Latest Birdhouse

Here is the latest birdhouse that was just made for a friend who is retiring.

He said he always wanted to travel when he retires. L.O.L.

Wedding Centerpieces

When we decided on the color for the wedding (sage green) then came the task of deciding what we would make for centerpieces.

We found these beautiful fruit bowls on stems at a kitchen shop called Stokes.
They resembled an over sized wine glass, but were actually for putting your fruit into.

We also found (after Christmas) last year all of the ball ornaments ( some with glitter on them) and decided that they looked like bubbles in the glass. We painted chop sticks in the sage green and glued them together to look like straws. Then in the middle of the bowl we added a frosted glass with a battery operated candle. It gave a nice glow to the centerpiece. We also painted round wooden circles to look like fruit for the rim of the glass.

The final touch was a silk gerbera daisy, in the matching sage green, wrapped around the stem. The bowls were placed on a square mirror tile at each table and sprinkles with faux rose petals.

Wedding Invitations

Last year we saved a lot of money making our own wedding invitations for our daughters wedding.

We purchased the actual invitations at Wal-Mart. They come with the blank invitations, reply cards and all the envelopes in a kit.
They also tell you how to print the invitations right from your computer.

To dress them up, I purchased the green velum paper, (you could use co-ordinating velum to match your wedding theme). Then we made the jackets to cover the invitations, just by wrapping the velum around the invitation so that it met in the middle and creased it firmly. Then we folded back the corners, and punched 4 holes ( 2 on each side) at the middle of the velum and tied swiss dot ribbon in a bow on each side. I also added a daisy ( to match the border of the card) in the center of the invitation, so that it peeked through just above the jacket.

To enhance the envelopes I purchased a stamp and ink pad in the co-ordinating sage green to stamp initials onto the envelopes. I used an embossing powder to sprinkle over the ink, and with a heat gun ( used with embossing powder)I heated the powder, and it gave a nice shine to the letters. If we had ordered the invitations from a company, the price quote was $500. but by making them, It only cost under $100. Quite a savings.

Just click on photo to enlarge.

Greetings

I have been inspired by the Vintage Moth with her beautiful vintage clip art to start making my own greeting cards, it is so much fun.

The first set of cards was a kit from the Martha Stewart Line available at Walmart. Very easy to create. I also purchased one of Martha's punches to make the scalloped edges on borders.

The last 2 cards are some of the clip art from The Vintage Moth's blog.
Do check her out.

HOT CHOCOLATE CONES FOR EASTER

These hot chocolate cones are great to give for Easter.
Here is the recipe:

3/4 cup hot chocolate
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
2-10" clear icing bags

Place hot chocolate in bag and tie with clear elastic, cut off excess bag.
Put this bag inside of second bag.
Layer the chocolate chips on top and then the marshmallows.
Tie with elastic and ribbon.