Showing posts with label Gift Idea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gift Idea. Show all posts

May 6, 2015

Renovar Design: Mother's Day Printable

Hello From G2B readers!

This time it isn't Jenny from Renovar Design - it is her husband Marco. Jenny has been busier than usual - staying late at work plus, her 2 daughters (my step-daughters) were sick this past week so she asked me for some help with the monthly post for Becca's awesome reader's.

Mothers Day Printables from Renovar Pg1Mothers Day Printables from Renovar Pg2

March 10, 2014

DIY CHRIST Easter Photo Plaques


Easter is almost here! I know we have Saint Patrick's day first, but isn't it exciting that the day of resurrection is right around the corner. I mean just think of that! Death was conquered on that day.

January 14, 2014

DIY Gilded Envelopes


It's the time of year when we write real letter on real paper-for real people. Letter of love, thanks, and gratitude for those we cherish. I had a few packs of cards, but they didn't feel very...special. Nothing makes something feel more special than does gold. Here's an easy way to add a little glam to your stationary!

June 28, 2012

➷ Homemade Vanilla Extract + Printable ➹


I had an interesting morning yesterday. It all started at 11am, when I got a call from my hubby, Z.
"I feel so dirty," he shouted into the phone before I could even say "Hello?" Surprised, my eyebrows raised and I could feel my eyes widen with fear, before he clarified with, "I just bought a big bottle of Brandy from the liquor store!" I waited a moment more, a smile pressing on my lips. "I've never bought liquor," he shouted. Now I'm laughing, I waited for his rantings to end. But then I learn that my husband, who served 6 years in the Marines, has never walked into a liquor store and purchased anything alcoholic, especially not hard booze.
It was no surprise to me {or anyone else with a heartbeat} when he explained how strangely everyone looked at him as he picked up the large, brandy bottle, all hunched over it, checking over his shoulder nervously, as he shouted at the clerk, "HERE'S MY ID!!!" Simultaneously he presses his thick, black-rimmed, "crazy man" glasses back up his nose.




Apparently the clerk checked it, as the "Hunchback of Berger Dame," snatched the brown, paper bagged bottle up, HISSED, and scurried out of the store. Pressing my number on auto dial, he was shouting, "I FEEL SO DIRTY," running to the Jeep. Ah... my hubby! Step back ladies, he's all mine;-) Such. A. Ham. 
Anyway, it's not my usual post day- but I thought I'd share the little gift I'd just whipped up. The idea's not unique- I saw pics all over Pinterest at Christmas time- but I thought I'd share my version along with some labels I made- for YOU. 





What You Need: 
Brandy or Vodka
Funky Bottles
Vanilla Beans- I found mine through Amazon
Funnel
Labels


Making the extract is beyond easy. Some tutorials say to cut open the bean, while others say to just throw them in whole. The flavor is in the seeds, inside the bean- So I guess, do what you think is best.

 I kept mine whole. For my bottles, I put a few beans in each one. Fill the rest of the bottle with brandy or vodka. I heard brandy will taste better- so I went with that.
The mixture needs to cure or set for about 6 weeks {or more} before the rich bean's flavor will extract. Use it before that and you'll just be getting drunk! ;-)
 Store the bottles in a cool and dark place, like a closet, while it brews. Which is also a funny story, because as we closed the closet door, my panicked husband threw his hands up in the air and said, "Great, now were closet drinkers." I bit my lip trying not to laugh, but then he chased that with (no pun intended), "It's such a slippery slope." I couldn't help it, I lost it and laughed so hard my ribs hurt.




I found a few downloadable labels online, then adapted one into what I wanted.  
 
You can PRINT YOUR OWN, if you want to!






