Use complimenting colors of a water based paint and muddle them around on the inside of a clear glass votive (be sure to water down the paint thin enough for the light to shine through). Let them dry and place a small candle inside.
These are so beautiful, but I would advise that you only use them outside...most paints are flammable once they're dry, despite being water based. But they should be safe to put on an outside table for your backyard parties!
#2 Lavender Love
Find a narrow glass and cut your lavender stems just below the rim of the glass. Tie with twine. The heat from the candle will help carry the smell of the lavender.
#3 Simple Thyme in Baby Masons
Tie some thyme to a baby mason jar with twine. Simple and sweet
2. A wooden disc to use as a stand for the lamp * make sure that your disc is large enough to support your lamp, depending upon how tall your birch branch is. These wooden circles can usually be found at your local craft store or Home Depot.
3. Light bulb and cord can be found at any home improvement store such as, Home Depot, Lowe's, ACE Hardware etc.
I made these cute little reindeer bags for my nanny girls school Christmas parties. We filled each reindeer with peppermints, chocolates and other fun candies! These were fun to make and less than $1 per bag including all the candy! The girls told me that the gift bags were a big hit with their classmates. I found this cute idea from Family Fun.
Instructions
1. Use a pencil to mark a brown paper bag as shown, then cut along the solid lines to create a rounded top and 2 separate teardrop ear shapes.
2.Fold the bag along the dotted line, then hot glue an antler (cut from brown card stock) and an ear inside the fold on each side of the bag.
3.For the eyes, (I bought googly eyes from Micheal's craft store -- much easier than cutting out your own) glue them to the bag with a hot glue gun.
4.Glue on a red pom-pom for a nose. Let all of the glue dry before placing a small gift inside.
***If your kids are under 10 yrs. old I'd suggest doing all the gluing yourself. You can have little one help with separating and stuffing the bags with candy.***
I love this idea. I like to leave Danny little love notes here and there; hiding them in places that he'll find during his day (ex: on his steering wheel, keyboard or in a drawer). Sometimes I'll fold them into origami hearts , paper cranes or make a miniture letter such as this one.
This is also a cute idea for your kids...you can tell them that a Christmas elf, tooth fairy or leprechaun left a personal letter for them.
This scarf is adorable!!! I love the mustard yellow color for fall and the delicate pattern is so gorgeous. Here is the free knitting pattern if you dare! I think I'll run this one by Stella (Danny's Mama/ my future Mama in-law) to see if she can give me a few pointers. Stella is a phenomenal knitter! Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out with her help. Wish me luck! And I wish you luck too!
I really need to do this to my filing cabinet! Right now I’ve got one in the corner that’s blaaah-ing up my room. This would look perfect! Now all I need is a free weekend.
I love art! Every now and then I will "Sharpie" a pair of shoes for my friends. My latest pair was requested by Ryan, the photographer of our engagement pictures. Ryan Longnecker runs a company called Equals D Photography. He wanted "photography themed" vans with earthy colors. Here I am coffee staining the background to achieve a vintage photography look.
1) Pin four sheets of tissue paper to a clothesline and spray with fireproofing product, avoiding the corners where the pins are. Allow the paper to dry.
4) Using the craft pattern as a guide, cut the tissue paper, making four slightly curved pieces with one straight edge. Glue the lantern pieces together, leaving the straight edge open, creating the bottom of the lantern. You will want to make sure that your glue has dried before moving onto the next step.
5) Make a bamboo hoop. Split the bamboo into thin strips, carefully moving a knife slowly down the length of the pole. Once you find a pliable piece, sand it until it is smooth. Form a hoop with the bamboo strip and secure the ends with glue. * If you don't have bamboo strips handy, you can use any light weight, bio-degradable hoop you can find.
6) Install a wire "X" onto the frame; secure in place with staples. Cover the cardboard square with foil and secure it to the center of the "X" with tape, staples or glue.
7) Make a foil cup, large enough to hold your fuel (step 9). Tape this to the center of the pad.
8) Attach the tissue paper to the hoop at the open bottom with tape, staples or glue--remember, it works like a hot-air balloon, so the foil cup should face the inside.
9) Making Lantern Burner
Buy some blue industrial paper-towels (the thick kind), and saturate the towel in melted canning-wax.
Warning: Canning (paraffin) wax is very flammable, and should only be melted over low heat in a double boiler. It should never be exposed to open flames or high heat.
10) When your balloon is dry and ready to fly (fix all tears and cracks), place your treated paper towel into the foil cup and light it on fire. You may need a friend to help level the balloon while it fills up with hot air. When the sides are hot and you can feel the lantern pulling away, release it.
Don't forget to make a wish!
Instructions on how to make a flying lantern were adapted from eHow and Skylighter.
