Scrapbook Room {Our First Home}

Happy Wednesday!

So, I planned to share this yesterday, but life happened. If you follow me on instagram, you probably already saw this.

AJ and I are moving back to New York! We are so excited to be going back home and being close to family again. And I don't think its been a big secret that we didn't love Louisiana.

But part of leaving is saying goodbye to this house, which does leave me feeling a little sad. We've only lived here for a few months,but it was our first house. So my goal before we leave is to photograph all the rooms so I don't forget them.

I started with my scrapbook room.

I love this room. All of my scrappy things are here, and when I'm mid project, I just shut the door and no one can see the mess. Its such a huge change from when my Expedit bookshelves were our tv stand and my desk was in the corner of the living room (where people put drinks on it during parties...don't even get me started on how much that drove me crazy!)

I'm really hoping we can continue to have a space for my scrap things, because having them (and all the clutter they create!) out of our main living area has been awesome!

Where do you keep your craft things?

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Summer Goldfish Yarn Wreath {Home Decor}

Happy Wednesday!

This summer, I really wanted to make a goldfish wreath. It was partly inspired by goldfish crackers, and part by my new fish doormat from Target (that I totally forgot to photograph and now its dark outside and the bugs are there...so I'll try to add one after work when its light out!)

I actually started it in May, but then life happened and I got sidetracked.

So while my mom was here and I was hanging out on the couch, we finished sewing the fishies and stuffing them with polyfil!

I used matching thread for two of the fish, and contrasting thread for the third one. I like how simple it is, but from far away (like when I'm driving up to the house after work), it looks like the fishies are swimming on my door! And it makes me smile :)

Do you dress up your door for summer?

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4th of July {Decor + Recipe}

Can you believe that it is already July?!

One of my favorite things about July (aside from it being summer break!) is 4th of July. We usually barbecue, go to the beach or the pool or run around in the sprinkler, decorate the house and turn all the food I can red + white + blue.

Last year, we started with these flag toasts for breakfast. This year, we are starting with something a little bit sweeter...or maybe ending with it, because it is definitely dessert! But on holidays, you can have dessert for breakfast, right? ;)

Some of my favorite summer treats involve fruit, pound cake and cool whip. But I wanted to make it a little more special with cookie cutters + food coloring. Because I will use any excuse to use cookie cutters + food coloring!

For this year, I decided to try out two different breakfasts desserts. My original idea was to make kabobs with the stars and strawberries, and cover them in Cool Whip. But then I thought star sandwiches would be so much more fun (and easier to eat!)

In the end, I'm glad I tried it both ways, because I loved the little sandwiches best, but AJ liked the kabobs better! So on Friday, I'll just make both. They were definitely easy enough for that!

And the food isn't the only thing I decorate...just after we got home from vacation in June, I decked the house out in patriotic colors. And the best part was that everything came from my stash or from our "waiting to be recycled" pile.



the stars and stripes papers were all in a summer pack that I've had for years, the polka dot papers were from a paper pack I bought last year | the stars were cut from an old moving box and painted or covered in paper | the firecrackers are empty breadcrumb containers | the flag "canvas" is an old cheerios box that's been painted + covered with scrapbook paper

Oh man, I really can't wait to celebrate on Friday - we are just hanging out at home, cooking, eating and playing in the sprinkler! What are your plans?

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Honey Stick Favors {Wedding Recaps}

One of the most difficult things for the wedding were the favors.

We knew right off the bat that AJ and I both really wanted to give edible favors. But we had so much trouble picking what exactly that would be.

We went through everything from caramel apples to black and white cookies to jars of honey. But there were problems with each:

Caramel Apples: They come in bulk. As in, not in individual bags. So we'd have to be putting sticky apples into plastic bags the night before the wedding. Drama I did not need.

Black and White Cookies: My favorite cookies of all time. But AJ's not such a fan. And they totally didn't go with our wedding colors. Besides, I'd probably eat all of the cookies before the wedding. Then I wouldn't fit into my dress and we'd have to buy more favors!

