Wednesday, December 28, 2011

New Year's Eve Games

My husband and daughter, Renee, were both sick over the Christmas weekend. They're still not feeling 100% so we haven't made any plans yet for New Year's Eve. So, if we end up just being in our p.j.s this Saturday night waiting for the crystal ball to drop in Times Square I still like to try to make it fun for the kids. Here are a few quick ideas to pass the evening if you're home with your own little ones.

Start each hour with a POP from How Does She

If the loud popping is too much for the real little ones, you can use the same game idea with bags. These count down bags are from Hoosier Homemade

Here's a craft we did a couple of years ago and is very easy to pull together--probably with stuff you already have at home. A water bottle noisemaker from Kaboose.

The kids won't feel bad about not being able to have a champagne toast when you hand them these jello sparklers from Family Fun.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Glitter Wine Glass Charms

I have to admit I have a love/hate relationship with wine glass charms. I like the intent behind them, but frankly, does anyone ever remember which one was on their glass after a couple of drinks?? BUT they are an easy way to dress up glasses for a party!

These sparklers from Centsational Girl are perfect for the holidays–especially New Year's. A set of these would even make a great holiday hostess gift! Check out her tutorial here.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Winter Fun Dessert Tables

Wow-we're at the end of the week! I sincerely hope each of you has a wonderful holiday! For those of you who have kids home for the break, I wish you lots of luck (ha!). Mine will be home for 2 1/2 weeks, so postings will be sparse, but definitely check in to Home Confetti's Facebook page because I will still post ideas I come across during the week. But before I go, here is some fun, last-minute inspiration styled by Curlicues & Confections, photographed by Robert Christopher Photography. The tables are designed around two amazing cakes from The Wow Factor Cakes. Happy holidays everyone!



Thursday, December 22, 2011

New Year's Eve Invite

If you're throwing a New Year's Eve shindig, here's a fun invitation to get guests excited about the night. A printed glassine envelope filled with confetti and streamers. It's like giving guests a small taste of the party before it even starts. This is a fun idea for any party.

Find the original post here at You Are My Fave.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

DIY Shadow Box Art

Here's a great DIY gift if you're still looking to make something handmade for someone on your list. These holiday shadow boxes from That's What Che Said remind me of snow globes without the water. If you're making one for a grandparent it would be really cute to use a photo of the grandkids playing in the snow and then fill the box with "snow" to help bring the photo to life.

Find the full how-to here.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Doily Accents

I think doilies are one of the best items to incorporate into a winter tablescape. One: They kind of look like snowflakes. Two: They're cheap to buy! So I was happy to come across this post from pen n' paper flowers giving a tutorial on tea-stained doilies and the different ways she used them. My favorite from her post is wrapping them around shot glasses:

And using them to make these sweet, dainty flowers.

Find the original post at pen n' paper flowers here

Other ways to use doilies on your table:
- Stagger them across the center of your table as a runner
- A "snow" garland
- Mod Podge them onto coasters or larger tiles to use as trivets
- Remember this little idea here I used for a Mother's Day brunch?

What other ways have you used doilies? Would love to hear!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Merry Monday: Girls "Bundled Up" Weekend

I definitely consider myself a "girl's girl." I love my girlfriends. I have been grateful to have remained close to my long-time girlfriends when we moved out of state 6 years ago, and lucky to have met some new ones! I follow bloggers who I feel support and empower women.... I could never understand those women that abandoned their girlfriends when they started dating a new guy. SO, finding a reason to get your girlfriends together is so fun to me! I love this idea of a winter weekend girl getaway from Green Wedding Shoes. Originally conceived as a bachelorette party, there are a lot of great ideas in this gal pal party, even if you can't get to the moutains for the weekend. And the printables are even provided for you! Take a look at the caramel dipping bar and hot chocolate liquor bar! These ideas alone can be used for any winter soiree. For the rest of the photos, visit Green Wedding Shoes here.

Photography + concept by Katherine Elizabeth Photography
Paper Goods + DIY by One Handspun Day

Friday, December 16, 2011

Hot Cocoa Stand

If you live in an area where the winters are somewhat mild, this might be a fun idea to do with your kids over the holiday break. Like a Lemonade Stand, but with hot cocoa! (I first spotted this when Piggy Bank Parties shared it on FB.)

Along with the hot cocoa, offer winter-y treats like candy canes, white meringues, marshmallow goodies and more. If you have a large Thermos with a spout, that would be ideal to keep the cocoa warm.

Doesn't this look adorable?! Designed by Giggles Galore with her photographer friend, Elayne Dunn, you can find the complete showcase of photos here.


