DIY Wood Bead Tassel Necklace

Happy March! Wow, I can't believe it's nearly spring already and St. Patrick's day is next week! St. Patrick's Day was always one of my favorite holidays for some reason. I like almost all of them, but I think it's something about how everyone goes crazy and gets all dresses up that makes me like St. Patrick's Day a lot. Instead of doing a traditional St. Patrick's Day craft, I decided to switch it up a little with a pastel rainbow necklace. My fiancé is a quarter Irish, and he said St. Patrick's Day does not involve rainbows. However, there's no way to find a pot of gold without a rainbow. So, at least in the Hallmark version of the holiday, there's definitely rainbows! If you want to add a little bit of celebration to your St. Patrick's Day outfit this year without looking like you belong in a parade, try wearing this necklace! Honestly, it works well all year round and I think it's perfect for the spring!

You Will Need:

Embroidery floss (similar here)
Wood beads (similar here)
Nylon cord (here)
Jump rings & clasps (similar here)
Paint (similar here)
Paintbrush (mine are from Michael's, similar here)
Styrofoam (here)
Kebab sticks (here)
Washi tape (similar here)
Jewelry tools (here)
Scissors (here)

1. Take your skewer and wrap it in washi tape. You'll want enough so that the beads won't slide down as you're painting. Put your beads on and paint them. I used bright rainbow colors. Put your skewer into some styrofoam to dry. While you wait...

2. Cut a piece of cardboard that is the size you want your finished tassels to be. I wanted mine to be around the same size as my beads, so I used that as a template. Wrap the embroidery floss around the cardboard 25 times. You can do less or more, depending on how thick or thin you want your tassels to be. Cut a small piece of floss, thread it through the underside of the top, and tie a few tight knots.

3. Slide the floss off the cardboard and onto a pencil or stir stick. Take a piece of embroidery floss and wrap it around just below the stick. Tie several knots, then cut your embroidery floss. Then, take a jump ring and thread it through the top piece of embroidery floss. Comb your tassel to loosen the weave of the embroidery floss and create and fluffy tassel.

(Psst. if you want to save time and buy your tassels, check out this link).

5. Attach your clasp to one crimp, and your jump ring to another crimp, and attach them to your cord. I wanted my necklace to be long, but be warned- I made mine WAY too long. With the clasps on, it came down to about my belly button! Haha. So, I added a few clasps along the way so I could adjust the length if I wanted to.

6. Thread your beads and tassels. I decided to use a coordinating bead and tassel combo, but you can also mix it up.

7. Wear and enjoy! I've gotten so many compliments on this necklace the few times I've worn it so far. I truly love it! If you want to add a fun pop of color to your outfit, this necklace is essential.

Oh, did you know I have not one, but THREE cats? This is Roger and he's probably the friendliest cat on the planet. I found him in my backyard in Astoria and decided to keep him. He's the coolest, funniest dude.

I love love loveeeeee this necklace. The pastel rainbow colors are just magical! Would you wear a necklace like this? What do you think of it? Let me know in the comments below!

Wedding Planning Update: Just 6 More Months!

Ahhh! Somehow my wedding went from "so far away" to "holy cookies, that's close". Time really does fly, and now I feel like I'm going to be scrambling to get things done. Exactly what I didn't want to happen! Oh well, I thrive under pressure so I guess it's meant to be. I'm in my element now haha.  I haven't done an update in almost 6 months, so here's one to fill you in. 

Let's get real- the past few months were rough. It all started with fracturing my toe on my wedding date (ugh #truestory) and wondering if the date is cursed. Then there's the fact that I get easily overwhelmed when faced with decisions. We almost eloped in Disney World, I almost wanted to call everything off, and I almost settled for an ok wedding dress. Somehow everything worked out, so none of that happened. But I was pretty dang close to an emotional breakdown to avoid the stress of things. Wedding planning is hard, you guys! 

Anyway, on a brighter note, here's what went well:

Wedding Dress- Ordered!!

The best news is that I FOUND A DRESS!! Holy crap you guys, this is the biggest deal. I tried on over 80 dresses. I didn't think I was going to be this picky about it, but somehow I was. I started at David's Bridal and really loved a dress, but it didn't go over well with some people. Since I already had my doubts, I took it out of the running. I spent the next year trying to find a replacement. I'd go dress shopping 2-3 weeks in a row, take a few months off, then go shopping again. I went in my walking cast too! That was fun. Gam Gam goes wedding dress shopping. I'm happy to say that I finally found a dress that I love, and I honestly can't wait to wear it and for John to see me in it! 

