Jackie & Jeff’s Spring Wedding

This gallery contains 14 photos.

One of the reasons I love planning and styling weddings is the opportunity to think out of the box and to create unique venues for clients. Fortunately, my clients have allowed a little design craziness. And as expected, some cockamamy ideas … Continue reading →

Chicken Feeder Succulent Trays

I LOVE the Tractor Supply store. It is the largest retail farm and ranch store chain in the United States. Since my grandparents were farmers, maybe it’s in my DNA to love this store. However, as I discovered, it not only serves the needs of farmers but crafters too!

Stick with me gang….take for example these inexpensive chicken feeder trays.

All you need are some succulents, potting soil and pea gravel and you get this!

A unique autumn centerpiece!

 
You can buy the succulents, potting soil and pea gravel at most plant nurseries. Simply add about 1/2 inch of potting soil to the bottom of the tray, remove the succulents from their nursery containers and place them creatively in the tray. So they fit nicely, you may have to remove some of the soil around the base of the succulents. Then finish off the tray with a layer of pea gravel.  Place in a sunny location and water once a week.

Easy, right? Happy crafting!

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Repurposed Pantry Jars As Party Favors

Hello crafters! A while back I posted a project titled, Repurposed Jars for the Holidays. It was a big hit on my blog so I decided to repurpose MORE jars but this time as tiny terrariums. I think they’d be awesome as wedding favors!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Jars from your pantry
• Craft store acrylic paint
• Tiny succulents
• Potting soil
• Small pebbles
• 18 gauge aluminum wire
• Card stock paper
• Tiny spoon or twig
• Wire cutter
• Pencil

With the exception of the jars, succulents and potting soil, you can pick up all project ingredients from your craft store. The succulents and potting soil can be purchased at your local plant nursery.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Empty, clean and remove label from the jar.
2. Paint jar lid your favorite color.
3. Add about 1/2 inch of soil to the bottom of the jar.
4. Remove the succulent from the store container and remove any excess soil that is around the root system. Don’t worry about hurting these little guys, they’re super resilient.
5. Insert the succulent into jar and secure the roots of the succulent in the soil using a small spoon or twig.
6. Add a layer of pebbles.
7. Cut a section of wire to wrap and twist around the neck of the jar.
8. Using a pencil, curl the other end of the wire around the pencil to create a coil – this will hold the name tag.
9. Create a name tag with card stock paper, slip it in the coiled end of the wire and your done!

This project is super easy and inexpensive to make. And best of all, it makes a super and unique gift. Oh, and caring for these little lovelies is a breeze:

Check every couple of days to see if your terrarium needs water. If it is dry add a tiny bit of water.

If your terrarium is closed, take off the top every couple of days to air it out. If you see lots of condensation or have added too much water, leave the top off until it has had a chance to dry out.

Pull off any leaves that show signs of yellowing or damage and prune plants if they grow too large.

Don’t fertilize your terrarium because you don’t want to encourage growth.

Happy crafting!

 

 

Pretty Tea Cup Favors

Happy Sunday! If you’re looking for a unique favor for your next event, why not repurpose some orphaned tea cups. There are a gazillion uses for these lovelies but I think they make the perfect vessels for tiny plants and look so charming. They’re perfect for give-aways at weddings or events!

You’ll need:

• Tea cups – your cupboard, flea markets and antique stores are perfect sources for these lovelies
• Tiny plants like ferns, succulents, violets, and orchids – the selections are endless
• Moss – any craft store will carry this item
• Paper, twigs, and all-purpose glue for a place card pennant (optional of course) – again, craft stores have tons of paper options and your back yard can most likely offer up some twigs

Here’s how ya do it:

1. Simply repot the plant of choice directly into the cup. It’s important to have plenty of soil around the root system of the plant.
2. To conceal the dirt, add moss around the base of the plant.
3. You’re done! OR you can add hand-made place cards like I did. Cut paper to the desired size and shape, write your guest’s name on the card then glue it to a tiny twig. Poke it into the cup and you’re done!

Happy crafting!

 

Simple Flower Arrangements & Flea Market Finds

 

Last week I had the privilege to do some floral styling for a video shoot. The photographer we worked with was photo journalist and Pulitzer Prize recipient, Matt Rainey. The images he captured are exquisite and Matt was kind enough to share these photos with me so I could share them with you.

For this assignment, I used simple and elegant thrift store vessels to compliment the freshly cut spring flowers. There’s really no need to spend big buck on vases … let the flowers express themselves.

Chalkboard Flower Pot Easter Gifts

Chalkboard paint is so much fun to work with and it allows you countless ways to produce unique and functional pieces like this project, Birch Log Table Numbers.

