DIY succulent terrarium

So I went to HomeGoods this week to get a birthday present for a friend, and of course came out with more than I planned to get. But seriously, this little glass terrarium was speaking to me. I decided to get a little crafty and create this for the studio! I don't have much of a green thumb, so I totally resorted to artificials. Hey, this mama ain't too proud for fake greenery.

Here's what I used:

Terrarium... $30

Succulents... $14

Floral Foam... $3

Natural Moss... $4

It took me all of five minutes to assemble. Can't wait to find a sunny little spot in the studio. To help the fake succulents grow, of course.

Have you gotten crafty lately?

DIY scratch-off valentines!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ah, I had so much fun making these little modified scratch-off Valentines with our little guy this past weekend, and wanted to share! As you know, Valentine's Day is quite the occasion when you're in Kindergarten. We made a special trip to Target to choose out goodies for the bags (which I had on hand for a rainy day), and designed the cards together on my computer. Here's my confession, to all you mommas: I had him hand-write his message on a single sheet of paper, and then snapped a shot with my iPhone so we could print it on the cards. Honestly, we've lived and learned. Little hands get tired. Next year may be different, but in this case I was able to take his handwriting, drop it in the file, and print out 25 copies of his little note. This freed us up to sticker them, stuff each of the bags, and tape them shut with some cute washi tape.

All of our paper goods in the Inklings shop are professionally printed, but it was fun to whip these up and get the instant gratification of printing them in the studio. Of course, we ran out of ink and I had to remind myself that 6-year-olds are more concerned with the candy than the banding. 

Wishing you all a sweet Valentine's Day this week with the ones you love!

Potty time.

So we're potty training in our house. In a burst of creativity and optimism, I decided to paint a potty chart. Our little trainee helped me pick the paper and accessories out, and I got to work.

The final product doesn't look much like a chart, and a month later a certain someone's still in diapers, but you can't say that I haven't tried.

Wham, Bam, Thank-you Jam.

Last week, we went berry picking for the first time. One would think that it had all of the right ingredients for a happy afternoon to share with a two-year-old. You have an open field, berries to eat, and friends nearby. Not so. It was a gripe fest through and through. Still, I got this cute picture of the little man with our boxes (which had only two dozen strawberries after an hour of picking).

To my surprise, we eventually left with three heaping trays of juicy Michigan strawberries for jam. I owe it all to a friend with a minivan with a DVD player. So much for quality time with the little man. Sidenote: he's since been pointing to the overhead light of our 1997 Jeep Cherokee and saying, "Is THAT a TV? I wanna watch a movie. I wanna new car." But back to the jam.

This wasn't your everyday jam. You're talking personally picked, strongly smushed, sweetly sugared, prayerfully pectin(ated), joyfully jarred Jam. Which I now like to call my very own "Wham, Bam, Thank-you Jam." The perfect thing to have on hand when a simple thank-you won't do. What can I say? I'm all about branding. And eating jam, as of late.

And thanks to this jam, breakfast is so much sweeter these days. As is my two-year-old.

Say it with flowers. Or design. Or both.

When a friend or loved one is going through a trial or experiencing a loss, it's hard to find just the right words to say, or the right thing to do. Some people head to the kitchen and bake up a meal or a batch of cookies. My creativity however seems to end the moment I step in the kitchen, so I like to show my love in other ways.

These flowers were for a remarkable young lady and granddaughter of some dear friends of ours. Hunter was diagnosed with bone cancer this past March, and over the past four months has undergone an aggressive treatment plan to conquer her cancer. Despite the tremendous obstacles that this family has faced, they have demonstrated courage, faith, and determination.

On the morning of a pretty significant surgery for Hunter, I had her on my heart and wanted to do something special. My son and I picked flowers from our garden, and we put together this little vase to leave on her doorstep.

I can only hope to one day have the courage and beauty that this special young lady has.

DIY Pantone Magnets

I just stumbled across these great DIY Pantone Chip magnets, and I'm LOVING them.
For a full description of how to make them yourself, click here.

Here's a closer look:

For a fun variation, how about mini polaroid pictures?

Kudos (and photo credits) go to How About Orange for this great DIY idea!

