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Kids’ Craft: Easy Valentine’s Day Treat Cups

by H. Camille Smith January 16, 2013 8 Comments

If you’re like me, you’ve *just* finished packing away the holiday decorations and it’s already time to start thinking about Valentine’s Day. While it’s true that time does fly, it seems to go into hyper-speed whenever we approach a holiday centered around sweets. Well, honestly, Valentine’s Day is about letting the people in your life know how important they are to you — but — you get to say it with chocolate. Which is a win-win in my book any day.

Candy and cupcakes are great by themselves, but to take your V-day gift-giving up a notch, you need a cute handmade container — preferably one that’s quick, easy and inexpensive to create. Voila! May I present doily treat cups that are SO easy to make that they’re the perfect Valentine’s Day project for kids.

Honestly, you won’t believe how easy these are — and they’re totally food safe and kid friendly. Ready to get crafting? Well, alrighty then, here are the complete step-by-step instructions plus a few photos to spur your creativity.

Because you use a muffin tin to shape them, they’re just the right size for cupcakes: lace doily treat cup

Or you can sandwich wired ribbon between the doilies to create a cute handle: doily treat cup READ MORE

Chic & Easy Doily Gift Wrap + How to Make a Yarn Pom-Pom

by H. Camille Smith December 19, 2012 6 Comments

As the holidays inch ever closer, I bet you’re ready for another crafty gift wrap idea, right? Well, I’ve got you covered with two (easy!) ideas for doily gift wrap that are oh-so-feminine to complement the dude-tastic gift wrap I shared last week.

BTW, if you haven’t already jumped on the brown-Kraft-paper-as-gift-wrap train, I recommend you hop on at the next station. Simply put, it is the bomb. Inexpensive and available year-round (I buy mine at the dollar store), the thick paper makes crisp corners and the neutral color works with any embellishments. For me, it’s the perfect year-round gift wrap and I always keep a few rolls on hand.

What are the holidays without a little sparkle? After wrapping the gift in Kraft paper, I glammed-up a paper doily by coating it with spray adhesive (like Super 77), then dusting the still-wet glue with glitter. Once the glue had dried, I attached the doily to the package with glue dots to prevent it from shifting when I added the ribbon. As a final touch, I tied on one of the glittery pinecones I made for my salvaged molding/evergreen bough and added a few self-adhesive rhinestones for extra glitz. Doily Holiday Gift Wrap

Or, you can skip the Kraft paper and just wrap a paper doily around a pretty box. I used glue dots to secure the doily’s edges then wrapped the box with yarn and tied on a pom-pom. These are soo cute and soo easy to make, learn how to craft one yourself below. Handmade Holiday Gift Wrap Idea

Step 1: Wrap yarn around your fingers a dozen or so times. The more times you wrap it, the fuller the pom-pom will be.
How to Make a Yarn Pom-Pom Step 1
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Weekday Crafternoon: Last Minute DIY Gifts

by Marianne Canada December 18, 2012 5 Comments

I don’t know how to break this to you, but…Christmas is officially less than one week away. I KNOW. Are you ready yet? Because I am not. Suddenly my free time is booked solid and the remaining handmade gifts I was hoping to tackle? Not happening, people. But it’s not too late to give something handmade from the heart, thanks to A Hip Handmade Holiday. Check out these excellent last minute gifts using the most adorable printables:

Cute, am I right? A Hip Handmade Holiday is a sweet ebook from the ladies at The Craft Pack, and it’s chock full of adorable handmade gifts for anyone on your list, all ringing in at under $10. Pretty great stuff.

Last Minute DIY Gift Ideas

Don’t forget, you can always find even more handmade gift ideas right here on HGTV.com. Are you guys giving handmade gifts this year? Are you all finished or elbow deep in glitter, glue and spray paint?

Missed a past episode of Weekday Crafternoon? Check them all out HERE.

Menswear-Inspired Gift Wrap + How to Make a Ribbon Rose

by H. Camille Smith December 12, 2012 13 Comments

The holidays are sneaking up on us fast! Hanukkah began this weekend and Christmas will be here in less than 2 weeks. If you’re like me, you’re in gift wrapping crunch mode.

Honestly, wrapping gifts is one of my favorite things about the holidays but wrapping guys’ gifts can be tough — the trick is to keep them seasonal and masculine. For my mens’ gifts this year, that means this awesome blue plaid ribbon (love!) and handy-dandy, works-with-anything Kraft paper.

Another Kraft paper bonus: Thanks to its thickness, you can paint it without rippling the paper. So for Grant’s gift, I painted on a chalkboard gift tag then topped it with a blue plaid ribbon rose (in honor of his bowtie obsession) and a sparkly snowflake ornament. Chalkboard Gift Wrap With Handmade Ribbon Rose

Step 1: I planned to add the ribbon rose on one side and have the chalkboard tag take up most of the remaining space so I first taped on a band of ribbon to determine the tag’s placement. Next I used a ruler to mark out a rectangle, leaving the corners unmarked. To round the tag’s corners, I sketched around a small tin then erased any pencil marks that wouldn’t be covered by the chalkboard paint. chalkboard gift wrap

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Weekday Crafternoon: Handmade Felt Ombre Trees

by Marianne Canada December 11, 2012 5 Comments

Today’s craft comes straight from the ever-inspiring Handmade section right here on HGTV.com. I couldn’t resist these Ombre Tabletop Christmas Trees and decided to recreate them in neutral colors. I love how they look a little bit like snow-capped mountains!

