Thanksgiving Napkins Ideas

Here's some effortless napkin ideas for your Thanksgiving table by Better Homes and Gardens.

Diy Project: Cupcake in a Jar

For tasty favor try a cupcake in a jar with red velvet cupcakes. You can find all the instructions and many more pictures on the fabulous cakies blog.

Image via: With this Ring

DIY... Easter Egg

Martha Stewart created these gorgeous Japanese inspired Easter Eggs. They look like little pieces of art!


Preparing the Shells
You can empty the contents of a raw egg without damaging the shell. (If you prefer, use wooden eggs, available at crafts stores.) Carefully twist the point of a utility knife against each end of the egg to create two small holes. Insert a long pin through a hole to pierce the yolk. Blow out the insides with an egg blower, available at crafts stores, or with a rubber ear-and-nose syringe. Let drain; rinse. Blow out again, rinse again, and let dry.



Tools and Materials

Blown-out eggs
Pencil
Origami paper
Embroidery scissors
Small paintbrush
Glue sealant, such as Mod Podge



Elegant Eggs How-To

1. Mark egg's length plus 1/4 inch on paper; roll paper around egg's circumference, add 1/8 inch, and mark. Cut out resulting rectangle.


2. Fold rectangle in half lengthwise. Cut 1/4-inch-wide strips on both sides of fold, stopping 1/4 inch from fold.


3. Brush glue sealant down fold on unprinted side; wrap around center of egg. Cut one strip to a point so it just reaches egg's tip.


4. Brush strip with glue; press gently. Repeat on every other strip, then with remaining strips (trim to fit smaller spaces). Repeat with other end of egg.


5. Brush glue over half of egg to seal. Let dry; repeat on other half.

DIY Herbal Wedding Boutonnieres

The lovely ladies of Once Wed have created a beautiful herbal boutonniere, perfect a Spring wedding!
Herbs are casual and aromatic and perfect for a late summer or fall wedding. As far as ingredients go, the sky is the limit! Here I’ve incorporated blueberries with lavender thyme, oregano and sage and wrapped them with a sweet dotted ribbon for contrast. The best part is that the boutonnieres could be dried and used for cooking later, making them completely Eco-friendly!

You will need:

13 small stems of herbs (choose varying colors and shapes)

3 stems of small berries

floral tape

narrow ribbon

1: Start with a leaf stem like sage to be the backbone of your boutonniere. This leaf is just for support.

2. Place taller, lanky herbs like lavender and rosemary on top of the leaf. It’s OK for them to sit higher than the first leaf.

3. In front, place smaller rounder, herbs like oregano or thyme blossoms or fruit like blueberries. Heavier items always look nicer at the bottom with the leaner stems poking out the top.

5. Secure with floral tape,

6. Wrap the ribbon around the stems several times to disguise the floral tape while leaving a length of ribbon free to tie up the ribbon at the back of the boutonniere.

Project created by Chelsea Fuss

Photography by Lisa Warniger

Hip Button Boutonniere

If you want an out of the ordinary and creative boutonniere, try a pin-back button. Unique and affordable, it can be customized for your whole wedding party!

Image Via Hatch Creative Studio

DYI: Wool Bangles

Wool-Wrapped Bangles: Even if you can't knit, you can make this craft. It's a unique and stylish bracelet decorated with wool yarn. It's simple to make and is a great gift idea! A perfect way to recycle your 80's bangle!
Tools and Materials
Scissors Clothespin Plain plastic bangle bracelets Yarn or ribbon Fabric glue Wool-Wrapped Bangles How-To
1. Create a ball of yarn slightly larger than a golf ball.
2. Densely wrap the yarn around a plastic bangle bracelet, making sure to neatly keep the yarn aligned, and pulling tightly as you go. Tip: Work over a table or in lap in case the ball slips out of your hands.
3. Finish by overlapping a few wraps at the point where you started. Glue the strand of yarn in place along the inside of the bracelet with a fabric glue.
4. Hold the glued end of yarn in place with a clothespin and allow to dry. Once the glue has fully dried, snip off the extra yarn.
5. Bangles can be covered in thin decorative ribbon using the same process.

Resources

The variegated yarn can be purchased at schaeferyarn.com; the ribbon can be purchased at stranodesigns.com; the plain plastic bangles can be purchased at cocowholesale.com (product Nos. BA0006-25, BA0006-26, and Ba0006-21), but you can also recycle bangles of all shapes and sizes from thrift stores or eBay. From the Martha Stewart Show

DYI...Letterpress

How great is this new affordable letterpress machine from Paper Source? It includes everything you need to create cards and crafts!
where to purchase: Paper Source $149.99

DIY Tufted Moss Ring Pillow

What You’ll Need: A 5″ x 5″ X 2″ piece of Styrofoam 2 feet ribbon (2″ wide) 3 yards of ribbon (1/4″ wide) A 6″ x 6″ scrap of fabric A handful of sphagnum moss Straight pins Round-headed corsage pins. A pair of scissors.

