Spicy and Sweet Invitation Tutorial

So, I'm way behind on blogging, but I kind of love it because I'm too busy with creating and party planning to blog.  So, it's coming!  I promised to share more about my friend's bachelorette party/lingerie shower that I planned, so I'll do small bits to get there.  Today is all about the invitation! 

My friend Beth is super cute, and very stylish and classy.  :o)  I know her party had to be totally "her" and I also know the importance of a first impression.  I think invitations almost set the mood for the party and can either be a piece of paper that is stuck on the fridge without a second thought or something that leaves a "WOW" impression.  If you pause when you open an invitation, I feel like you're more likely to attend the event.  That's why wedding invites are so fancy.  To leave an impression.  

So, long story short, I wanted to combine Beth's style and my desire to have a full house for her party into a fabulous invitation.  I think I accomplished that goal.  

I started with these supplies:  Some shiny, pearlescent type navy blue scrapbook paper, white cardstock, silver envelopes, Martha Stewart flocking powder in Cosmos, Martha Stewart tinsel glitter in Onyx, and my AMAZING 2-Way glue pen!

So, once I spent some time at Michael's getting inspiration and pulling together different materials, I came up with this:

I decided on a Spicy or Sweet theme for the party after stumbling across this one on 100 Layer Cake.  Beth is a sweet and innocent girl, but I know she has some spice to her personality, and will bring a lot of it to her new marriage.  I wanted guests to feel like they could provide her with gifts for either side so Beth (and Scott) had a variety of goodies to "play" with.  :o)  After I formatted, edited, and printed the wording, I had to add some more flavor.  

I started by tracing the words "Spicy" and "Sweet" with my 2-way glue pen to help them POP.  

I used the sexy black tinsel glitter for the word "Spicy" and for the first time ever, tried flocking powder. I was a little nervous because it was my first time using it, but it turned out great.  I just used my glue pen over the word "Sweet" and then sprinkled the flocking powder right over it, then tapped off the excess, just like you would with glitter.  If you're doing this, make sure the glitter COMPLETELY dries first, and tap it again...otherwise you get extra flecks of glitter on the wet glue with your flocking powder.

I love how the embellishment gives both the exotic feel for spicy and a soft, "comfy" feel for sweet.  I put one together and thought I was done.  But...after sleeping and looking at it again, I decided it needed something else...

So, I found these sweet little sequins flowers that I have had in my scrapbook supplies for YEARS.  I used my tiny hole punch, and attached the flower with a small white brad, which made a cute little center for the flower.  It added a great "aww, cute" to my sweet side.

So, then I wrapped my blue scrapbook paper (that I cut just an inch larger on each side than the invite) with some pretty pink glitter ribbon I found at JoAnn's.  All I used for this was Scotch tape.  Really.  

You don't need much.  I just taped the end in the center of the front, and then one on top and bottom of the other end wrapped around and on top.  This part will be covered, so it really doesn't matter what it looks like underneath.  :o)

Then I used my larger 2-Way glue pen (same company that makes the thin one) to attach the invite on top.  Again, it doesn't have to be pretty.  And I didn't want to put the glue to close to the ribbon, or there would be a very noticeable bump on the front of the invite once it was glued down.  

So, once it was attached, I thought, "Well, I guess the Spicy side needs something, too!" So, I used some pink ink and a kissing lips stamp I had to add a little more spice.  But then...I went back to JoAnn's (I know...it's a tough habit to break)....

I found this AMAZING stuff!!

I just traced over the stamp and let it dry, and it looked like some pretty sexy, glossy lips!

So, here's the finished product, all pulled together:

Of course, I had to include shopping information, so I created this cute little guide to help our guests find something PERFECT for Beth.  I searched FOREVER to find a silhouette of a respectable woman's body that was realistic.  Then, I added the sizes pointing to where on the body it would be used.  

Then, I made this card to go with the invitation to help guests come prepared.  I'll explain more about what we did with these things in another post:

And finally, I sent a card asking guests to think of a Spicy or Sweet memory they've had with Beth.  I figured they would have more time to come up with something special if they had more time to think of it before the party.  It made a wonderful surprise for Beth, and provided lots of giggles, reminiscing, and celebrating friendship with Beth once the party started.  

