Turn Your Clear Mason Jars Blue

Color your own Mason Jars from Craftberry Bush Blog

Have you seen those gorgeous blue mason jars but can't find enough of them or just the right color?  Craftberry Bush has a DIY tutorial teaching you just how to make these popular Mason jars in your own home. The link will take you directly to the tutorial, it uses a clean jar, Modge Podge or white Elmer's Glue, a paint brush and some food coloring (and some time to get the colors 'just right.') You can pick up Modge Podge at your local craft store (our favorite is Michael's, but anywhere should have it.)

Warning, paint the outside of the jars if you are planning on adding water for real flowers or the color will run. Also pour water into it carefully even if you paint the outside because the color will run if water hits it. 

Making Perfect Bows

Looking for an easy way to make bows for your wedding invitations or favors for your wedding?  It's easy if you follow this simple tutorial using, of all thins, a fork! 

 This easy to follow tutorial from Scrap Tiffany will let you make perfect bows every time!  No matter what your skill level any DIYer can execute these with perfect results each time.  Just what this DIYer needs!

DIY Fruit On A Skewer for Wedding Appetizers

Photo courtesy of Kelly Brown's Pinterest Page

Looking for some easy appetizers for your wedding?  Fruit skewers in rainbow hues not only look spectacular but are easy to put together.  

 

Grapes, blueberries, pineapple, cantaloupe and strawberries on a skewer, easy to make, easy to display and taste soooo good.  

 

Perfect for any wedding, but I really love them for backyard or picnic weddings.

Easy Way to Fill Icing Bags

From YouTube, via Karen's Cookies, licensed via creative commons.

How to Neatly Fill Your Icing Bags For Decorating

This trick for neatly decorating your cookies that you're using for wedding or shower favors will save you tons of time and make DIYing a pleasure instead of a chore.  This is a genius idea! Less fuss. Less muss.  My favorite kind of DIY project!

Go For The Gold!

Or Even The Silver!

Ess Lack is a gold or silver spray used on food that is edible and used in a variety of ways.  As far as I can find out, you can only get it in Europe right now, but a similar product is sure to show up in the states (or it may be here already and I just haven't found it!)

Spray it on fruit, candy or yes, even chicken? The chicken I didn't quite understand but to each their own, maybe it's a European thing? I love the golden apples (or even the silver ones).  They'd be great for favors or to hold your place cards.

All photos courtesy of Deli Garage of Germany

Deli Garage suggests chrome plating trout or gold plating asparagus tips. Ess Lack brings a new luster to the creations that come from your kitchen.

I couldn't quite decide which blog I wanted to put this on.  Do It Yourself?  WDW? Or even add it to Signature Drinks as a way to garnish your drinks.  Hmmm... If you're lucky enough to live in Europe and have access to this product give it a try! Let me know how you liked it.

Whipsy Whipped Cream Topping With Secret Ingredients

Photo courtesy of Whipsy website.

Want some interesting topping for food and drinks at your wedding?  Groupon in Philadelphia is offering this very cool whipped cream that packs a punch--a 27 proof punch!  The Party Pack (which requires the Groupon Code) offers three Whipsy bottles, one is every flavor, Ooh-La-La, the original, Loco Cocoa, and Hazey Hazelnut.  This offer is only good until February 15, 2012. Just in time for Valentine's Day Fun. 

Whipsy is dispensed just like your usual whipped cream in a can but it has alcohol infused into it! Blended with wine to 27 proof (13.5% alcohol by volume) be careful who you're handing this out to if you're having kids at your wedding!

Milk Glass?

Photo courtesy of: Oh The Lovely Things

Do you love milk glass vases? Is this real or is it... ? Would you love to have some milk glass for your wedding centerpieces but can't find them in the right size or shape in the real thing? 

Milk Design Limited makes this easy to use (and inexpensive) way to transform your old glass or plastic jars and bottles into inexpensive centerpieces.  Just slide the simple sleeve over a clean jar or bottle and, VOILA! Your brand new Milk Glass Lace Vase!  

I'm not sure this even counts as a DIY project, it's just way too easy! Make your own milk glass vases in every style for centerpieces for your wedding or shower.

This easy sleeve transforms the pedestrian glass bottle into a pretty milk glass vase.  And the best thing about milk glass? It works best with inexpensive flowers like daisies! So simple! Even your groom can make one of these! 