Photographer- Chosen

One of the first things we did, way back in November, was book our photographer. We looked for someone that knows how to take good photos (duh) but also is able to capture the emotions of the day. When we contacted our photographer, Lora, we had a phone call to discuss our expectations for the day, as well as get to know each other. Lora was super friendly and personable. She was able to keep the conversation flowing, got John to open up, and made him SMILE. That, to me, meant she was the one. John is like a stoic puzzle, so the fact that she was able to get him to open up and be comfortable meant we could avoid an album full of awkwardly posed, stuffy photos. I can't wait to see our photos of the special day! 

DJ/Videographer/Lighting- Done

When we went to our wedding venue for their annual bridal show, we met a married couple that had their own business doing rentals. They were so friendly and I loved their setup, so we decided to go with them for our DJ, uplighting, and videography. Their wedding was held in our venue, so we were able to see the room transformed from a nice hall to a gorgeous wedding venue. Plus we discovered an awesome thing we could add to make the room pop- starlight floors! This girl loves sparkles, so as soon as I saw it, I had to have it. 

From our Disney-themed engagement party. Photos coming soon!

Florist- Chosen!

We picked our florist! We met her, you guessed it, at the bridal show! For this overwhelmed and procrastinating couple, the bridal show was a great place to meet vendors. We picked almost everyone we are using for our wedding from this bridal show! I met Sue at her table and she was giving out roses to all the brides. Fun fact about me: I hate long stem roses. So when Sue handed me one, I politely said "no thanks, I don't like roses". She asked what kind of flowers I liked and picked one out of her arrangement to give to me! It was a really small but sweet gesture, so I knew she was the right one to help us. 

Chair Rentals- Done!

We are renting Chiavari chairs for our wedding, since the venue has these dark and uninteresting chairs that look less formal. We are also meeting with a rental company about renting vs buying the items for the centerpieces and decor. In case you didn't realize, decorations are my favorite part of any party, so I'm so excited to see what we do for the wedding. I've got some awesome ideas to transform the room and I can't wait to get started on that! 

Can you tell I'm getting excited?! 

Here's a picture from 2012. Look how young we were!

Needs to get done:

Meeting with vendors- we have a meeting this month with some of our vendors to discuss options and I'm really excited to see what we cook up. 

Tasting- yay! So excited for the tasting. Our venue is making our cake, so I'm super excited to try everything. Cake tasting seems like the best part of wedding planning, besides dress shopping! 

Working on invitations- we really want to send our invites early since our wedding is on a holiday weekend. 

Getting people to book their rooms- pretty much no one has booked their rooms and no one knows you can book them yet, so we need to get on that. 

Accessories- now that I have the dress, I need some accessories to compliment it. 

Wow guys, it's crunch time. Really feeling the pressure right about now! Let's talk about wedding planning. What's the most important part of planning? Let me know in the comments.

Be sure to follow my colorful wedding ideas Pinterest board for gorgeous bouquets, amazing centerpieces, and more!

Lisa Frank Tie-Dye Waffle Sundae

Lisa Frank is making a comeback, and it's everything our cutesy technicolor dreams were made of. I can still remember being a kid/pre-teen and going to Eckerd (remember that store?!) and browsing their back to school section, hunting for the absolute perfect Lisa Frank school supplies.  Folder with two kissing fish? Check. Lisa Frank stickers to cover absolutely everything I own? For sure. Binder with cool teenage aliens? DUH. Lisa Frank was such an important part of my childhood. I loved the creativity and the color of her products. So, when it came time to collaborate with Holly from ClubCrafted on a 90's inspired ice cream post, I just had to do something Lisa Frank! It's got tie-dye, ice cream, sprinkles, unicorns and candy. What more could you ask for?!

You will need:

Waffle Maker (I have this one)
Neon food coloring (here)
4 spoons and bowls (here)
Waffle batter (I used the Classic Waffle Recipe on page 9)
Whisk and Spatula (similar here and here)
Ice cream (I used Friendly's black raspberry)
Fondant (I purchased Sweet Shop brand from Michael's)
Sprinkles and toppings

Directions:

How to make a tie-dye waffle:

1. Create your favorite waffle batter. Separate the waffle mix evenly into 4 bowls. Mix in your food coloring until it hits the right shade. I kept mine bright!

2. Once your waffle iron has heated up, drop small globs of batter onto your waffle iron. Mix up the order of colors, but work quickly so that you don't burn half the waffle while the other half is raw.

Just look at those colors! Seriously gorgeous.