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Spiced Mulled Wine

We went to a holiday party last weekend, and the hot spiced wine the hostess made was the hit of the night! Warm alcohol–perfect for a party on a cold evening. I've had variations of mulled wine, but I think this one here at Jane Spice, that uses cranberry juice, is close to the one she made and one of my favorite versions. And for some reason, it's even better with an inexpensive red wine like Carlo Rossi. Make sure to add this to your beverage bar over the holidays!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Pine Cone Centerpiece

I haven't featured a "Tip-off" for a while, but here's a decorating tip for you: When it comes to decorating, quantity can mean quality. For instance, one pine cone tree would look lonely and boring, but a collection of different pine cone trees like this can look fabulous! Using different candlestick holders and some shimmer, these pine cones can really dress up a table. They would even look beautiful as a backdrop for a snowy village. Source here.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Meet Frosty-the Pumpkin Snowman

We're definitely getting a lot of use out of the pumpkins we picked back in October! First, they helped decorate our front porch, along with the carved ones we made for Halloween.

Then we turned the uncarved pumpkins into turkeys for Thanksgiving:

Now, the remaining two have been turned into a snowman to decorate our front porch for the winter holiday season! All I did was paint the pumpkins with some old white paint we had in the basement. Then used black and orange craft paint to make the eyes and nose. I cut the stem off the bottom pumpkin so the top pumpkin could sit comfortably on it. The weight of the top pumkpin is holding it in place.

I was contemplating putting a black top hat on him, until Renee came up with the idea of giving him ear muffs. She made and stuck them on herself. (I'll have to better secure them, otherwise I don't think they'll stay on there very long!) One thing I should mention–the paint is slightly cracking. Craft paint might have been the better option; I just didn't have white on me. But I guess I can touch him up if necessary. Plus, he's under a covered porch, which will help to protect him, too.


Monday, December 12, 2011

Merry Monday: Fa La La Christmas Fete

Here's a great theme from Wants and Wishes Design for a kids Christmas party, or for a dessert and coffee table at a holiday party. The "Fa La La" screams instant cheer and I love the choice of colors. The food nor decor is overdone.

A few good take-away ideas: the backdrop is a sheet from Target (!) and the monogrammed lollipops are a cute favor for the kids. Found on HWTM, you can see the rest of the details here.



Friday, December 9, 2011

Crayon Art


I've been keeping my eye out for different handmade ideas that would make unique gifts for teachers. I've seen monograms made with crayons and other types of crayon art, but I think this version by summerstead is so sweet. Perfect for an art teacher. You start by lining up your crayons and melting them with a hair dryer. Find the rest of the tutorial here.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Holiday Classroom Party

I'm organizing my girls' Holiday classroom parties. They're in kindergarten, so the activities have to be fairly easy. Wanted to share what we're planning in case any of you are "room moms" and need some ideas for your little ones. These are also great ideas just to do at home, or for your own home holiday party. (These are combined ideas. We are not doing ALL of these ideas in one classroom!) The headings are the names I plan to use on signs for each station.

REINDEER GAMES:
How psyched was I when I found this Pin the Nose on Rudolph printable?! It's perfect! And young kids love this game. I'll use my circle punch to create round red noses with each of the kids' names on them to play. You can find the printable here. If time permits, we're also going to have a "snowball relay" game ready. A twist on the classic "egg relay" game. Kids will have to carry a styrofoam snowball on a small spoon and place into a bucket. Then the next person will push a snowball around a cone with the spoon to the bucket. Photo source here.
SANTA'S WORKSHOP (Craft):
These are both great for little hands. The how-to for the beaded ornaments can be found at One Artsy Mama. The bell door hanger is from Martha Stewart.

Mrs. Claus' Kitchen (Snack Station):
The kids made and ate "spider cookies" at the Halloween party. They had a lot of fun building their own snacks. So, this time we're going to be building "snowmen" and "reindeer." The snowmen photo is my own. I made them for a Christmas brunch last year. So easy, using powdered donuts, baby carrots and black decorating gel. For the reindeer cookies we'll be using frosting to assemble the pieces. (Photo source for reindeer cookies here.) For a drink, I was planning on making cute Rudolph beverages using apple juice bottles, but now with the discovery of arsenic in apple juice (did you hear about that?!) I nix'd that idea. Can't do milk since there's no refrigerator in the class... so I think I might go with something like this cute Santa made using Kool Aid blasters. (It's a party--what's a little more sugar?!)