These make a great centerpiece, but I paired them with some oversized ornaments and created a charming tableau for my mantel. I can’t wait to use these year after year!

Handmade Ombre Felt Trees

Missed any episodes of Weekday Crafternoon? You can find them all here!

Adventures in Antiquing: Salvaged Molding As Holiday Decor

by H. Camille Smith December 5, 2012 13 Comments

As you guys know, I love a good estate sale. One of my favorite places to search for treasures is the garage — but I’m not looking for tools. I’m on a quest to find broken bits with potential — like drawers, keys or old knobs that have been separated from their original piece of furniture or vintage harps, finials or other electrical hardware — essentially anything with character that I think I can repurpose.

A few months ago, I discovered a 4-foot board with a carved detail along the top and beautiful raised acanthus leaves at either end. The seller found it in a barn and had no idea how old it was or whether it once framed an elaborate doorway or was part of a long piece of furniture, like a buffet. The white paint was crazed and chipping – just how I like it. The seller seemed shocked that I even wanted a beat-up old board so he priced it low – 2 whole dollars. Originally, my plan was to strip all the paint and stain it but once I had removed the chipped paint and sanded it smooth, I decided to leave it as-is.

Topped with glittered pinecones, blue Spruce and holly boughs, my found molding makes a beautiful, rustic swag above the entry to my kitchen:

Here you can see the acanthus leaf detail on the ends — pretty, right?! Totally worth a dusty, dirty scavenger hunt in the wood pile.

Weekday Crafternoon: DIY Holiday Pompom Wreath + GIVEAWAY!

by Marianne Canada December 4, 2012 25 Comments

Congratulations, Saly!

Good afternoon, Design Happens readers! Or should that be good crafternoon? Hmmm. Anyway, I digress. You guys made some excellent suggestions in last week’s episode, and several of you wanted holiday wreath ideas. Well, today is your lucky day! Also, since the ornament giveaway was such a hit (Were you the winner? Check your email!), I’m giving away this wreath as well! Scroll down for details.

I love how inexpensive and easy to customize this project is. In fact, I went home and made a big version for my own front door!

DIY Pompom Wreath

Want to win the wreath featured in today’s episode? You are in luck! To win? All you need to do is leave a comment below answering this question: are you finished decorating for the holidays? Or are you just getting started?

You may only comment once to be considered, and you don’t have to purchase anything to win; a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Odds depend on total number of entries. Void where prohibited by law. Only open to legal residents of 50 U.S., D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 years of age to win. All entries (comments) must be entered between 12:00 p.m. ET on December 4, 2012 and 12:00 p.m. ET on December 10, 2012. Subject to full official rules. By leaving a comment on the blog, you acknowledge your acceptance to the Official Rules. ARV of prize: $30. Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC, d/b/a HGTV, 9721 Sherrill Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37932.

4 Handmade Holiday Cards to Make (and Send!) Now

by H. Camille Smith November 28, 2012 6 Comments

Etiquette experts agree that the week after Thanksgiving or the first week of December are the best times for mailing Christmas cards — giving friends and family plenty of time to display and enjoy your thoughtful holiday greetings.

While I can’t say that I’m always that organized, I certainly do enjoy receiving cards — especially when they’re handmade.

I mean, who wouldn’t love opening this oh-so-trendy card with a three-dimensional effect? Just print out our attached templates to make assembling this card a snap: 3-D Christmas Trees Handmade Card

What would the holidays be without a little snow? Send warm-climate friends and family an interactive holiday shaker card with a magical falling-snow effect: Handmade Shaker Holiday Card

Weekday Crafternoon + Giveaway: Two Handmade Holiday Ornaments

by Marianne Canada November 27, 2012 69 Comments

Congrats, Donna C.!

Oh yeah, it’s Christmas tree time; at least it is at my house. We have a yearly tradition of buying our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, and it instantly puts me in a holiday mood. And so, inspired by the tree trimming going on in my abode, I decided to make some new ornaments for this week’s installment of Weekday Crafternoon.

Those glittery polka dot ornaments are seriously easy to make, and don’t you want to PlastiDip everything now? I know I do.

Handmade Ornaments

Not up for the challenge of making these festive ornaments? How about winning a set of them for free? That’s right, I’m giving away four handmade ornaments from this week’s episode of Weekday Crafternoon, just because it’s the holidays and I’m in a giving mood. To win? All you need to do is leave a comment below answering this question: what kind of craft would you like to see me tackle next?

You may only comment once to be considered, and you don’t have to purchase anything to win; a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Odds depend on total number of entries. Void where prohibited by law. Only open to legal residents of 50 U.S., D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 years of age to win. All entries (comments) must be entered between 12:00 p.m. ET on November 27, 2012 and 12:00 p.m. ET on December 3, 2012. Subject to full official rules. By leaving a comment on the blog, you acknowledge your acceptance to the Official Rules. ARV of prize: $20. Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC, d/b/a HGTV, 9721 Sherrill Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37932.

Weekday Crafternoon: More Furoshiki Wrapping Ideas

by Marianne Canada November 20, 2012 8 Comments

I had so much fun showing you guys this furoshiki-style beer bottle wrap that I thought I’d dig into the Weekday Crafternoon archives to bring you more of this Japanese fabric wrapping technique. We shot this episode over the summer (hence my long hair!), but it’s definitely appropriate for this time of year.

Not only is furoshiki a unique wrapping idea, it’s eco-friendly! No need for wrapping paper or ribbons, and you can reuse the wrap over and over again. What do you think? Would you ditch rolls of paper in favor of pretty fabric this year?

Small Furoshiki Wrap