Making the fondant unicorn

1. Take a small scoop of your fondant in a ball and knead it with your fingers.

They look like tasty little Marino's ices, don't they?!

2. Pinch off a small piece of fondant. Roll your fondant in a ball, then into a cylinder shape. It helps if the cylinder is tapered, so that one side is slightly thinner. Twist the 2 cylinders together, then flatten the bottom slightly to create your horn.

3. For the ears, take your ball of fondant and split it in half. Make it into a triangle shape. Repeat for the other color, creating a sightly smaller triangle. Then, press them together in the center of the larger triangle. Do this carefully, otherwise it totally warps the shape into a circle. They don't need to match perfectly, either!

Assembling your sundae:

1. Once your waffles have cooled, add a scoop of ice cream on top. (Similar shell bowls here and here)

2. Carefully place in your unicorn horn, then the ears.

3. Add your choice of sprinkles and candy to the top. I used regular rainbow sprinkles, nerds, and small dot sprinkles. To make the plate more festive, I poured on the sprinkles. I can never get enough!

YUM. Sprinkles and candy makes everything better. The fondant is actually really easy to use. Kinda like sweet and edible play-doh. Plus, I love that the round sprinkles landed perfectly to make a face on this little guy.

Now you can get your Lisa Frank fix and help that sugar craving all in one shot. I loved the Lisa Frank stickers, and still have them. I've hoarded them for like 20 years now! Jeez, that makes me feel OLD. What was your favorite Lisa Frank thing you ever owned? Let me know in the comments!

Colorful Home Accessories

I'm a little bit afraid of color. I know that seems surprising, considering my blog and crafts are pretty darn colorful, but it's true. My closet is pretty monotone, my artwork is dull, and even when I wanted the bright blue iPod, I went for the gray one. I tend to play it safe when it comes to color, because what if I get tired of the bright one? I always picked the neutral option. The safe one. It's for this exact reason that my house is now gray. My dad jokingly nicknamed my house 50 shades of grey. Everyone warned me, but I didn't listen. "Don't you guys get it? It's neutral! This means I can add in any color I want and switch up the decor, without having to repaint!" Um... no, it means your house is gray, Cathy, and it looks like a black and white movie. 

To remedy the fact that my house is now the first ten minutes of The Wizard of Oz, I've decided to inject color into it any way I can. I suspect this will lead my house to be a mish mosh of color soon, but trial and error is my friend, right? I've rounded up some colorful but whimsical home finds that are sure to brighten up even the most monochromatic home. 

1. Yellow Brick Road Doormat- Let's start with a doormat that will remind us to keep it colorful. This doormat is bright, but subtle. It'll always remind you there's no place like home, to follow your dreams, and that everything you need to succeed can be found within you. Plus I guess it's a reminder to travel more? Haha.

2. Cat Candle- I love cats. I have 3 of them, which I used to think was weird, but now I get why people do it. What's the perfect way to show off your love of cats? How about this candle?! It's pretty darn amazing, but what's even better is what happens when you light it! Click the link to check it out.

3. Vases- this little vase collection would make such a cute table accent. I can see it with some small blooms, making everyday feel like spring. Plus, the mixed pinks and corals make it perfect for both the spring and fall!

4. Pink Vase- this vase is pretty, inexpensive, and a gorgeous color. Imagine it with some yellow flowers in the middle of a gray room?! So fresh and pretty. 

5. Utensils- I have these utensils and they're fabulous! My fiancé actually purchased them for me. We needed new ones and he said "I figured you'd like these". Why yes, yes I do. He's a man of few words, but I'm so lucky to have him. He gets me.

6. Balloon Animal- I guess we've established that I have an obsession with balloon animals, so clearly this is an obvious choice. It's whimsical, colorful, and adds a little party to the everyday. Win-win-win. 

7. Dog Bookends- Don't worry dog lovers- I have something for you too! These bookends will add a little extra color to a bland bookshelf. They'll take something serious like books and make it playful. Fun fact: I used to have 2 imaginary weiner dogs. I named them Princess and Pretzel.

8. Aromatherapy Diffuser- This little guy is perfect for adding a little bit of color to your home, but still keeping it simple. The wood is very neutral, and you can add essential oils to make your room calming! I think I need this in my life.

9. Rainbow Bowls- If you set your table and keep it that way as part of your decor, these would make it so cute and colorful! But if you've got 3 cats that love to lay across the table like mine do, these would look great on a shelf or in a glass cabinet. You can also spread them around the room with some candy inside. Since they're made of bamboo, they'll be less fragile than glass. 