DIY Magazine Bow

I'm a last-minute kinda gal, and gifts are no exception. I usually find myself wrapping my gift minutes before leaving for a party. So when I stumbled across these sweet bows made from magazine pages, I did a double-take. Not only are they a great way to get rid of that ever-growing stack of magazines, but they use things you have on hand, and seem to be easy enough to whip up a chic bow when you can't find just the right one.

I love the idea of using old newspaper or old phone book pages for your wrapping paper
and topping it with a shot of color.





















What you'll need:

1. A single sheet of paper from a magazine, newspaper, or map.
2. Scissors
3. Stapler (glue dots or double-sided tape would also work).

Cut a magazine page lengthwise into nine strips, each approx. 3/4" wide.
Leave three of the strips full length. Cut 1" off three of the strips.
Cut two inches off 2 of the strips.
Cut the last strip down to 3 1/2" long.

Twist each strip to form a loop at both ends and staple it in the center.
Shape the last (short) strip into a circle and secure it with a glue dot. 

Layer the three longest pieces on top of each other, spacing them evenly
and securing each with a glue dot. Add the next two groups of pieces,
doing the same. And finally, stick the loop into the center. Voila!
(Credits: How About Orange)

And for some fun variations, how about using a map (great for a going away gift)
or felt (adorable for a baby shower)? This would also be a great way to top a card
and make it feel a bit more like a gift.

Happy gifting!

sunburst obsession

I have a confession. I've recently become obsessed with starburst mirrors and wall art. Okay, maybe the word "obsession" is a bit strong, but suffice it to say that it's caused me to eye every bed, couch and table in my house where a perfectly centered sunburst might be just the finishing touch that it needs.  

Case in point: a few years ago, I stumbled across this beauty, which spans a gorgeous four feet across the papaya-colored wall in my kitchen (please excuse the poor photo quality, ugly oak cabinets, and photographer's reflection). Two years later, this thing still makes me feel happy every time I look at it. Kind of like my son. Er, perhaps that's not the right comparison. In any case, I love it so much that it inspired the holiday cards I sent to my clients last year.

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Then came this leafy champagne-colored treasure, which I discovered last summer during a trip to Traverse City. At $175, it's pretty much the most expensive thing I've ever bought for a wall... but I had seen it months earlier and when I returned, it caught my eye again. Needless to say I snatched up, felt a wee bit guilty, but quickly got over it. 

Then came my more recent attempt to "adultify" the playroom in our lower level (translation: basement). That's right... adultify. You'll notice that this photo is strategically cropping out the train table and baskets of toys on either side.

Now that I've proven my case, you can now understand why I was so thrilled to come across these fun DIY projects that involved making a sunburst mirror... out of rulers! See the full project here on Design Sponge! Office supplies + groovy home décore = pure genius in my books. And no, I can't take credit for this mirror.

Another clever iteration is this wooden ruler mirror made out of wooden rulers (25 cents ea) and shish kebab skewers.

And perhaps my favorite for this spring due to the crisp, fresh feel of white against a colored wall (as well as the fact that this is made out of PAPER!) is the one shown below. Click here for complete DIY instructions by Nesting Place.

Three tips for using a sunburst mirror or wall art in your décor:

1. Think balance. These work best when centered over a piece of furniture such as a console table, a fireplace, or a bed. When hanging, consider also the distance between the circle and the piece of furniture. Many people hang their art too high on the wall. The center of your circle should be at eye level for the average person, unless of course you are positioning above a fireplace or higher piece of furniture. The mirror below could have been hung about 6" higher. Still, it's a gorgeous example of how a few unique pieces within a neutral palette can give a room character and a little "glam." Love.

2. Consider proportion and visual "weight." The mirror below feels proportionate to the room size, and fills the space over the fireplace well. It's also reflective, which gives it a lighter "visual weight" compared to the mirror over the bed (shown above). So even though it's a large piece, it doesn't feel too heavy in the room. Something with mirrored or metallic "spokes" helps it feel light and airy despite its size. Or you could also paint a darker frame white, as shown in the third picture.

 

 

3. Have fun. Break the rules a little. Display a group of them together on a larger wall. Similar finishes and the repeated circular shape helps to tie this collection together. You could spraypaint a bunch of them white, or add some whimsy to a child's room by painting them in a few different shades of the same hue (ie. pink).

 

Happy sunbursting!