DIY Watermelon Napkins

Hey guys! I am so excited to announce that I am now a contributor on Giggles Galore! For those of you that haven't heard about Giggles Galore, it's a blog that focuses on making the ordinary EXTRAORDINARY one creative idea at a time. There, you will find holiday crafts, DIY projects, recipes and party tips. Most of the projects can be recreated in less than an hour, and on a budget, so you have more time to create memorable occasions filled with giggles galore. Sounds like a perfect place for me to be!

My first project? DIY Watermelon Napkins! Besides watermelon being the absolute best summer fruit, August 3 is National Watermelon Day. I foresee a whooooole lot of watermelon flavored drinks being consumed that day! And everyone will need some of these napkins to go along with them. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a sucker for a theme.

For the full tutorial, as well as some tips on using RIT dye, head over to Giggles Galore! You can find the post here. Be sure to show Mariah some love by leaving comments and following her on instagram so you never miss a post!

Will these napkins be making their debut at your next BBQ? I think they should- they're one in a MELON. Get it?! 

Bridesmaid Brunch Craft Party Ideas

Let's get real here: wedding planning isn't exactly as glamorous as you imaged it to be. There are a lot of moving parts, tons of decisions to be made, and a whole lot of DIYs you want to try. Planning a wedding kind of becomes a part time job, except you're spending money instead of making it. So, rather than spending your weeknights filled with tears crafting 100+ favors, why not invite your friends or bridesmaids over for a fun crafternoon?! You can pop a bottle of rose, have some finger foods, and take bets on who's going to cry during the ceremony (like your Aunt Bertha, who cries over everything). 

Since you're already spending a ton on wedding related things, I know what you're thinking. You don’t need one extra thing to spend a ton of cash on. Well, fear not my friends! Oriental Trading is your party headquarters, and everything is SO affordable! With their new Marry Me section, you'll find all their wedding-worthy supplies in one place, for a great low price. They've got everything you need for the bridal shower, the ceremony, reception, and more! The options are seriously limitless, and there are tons of ideas under many of their products, showing you how to use them.

*Note: This post is a collaboration with Oriental Trading, but all opinions are my own. My love affair with them started way back when I first got their catalogs as a kid!

Think about how much time you’ll save by having your friends join you in crafting, and how much fun it’ll be! During a time of intense stress and worry, you need a break to hang with your girls and laugh. Plus, it'll be a nice way to say "thank you" if you've been a little bit of a grumpy bridezilla lately. 

Table Setup

To set up the table, I stuck with a simple white (disposable) tablecloth. Since crafting can get messy, I added a table runner using easel paper to catch any spills. I gave each person a place setting for snacking, which was cute and colorful! I started with a square gold dot plastic dessert plate as sort of a charger, topped with a hot pink plate for a pop of color. Each person gets a set of gorgeous gold utensils and a hot pink napkin to keep things tidy, as well as a paint palette for their watercolors.

Everything is more fun with a glass of wine, so each gal gets a really cute purple wine glass for her rose with a gold striped straw. Clear cupcake stands put the jordan almonds on a pedestal, making it easier for everyone to reach them. 

I kept the rest of the decorations simple by propping up my Pop Fizz Clink sign from my Disney-Themed Backyard Engagement Party. Finger foods and small desserts finish up the fun. P.S.- the white easel paper would be the perfect backdrop for using colorful sharpies to label what's what!

 The Crafts

A few weeks ago, I showed you 3 fun projects you can make using Oriental Trading products to add a pop of color to your wedding. These projects are perfect to make with your besties or bridesmaids!

Jordan Almonds

Place all your almonds in decorative bowls with a spoon for easy scooping. Keep your tulle, ribbon, and charms nearby so that it's easy for everyone to assemble. I also recommend pre-cutting the ribbon to ensure that it's all uniform and to prevent waste. The full DIY is here.

 

Table Numbers

Have your friends help out by painting the table numbers. I did about 3 coats on each one, so it's definitely time consuming! I recommend enlisting an especially crafty friend for the glitter and/or gold foil. It can get complicated and messy, so you definitely want someone precise to handle it! The full DIY is here.

 

Watercolor Escort Cards

When you get all your friends together, you've got to do this super fun project! It's seriously easy and best of all, really fun!

You will need:

Watercolor Paints (here)
Paintbrushes (similar here)
Paint Palette (here)
White Place Cards (here)
Gold Sharpie (here)

Each gal will get a set of watercolor paintbrushes, as well as a paint palette. Grab your watercolor paints and your white place cards and give each card a unique look. I added layers of complimentary colors for variation, but it still looks cohesive.

Once they're all dry, use a gold sharpie to add a name and a table number to guide people to their seats in style. Write the names in script, or make it fancy with some faux calligraphy!

I did the script freehand, but I think if you either got someone to do calligraphy, picked a friend with fancy handwriting, or printed the names on the cards, it would look even better! Be sure to make some extras, as you're bound to mess up a few of them while writing.