Jars of Honey: There were two problems with this favor. One was that the company didn't want to ship until September, and like the caramel apples, I didn't want to assemble favors the week before the wedding. And we had a lot of people traveling, and I was concerned that they wouldn't be able to bring them back in their suitcases with the TSA liquid restrictions. But we still loved the idea of honey!

So we finally settled on a favor, and I couldn't have been happier with it!

Honey straws. Basically, little one serving straws full of honey. Easy to transport, in our wedding colors and we could assemble them way before the wedding day!

 We decided to go with four different flavors of honey {CLOVER CINNAMON WILDFLOWER CARAMEL} and bundle them in groups of five.

This came together so super easy. It took four people less than an hour to bundle these all together!

We printed up two sets of labels: one with our names and wedding date, the other with the type of honey and punched them out.

Then, we just wrapped the bundles with raffia, slipped the labels on and voila! Favors!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

In the end, we were so happy with our edible honey straw favors! What types of favors are your favorite?

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Chalkboard Banner Burlap Table Runner {Tutorial} Plus a BurlapFabric.com {Giveaway}

Happy Weekend Eve and Happy May!

I love May: the school year is winding down, my birthday is this month and its fun to start sprucing up the house now that spring is here. And you know, since the wedding, when I do some sprucing up, burlap is almost always involved!

As if they knew I was looking for something to decorate my new house, the lovely people at BurlapFabric.com reached out and asked if I'd be interested in creating a tutorial with some of their products + hosting a giveaway for my readers!

You bet I jumped all over that!

The hardest thing was deciding what I wanted to create a tutorial with. We just got our new table delivered, so I knew I wanted something to decorate our table. It was just a question of what?

There were so many table linens to chose from! I was pretty torn between place mats and a table runner. And then I got distracted by this tree skirt and almost went all Christmas on everyone!

Fortunately, AJ was home and I let him decide. And that's how I ended up with a burlap table runner :)

{Materials}

14x90 table runner
Cardstock or heavy paper (I had these index card dividers on hand)
Chalkboard paint - spray paint or paint on would work
Glue (I planned on using tacky glue, but ended up using a glue gun because it dries faster!)
Embroidery floss
Large needle



{Directions}

Step 1 | Decide how many banner shapes you want or can fit on your runner. This one fit 9.

Step 2 | Create your banner shapes. I started with a 4x6 rectangle (after I cut off that little index tab). Then, I cut a 2" triangle out of the bottom to make my pennant shape.

Step 3 | Paint the banners with the chalkboard paint. I used a little trick here and adhered them to the box with repositionable tape so they stayed still while I painted. It worked really well inside...but it was not strong enough to hold them down with the very windy conditions outside. And that's why I was painting in the guest bathroom.

I gave each banner three coat of paint so they were extra chalkboardy. Then I let them sit for 3 days, as per the directions.

Step 4 | Using the side of your chalk, cover each banner totally in chalk to prime the surface. Then wipe it clean.

Step 5 | Glue them down to your burlap runner. I ended up going with a glue gun, instead of tacky glue here. Either way, make sure you put something under the runner. It was a lot easier to separate the glue from this paper than it would have been from the floor!

Step 6 | This step is entirely optional. I used embroidery floss to stitch a banner ribbon at the top of each pennant. I just liked how it looked, but it is definitely not necessary!

Step 7 | Write a message and enjoy!

Step 8 | Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a coupon code good for $30 off any purchase at BurlapFabric.com There are so many wonderful things to purchase - from lace ribbon and rolls of fabric to home decor items and bags. What would you buy with the $30?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Reception Decor: Centerpieces + Table Numbers {Wedding Recaps}

So you already know that I went crazy with burlap at the reception

But that wasn't the only thing we decorated with.

I also went a little crazy with mason jars.

Seriously, I have no idea how James, our maitre'd, understood everything I wanted for this wedding. I dropped off boxes and boxes of burlap and mason jars and chalkboards and a tree with three pages of hand written notes and he managed to make it look exactly like I imagined.