One final tip that I learned a bit too late, but know for the future.  Make sure your invitation FITS the envelope you plan to use before doing them.  I know...duh, right?  But I got so excited about making the invitations, I didn't think about the size for mailing.  I ended up buying bigger envelopes and it worked out, but I definitely learned my lesson!

So that's it!  I'm hoping to figure out how in the world to use Etsy soon so I can make these things available for customizing and printing for anyone who would want to use them.  I spent the time to make them, and would love for someone else to have the opportunity to use it.  I'll post back if and when I get that part accomplished.  

Stay tuned for more bridal shower/wedding updates.  My sister's wedding is only 42 days away, so we are in full wedding swing...planning showers, crafting for the big day, and organizing!  Lots of tips and ideas coming your way!

Jeepers Peepers!

It's time again for another wreath!  Actually...time for an EASTER wreath!

I meant to get to this last weekend, but time just didn't allow it.  I saw this idea in a FABULOUS magazine for lovers of creativity, entertaining, and cooking.  It's called "Celebrate" and is done by Phyllis Hoffman.  My mom is subscribed to it, and I always steal borrow it shortly after it comes in the mail to browse at all the cute ideas.  It is a great starting place for party planning, even if you want to throw a party but don't know what kind.  She comes up with party ideas for anything and everything, and everything is cute and coordinated which I love.  The crafts and decor are not ones that LOOK homemade, if you know what I mean.  But most of the ideas are cheap, and the magazine (and website) has wonderful printables.  I will someday subscribe myself so I can have my own collection!  

Anyway...on to the WREATH!  Here is your tutorial for my twist on the one that is in the most recent issue of "Celebrate" complete with pictures:

Here's what you'll need:

1 Flat-Sided wreath form

2 boxes of bunny shaped Peeps (I obviously overbought, but that's ok because I love the fluffy little treats!)

Wide ribbon the color of the Peeps you purchased (Satin is best)

Glue Gun

Scissors

Ribbon for hanging

Jellybeans to coordinate if you choose

Step One:

Wrap your wreath form with your ribbon, placing a dot of hot glue every now and then to secure it in place.  I accidentally bought the ribbon that is stiffer, so mine doesn't look as smooth as it would if you used satin ribbon.  However, I knew that it would be covered, so if it's cheaper you can use it!

Step Two:

Lay out your Peeps.  DON'T glue them down yet!  I just laid mine out to get the spacing.  To help it look more fluid, I only separated the peeps at the ears and heads, and left their bootylicious hips attached.  This gave me a very close idea of how many would fit.

Step Three:

Attach your Peeps to the wreath using TINY dots of hot glue.  I put one under each bunny.  I ended up  taking one bunny out eating one bunny to make my wreath even.  I started with one set of four and moved around, letting the hot glue sit on the wreath for about 30 seconds before placing the Peeps so they wouldn't melt or roast from the heat.

Step Four:

This is where the twist comes in.  Phyllis Hoffman left her wreath with just the Peeps, but I wanted to add a little more color.  I checked out the jellybeans in the grocery store to see if I liked anything and found these WONDERFUL pastel Lifesavers jellybeans that were on sale.  I love the color of them, and think I'll actually put the rest in a glass bowl for my table decor.  After playing around with different colors and patterns I decided on using blue, green, and purple to add some contrast, but still keep some sophistication and not getting to childish with all the colors.  To place them, I just put another tiny dot of glue between the each two bunnies, then squeezed the jellybean in between.  You don't have to push it all the way to the glue, but it helps keep it in place once it's hardened.  I pushed mine only about halfway down, the fluff of the Peeps hold them in place.  They touch the glue just enough for secure placement.

Step Five:

I might change this on my wreath, because I didn't take my time and didn't like the kind of ribbon I was working with.  If you do want to make a bow, here's what you do.  Cut a strip of ribbon that is the length of the bow you want when folded in half.  Glue the two ends together to make a ring.

Step Six:

Use another piece of ribbon and glue it around the center of your loop.  I ended up folding the ends under to make it look nicer.  Here's what it will look like on the front:

Step Seven:

Pull the center together and use a safety pin to pull it together.

Step Eight:

Attach another piece of ribbon, folding over and gluing the end you attach.  You'll attach one on each side of the center.