Instructions

1. Center your fabric face up on the Styrofoam square Fold the fabric
edges over sides of the Styrofoam and secure with straight pins. Wrap
the corners neatly and pin. (see figure 1)

2. Turn your Styrofoam over so the fabric side is down. Take your
sphagnum moss and stretch it out across the top of the Styrofoam. Be sure
that the moss completely covers the surface. (see figure 2)

3. Cut a length of the skinnier ribbon and run it diagonally across the
mossed surface. Attach both ends of the ribbons on the sides of the
Styrofoam using straight pins. Repeat this process to create a diagonal
grid of ribbon on the top of the pillow.

4. Take your corsage pins and stick them into the points where the
ribbons intersect on the pillow top. (see figure 4)

5. Turn the pillow on it’s side and pin the end of the wider ribbon in
the center of the side, using your straight pins. (see figure 5)

6. Wrap the ribbon around all four sides, concealing the fabric edges and
skinny ribbon tails. Pull it tightly as you go and keep the ribbon edges
lined up with the edges of the pillow. (see figure 5)

7. When you pass your starting point, fold under the ribbon tail and pin
it down using your corsage pins. (see figure 6)

8. Trim off any loose moss bits.

9. Cut a 12″ length of the skinnier ribbon and tie it to the corsage pin
in the center of the pillow. Attach your rings by tying a bow. (see
figure 7)

What it costs:
Styrofoam square $.90
Ribbon $3.00
Corsage Pins $2
Small bag of moss $1.80
Total = $7.70

Project created by Laurie Cinotto, Via Once Wed

DYI... Another Great Rustic Centerpiece

I found these simple rustic candle centerpieces at Once Wed. Perfect for a fall wedding!

What you will need:

· slice of wood ( 11′ diam x 2.5′ h)
· glass cylinder vases ( 11′h, 9′h, 6′h x 3.5′ diam) you can find these at
Jo-Ann Fabrics, Michael’s Crafts, and Hobby Lobby
· pillar candles ( 3 varying heights to fit in each vase)
· ribbon & yarn
· fabric, wood, or dried flowers
· double sided tape
· scissors

Instructions:

1. Cut 3 pieces of ribbon/yarn (one arms length per piece). Wrap each vase with ribbon/yarn. Attach ends of ribbon/yarn with double sided tape to surface of vase. I chose to wrap with a knobby yarn, satin ribbon, and grosgrain ribbon to create a variety of textures. I also wrapped the ribbon/yarn at different heights on each vase to create more interest.

2. Attach fabric/wood/dried flower to a piece of ribbon and tie around tallest vase.

3. Insert pillar candles into vases. arrange cluster of vases on wood slice, keeping the sides with the tape facing the center.

4. Arrange fabric/wood/dried flowers on wood slice around the vase cluster. Light the candles and enjoy your rustically elegant centerpiece!

FYI: The wooden flowers shown are no longer available for purchase. I would suggest creating fabric flowers or heading to a local craft store and picking up some dried botanicals. If you are interested in creating these centerpieces in large numbers, I would suggest ordering the vases in bulk.

DYI...Wedding Cup Cake Stand

These cupcake stands from Once Wed are sublime for a vintage wedding or baby shower. Can you believe they're made from terra cotta pots?

What You’ll Need:

2 terra cotta saucers (I used a 7” and a 10” saucer, but you can use any size you like)

2 terra cotta rose pots (The pots I used are 5” and 6” high. You can use any size as long as they are taller than the height of your cupcake and frosting.)

2 yards ribbon (or what ever it takes to make it around the circumference of your saucer)

Decorative or scrap book paper

Acrylic paint

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Sponge paint brush

Scissors

Cupcakes

Resources:

Terra cotta pots are available at most nurseries and home and garden stores.

Cupcakes shown are available at Hello, Cupcake in Tacoma, WA

http://www.hello-cupcake.com

Instructions:

1. Begin by painting both sides of your terra cotta saucers and only the outside of the terra cotta rose pots with your acrylic paint and sponge brush (see figure one and two). Paint a second coat if needed.

2. Allow the paint to dry completely.

3. Turn the saucers upside down and glue the bottom of the rose pots to the back side of the saucers using your hot glue gun. Use a generous amount of glue. (see figure 3)

4. When the glue has dried, turn your cake stands right side up and carefully glue your ribbon to the edge of your saucers. (see figure 4)

5. Cut two circles out of your paper to line the inside of the saucers. (see figure 5)

6. Stack stands and arrange your cupcakes.

Budget:

2 terra cotta saucers $7

2 terra cotta rose pots $3

acrylic paint $2.50

2 yards ribbon $4

1 sheet paper $1.50

Total = $18 for two stands

Project created by Laurie Cinotto,

DYI...If I Could Save Time in a Bottle

Here's a great way to display vintage family photos. Follow these few easy steps from Yankee Magazine.
You'll need: glass bottle or jar glass cleaner photocopy of a photograph or print scissors two wooden skewers