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

I really didn't want flowers for our centerpieces. I had my heart set on mason jars filled with candles. And we used them everywhere. On the tables, in the bathroom, on the fireplaces. I loved how it made the room seem so romantic.

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

Of course, the table numbers needed a little bit of burlap too. These were so easy - a bit of burlap, some paint, a stencil and $1 frames from Michael's. But they added a perfect pop of color to the room. We made them in three colors - this orange, a darker, more metallic rust and brown.

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

We also found a lot of fun things from Pinterest for the tables. This "thank you" was one of the first things I pinned for the wedding. We printed it on the back of our menus, so one would be placed at every seat.

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

The I Spy cards came from Pinterest too. We really wanted people to instagram pictures from the wedding, and thought this would be a fun way for people who weren't sure what to photograph to get in on the action!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

And these pumpkins...these pumpkins were one of my favorite crafts. Of course, I found the idea on Pinterest. They didn't just decorate the gift table, but their other appearance is a surprise for later :)

Is Pinterest one of your go to sources of inspiration too? Leave me your Pinterest profile name - I'm always looking for new people to follow!

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Reception Decor: Burlap Banners {Wedding Recaps}

For me, one of the most exciting things about wedding planning was the decor.

I had a really specific idea in mind for our reception decor, and it involved burlap banners.

Fortunately, before our engagement photo shoot, I perfected my technique for creating no sew burlap bunting.

And you know I put that good use for the wedding!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

Basically, you need:

• burlap
• felt
• marker
• iron on bonding 
• twine
• iron + ironing board
• kitchen towel
• stencil
• acrylic paint + paint brush

Once upon a time, I created a tutorial with pictures. This is just an updated version of it.

1. Trace a bunting shape onto your felt + cut it out.
2. Lay one felt bunting piece on your ironing board. Place a strip of Stitch Witchery along each side of the triangle.
3. Now is a great time to add the twine so it is “sewn” into the bunting. Just lay a piece across the top of your bunting. Be sure to leave enough to tie your bunting on one side, and enough to add the other bunting pieces on the other.
4. Carefully place a piece of burlap on top of the bunting. Be careful not to knock off the Stitch Witchery or twine! Iron as directed.
5. Cut out your bunting using the felt as a guide. Be very very very careful not to cut the twine!
6.  Repeat until all of your pieces are cut out. Just keep lining them up along the same piece of twine, and when you get to the end. Trim so you have enough to tie your bunting on this side too.
7. Stencil on your phrase with the acrylic paint + sponge brush.
8. And then use the bunting everywhere you possibly can think of!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

Like for the card box. This Michael's crate got a coat of dark orange paint on the outside + two dowels + a banner for a quick and easy (and inexpensive!) card box!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

You can add burlap to the head table. Yeah, I know its backwards...but AJ is a lefty, so we sat "backwards" at our reception so we weren't banging into each other the whole time we tried to eat!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

And of course a fireplace needs a touch of burlap bunting. And the extra burlap fabric is perfect wrapped around potted mums, with a fall themed ribbon.

Do you ever create your own buntings or banners? What do you use them for?

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Easter Egg Wreath + Mantle {Home Decor}

Happy Thursday!

I am thrilled to report that this week is almost over! Not that its been a bad week, I'm just really looking forward to the weekend. AJ had to work the past two weekends, and last weekend I was in California, so it will be nice to have a regular weekend together!

Its also Palm Sunday weekend, which means that it is almost Easter!

Easter is the first "big" holiday that we've had the house, so I was really excited to decorate for it. Seriously, if I was this thrilled over Easter, Christmas is going to be insane!

I've never actually decorated for Easter before, so I started with making a wreath for our front door.

This one was super easy. I followed this tutorial pretty much exactly.

I had glue sticks and cardboard laying around, so all I needed were the eggs, which I got in a big giant bag from Target for $2. Oh, and the Easter grass. I had some, but it was blue and I wanted purple, so I got some of that at Target too.