Step Nine:

To make a finished edge, fold the ends of the ribbons in half, and cut at an angle.  They should look like this:

Step Ten:

 I attached a thin ribbon to the back of my wreath to hang it, and attached the bow to my hanger separately.

And there you have it!  Cute little Peep wreath for Easter!  Hope everyone is enjoying some sunshine and Spring weather!

Spicy & Sweet Bachelorette Party!

The rush has finally ended!  I have been working like a busy little bee the past few weeks to prepare for an AMAZING party for one of my dearest and best friends, Beth.  She's getting married at the end of May and I couldn't be happier for her!  She currently lives in West Virginia, but also has a lot of friends in the Nashville area.  So I decided to host her lingerie shower and bachelorette party.  It was a blast to plan and I'm learning how much I LOVE planning parties and being creative with all things entertaining.  Now that it's over, I can finally unveil everything I've been keeping secretive.  For this post, I'll just give you a quick run-down of some of the things we included.  Later on, I'll do an individual post for invite how-tos, game explanations, favor assembly, etc.  For now, enjoy these:

More to descriptions and explanations to come!  I just had to share something!

March Springtime Wreath!

Ok, I PROMISE there will be a surplus of blog posts in a few weeks.  I'm crafting, but keeping things under wraps until after my friend, Beth's shower.

In the meantime...it is March and time for a new wreath for my door!  Remember the heart wreath?  Well, that was fun and cute for February and Valentine's Day, but it was time to move on!  I wanted to do something green for St. Patrick's Day.  However, I didn't want to to be too cheesy or too shamrock-y because I wanted it to be able to stay up later than just for the holiday.  When I was trying to come up with ideas for this wreath, I decided I wanted it to be bright and colorful...something that looked "springy".  I also wanted it to have a lot of texture and fabric, but be different from my February wreath.  So...this is what I came up with:

It was SUPER easy, SUPER cheap, and SUPER fast!

Here's what you'll need if you want to make one similar:

• A foam wreath form.  You could do any shape, any size.  Mine is an 8-inch round. 
• Fabric in color/texture of choice for the main wreath.  I used a remnant of green soft flannel cotton I found in the bin at JoAnn's.  You could also use ribbon.
• Extra fabric scraps for the flower/accent decor.  I didn't have a lot to choose from at home (at least not in the colors I wanted), so I bought this pack of quilting squares for $5.00 at JoAnn's.  
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Straight pins

Here's the steps I took:

1. Snip the end of the fabric in about 1 inch sections.  

 

2.  Grab both sides of the slit, and pull apart to the other end.  Most fabric will naturally tear through in a straight line without a lot of effort. 

When you're done, you should have a bunch of strips like this with beautiful, slightly frayed texture!

3.  Glue down the end of the first strip and wrap around the wreath.  I put a dot of hot glue about every two-three wrap arounds on the back side.  I glued it at a slant so that the fabric wouldn't bunch up in the center.  

When you get to the end of one strip, glue it down, then start the next strip in the same spot you ended the first. 

4.  Continue wrapping around with the strips until you get all the way around the wreath form.

5.  Continue wrapping and gluing strips until you've covered all the white foam.  Then, I pulled up the ends on the back and snipped the excess.  

6.  I pulled out all the scraps to decide.  Here were my choices:

I narrowed it down to these three.  I added a fourth later because I still needed some more "fluff" to make my flower look right and cover the pins. 

7.  Cut each square in two pieces.  It doesn't matter if you use a straight pair of scissors or pinking shears.  I used two squares of each pattern.  

8.  Fold each piece like an accordion.  This reminded me of making paper fans when I was little.  :o)  

9.  Stick a pin through the end and just stick all the little fans in a cluster on your wreath.  This part took the longest, because I played around with the different arrangements, fluffing them in different ways, making sure the pins were covered, etc.  I chose to cluster mine off-centered.  

10.  For the hanger, I just used an extra scrap of fabric and hot glued it really good.  

Here's my flower cluster:

And my final wreath:

I like the way it turned out, but I may add a little more "something"...not sure what yet.  

Hope you like it!  This can definitely be modified for other holidays/months/themes with different colors and fabrics.  Have fun with it!

Look forward to my April wreath for Easter.  I'm SOOO excited about it and it is SO easy and fun!

PS...This is my first time ever, but I'm linking up to Under the Table and Dreaming.  Head on over for some more great ideas!