Gift Basket for Mom to Be

Mom-to-be Gift Basket

The very talented Mr. Rosy managed to one up me on Sunday. I was celebrating my birthday. And by celebrating I mean attending a cake decorating class, meeting with clients, taking a long bath, and getting ready for an early dinner out… I am nine months pregnant after all. But when I came down for dinner he presented me with this incredibly thoughtful birthday present from our arriving-any-day-now daughter. I was so touched by his sweet, outside the box thinking I nearly cried. (Or maybe that was the raging hormones…) He included a short note in the card that said: Mom, Can’t wait to meet you! Thanks for taking good care of me in your womb. I got you some things you might need after I get out of here… Things my mom will need after I’m born: Wine – It’s been a long nine months. You deserve a glass (or two or three)! Candy – I know you like sugar. (Side note, I actually usually prefer salt over sugar every time, but this little bean has had me on a sugar hunt all day every day.) Advil – For when I cry. Emergen-C – I need you to stay

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Nature inspired Christmas centerpiece

Nature Inspired Christmas Centerpiece and Glitter Dipped Pinecones

Mr. Rosy and I have a lot going on this holiday season. And for just that reason we decided that we wouldn’t be doing any traveling. It’ll be so much easier this way we thought. Then we decided to host Mr. Rosy’s mother and step-father for Christmas Eve. And his brother. And his aunt and uncle. And his cousin and her husband. And his cousin’s cousin and her boyfriend. And well, you get the picture. So we had a great big Christmas Eve dinner party for eleven. I promised Mr. Rosy I wouldn’t go overboard. Just a simple centerpiece with some fresh evergreens… Well, when he saw me hand painting each tip on a bunch of pinecones, he sheepishly inquired if I felt this was keeping things simple. But honestly, this table setting couldn’t have been easier. I wanted to go natural, using the cool log risers I had left from this 30th birthday party. Add some flameless candles (you don’t want to be babysitting dripping wax when you’re hosting a dinner party) and some evergreens and you’re set. For the most part… Because then it hit me, with this many people it’s a good idea to have place cards. I

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Martha Stewart Paper Strip Garland

Copycat Martha Stewart Paper Strip Garland

While trying to get through my perpetually growing magazine pile, I ran across this picture of Martha Stewart’s Paper Strip Garland: And thought to myself, I can totally make that! Well, you know what? This time I was right! I happened to be getting really into paint chip crafts for our housewarming party and I just knew they were the perfect medium for this knock-off. Not only are these so simple, but there are so many uses for them. Hang them off your chandelier or over your table for a unique and colorful hanging centerpiece. Try them on your front porch to welcome guests to your party. They’re a great decorative element to define a space (think gift table, bar area, etc.). I even think they could make a super cute mobile for a baby’s room! And don’t feel like you have to stick to rectangles. Get creative with your scissors or use hole punches to try a variety of shapes. DIY PAPER GARLAND KNOCK-OFF Supplies: Paint Chips Filament Wire Scissors Double-Stick Tape Instructions: Step One: Cut paint chips down to size and line up matching chips back to back. Step Two: Open the paint chips and run filament wire down the

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Paint Chip Party Favors

Paint Chip Housewarming Decor & Party Favors

You may remember that we moved into our new house last November. Well, after six months, two floods, four weeks of construction, sixteen paint samples, three HVAC problems, and one secret room we were finally able to invite our families over to celebrate! I decided to incorporate some DIY paint chip projects into the party. (I figured we hard earned the right to some extra paint chips after buying sixteen samples of paint and enough gallons to paint every room in the house!) I made some adorable, simple menu cards, of which I naturally didn’t get a single picture! Forgive me, it was a very busy morning preparing to host fifty of our friends and family. I simply cut the paint chips down to size, wrote the menu item on the front, and used some washi tape to affix them to long toothpicks. Throw some decorative sand in a shot glass and stick the suckers in. Voila! Next, I made these awesome paint chip fans following this tutorial. They did double duty as centerpieces and party favors. They were certainly appreciated seeing as it was mid-July and our backyard gets direct afternoon sun. A special note about printing on paint chips: I used an ink-jet printer

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Inexpensive Wedding Gift: DIY State Art Love!

I’ll never forget the year I attended 12 weddings in five months. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE weddings. But celebrating all that love and happiness can do a number on a guest’s pocket-book. And since we’re in the thick of wedding season right now, I thought I’d help you all out. Here’s an inexpensive DIY wedding present that’s both beautiful and meaningful for the happy couple. I made this for my dear cousin who married the love of her life last December. Their story involves so many states it was hard to decide which to include. She grew up outside Chicago while he spent his childhood in a small Ohio town. When they met she was living in Kansas and he was in Nebraska. They dated long distance for awhile and got engaged. Then a new job found them moving together to Cleveland. Does your head hurt yet? Mine too. I decided to go with hometown love. Illinois and Ohio it is! Step One: Make your states. 1. Find and print an image of your selected states. 2. Carefully cut out your states. I found it was much easier to get around all the curvy lines using these tiny scissors

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