Sugar & Cloth

project, photos and tutorial contributed by Kathleen of Snow Drop and Co.

Peanut butter and jelly. Milk and cookies. Confetti and parties. Can you really have one without the other? I don’t think anyone would argue that confetti doesn’t make birthday parties more fun. If you’re going to a birthday party anytime soon, why not whip up this confetti themed birthday box? This is an especially good gift for that friend who is near impossible to shop for.

Plus, this gift is customizable in so many ways – choose whatever size box you want, any color of confetti, and your favorite funfetti cookie recipe. Don’t have a favorite yet? I’m pretty sure that means you should have a funfetti baking day to find out!

Materials:

• Wooden box
• Acrylic paint
• Painter’s tape
• 1” circle cutter
• Sponge brushes
• Paintbrush
• Cardstock
• Alphabet stickers
• Cotton twine
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors,
• White birthday candles
• Hole punch reinforcement stickers
• Parchment paper
• Cookies*

*Note: For the cookies pictured, I used this recipe (http://deliciousinspiration.blogspot.jp/2011/03/teacakes-with-springy-glaze.html) and I haven’t been able to stop snacking on them! However, mine did turn out puffier than the recipe shows, which I expect is because I replaced self-raising flour with normal flour plus baking powder.

Step 1: Use the punch to cut circle stencils out of painter’s tape and stick them to the box in a random pattern.

Step 2: Mix paints to match your cardstock/cookie color scheme.

Step  3: Apply the paint onto the circle stencils with the foam brushes, being careful not to paint outside the exterior edges of the tape.

Step 4: Remove the tape stencils (you can do this immediately, no need to wait).

Step 5: If you’d like more confetti dots, apply more stencils and repeat.

Step 6: Use your circle punch and cardstock to create confetti. If you’re spelling “Happy Birthday” you’ll need thirteen circles for that, plus extras for loose confetti to be included in the box.

Step 7: Apply the alphabet stickers to the circles to spell “Happy Birthday” or whatever message you like.

Step 8: Cut a piece of twine roughly 15” long – you can trim the excess off later.

Step 9: Glue the circles onto the twine. Repeat for “birthday”.

Step 10: Arrange the strings evenly in the lid of the box so that they meet in the top corners.

Step 11: Apply hot glue to the corners and press the twine into the glue.

Step 12: Trim any excess string.

Step 13: Birthday candle time! Apply several hole punch reinforcement stickers to each candle.

Step 14: With the same paint you used to paint the box, paint the dots. If the hole punch stickers aren’t adhering very well, simply hold the edges of the sticker as you paint.

Step 15: Repeat for as many candles as you need.

Step 16: Time to pack your box! Use the parchment paper to wrap the cookies in one half of the box, put a pile of confetti in another corner (if you’re going a long way, a glassine bag would be an adorable way to keep the confetti together), and tie the birthday candles together with some cotton twine in the other corner.

When you close the lid of the box, make sure that the confetti message falls into the box and isn’t stuck in the edges. When the birthday girl/boy opens up the box, the message will appear similar to a pop-up card!

project and photos contributed by Kathleen of Snowdrop & Co.

I’m always on the look out for simple and inexpensive ways to revamp items I already own once I wear out their traditional look. It’s just an added bonus when the finished outcome of a revamp makes it look even more expensive than it really is, like DIY leather strapped tote bag which only cost me $15 in materials!

Chelsea from Lovely Indeed sent me this darling tote a few months ago, and I’ve been using it for everything. It was just a matter of time before it earned it’s leather straps, here’s how:

Materials:

• Small rivet starter kit
• Scissors
• Leather punch
• Tote
• Leather for straps (bought mine precut at Tandy leather, similar here)

First, cut the existing straps off your bag as close to the trim as you can. Then measure and cut two 22inch leather pieces to use as straps. The width is up to you as far as comfort, mine are cut a 1/2 inch thick.

Once you have the desired placement of your straps, use the leather punch to punch through the straps and tote bag. I made two holes for two rivets on each side for added support, but it’s up to you.

Next, insert rivets in the holes you previously made according to the instructions on your kit.

If you want to make a closure strap, measure and cut a piece of leather that is 1inch wider than the desired with of your closure strap, and insert a rivet on each side.

This way it’s snug enough to keep the strap closed.

Cut a piece of leather that’s about 6 or 7 inches long to use as a strap (making sure it’s long enough to safely rest where you placed the enclosure piece).

Making sure the leather is facing wrong side-up, use a rivet to to attached the leather strap.

Fold the strap over and under the enclosure, and you’re finished!

I met Crissy and Lauren of Bunny and Bells just recently, and instantly fell in love with them! They were the master minds behind all of the pretties at a good friend’s wedding last weekend (which I’ll share with you later this week).

Just in case their styling hadn’t won me over, then their clever, yet simple, DIY projects would have. Case in point, this DIY leather pocketed dress. Find the full tutorial and more here on Bunny and Bells.

With everything from my salted caramel ice cream cake shots, to my cupcakes in a cup,  you know I’m all about some clever recipe ideas. So, when Good Pop filled me in on their best-kept-secret popsicle cocktail ideas, I was instantly sold!

Not only is this popsicle cocktail recipe perfect for summer weather, but it also adds the perfect touch of color (and a few ooh’s and aah’s) to just about any tablescape. Plus, you only a need  a few quick ingredients to make a refreshing adult cocktail or a sweet treat for the kiddos!

Recipe:

• 1 Strawberry lemonade Good Pops
• Squeeze of 1 lemon
• 1.5 oz soda water
• 1.5 oz vodka or silver tequila(optional)
• Top with a dash of sea salt

Remember my rant about all things scalloped (and the five scalloped pretties you wish you had) that I posted last week? Well, go ahead and add this DIY scalloped tablecloth version that I made for my Martha Stewart dinner party to your to-do list, too! What makes it even better is that it requires absolutely zero sewing and takes all of maybe 20 minutes from start to finish.

Materials:

• Canvas drop cloth or curtain panel
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Bowl
• Tape (optional)

If your drop cloth or curtain panel is a bit bigger than the table you’re wanting to cover, just trim the edges a little bit to just a bit bigger than the size you’d like for the finished product to be.

Next, trace one half of your bowl onto the edge of your fabric, then repeat this on all of the sides. (You can also tape down the corners of your fabric so it doesn’t move while your trace around.) You can also fold the fabric in half before you trace, so that way when you cut along your outlines, you only have to trace and cut twice, once for the length and width of your tablecloth.