 
 
I added a "to" & "from" section on the label for those of you giving them as gifts- like me. If you don't need that part- just cut on the line instead, leaving that section out. I think these make super gifts- that's probably why they were all over Pinterest! {hee, hee}
 
 
One of the reasons this is also a great DIY and present is that the beans are reusable. They will actually keep for years! When your bottle is 1/3 full, you can add some more alcohol and keep an ongoing supply. 
It's basically a 1 time cost. Because of this and that we are giving them away, I invested in some gourmet vanilla beans. Pretty sweet, huh? 
 
*I made sure to add the directions for refilling onto the label- that way recipients know exactly what they're getting and what to do with it.






My little grandma is back in town- so I'm having a great week showing her the sights and playing lots of Scrabble. 






bloggerdinnerbutton
If you live here in Utah- make sure you check out the dinner that Lindsay {Southern Lovely} and I have put together. Tons of great sponsors have don't FREE SWAG for the attendees!! {YAY!} 
I hope YOU can come!!
 


January 19, 2012

Monogramed Soap Dispensers [Tutorial]

Know what's missing in that bathroom of yours? Nooo, not an oh too obvious role of toilet paper. Uh-ah, certainly not that ugly, dirty, filthy toilet plunger. Nope sillies, it's a customized hand pump soap dispenser. I have been working on some majorly time consuming projects- as well as dealing with some medical crap with the hubs- so I thought I'd share one last pre-holiday project I'd "pumped" out.

Since there are a zillion people to thank around the holidays I made some monogrammed soap dispenser bottles. I saw a tutorial fromThe Idea Room about a bazillion months ago and saved the link.

Here's what you need:
-Soap Bottle
-Something to help Remove the Label from the bottle {I used Goo Gone}
-Transparency Sheets
-Monogram
-Laser Printer
-Scissors

1] Get the monograms-I browsed the Net for free source monograms. There actually weren't a ton to choose from. You could absolutely make your own- and I would have if I weren't in the pre-Christmas crunch. 
2] Copy and Paste the monograms to a Word doc-Select the Size you want the image to be. Measure your bottle, make sure you know how much blank transparency needs to be under the monogram so the transparency can rest on the bottom of the soap dispenser, keeping the monogram right where you'd like it. See the dashes in the above pic? That's a rough estimate of where my transparency is placed.
3] Print up the transparency-I had my transparencies printed up at Staples-cause I go there for everything, they're cheap! Since I was already printing up a page, I might I have thrown a few "B's" on the page for our own home! May as well fill that sheet, right?
4] Cut out the monogram {leaving the space at the bottom that I just mentioned} and Insert into the bottle- I just curved mine, like shown in the pic, and popped it right in the bottle. I used my little finger to push it  against the front of the bottle.


There you have it, an easy peasy way to show your gratitude!  And, a very nice way to encourage people to wash their filthy little hands.
For anyone wondering- The artichoke tea light holder is from Anthropologie and both soap dishes are from West Elm. 
Now get to pasting, printing, placing, and pumping!



January 12, 2012

Family Tree Word Art [Tutorial]


So, Christmas is the most wonderful time to show your family just how "GANGSTA" you are with DIY. I had to come up with gifts for the type of people who have enough "DOUGH" to buy whatever they need/ want! Perfect time to "SHOW 'EM WHAT YA GOT!" I saw this type of family tree and thought it was just perfect for my family, minus the $50 price tag.

December 11, 2011

Magnetic Play Sets [Disney Characters+Backgrounds]

Good Morning Friends!
 A little background on this project... At the church I attend, I am on a  committee that organizes and designs the gatherings that the women in the church will attend. It's like a party planning committee, except the parties usually consist of a spiritual aspect as well. 
We have a December activity, and it's event that tops all the others of the year. As we were developing an agenda I took a note from some past years' and proposed we start our night with a service activity for someone else. 
That's how these magnetic activity kits came about. We found a need here, locally, and on the list of things I could need as donations were magentic activity kits. Yes! Perfect, something we could have the ladies make, that would look great homemade! 
{One thing I was concerned with, that the gifts look "homemade and awesome!"- not "crappy homemade, like no one cares enough to by you stuff."} 
I didn't plan on sharing these on the  ol' blog, but I just love them so much!
I compiled images from clip art sites, they are not for profit use images! For personal use only! Please don't make these and try to sell them!! 
Although, I can see why you would want to, they're awesome!!
Make Your Own:
Download & make Color Copies of my document onto cardstock 
- or- Find your own backgrounds and figures

