make them. And they’re pretty cute if I do say so myself. Only I feel bad keeping them, because as previously mentioned, we already have a box full of stuffed animals (here’s where my husband goes digging through the house in search of said box, to donate them all away).

And while we’re at it…I created little penguin cards to go with my penguin stuffed animals. Because you can’t give someone a stuffed penguin without a matching penguin card. Everyone knows that.All the animals were hand-sewn by sight. If you’re anything like me, you’ll need your hot glue gun when you finish sewing the animal and it has no eyes. I created an instruction sheet (with templates) for the owl if you’d like to make your own.

DIY, Holidays!

Lucky Clover Coasters

3.11.2015

It’s officially less than one week until St. Patrick’s Day. Which means I have to bust my butt to write a few more posts so I can share the remaining projects I have for this gloriously Irish holiday. I say glorious because I am a teensie-tiny bit Irish. But since I married into it, I really might as well consider myself 100% Irish. At least on Tuesday.

In honor of my heritage, I must celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in full force. At a bar. With green beer, bangers and mash, and corned beef and cabbage. And these adorable little shamrock coasters. Clearly everyone at the bar will be jealous of my shamrock coasters. No one has time for those tiny square drink napkins that stick to the bottom of your beer glass. Shamrock coasters are the way to go.

First you’ll need to decide which set you’d like to make. Either set will cost you less than $2. The hand-sewn set was a little harder and more time consuming, but turned out really cute. The glittery ones were very easy and quick. You’ll need green felt for either project ($.33 a sheet at Michael’s), and you’ll need a pack of foam clovers from the Dollar Tree for the glittery set.For the hand-sewn four leaf clover set, I used Google to find a clover that I liked. I then used it to trace my clovers onto felt. I cut out the felt clovers, and then hand-sewed them into another piece of felt. I trimmed the excess off, leaving a different color border. And because they were sewn with love (seriously. lots of love), I added a little heart to one of the shamrocks.For the sparkle set, I simply traced the foam clover onto felt, cut it out, and hot glued it to the foam. I used Modge Podge on the sparkle foam clover, so the glitter wouldn’t get everywhere. And I was done!If you’re really getting festive, you can print this tag and gift a set to neighbors or friends. Or just the random guy at the end of the bar. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.