DIY Curly Ribbon Wreath

I posted a little tease about this project a couple weeks ago.  It’s just another shameless rip-off of something I saw in one of my favorite local stores.  I knew it was something I could make myself for less money.  Here is the store’s version, retailing for $25.00:

Upon further inspection, I could see that this decoration was just a simple styrofoam wreath embellished with curly ribbon that had been stapled on. So I made a trip to Dollar Tree and Michael’s and came up with my own version for about $10.00:

While my version is not quite as large and full, I think it’s still pretty cute!  Perfect for Easter or a birthday celebration!

Here’s how I did it.  I started with an extruded wreath I bought at Michael’s with a coupon, so I think it was less than $2.00.  If you’re lucky, your dollar store might have these, but mine didn’t.

I spray painted the wreath pink in case any of the it showed through the ribbons and because I would be hanging it on a glass door and the back would be visible.  I bought seven 3-packs of curly ribbon bows at the dollar store.  You’ll also need a staple gun and/or hot glue gun.

Simply staple one bow on the wreath in the middle of the ribbon.

Layer on another bow, criss-crossing it on top of the first one:

Keep doing this all the way around the wreath, pressing in the staples where needed.  Now, I found that the staples wouldn’t stay in, so I secured the ribbon with hot glue.  Depending on what kind of styrofoam wreath you have and how long your staples are, you may or may not need to do this.

Fluff the ribbons and you’re done!  I hung mine from a coordinating satin ribbon.  Do you think it’s still missing a little something?

Ah, yes, a little bunny,some pretty eggs, and a handpainted Happy Easter sign!Or maybe you have another special occasion coming up (like a certain someone who writes this blog):   

Of course you can use any color ribbons you want.  A more pastel version would be precious for a baby shower/new baby and a red, green and gold combo would be perfect for Christmas.  So easy, festive and unique!

P.S. I'll be sharing with all the usual parties:

 

 

Tuesday

 

Wednesday

   

 

Thursday

 

Friday

Saturday

Business Card Giveaway Winner

Congrats to Celeste from MetryChick! She won the business cards from UPrinting!  Her second entry was the lucky entry.

Thanks to all who entered and to UPrinting for sponsoring the giveaway. 

Oscar Buzz

One of my first posts when I started this blog last year was about the vintage influence in Oscar fashions.  I don’t think I’ve seen many (if any) of the movies that are nominated this year, but you can bet I’ll be tuning in to the show just to see what everyone is wearing!  I have a feeling that the vintage look will have an influence again this year, especially for an occasion as glamorous as the Oscars.  Judging from the Golden Globes earlier this year, we may also see alot of jewel-tones as well.

Cameron Diaz in Alexander McQueen.  Image Credit.

 

Sofia Vergara in Caroline Herrara. Image Credit.

Sandra Bullock in Bottega Venetta.  Image Credit.

And of course you know I’m always a fan of glitter and sparkle, hopefully there will be lots of that too!

Anna Paquin in Stella McCartney.  Image Credit.

Toni Collette in Ellie Saab.  Image Credit.

Jennifer Garner in Atelier Versace. Image Credit.

So, will you be tuning in for the awards or for the fashion?  What are you looking forward to seeing?

See you at the show!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!!

Quick Fixes for Your Home

As homeowners, we’re all guilty of becoming a little complacent at times when it comes to maintaining our homes.  Day-to-day life gets in the way and we tend to neglect certain aspects of  a healthy home.  But there are ways to take care of your home that won’t take up all weekend or break the bank.  Here are some quick fixes for repairing common household problems, inspired by a recent Today Show segment:

• Clean/change your showerhead.  If you notice your shower’s water pressure is low, a dirty showerhead may be to blame.
  

  Remove your showerhead and soak it in a bucket of a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water or a cleaner like CLR or LimeAway.  Scrub well with an old toothbrush or scrub brush.  If that doesn’t improve the problem, perhaps it’s time for a new showerhead! You can find a good one for less than $50.00 and it only takes a few minutes to change out yourself.

• Unclog your drain.  Slow drainage in your bathroom sinks is usually due to a build-up of hair and gunk (gross)!  Take a few minutes and snake all that grossness outta there.  The Today Show recommends a product called The Drain Claw, which retails for about $5.00.  This sounds like a job for the hubby.