Free Download Drink Labels

All photos courtesy of Eat and Drink Chic

Looking for some free downloadable labels? How about a bright way to label your drink bottles for your wedding? Whether you're filling bottles with lemonade or your own limoncello these downloadable labels are perfect to add a bright accent to your wedding libations.  

Where can you get them? Just download from Eat, Drink, Chic.  If you've never visited this site before you'll probably be reading for the next few days! And falling in love with the creative content!  Please be sure to follow any directions about using photos and crediting photos.  And if you're pinning it be sure to add the Eat, Drink, Chic link too.  Free downloadable drink labels, what more could you ask?

DIY Cake Stand

All photos courtesy of Martha Stewart Wedding

Ever thought to yourself 'there just has to be a more creative way to display my cake than those boring and predictable silver stands?' Well there is.

Martha Stewart's team at Martha Stewart Weddings has provided the detailed tutorial on how to make your own wedding cake stand. Not much of a DIYer?  This is a project that you and your groom can do together, (ok stereotypical of me to think you aren't handy with a jigsaw, but if you aren't, grab your groom!) Wedding planning and projects you do together add fun to the process and bring you closer. And making a cake stand is really, well, it's a piece of cake!

Once you've made the decision of colors and accents for your wedding head to your favorite home store and purchase some pretty knobs to use as feet for your wedding cake stand.  Choose colors, unique designs or whatever strikes your fancy.  (My personal favorite? the aqua knob.)

You'll need a piece of plywood cut in the size and shape you need for your cake.  Now is when you need your jigsaw.  Don't have one? Check with you parents or a neighbor, maybe they can help you out, and either show you how to use it or cut the piece for you.  Then sand the plywood, tops and sides.  Paint it.  Screw in the feet (those would be your knobs) and add some ribbon from your favorite craft store (I like Michael's) in your wedding colors around the edge. Perfection! Your DIY cake stand doesn't look like you did it yourself at all!

Faux Etched Candle Holders

DIY Stamped Candles Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

Like etched candle holders? If you like the look of etched glass and want an easy DIY candle project this is it. Get the look of etched glass on your candle holders by using a simple rubber stamp, white ink and some glass candle holders. 

For this project choose frosted glass candle holders, they will hold the ink the best and they have a classic yet classy look. Use a single stamp and stamp the design all over the candle holder, or choose your own design.

If you want to stamp your monogram on your candles, head to your local office supply store and order your own custom designed stamp.  Use this stamp to make your own stationary for thank you notes and other projects for both before and after your wedding. A great investment for any DIY'er. 

Place your faux glass etched candles in the middle of your tables as centerpieces or use them as accent pieces on your guest book table or other additional tabletops. 

Whoopie Pies and Luscious Red Lip Favors- A DIY Project

OK, so you want to make some sweets for your guests?  Avon has just what you need.  Order their heart shaped pan, perfect for whoopie pies that you can decorate with hearts, or the word "Love," your initials or wedding date.  Food is always a favorite wedding favor.  

Looking for some fun cookies? Order these lip shaped cookie cutters--not your usual gingerbread man or animals, but great for a wedding.  Send you guests home with a taste of love from the bride and groom.  

All from your favorite Avon Lady! Order online or contact your local Avon lady.  If you sign up to get emails you'll get updates on special sales and free shipping, and you can read your Avon Lady's blog.  

DIY That's NOT?

How many times have you heard your friends who are planning their weddings lament their lack of DIY skills? But they are in love with the customized look a DIY wedding has...what to do?

Why not hire a DIYer who is not bogged down by the myriad of other wedding details you have to do as a bride, and let them pull it all together for you and make it look like YOU are a pro! All the Martha Stewart wannabes will be opening up storefronts, (or web pages) so brides who lack the magic touch can have a wedding that looks like they do!

Have you tried to pull of some DIY projects and said 'what did I get myself into?'  Many of us can pull off the simple things like making our own Save The Dates or Invitations but the vendors on Etsy or similar sites can save the day.  Soon we'll have whole businesses that 'design diy weddings.' DIY won't mean the same thing anymore!

Got Your Garter?

Just one choice, this butterfly with three added blue crystals is perfect for a butterfly theme wedding.