Elves Work Room (Activity):
Decorating "Christmas Trees" with sugar cones is a much easier alternative to gingerbread houses. With little ones there is a risk of the house falling apart. Plus, we're not allowed to bring in homemade cookies, so the houses would have to be purchased which can get pretty pricey for 21 kids. But this will be a fun take-away and addition to any gingerbread house made at home! (Photo source here.)

If you're still looking for more ideas, come visit my board of ideas that I've been collecting on Pinterest here. Or let me know what you're planning - would love to hear!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Holiday Twig Crafts

I love crafts that use branches and twigs. Sometimes you just can't mimic the pretty look you're going to get with real natural elements. This one is still one of my favorites. I recently came across these two that I love and wanted to share. Click on the names to find the tutorials.

This lovely rustic snowflake ornament from Little Things Bring Smiles.

And this lovely vase that will take you through the winter, from The Artsy Girl Connection.

Happy crafting!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Teacher Holiday Gift

We made our teacher holiday gifts this past weekend. Always looking to make something useful for teachers, we made these cute canvas book bags stamped with apples. Renee and Siena had fun making them and are so excited to give them to their teachers. We're also going to attach a small gift card to Michaels to help the teachers fill their bags.

They were easy to make. Here's what we used:
  • Blank canvas bag (I purchased a multi-color 3-pack from Walmart, less than $5)
  • Martha Stewart Crafts Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Craft Paint (Green Curry + Amaranth)
  • Apple
  • Paint brush
  • Black and brown Sharpie pens
When you cut the apple in half, make an effort to get a flat even cut. Not to waste paint, I brushed the paint onto the apple, then let the girls do the stamping.

Once the stamping is done and is completely dry, use the Sharpies to add a stem and apple seeds. We only did one side, but you can do both sides if you wanted.

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Monday, December 5, 2011

Merry Monday: Candy Christmas Party

You know a sweet candy Christmas design is a success when two five year olds are jumping onto the computer screen pointing at all the details! Y'see, my girls love Candyland (in fact my daughter was Lolly for Halloween) so their eyes popped when they saw this bold styled shoot from Shindig Parties To Go. Two of my favorite elements have to be the cake pops that look like santa hats (genius!) and the ruffled table covering (gorgeous!) Using their own printables designed with gingerbread men, candy canes and gumdrops–enjoy these delicious images.

Visit Shindig Parties To Go here to see more photos. Visit their shop here to order these fun printables and peruse their other products.

Friday, December 2, 2011

DIY Ornament Glasses

I have passed by craft ornaments in Michaels and Hobby Lobby hundreds of times and never thought to use them as drinking glasses. Dur! Love this idea from Poca Cosa. Best of all, her's are filled with an adult chocolate milk. Visit here for the original post.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

DIY Book Page Star


When I was looking to title this I wasn't sure what to call this great project. It's kind of like a shadow box? Wall art? But however you decide to name it, it will really make a statement on your wall or mantle! (It might be too delicate for the front door.) Created by House Revivals, it's made by rolling book pages and some cardboard. You can find the full tutorial at House Revivals here.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Peppermint Striped Soap + FREE GIFT TAGS


This is one of my favorite gifts that I made a few years back for my neighbors. It smells and looks good!

I made these before I started blogging, so I only have a photo of the final product, but I got the idea from Martha Stewart. You can find the directions here.

If you try this, a couple of tips for you: Make sure to score the soap really well, so the layers stick. And make extra because when you slice the bars, there will be a few layers that come apart.

I packaged the soaps with peppermint Hershey kisses. (They are only available around Christmas time. If you love minty chocolate--you will LOVE these! They even have a bit of a candy cane crunch to them!) I found the felt baskets in Target's Dollar Spot bins.

If you do try these out as gifts, I'm making the tags free for you to download. I've left a small space at the bottom to sign your name. One page gives you 2" tags; the other 2.5" tags. Enjoy!


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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

DIY Tabletop Christmas Trees

After last year's roundup of some adorable tree projects, more creative ideas are continuing to pop up this year. So hard to decide which one to make! Here are a few of my favorites that I've been eyeing.

These both happen to be from Under the Table and Dreaming. I love the organic look of each of these. Find the pinecone topiary tutorial here; the linen and lace tree tutorial here.

For the music and book lover! The first one from A Diamond in the Stuff would look great on a piano. I love the unconventional look of the next one from Craftaphile.

For a jolt of color, how about these two? The cupcake liner tree found at Dollar Store Crafts would be ideal for a gingerbread or cookie decorating party. The punched cardstock tree from Landee see Landee do, uses one of everyone's favorite elements–glitter!

And one more from Landee see Landee Do cause they're just too cute! Find the tutorial for these little trees here.