1. Choose an attractive glass bottle or jar, whether new or antique (the larger the neck or the mouth the better). Clean it and dry it thoroughly. (Polident denture solution works great for getting old glassware clean.)
2. Make a color or black-and-white photocopy of your picture on regular copier paper. The copy should be small enough (in length and width) to fit unrolled inside the glass container. Trim excess paper if necessary.
3. Wrap the photocopy, blank side showing, around one of the wooden skewers and roll it into a tight cylinder.
4. Slide the photocopy cylinder off the skewer and slip it, right side up, through the bottle's neck (or the jar's mouth).
5. Insert both skewers down through the neck (or mouth).
6. Working from the blank side (to avoid damaging the print), use the skewers to unroll the cylinder until it's flat inside the bottle or jar. Pressing toward the front of the container from the back of the photocopy works best.
7. Leave the top of your bottle or jar open if you like, or finish with a cork or clean metal cap.

DYI...Lollipop Stand

Martha Stewart created these fun, colorful lollipop stands. Inspiration for a circus or carnival wedding!

Tools and Materials
Styrofoam cone from Baisch & Skinner

Floral spray paint (choose a color that will match your ribbon)

Extra-wide flat washers (these will add weight to the bottom of the cone and keep it steady; to get a heavy-enough weight, Cheree used 2 and hot-glued them together. The more surface of the base that the washer covers, the steadier the cone will be; so, if you can find a "Large OD" washer that's 8 millimeters or wider from a plumbing-supply store, that would be best)

Hot-glue gun

8 yards of 5/8-inch-wide ribbon (use 1-inch-wide ribbon for a 24-inch-tall cone; Baisch & Skinner

Gold-topped boutonniere pins (about 30)

Lollipops (some of our favorite sources include Ju-C Suckers, Hammond's Candies, and CandyDirect.com.)

Flag template (download template here)

Slim wooden dowel (for flag)

Craft glue

Lollipop Stand How-To1. Spray paint cone with floral spray paint, and let dry. Hot-glue the flat washer to the bottom of the cone, and let set.

2. Cut the ribbon into graduated lengths so each wraps once around the cone, with extra for overlap; the shortest piece (for the top of the cone) will be about 5 inches. You will need 25 pieces of ribbon for 16-inch cone, 28 pieces of ribbon for 18-inch cone, and 27 pieces of ribbon (of 1-inch-wide ribbon) for 24-inch cone.

3. Cover cone with ribbon, starting from the top. Wrap the first ribbon snugly around the cone (you will need to wrap the ribbon at a slight angle so that it lays flat on the conical surface). Fold the end under to hide the raw edge, and use a pin to secure. Continue down the cone, overlapping the ribbons only slightly.


4. Insert your favorite lollipops into the cone, slipping the sticks between the ribbons and angling them down. We used rock-candy swizzle sticks, so we used scissors to cut off the balls on the ends of the wooden sticks.

5. Stick a sign into the top of the cone, or insert a single lollipop instead. Flag template download and print it out, then use a craft knife and a metal straight edge to cut the flag just inside the lines. Glue it to a slim wooden dowel; if you like, cut a second sheet of paper and glue it to the back of the flag to cover the dowel.

DIY RUSTIC WEDDING CENTERPIECES

I adore all things rustic and natural, and with the economy still hurting I guess, I should figure out how to DIY.  Once Wed as created a simple way to make rustic cake stands or centerpieces.

What You’ll Need

A Cross-Cut Wood Plaque (round or oval)

A Cross-Section of a Tree Limb   (Make sure the top and bottom are parallel)

Titebond Ultimate Wood Glue (or a similar extra strong wood glue)

A Large Wood Clamp

Instructions

Cross-cut wood plaques can be found in your local craft store or online at Hofcraft. The come in a variety of sizes ranging from 5 inches to 12 inches in diameter.   They are usually found in the section with the wood-burning kits and other wood crafts.  They are clean, sanded and ready to use.

1.  Take your tree limb section and wipe the cut surface clean.   Put a generous amount of extra strong wood glue on the surface. (see figure 1)

2.  Place the limb section in the center of the back side your wood plaque and press down firmly.  Wipe away any excess glue with a clean, damp cloth. (see figure 2)

3.  Place the two joined pieces in a wood clamp and let dry for at least one hour.   If you don’t have a wood clamp, you can stack a few heavy books on top of your pedestal until it’s dry.   (see figure 3)

4.  Use your pedestals to display cakes and desserts (see figure 4) or use as a base for a centerpiece.   If you want to place food directly on the wood surface, coat it first with a food-safe wood sealer.  If you would like to keep the wood it’s natural color, place a piece of parchment paper beneath your cake or dessert.

What it Cost

Wood Plaques $3.99 - $5.99 each

Tree Limb - Free from our wood pile!

Wood Glue - $3.35