I made one version for boys and one for girls
BOYS: The kit contains 4 backgrounds and 4 sets of comic book figures. 
The comic book figures include 1 good guy and 1 bad guy from each of 4 comic books, 
& they each have two poses. In a tin lunch box.
GIRLS: The kit contains 4 backgrounds and 5 sets of Disney characters. 
Each sets of character consists of 3-4 images, including supporting characters or the main character in different positions.

Buy Magnetic Sheets- These go anywhere from $1-3 a sheet! The cheapest can be found from Oriental Trading Company. Even if you have to pay shipping, they'll be cheapest there- by a long shot.
Some sheets you can

✧  Buy a metal container to put your images on and in- little lunchboxes can be found at Joann's & Oriental Trading Company- where I purchased mine

Cut the figures out- This was where the service project came in, I had the women cut out their own sets. Some people included the black extras magnetic sheets for the children to draw their own characters.
Kids can play with the magnetic pieces on the outside of the tins, like this girls set. 
Or on the inside cover, which makes it a perfect toy for the car or to take with you on the go!


Now, here's a shot of the boys' outside.

And then, a shot of the boys' inside. 

I am thrilled to be giving some very deserving children these toy sets. I think they came out splendidly and they ladies were so happy and willing to cut them out and compile them!
I hope you'll enjoy them, too!

November 16, 2011

✥{Glassless} Framed Calendar {Gift Idea} ✥

You know how when you were little, and it was Christmas or Father's day, or something like that, and you'd make your parents a present because- well because you were a kid. And they were all "thanks for the ridiculous, hideous, falling apart pot holder made out of strings that were Elmers glued together?!?" Then you'd skip away, bursting with happiness, cause you made'em something and they said they liked it.


Well, I made my "bonus-Mom" {aka awesome stepmother} a birthday present.
This is me skipping away all Pippy-Long-Stalking-style.
I made her a personalized photo calendar.
There's a ton to choose from online. You can find them for free {my favorite price} or you can pay {if it's a gift, like this one.}

I figure most people use their computer calendars or phones. So I picked a setup that emphasized the photo aspect of the calendar.

Then I put the pictures in a frame rather than having it bound together. I figure that's a lot better to look at than the regular spiral bound type hung with a thumb tack, plus, it's not hardly as customized.
To make it user friendly, I took the glass out of the frame.
This way you can write on it and the notes section is still accessible.
You can see the message area beneath the dates where my "Bonus Mom" can write all her important appointments etc. as things come up. My hope was that it could look good and be functional. Nifty, 'eh?

 I made sure the family pics were personalized for Bonus Mom's special dates. For example, pics with her and the Pops for their March Anniversary and pics of her with her mother for Mom's Day. I also included the dates of family birthdays on the calendar when I had it printed up, so no excuses if you forget my birthday Bonus Mom!
If this had been for me I probably would've printed a free version offline and popped it in a frame. 
Since it was a gift, I had it professionally printed so the pictures would be the best quality possible.
A few of the pictures weren't printed properly the first time, so I was given a couple of rough draft copies. The only set back with DIY is that it often takes several attempts to get a project done good and "right".
{See that gray area on the top right corner- yeah, that's not supposed to be there. I digitally edited them out of the other pics.}
It all worked out though, since that's what I stuck in frames for this impromptu photo shoot.

I like it hanging on the huge cork board best. When I saw it here, I was sold. Think I'll be making another one for us. Until the next project, Au revoir.








I'm also linked up here.

