Party Garland

I love the garland that Christina made to decorate her baby's nursery shown here and I've used this idea for so many things - I decorated my house with it for the holidays using glitter paper, made some for outside party decor for my grandpa's birthday, decorated trade show booths with it and will probably be making even more for a friend's bridal shower that I'll be hosting next month. Needless to say - I love simple, gorgeous and inexpensive decorations that I can customize to fit any party/theme/job that needs to get done (I'm sure you've all heard about my puff ball obsession)! I came across the idea from Hambly that takes the circle garland up a notch by adding extra circle punches for even more dimension:

Isn't that so pretty? While this adds a few extra steps to my previous decor (each piece requires 4 punches vs. 2) - I think the tiny bit of extra time is SO worth it. And I love the way these little decorations seem to float in the air and twist and turn when it's breezy outside. All you need is some paper, a circle punch, some fishing wire and adhesive.


Start by punching out 4 circles (if you feel like it, you can add more circles to add more depth to the project, Hambly used 6 in their project above):











Now fold each circle in half, be sure to crease your fold well:

Place adhesive on the sides and adhere two of the circles together like this:














Now place your fishing wire or ribbon in the center and adhere the other two folded circles so that the fishing wire is enclosed in the center of your piece:













Simply use varying papers to create the rest of your garland, I personally think the louder, brighter prints work really well with this project because they really stand out. This is how my mini garland turned out:

It kind of reminds me of mini beach balls - which makes it a perfect summer party garland. This, combined with some color-coordinating puff balls and a few paper rosettes, will make for a very pretty backyard bridal shower for my friend next month. Want more party decor inspiration? Click here for lots of fun ideas...you may even want to host the next party...trust me! --Lauren

Paper That Grows!

Earth Day is coming up this Friday, so what better time to introduce our new selection of paper from Bloomin! These new papers and mini gift cards can actually be planted and grow into a beautiful array of wildflowers like zinnias, snapdragons and daisies. Do you ever wonder what to do with cards you receive from your friends and family once you've read them and the holiday or special event has passed? I do. I always feel bad throwing them away, mostly because of the sentimental attachment, but also because it just contributes to the ever-growing landfill. With this paper, you can create beautiful cards and once your friends have enjoyed them, they can be planted in a special part of their garden or a pot on a window sill so the memory can last on and on. We are carrying these papers in 8.5x11 sheet packs (either white or assorted colors). The sheets are really versatile. They are sturdy enough to be used for greeting cards or boxes, but the cotton composition still allows it to be easily punched. It also works great in the letterpress machine!

In addition to the sheeets, we also have some mini gift enclosures available in a range of shapes and colors.

Not only are these 2.5" square cards great for a finishing touch on a gift, but the shapes could be used as an embellishment on a more elaborate card or other craft project. There are tons of uses for this paper from Easter greetings to a Mother's Day Card that actually turns into a bouquet!

Seed papers are also great for handmade weddings and baby showers. You can make your own favors like these cute little cards for all of your guests with your special message and planting instructions attached:

Or like thes pillow boxes so you can hide an extra treat inside.

This is such a great way to add a little extra to your celebration and let your guests remember your day for months (maybe years) to come.

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

Amanda

Perfect Paper Pinwheels

{pink pinwheels}
Pinwheels have been popping up all over, we saw a lot of adorable pinwheels at the Seattle and Portland Wedding Shows this year. They are such a fun little decoration, look at how cute these are as cupcake toppers:

{cupcake decor}

And they make the perfect little wedding place card for a whimsical Spring wedding:

{spring wedding place cards}

{floral pinwheel place cards)

The best thing about these is how easy they are to make, and inexpensive too - you can get four pinwheels out of just one 12x12 sheet! These are great for weddings, kids' birthday parties (think Circus/Carnival theme!), baby showers, bridal showers and - since the day of love is right around the corner - Valentine's Day. I always like to give small gifts to friends and family on Valentine's Day to show them my appreciation, and I think a little Valentine cupcake with a pinwheel topper will be perfect. Ready to make your own? Here you go:

Step One: Gather your supplies:
-12x12 Paper (1 sheet=4 pinwheels)
-Scissors (I like the cloud-edged ones for a scalloped edge effect)
-Brads (just 1 per pinwheel)
-Ribbon (optional, but a very cute addition!)
-Stick for the base (I used a chopstick that I found in my junk drawer)


Step 2: Cut your 12x12 paper in half, then cut those pieces in half
-Each of the 4 squares should measure 6" x 6"


Step 3: With a ruler, draw a line from each of the corner points (diagonally) and then draw a circle around the center point


Step 4: Cut each line, stopping when you get to the edge of your circle


Step 5: Punch a small hole in each of four edges and in the center


Step 6: Using your brad, start threading it through each punched hole
-If you want to add ribbon, put that on the brad first before you put it through the paper
-When finished, secure your brad on the back by opening the edges.


Voila! You have created your pinwheel! Now, you just need to secure the pinwheel to the stick (I used glue on mine). If you want to create a fully functioning/spinning pinwheel, simply replace the brad with a pin and it will spin in the breeze. Easy and fun to make, enjoy! --Lauren