Woo! I'm not sure about you guys, but a bridesmaid crafternoon brunch party seems like exactly what I need to get over these pre-wedding blues! A few laughs does everyone a world of good. Be sure to check out Oriental Trading's new Marry Me section for everything you'll need for this party, the bridal shower, the wedding, and beyond! 

What's been the hardest part of wedding planning for you? For me, it's been the fact that my mom, sister, and friends live kinda far away, so I've been doing it (cue Eric Carmen) all by myyyseeelllfff. I wish I had them to help/laugh/decide on things. How about you? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Dollar Store Easter Decorations

Hey guys! It seems that we hopped into April pretty quickly, huh? I had an eggcelent idea to do a Easter tablescape, but I'm on a budget this year. Planning a wedding ain't cheep, ya know? So I decided to visit my local Dollar Tree and raid my cabinets to create an Easter affair to remember, without breaking the bank. In all, I spent only about $30 dollars to create this classy table setup. Many of the Easter decorations came from my collection and I DIY'd a few things, because what's an event without a few handmade details ;). 

*This post contains affiliate links.

DIY Painted Plant Pots

You will need:

Pots or Plants (From DollarTree or larger version here)
Acrylic Paint (here)
Painter's Tape (here)
Paint Brushes (similar here)

Steps:

1. Paint your pot the lighter of your 2 colors. Let dry fully.

2. Using your tape, create an interesting line or pattern. I decided to do a diagonal pattern, but you could do polka dots, triangles, half and half, etc.

3. Paint the desired area, then peel off your tape while it's still a little wet. Let dry!

For a full list of my favorite craft supplies, check out this blog post!

DIY Banner

You will need:

Paper Bunting (from DollarTree)
Ribbon (DT or similar here)
Glue Gun (similar here)
Spray Adhesive (here)

Steps:

1. Be sure to adequately cover your workspace. This stuff is deceptively sticky!

2. Place your top bunting face-down and spray with the adhesive.

3. Pick up carefully and place on top of the other bunting. Lay flat to dry.

4. Take a length of thin ribbon and glue your bunting onto it while keeping the flags an equal distance apart.

5. Hang up and enjoy.

Related: How to Rock your DIY Party Projects

DIY Bunny Ears Bouquet

You will need:

Thick Wire/Covered wire (From DollarTree or here)
Ribbon (DT or similar here)
Thin sparkly ribbon (DT or similar here)
Scissors (here)
Wire cutters (here)
Glue gun (similar here)

Steps

1. Take your wire and straighten it out the best you can.

2. Measure and cut. Mine was 20 inches.

3. Fold gently in the middle to create a bunny ear shape.

4. Using your hot glue gun, carefully wrap your wire with ribbon. I found that not overlapping the ribbon on top of itself worked best.

5. Keep going up your wire, wrapping and gluing every few rotations.

6. Once you've wrapped it in your thicker ribbon, go back around with your thinner ribbon to cover the seams and any bald spots.

7. Repeat for the other ear, then place in a bouquet of flowers and enjoy!

Setting your Table

Place Settings

I purchased inexpensive white plates and chargers for each setting, and topped them with blue appetizer plates from my cupboard. I added some drinking glasses I already had on hand, and placed a handmade drink stirrer inside. I finished it off with my super cute bird salt and pepper shakers that I purchased from Pier 1 Imports a few years ago.

Centerpieces

For the centerpieces, I used a sequin table runner and fake moss from my engagement party, and topped it with my painted flowerpots, bunny ears bouquet, and some mercury tealights.  I scattered some small golden eggs I picked up at the dollar store to add to that Easter feel.

Tips for Saving Money on your Easter Table

1. Create your own bouquets by purchasing flowers from the supermarket, or purchase inexpensive fake ones that you can reuse again and again.

2. If you purchase new servingware, go for white, which can be reused for many holidays. It'll get much more use than a baby pink tray with a bunny on it!

3. Collect items from around your house. Tealights, votives, pastel decor items, etc. This will add to the ambiance of the event without you necessarily having to purchase (and store!) Easter items.

4. Mix high-end items with dollar store items to save money while still keeping it classy. The inexpensive items will be camouflaged among the more expensive ones, as long as you don't purchase anything too cheap looking.

5. DIY where you can to create something one of a kind. Search Pinterest for ideas, and see how you can re-create more expensive items.

6. For an inexpensive tablecloth or runner, use a piece of fabric that has been folded and ironed. This will allow you to make it any size or shape you need!

7. Go for a mix of larger items and smaller items to create a visually interesting mix for your table. Too many small items will look cluttered, and too many large ones will seem unbalanced.

The best part about this table setup is that you can take away the bunny ears and little eggs, and use it for the remainder of the spring! This helps it to do double duty, saving you money. Do you have any dollar store crafts as part of your Easter decor? Do you decorate for Easter, or are you more of a "save it for Christmas" type of gal? Let me know in the comments below!