October 26, 2011

✥ Last Name Typography Art ✥

I have no less than 10 projects started right now!
Ten.Unfinished.Projects. {sigh}
I'm not sure where the project A.D.D. came from, but I wish it would go away! 
However, a few things are finally coming together.
I want to share with you guys the centerpiece art I made for my gallery wall. 
This is how it looked for probably months! Woops!
I needed something to fill the largest frame right in the center of my wall.
This pic was awhile back, since then some "art" projects have been slowly coming  together.
Here's my inspiration. These babies are all over Etsy. This is one of a {literally} 1016 of great examples!
This style is my fav. Love how the letters are from unusual items, love the water spouts! Like you just walked around the city with your camera!

I looked for online for ages trying to find a stash of letters to use. 
In the end I realized I would need to go a little more traditional and use letters from signs and buildings, you know if I didn't want to pay for the letters. {And I don't want to...so...}
I found a great tutorial from Stephanie @ Full of Great Ideas, she did a bunch of collages you guys should check out.

K, guys, this project is so easy!  You can just whip it up on Word.
As a side note, I am totally loving Microsoft Publisher. It's part of the Microsoft home office tools and also comes free with Word for Mac. You can do everything on there! Make business cards, blog headers, format a poster to create Subway Art- basically, whatever you want. Love. It.

Open a blank document and select the size you'd like the collage to to be.
Transfer the pic to your document by either:  dragging digital images onto a MSPublisher doc or save to computer and upload each one.
Then size them either by double clicking in the pic and selecting the sizes or dragging the corner of the pic to get the right size.
Then place them into a grid
For the full tutorial I'm going to direct you to Stephanie. You know how anal thorough I can be with my own tuts, but I didn't have a single question using hers, so you're good to go. 
I'm still and am always HAPPY to answer questions on the "how to-s"!!

The letters and numbers are from the nicest photographer ever. This dude, Leo Reynolds, who allows people to use his letters and numbers as long as it's only for personal use! So rad, right?! Thanks Leo!

It took me some time to decide on what which letters to use and what I may like the most vs what would look the best on an already busy wall.
I printed this guy up at Costco. Cost me $3.14. Not too shabby!
I am very happy with the end result. I think it both stands out in a complicated wall, while simultaneously not drawing too much attention from all the smaller pieces. 
Thanks for checking out my post!

Anyone want to make their own? 
I would love to see it!
Looking for places to link up your projects? Check out my Party page.
I'm also linked up here.
 

June 17, 2011

✥Happy HOMEMADE Birthday✥

Just a short little post to share with you the birthday present for my Mom.
I did a Happy Homemade Birthday themed day.
Some cupcakes with homemade cream cheese frosting-yum.
Here's the frosting recipe (it is delish!):

Cream Cheese Frosting     

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

For the cupcakes I used a box mix. But a little while back I discovered you could make cake with only a mix and 10 ounces of diet soda{no eggs, oil, or water!}. The cake turns out moist and basically perfect. The cake only has the fat that was in the mix originally- isn't that great! You have to try it.
Just right click to save to computer...or drag onto your desk top.
Got these awesome free cupcake toppers from Yesterday on Tuesday, they were for mother's day but I knew they'd be perfect for my Mom's birthday. By the way she hearts birds.

Then I bought a square vase from Ikea and did the mercury glass finish I perfected in the Crate & Barrel lamps I copied, check there for the full tutorial.

I really wanted to post it so that you could see the inside of the vase.
This is what it looks like when you paint the inside with gold to wear away the glass paint in places. Where you see the gold real thick on the inside is the place where the mirror paint has been worn off. I hope that makes sense.
And lastly, if you go to the craft store you can buy 20 cards for $10. They come blank, ready to be colored or whatever you want. Pretty perfect for those of you with extensive stamp collections and some time on your hands.


Hope you liked the happy homemade birthday-It was fun to do something more personalized.
Have a great weekend!
I party HERE-