10. Rainbow Jenga- Perfect for cheering up game night, this rainbow Jenga is so colorful, it can practically be decor! Plus, having it on display means you're WAY more likely to play it.

11. Umbrella Hooks- These are super silly, but for some reason I love umbrellas. Something about their shape I guess. Lucky for us, you don't have to worry about these umbrellas flipping upside down in a wind storm and getting yourself soaked. Not sure why opening umbrellas indoors is bad luck, but having them flip and fold outside in a rainstorm is not!

12. Orange Speaker- Both cute and practical, this speaker adds some charm without being too trendy. It reminds me of a tropical island, which is always a plus in my book. Turn it on, play some ocean sounds or tropical music, and drift away.

13. Bread Box- Having a bread box is pretty 1950's, HOWEVER, this one is aqua blue and perfect in every way. And, since bread doesn't really come in nice packaging and it'll stay fresher in the box than the bag, I think this is quite necessary for any kitchen. 

14. Yellow Cake Stand- I loveee cake stands. I have so many, but they're a great way to add a little something special to any room. Place this on your kitchen counter with cookies, on your dresser with some jewelry, or in your bathroom with some pretty soaps for a pop of color while staying classy.

15. Pantone Notebook- I know what you're thinking... a notebook isn't decor. And you're right. But it would look really cute on a coffee table, and if you ever need a reminder to keep it colorful, this notebook should do the trick! Embrace color, unleash your inner kid, and above all, have some fun! Use this notebook to jot down some decor ideas and get your colorful juices flowing.

Ok guys, now I need your help! What's your favorite way to add some color to a boring room?! Let me know in the comments below.

Kate Spade Inspired Balloon Bracelet

Fun fact about me: I have a tendency to start random hobbies. For example: one time, I decided I wanted to learn how to make balloon animals. I bought a beginner's kit that came with balloons, a pump, and a book on how to make animals. I practiced making a dog, along with a few other animals. I sat there for hours trying to perfect them. Was I training to become some sort of clown on the weekends?! Who knows... Anyway, I was never too good at making balloon animals despite my best efforts. After a few days of trying, the novelty wore off and the kit got pushed into a drawer with all my other forgotten hobbies. Balloon animals were apparently something I was meant to admire, but not create. So, when I saw Kate Spade's new Whimsies collection, I was hooked! They're an absolutely perfect way to display your secret love of balloons, unicorns, and dinosaurs. I think my favorites are the ring, brooch, and bangle. If you can afford to purchase something from the new Kate Spade collection, DO. IT. For the rest of us, here is my humble attempt at the phrase "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".

You will need:

Metallic/Pearl paint
3/4 in Wooden Letters (here)
16 gauge aluminum wire (mine is from Michael's)
Jewelry pliers and tools (here)
E6000 glue (here)
Paintbrushes
Scissors (here)
String or ribbon

1. Paint your letters with the metallic paint. I lined up my colors and found the best pattern before painting. I didn't want too many similar colors next to each other. Be sure to paint the front and all the sides.

2. Cut a piece of wire for the bracelet. There are 2 methods for figuring how long to cut your wire. 
Method 1: Using your string, measure loosely around your wrist, adding a few extra cm's to roll your wire.

Method 2: Grab a bracelet that fits well and measure that against your string for a similar fit.

3. Once you've cut your string, line it up against your wire and cut at the mark using your wire cutters. Make the cut as straight as possible.

4. Using the narrow tip of your rounded pliers, roll over the cut ends of your wire so that you don't have any sharp edges.

5. To create a bracelet shape, use something cylindrical to gently wrap the wire around. I used a party cup, since it's tapered and allows you to adjust the width of your bracelet easily.

6. Once I had a round shape, I made it slightly oval so that it would slip on and off my wrist more easily. My wire was very malleable, so I didn't want it losing its shape too much!

7. Using your E6000, glue the letters onto the bracelet. I started near the center with the letter R, then added the others closely so they would fit together well. (I used a glue gun at first, but all the letters fell off! I don't recommend the glue gun method).

Woop! There it is. Now you have your own KS Whimsies collection lookalike bracelet. This one is definitely more fragile, so wear with care. But, as a plus, you can write whatever you want on the bracelet- your name, an inspiring word, a reminder to party more, etc. My suggestions: CAKE, because yum, LOVE, because the world needs more of it, and GLITTER, because sparkles make everything better!

PS- If you love balloon animals, you gotta check out this post!

These would be so fun to make all your friends to give out as friendship bracelets, or as part of a bachelorette party gift! What are you planning to put on your bracelet? Let me know in the comments!