This is a different kind of DIY blog post.  This is a win your garter post!  Just head over to WDW (Wedding Day Weekly) Blogging For Brides and win a gorgeous garter set from Deborah at Garter Mademoiselle or her sister site The Pink Birdhouse.  See the directions on the blog for easy entries, and yes, you have multiple chances to win!  A giveaway is a new kind of DIY project, all you do is enter, enter, enter! You'll find some gorgeous garters, one to toss, one to keep for your wedding (or any other special event.)  Vintage looks to a more modern look, you'll find them all!  Good luck!

Non-Traditional Centerpieces You Can Do Yourself

Photo courtesy of The Offbeat Bride Written and Devised by Dragon Lady

OK, yes, some of us are soooo tired of the usual floral monstrosities that grace the tables at weddings.  Half the time you can't even see the person sitting across from you.  Dragon Lady, guest posting on Offbeat Bride has solved that problem with her creative and LOW centerpieces.  Not only that, they are an easy DIY project for any bride. 

Depending on the size of your tables, make a decision on the size of bowl you want to use, then head to Home Depot for some easy to plant succulents.  (You may have a preferred source, go with it.)  Be sure to buy Succulent Soil Mix for this project to work.)  Read Dragon Lady's tutorial on Offbeat Bride.

I do love a creative bride who knows how to save money while expressing her inner self! Are you a bride who has a creative bent?  Tell us all about it!

DIY Wedding Centerpieces

I was browsing the net (and was on one of my favorite sites, Cupcakes and Cashmere) when I came across a great DIY centerpiece tutorial.  Really, doing your own flowers, or having a family member do them isn't THAT hard, it's the time component and keeping flowers cool and transporting them that are the issues. 

If you're having a small wedding, DIY flowers are definitely doable.  The secret? Scotch Tape and ti leaves.  The ti leaves take a Dollar Store vase from simple to chic.  And the 1 1/2 inch wide tape lets you divide your flowers throughout the vase by making a tape grid to keep them in place. Genius! (at least for those of us who aren't in the florist business). 

For greater detail head over to Cupcakes and Cashmere's web site and find on the blow by blow directions.  But basically put the larger flowers in first and work your way down in size.  The site also tells you exactly what you need for one centerpiece.  Just multiply by the number of tables at your wedding.  You don't have to use the same flowers shown, practice with a variety of blooms and colors until you're happy they work with your wedding theme and colors.  All photos courtesy of Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Mason Jar Photo Frame

Frame your photos in a Mason Jar? In Oil? OK, even I didn't think it was possible.  But you CAN do it.  Think about it, what a great way to keep photos in the kitchen.  No more magnets all over your frig, nope, make these oil immersed photo frames! 

Find directions here. Photo courtesy of Funky Bear Blog and Pinterest.

Secret Garden Inspiration Board

Photos courtesy of Merrimentstyle.com and Pinterest

All you need is love! For this Secret Garden Wedding! So romantic.  Perfect for the bride looking for an outdoor wedding.  Complete with a swing for some great wedding pics!

Don't you love the flower circlet?  And the keys spelling out LOVE?  I fell in love with the inspiration board so had to share it with you!

Love, Love, Love...DIY Style

Photo courtesy of Rhonna Designs

All You Need Is Love!  And look what Laura did with a little love, the Monogram Junque Kit from Rhonna Designs and some candles from her local Dollar Tree.  The tutorial is by Laura on In The Looop Blog.  And the very best part, well parts I guess.  The cost? $6.00.  The other best part? SSEICI (So Simple Even I Can Do It!) I love projects (especially wedding projects) that are quick, simple, easy and inexpensive. As Laura says "Kool Aid Budget with Champagne Tastes!" 

You'll need:

4 tall candles~ these came from Dollar Tree
2 sheets vellum or transparent scrapbook paper 8"x11"
Edge punch-this is optional
Elmers CraftBond™ Permanent Tape Runner or any other double sided tape self adhesive Scrapbook Tape (at your craft store, or in your favorite junk drawer)
And some scrapbooking bling (again, Michaels is a great source)

Visit this site for the complete tutorial (not to mention a million other ideas).   And visit Laura's personal blog Pink Cake Plate Diaries for more great creative ideas.

Imagine using these are decorations for your guestbook table, your place card table, or gift table.  Or if you're ambitious, make four for every table and use as your centerpieces. 

Reuse your edge punch for your invitations, save the dates and other paper projects.