I really wanted to create a pattern, so I laid everything out to make sure I had the right number of colors.

And then I started gluing everything down.

And before I knew it, we had a pretty new wreath for our front door.

And I had about a zillion eggs left over. So I decided to fill up my Ikea lanters + create an egg garland for the mantle. I love how cheerful it looks.

Now I just need to hold off on making the Easter baskets for another week. I've been dyyyying to make it for a while now, ever since I bought the candy for it!

Also, in an entirely unrelated to Easter comment, I just wanted to point out the artwork on the mantle. One of the things I love about it is that it was all  handmade, and all give to us as gifts! The awesome monogram frame is from Jules, the maps were a bridal shower gift from a friend and the wedding frame was a Christmas gift made by my brother and his girlfriend!

Do you decorate for Easter, or do you just do a general spring theme? I am going to switch everything over to spring during my spring break!

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Escort Cards {Wedding Recaps}

Right next to the failed guest book, we had our escort cards.

The original idea for the escort cards was a bit crazy.

We were going to use branches to make a tree, then tie the leaf escort cards to the tree, and people would take them off of the tree.

Until we actually tried to do that. And realized that someone was going to get the whole thing knocked down on them trying to untie it!

So we went a bit of a different way with it.

We decided that the leaves fell off of the tree. Because its the fall, you know?

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

And they landed every so elegantly under the tree.

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

And you know what? I actually like it this way better!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

Did you have any last minute changes to any of your ideas? Did you prefer the idea in your head or the one you ended up with?

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Programs + Tissues {Wedding Recaps}

Okay, we are going to jump back in time a little bit.

We talked about the bridal party. We were all glammed up, in our pretty dresses, and at the church.

But what about the guests?

When the arrived at the church, we had a few special surprises for them.

Okay, the first thing wasn't really a "surprise", exactly. Since there are usually programs at weddings.

But how could I not include this cute picture of my brother? He took his groomsman/ushering duties very seriously, and lots of people told me afterwards that he did an awesome job at it!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

 And these were the actual programs. These were another DIY on our part.

There is actually a kind of sweet story about the programs. A few days after our wedding, one of our guests had to go to a funeral in the church where we were married. And she was, understandably, very sad. But when she sad down in the pew, she saw one of our programs, and it made her smile. It makes me happy that something from our wedding was able to brighten up a sad day.

So this next part actually was a surprise for our guests!

I found these leaf tissue packs at Oriental Trading. They went so perfectly with our theme, I couldn't just pass up buying them.

With some card stock, a border punch and kraft heart stickers, they became a cute little surprise for our guests as they entered the church!

Photo Credit: Ruby Star Photography

Did you include any special treats or surprises for your guests before the ceremony?

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Valentine's Day Wreath

Happy Valentine's Week everyone!

Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. And I love decorating our whole house with tons of Valentine's Day goodies. But this year, I had to hold back on the decorating, because we are closing on our house on Friday, so everything has to be packed up and ready to move.

But, I couldn't leave the apartment totally undecorated!

I decided to put together a quick wreath, so at least it looked Valentine's Day-ish from the outside.

And I totally plan on having the wreath in the car at closing, so when we get to the house, I can put it right up on our front door!

This was seriously so easy to put together. I used a wire wreath form (I usually use styrofoam bases for my wreaths, but this was on sale, and way way less expensive!) + burlap ribbon to make the base of the wreath. I just wrapped and wrapped the burlap until I liked how it looked :)

Then I painted and glittered a red heart - and now I'm seeing a few spots that can use some extra glitter once we are settled into the house!

And added these cute felt hearts that I found in the Target $1 Spot :)

Seriously, this project took me about a half hour total. I made it after work one day, when I was wanting something crafty to do, but didn't want to start a whole big thing. What is it about having to move and pack up all my craft goodies that makes me what to take them all out and play?!

Do you decorate for Valentine's Day, or do you let your winter decor do the talking in February?

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