I have a giant pile of unused terra-cotta flower pots so putting them to good use, I cracked open a can of chalkboard paint and created these simple gifts for the upcoming Easter holiday.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Terra Cotta containers (any paintable container will do)
• Chalkboard paint
• Foam paint brush
• Chalk
• Small plant or flower of your choosing (I used Baby’s Tears)
• Egg (optional)

You can find all of the project ingredients, including terra-cotta pots, at any craft store. Oh, with the exception of live plants and real eggs but you could substitute with artificial. For live plants, visit your local nursery and for eggs, visit your fridge.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Clean the surface of the container and paint away!
2. After the paint dries completely, with chalk write or draw anything you want on the surface.
3. Insert plant or flower.
4. Your done!

For an added surprise, I placed a simple brown egg that I blew out then glued twine into the hole to hang.

Here’s how you blow-out an egg:

1. Using a long stick pin, poke a hole in the top and bottom of the egg and move the pin around to break op the yolk. Make one of the holes a little larger than the other. That’s the hole you’ll insert and glue twine.
2. Holding the egg in one hand, force the egg contents out by gently blowing into the smaller hole in the egg. The egg insides will come out the other side. Note to crafters – save the insides and make a scrambled egg for yourself – no waste!
3. After the insides are empty, insert the egg in warm soapy water to clean the inside of the egg. Rinse and let dry on a paper towel.
4. When dry, insert twine into the larger hole, glue in place and your done!

Happy Crafting and Happy Easter!

 

Road Atlas Placemats

My niece, Samantha, is a super artistic nine year-old. Her latest medium is duct tape and she’s cooking up all sorts of clever crafts. Inspired by Samantha I decided to give duct tape a whirl.

I’m always on the lookout for unique objects at sales and flea markets and recently I found a few outdated road atlas books. The individual pages are the perfect size for placemats. Using duct tape and Mod Podge, I easily and quickly created these placemats.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Road Atlas maps
• Duct tape
• Mod Podge (Outdoor) glue
• Foam brush
• X Acto knife
• Straight edge ruler
• Cutting mat

Here’s how you do it:

1. Select pages from the Road Atlas and remove them from the book using an X Acto knife.
2. Completely cover the back of map with duct tape, place the map on a cutting mat then cut any excess tape using a ruler and X Acto knife.

3. Flip the map over and brush a coat of Mod Podge (Outdoor) on the top of the placemat. This will seal and protect the placemat.

4. This next step is optional — after the Mod Podge glue is dry, place a border of tape around the map (see photo of placemat grouping above). This simply gives it a more framed and finished look but it’s not necessary.

5. You’re done!

Oh, we’re not done yet….sorry. If you’re feeling super crafty, you can make a Duct Tape napkin ring too! Simply roll out a piece of tape about 10 inches, fold the tape in half (sticky side to sticky side).  Form a loop by curling one end over and stapling it to the other end. Cut the excess and you’ve got yourself a pretty cool napkin ring.

Happy crafting!

Gussied Up Glass Cylinder Vase

Want to know how to dress up a plain glass cylinder vase?  Simply buy some decorative paper from your local craft store or download and print a vintage wallpaper image from the web.  Then cut to size and slide it inside the vase.  Your done!  Obviously this only works when you are arranging dried flowers.  No water needed for this beauty!

This arrangement features craspedia, brunia, thistle, hypericum berry and scabiosa.

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday Flowers

Recently I provided the flowers for a Garden of Hope event hosted by the Cancer Support Community of the Greater Lehigh Valley. It was an outdoor event filled with inspiring stories of courage, hope and inspiration from a cancer survivor and a Salsa performance by Lehigh Valley Salsa.

The flowers I used were a few of my favorites: golden rod, hydrangea, chrysanthemum, voodoo roses, zinnias and hosta leaves to line the interior of the clear glass vases.

This little fella was still feasting and wasn’t quite ready to give up its tasty meal.

And here are the creations.

Happy Saturday!

Birch Log Table Numbers

A contractor friend of mine cut down an old birch tree and was kind enough to give me a stack of the sliced logs. Knowing I’d find some creative use I tucked them away for a weekend project. Here they are in their new life as chalkboard table numbers.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Sliced logs.
• Sand paper.
• Foam paint brush.
• Rust-Oleum chalkboard paint.
• Chalk.

With the exception of the logs, you can find all of the project ingredients at a craft or hardware store.

Here’s how ya do it:

1. Sand them.

2. Paint them.

3. Create!

Happy Saturday and happy crafting!