A Bride, A Groom and A Beach

Bridal couples today often opt for a beach wedding.  This couple planned a beach wedding at the Jersey Shore where the beaches are wide and the cost isn't prohibitive.  No flying off to a destination in the Bahamas or Belize, this couple invited their family to Long Branch, New Jersey to join them on their special day. 

Erica posted her planning bio online and shared some of the creative invitations for wedding events with her readers.  Like any smart bride, she did some of her wedding using DIY projects, and got some help from family and friends to help pull the details together.  Her sister designed the invitations for the rehearsal dinner and pre-wedding party on the beach, her mom helped with some of her other projects. 

The invitation to the rehearsal dinner was printed by Vistaprint, a bride's best friend if she's trying to save some money on printing costs.  Face it, rehearsal dinner invites don't need to be engraved invitations, they just need to convey the who, what, when and where of the event.  This one added a bit of whimsy with it's 'poetry.'  The photo of the bride and groom walking across the sand personalized the invitations.

The bride and groom opted to have their rehearsal dinner before rehearsal and then move on to a pre-wedding bonfire that everyone was invited to.  What a nice touch!  The photo on the bonfire invitation was taken from the hotel's web site and again, this smart bride had Vistaprint do her printing.

I love the idea of having a bonfire for all the guests from out of town.  Erica said she put the invites into the 'out of town pails' and mailed them to local guests.  The invitations for the bonfire were printed on postcards, a smart bride! Saving the costs on envelopes and decreasing postage!

Another smart move this bride made was to give all the bridal party and her family a wedding day timeline (again one of her sister's designs, but now that you've seen how it's done you can probably duplicate it.) 

This way no one had to wonder where they were supposed to be when.  And if they lost their small card?  Erica had 2 larger posters printed up. One was hung in the room where the women were getting ready and one for the groom and his groomsmens' room.  Everyone was going to get where they needed to be on time for this wedding.

See the rest of Erica's Planning bio for more ideas on how she planned her wedding, with a little help.

Want To Learn To Make Paper Flowers?

Want to learn how to make the perfect paper flowers? Try this tutorial for these pretty paper petals.  Make them in any color combination that works with your wedding colors, they're easy to make ahead of time and place in a a vase of the same color.  This monochromatic look is great for a centerpiece or put together into a bouquet.

DIY Chocolate Spoons

Chocolate Spoons! OK, I'm hooked! It doesn't take much but these beauties not only sound good, they look and taste good as well.  The chocolate spoons are the brainchild of the author of Delicious, Delicious, Delicious.  Make them for a wedding or other special party and hear your guests Ooo! and Ah!. 

Don't you love all the toppings?  My favorite topping is the pink topping called Apollo Choco--even if you're not going to use them for these spoons they'd look great on cupcakes.  (You can purchase these pink and chocolate pretties on Amazon.com although they look like they have a slightly different shape.)

Start with some pastel colored plastic spoons.  If you're doing a wedding sweet table choose some of the wedding colors or other coordinating colors.  I warn you, before you pour the melted chocolate in, you'll need to prop up the handle of the spoon so the chocolate doesn't all run out.  Try a few magazines or a book that's just the right height.  (I suggest some you don't care about, because if you're like me you'll end up spilling some chocolate as you work!)

Next choose some quality chocolate and melt it.  It's up to you what quality you go for, look at your budget, but be sure to taste test the chocolate and be sure you're using some that will wow your guests taste buds.

The author of Delicious, Delicious, Delicious suggests these fancy bars, but almost any quality chocolate will do.  Some readers suggested substituting Nutella, a comment that was met by raves! It seems there isn't anyone who doesn't love Nutella, and for those of us in the United States, it's a lot easier to get than Italian Chocolate bars.  Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave over water. 

Fill each spoon with chocolate and decorate with dragees, jelly beans, any small chocolate candy (like M&Ms, Apollo Choco (the pink and brown candies shown), or jelly beans.  Add dragees and pearls and any other toppings that you love.  Just wait about 10 minutes for the chocolate to cool so that the candy doesn't melt as soon as you put it into the chocolate. 

Voila! The perfect addition to your sweet table! Easy to make in an evening.  Just don't eat them all the night you make them!  Once again, thanks to Delicious, Delicious, Delicious for the photos and the basic tutorial.  For brides (or anyone reading this) be sure to head over to Delicious, Delicious, Delicious to see all the other great ideas they have posted there.