• Re-seal your granite countertops. 

Granite (as well as all natural stone materials) is porous, allowing stains such as grape juice, wine, etc., to set in.  Clean your countertops well, caulk any joints, and take 15 minutes and $15.00 to spray on a sealer and let it soak in. 

Other quick-fixes include:

• Unstick stuck windows. A little silicone spray lubricant (sold at hardware stores) will grease the skids. Spray it onto a rag, then wipe along the tracks, whether they’re metal, wood, or plastic.
• Fix peeling wallpaper. With a knife, smear wallpaper paste onto a piece of writing paper. Rub the paper against the underside of the peeling section. Press the wallpaper against the wall. Slide the writing paper out and smooth away bubbles with a clean cloth.
• Clean a stained tub. Combine equal amounts of cream of tartar and baking soda with enough lemon juice to make a paste. Rub the mixture into the stain with your fingers or a soft cloth. Let sit for a half hour, then rinse well with water.

• Clean your dryer lint trap. Take the lint trap out of the dryer, remove the lint either with a damp cloth, a used fabric softener sheet or wet your fingers and scoop it up.  Now you can either vacuum the mesh part with the brush attachment, or you can rinse the whole lint trap in the sink with liquid dish soap.  No matter what you choose to do in step two, make sure you use a damp cloth on the plastic edges of the lint trap. Make sure you use a small amount of liquid dish soap on the cloth.

So what are you waiting for? Get busy!  Take a few minutes each weekend and before you know it your home will be in tip-top shape!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my GIVEAWAY, one post below!!

Business Card Giveaway from UPrinting

****THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED****

Recently I became a part of the UPrinting Blog Sponsorship Program and the generous folks over at UPrinting have offered to give away a FREE set of business cards to one of my readers!

Check out UPrinting’s great selection of Business Cards Online - http://www.uprinting.com/Business-Cards.html And they are a great source for Promotional Printing - http://www.uprinting.com/promotional-printing-discount.html

These cards can be really useful: from the classic business card, to blogger cards, designer cards, and so much more. Business cards have evolved from the classic rectangular shape, to more edgy and modern square and slim cards. UPrinting offers them all!

Don’t  have a business?  You can use the cards to share your blog with friends, family, and others that you meet.  

Don’t have a blog?  Use the cards as traditional calling cards or gift tags.UPrinting has tons of templates to help you design your cards or you can upload your own design.

Here are the details of the giveaway:

~One winner will receive 500 Business Cards
~Sizes:  2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (slim card)
~Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt. matte cardstock or 13 pt. recycled uncoated cardstock
~Specifications: Full Color Both Sides; Offset Press; 3 Business Day Printing
~Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping
~Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

To enter the giveaway, you may do ANY or ALL of the following to enter AND you MUST leave a SEPARATE COMMENT for each entry for it to count:

• Leave a comment telling me how you would use the business cards.
• Become a follower of my blog, or tell me if you already are.
• Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name).
• Tweet, blog or Facebook post about this giveaway linking back to this post.  Leave a link to your post in the comments.

That’s FOUR ways to enter!! You do not have to have a blog to enter, but if you leave an anonymous or blog-less comment, please leave an email address where I can contact you.  This giveaway is will close on Sunday, March 8 at 9:00 PM CST.

Hurry Up, Spring!

Top ten things I’m looking forward to this spring (in no particular order):

1. Easter decorations

2. My garden blooming3. Estate sale/garage sale season

4. Another trip to Canton, TX

5. My birthday (well, not the actual act of turning a year older, but the cake and presents part)!

6. More hours of daylight

7. My wedding anniversary

8. LSU Baseball

9. Capri pants and short-sleeved shirts

10. Crawfish boils

What are you looking forward to this spring?

Be sure and come back tomorrow for a great GIVEAWAY!!

Get ‘Em While They’re Hot!

I’ve listed all the tulle ruffle-butt onesies I made last week in my Etsy shop.  They will be there for a limited time only, until I take them to a local boutique/consignment shop.  So if you’ve got your eye on one, now is the time to buy! 

Oh, and as you can see, I was able to procure the services of tiny little model for a few minutes to show you just how cute the ruffles look when worn!

Four designs currently available.  Click on the photos to see the listings.