DIY-inspired « Better Together Events

DIY-inspired

Friday Sappiness Courtesy of Pinterest

So for months people have been telling me I need to join Pinterest. “Laura, it’s so up your alley.” “You’re going to love it.” etc. etc. I resisted because what self respecting Facebook-quitter replaces it with another social media time sucker?

Well, that was before I checked it out and got sucked into the creative force of good ideas. The funny part about Pinterest is that for the most part you pin the unattainable: you know some Olympian’s 16 pack and that million dollar Pottery Barn kitchen. But what I love most about it is the source it provides of good ideas that you may actually be able to pull off. I’ve found and tried some amazing recipes for my super picky family that are actually healthy. Pinterest ideas inspired a garage clean-up that seriously makes me happy every day. There’s something about the rarity of a clean garage that just makes the Type A in me ridiculously giddy. We’re even fixing up the basement. It’s been a comical project with the hubby since it’s like the blind leading the blind. If DIY Home Improvement had been a school subject, we’d have both failed for sure. But, dare I say, it’s actually looking better? Perhaps there may even be a playroom down there in the future?

I also love the feel good sappiness you can find on Pinterest. Whether it be weight loss inspiration or just plain old romance, I leave feeling inspired with a good dose of the super sweet.

Check out what’s been inspiring me… And if you can stand it, come find me: BetterEvents.

Birthday Cake Balls

Reeses Cake

50 Rules for Dads of Daughters

For all the scrabble addicts out there...

UP costume

Greek Yogurt Covered Strawberries

PBK's Bridgette Fairy Bedroom

Tooth Fairy Door

DIY Basement

DIY-inspired / drinks / etsy — No Comments
25
Mar 12

The Magic of Paper Straws

I’ve completely failed at keeping up with my blog the past couple weeks! I’ve been busy getting the Etsy shop up and running! I offer paper straws as a fun party supply and I’ve been amazed at the creative ways people are using them to spice up their parties and living spaces!

Right now I offer the straws in blue, red, and gray, but I hope to provide more colors soon!

DIY-inspired / other parties — No Comments
22
Feb 12

Better Together Events on Etsy!

I am so very excited to introduce all my readers to the Better Together Events Etsy store, code name BetterTogetherEvents!!!!

This new “virtual” store has been a long time coming and is really a natural transition for the Better Together Events brand. I’ve had a number of people approach me over the years asking me to plan smaller, more intimate parties, particularly birthdays and showers. It was always difficult to price, and I found that there was a demand for complete, customized, unique parties. ”Party in a Box” is a great way to provide just that: a complete unique party in a box. All you need to do is add the guests and the food! In addition to the complete parties in a box, I am also offering DIY printable party files and an assortment of fun party supplies and crafting tools to make your party complete.

I’ve been so lucky to plan so many amazing weddings, and I continue to enjoy the main niche of Better Together Events: weddings! Still, I’m thrilled to be expanding my passion for parties and design to other events through an amazing network of fellow-craftees and DIYers on Etsy.

The shop is still very much in the works. I have many more complete parties to add, so look out!!

DIY-inspired — No Comments
15
Dec 11

Bridget’s Sunshine Party Tissue Poms DIY

I just love these tissue poms, but at $4 a pop on Etsy, I wanted to figure out a way to DIY.

First step: buy tissue paper in bulk online at PaperMart or you can get it at the Christmas Tree Shops. You need 8-10 pieces of tissue paper per pom. Directions courtesy of This Mommy Loves blog.

Step 1: Take your tissue paper and fold like an accordian back and forth in 1 1/2 inch sections.

Keep folding til you get to the end.

Step 2: Cut edges into a point for starburst-like poms or make the ends rounded for flower-like poms. I did rounded.

Step 3: Fold tissue in half and take floral wire to twist at center.

Step 4: GENTLY unfold the paper, one layer at a time. Start spreading and make sure you pull apart the layers all the way to the center of the pom where your floral wire is for the fullest effect. TIP: In order for the pom to look more cohesive and less like two halves try to pull the two halves together again once you are done fluffing.

Last step is to tie fishing string to the center of the pom, attached to the floral wire and string from the ceiling! TIP: The longer the pom hangs from the ceiling, the fuller the look.

DIY-inspired / gift ideas — No Comments
2
Dec 11

Friday Etsy Finds

Just a few things I am loving on Etsy right now…

8x10 Wall Print, $18, Penguin Papyrus Store

Star Wars Wedding Bands, $100, Spiffing Jewelry

Family Monkeys 8x10 Print, $18, Penguin Papyrus

Scrabble Coasters, Made by Marcy

Harry Potter Inspired Bracelet, $18, Tesoro Jewelry

birthday parties / DIY-inspired — No Comments
11
Nov 11

DIY Pinwheels

Here’s a how-to the pinwheels I made for Bridget’s party. I got my instructions from oncewed.com

What You’ll Need (for the pinwheels)

Several sheets of 12? x 12? double sided scrapbook or decorative paper (a lighter weight paper, not stiff, heavy card stock)

Round-headed pins

12? wooden dowels

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

A push pin

Flower shaped craft punch

A pair of scissors

A ruler

Pinwheel Instructions

1. Begin by measuring and cutting several 6? inch squares out of your paper.

2. Find the center of your one of the squares and mark it by poking a hole through it with your pushpin. (see figure 1)

3. Lay your paper pattern side down, and use your ruler to draw diagonal lines from each corner to make an “X”. (see figure 1)

4. Cut along the diagonal lines, from all four corners, stopping one inch before you meet the hole in the center of your paper. (see figure 2)

5. Use your pushpin to make a hole in the right hand corner of each side of the square, just to the left of the line you just cut. (see figure 3)

6. Use your punch to cut out a paper flower. Stick your round-headed pin through the center of the flower. (see figure 3) Note: I did not have a punch so I cut out tiny hearts.

7. One by one, bring each of the four pin-holed corners to the center and stick the flower and pin through each of the four holes. (see figure 4 and 5)

8. Next, put the pin through the hole in the center of the square and set aside.

9. Make a pilot hole, using your pushpin, 1/2 inch down from the end of the dowel.

10. Put a drop of hot glue on the hole, and quickly insert the pin that runs through the pinwheel center into the glue and dowel. (see figure 6 and 7) Be careful not to let the pinwheel paper touch the glue on the dowel while it’s drying. If it sticks, it can’t spin.

11. Arrange your completed pinwheels in a vase or container like flower stems.

What it Costs

(to make 12 pinwheels)

4 sheets of paper @ $.50 each = $2.00

Package of 12 dowels = $2.00

Box of pins = $2

Total = $6

birthday parties / DIY-inspired — No Comments
8
Nov 11

DIY Party Hats How To

So I was inspired by all of the neat party hats on Etsy when I thought – I could do that – and save some $$$. Here’s a how-to to make the hats I made for Bridget’s party.

Note: this could also make a really fun craft project with kids. Just construct the plain hats ahead of time, spread out a bunch of doo-dads and glue and glitter and what-not, and let the kids go to town. Maybe give out a prize for the craziest hat! I found the instructions for this project on www.ohhappyday.com.

Downloadable Hat Template Click here to download.
Heavy Paper (like poster board or cardstock) or Scrapbooking Paper (which I found worked better)
Crepe Paper (or you can also use tissue paper for the big flowers)
Ribbon
Pencil
String (or wire)
Scissors
X-acto Knife

1. First you’ll want to pick some paper. I started with cardstock, but found through trial and error that scrapbooking paper was easier to mold together. Trace the following template onto your paper for however many hats you want, then cut them out. Use the x-acto knife to cut along the straight line (this is where the tab will fit through when you roll into a cone).

2. Put the tab into the slot. I struggled a little bit with this and found I needed to reinforce the inside of the cone with tape/glue.

3. Punch a hole in either side of the hat to put your ribbon through.

4. Push the ribbon through each hole and knot to secure.

Once you have your hat then it’s time for the fun part: Embellishment

Embellishment Instructions
Step 1. Cut a 1″ piece of Crepe or Tissue paper.
Step 2. Cut evenly spaced fringe on each side of the 1″ piece.
Step 3. Ruffle and scrunch with your fingers then unroll the fringe.
Step 4. Take the fringe doubling or tripling it up and then staple or glue it to the edge of your hat. (You can bend the fringe to cover the staple.)
Step 5. To make the fringey ball on top, take a section of fringe and roll it up. Then secure it tightly with string in the middle, leaving long tails of string.
Step 6. Separate each side of the fringe and poof it up until it is a little ball.
Step 7. Put the string through the hole at the top of the hat and secure the tails with a piece of tape on the inside.
Step 8. Et voila! You have a party hat!

Here are some more images of the finished product!

birthday parties / DIY-inspired — No Comments
7
Oct 11

Friday Etsy Finds

Without giving TOO much away regarding Miss Bridget’s 1st Bday Extravaganza, I have been Etsy-ING up a storm and been SO VERY happy with all my purchases.

I’ve learned through my years of wedding and event planning that designing and implementing your vision requires delegating when necessary, and Etsy provides a great place to accomplish this. If you have a very specific idea in mind – odds are you won’t find exactly what you are looking for – but if you find the artisan that can most likely implement your design, that’s all you need.

I’m still a huge fan of DIY, and right now my dining room table is appropriately covered in ribbon scraps, card stock, tape, hot glue gun pieces, etc. And a lot of times I get inspired by what people are selling on Etsy.

Check out what I’m digging now…

Personalized First Birthday Ornament, $13, SunshineCeramics

Personalized Trick or Treat Bag, $8.95, SewBlessedStitches

Harry Potter Golden Snitch Locket, $16, Leslie Shields

You Are My Sunshine Personalized Dish, $25, SunshineCeramics

I’ll finish this post with a related pet peeve. A lot of times crafty people are falsely accused of “having too much free time on their hands.” Are people who jog for fun accused of this? How about people who bake? I get my crafts out at the end of a long day. It’s cathartic for me – I love being surrounded by bits of lace with scissors in one hand, glue pieces stuck to my fingers. My final products aren’t always so hot, but I’ve had fun doing something creative for someone I love. So just because you don’t like to craft, lay off the people who do. Yea we’re a little bit crazy about our hobby – but isn’t that the point??

DIY-inspired / stationary / wedding planning — 2 Comments
26
Aug 11

Minted’s Inspiration Boards

I’m obsessed with minted.com for offering affordable, designer-quality paper products. I just discovered their wedding inspiration boards, which are equally amazing. Enjoy!

birthday parties / DIY-inspired — No Comments
13
Jul 11

1st Birthday Spotlight: DIY Pinata

I’ve been more than a little obsessed with first birthdays lately. My husband thinks I’ve gone utterly bananas. He just can’t quite understand why I needed to start compulsively planning Bridget’s 1st Birthday party 4 months in advance. I don’t have the heart to tell him that I’ve already been brainstorming a theme for her 2nd Birthday party.

Anyway, in my internet window shopping, I’ve come across so many fabulous DIY projects to add some flair and pizazze to birthday parties. This is the first of many 1st Birthday spotlight posts….

I saw this one over at The Sweetest Occasion courtesy of a super talented DIY-er at Lucky Indeed. Essentially, all you need are a couple cereal boxes, masking tape, tissue paper, and an ample supply of creativity and candy, and you will have yourself a totally amazing pinata!