Barnyard Bash

Hi friends, thanks for stopping by. I have some adorable Barnyard Centerpieces to share with you today.  This is actually one of my most favorite themes. The colors chosen were not your tradition reds and blues, but oranges, yellows, and pinks. The tablecloths were bright green so these little barns will "pop" on the tablescape.  

The party was for a 2 year old little girl.  I actually built her 1st birthday party pieces last year as well, so it was an honor to be asked again this year.

I had an idea in mind, but never tried it so I was hoping it would work out. (It worked in my head...hahaha)

So, as you can see, it all worked perfectly!! I have to say, I have built many, many parties over the last few years, but I AM IN LOVE with this one!  This is so me...bright colors and whimsical.  Love it!! The bunting said *Mackenzie's 2nd Birthday*.  I added the second row to loop under her name, all color coordinated.  

So this is how it looks without the barn, still cute...great little trinket box for a kids room or even a baby shower centerpiece.  

  

I took a few pictures of how else to use these cute little fence boxes without the barnyard animals. I added a few Mary Engelbreit Flowers from the My Scrap Chick Store.  I actually have these flowers in my kitchen, glued to clothespins and clipped on everything.   I love it...so cute and fresh! As you can see, it's just as cute without the barn!!

So here's a little work in progress....

Just adding some final touches.....Oh btw, they are all double-sided. I just LOVE details, the more the better!!

This isn't the LAST you will see of this piece...watch for my New Etsy Store coming this Fall with some of my centerpieces for purchase and learn how you can recycle them after your party.

Well friends thanks again for stopping by.  I have 2 more parties to share later in the week...Alice in Wonderland and another Sweet Shop, but no two parties are alike..I dream them all up in my little pea brain!!  Until next time~

Margie

Xmas Centerpiece

I wanted to give you a sneak peak of my Christmas Centerpieces...Look for more pictures and a "how to" on Sunday.  

Enjoy!

~Margie

The Snowman Mug Shot

Old Man Winter is right around the corner, and those of you who know me, know that I love cute little snowmen!!  I have a whole collection and put them up for the holidays, but leave them displayed until February, so I can enjoy them all season long.

This little guy came from My Scrap Chick in the Full Cup Treat Holders kit.   It comes with 3 Handled Mugs.   Can you believed I used all three mugs in this one piece??  I absolutely LOVE the way it came out. You can fit two gifts inside this snowman box. I am going to start from the bottom and go up to explain how I made it.  

The scarf, the Demitasse size cup, needs to be slightly enlarged so that the Big Cup, the snowman head, can slide inside. 

I folded the handle to the back of the Big Cup (head) before sliding into the scarf.  You could cut it off, but I wanted to show it as a mug.  You now will have a little room inside the scarf to tuck 

away a small gift.

The Scooped Cup, the Top Hat, is turned upside down and becomes the lid.  The scoops actually slide into the head and hold the entire piece together, nice and snug.  Leave out two scoops on the sides to look like earmuffs.  I have since added POM-POMS to these...and OMG, it's just so stinkin' cute!! 

Include a second gift to the snowman's  head.  It's big enough to add a cello bag filled with cookies or candies, tied with a cute matching tag.  Keep your cost way down on the actual gift, because like I said, these boxes are part of the gift.    

 The embellishments really make this piece pop!  .  

  

The eyes, carrot nose and the star came from My Scrap Chick Winter Friends Treat Boxes.  I added the Cardinal from The Snowman Collection in a little shredded nest plopped right on top of the hat.   

All in all, I LOVE this little guy...

           isn't he so cute???? 

Thanks for stopping by and....oh, I will be making some other pieces with this same set ...so drop in again and see what's cookin'!

               ~Margie                

My Scrap Chick Centerpiece

This is my second design with My Scrap Chick's Franken-tastic. I decided to make one of my original centerpieces. I normally use Cake Pops in this piece, but for Halloween, I used Tootsie Pops! Who doesn't love a Tootsie Pop, hey? This actually holds 14 Tootsie Pops. The little Franken-tastic Monster was a perfect image for this Halloween centerpiece. By edging with a bit of dark ink around each image, and adding small beady eyes, I gave him that "deer in the headlights" look, and layered all of the components to create a crazy, Halloween centerpiece with goodies for all.  
All of my centerpieces are double-sided and sandwiched with a  pixie straw in-between.   Now, I know, you all always ask...how did I make this centerpiece? This is something I created myself a few years ago. I used a container and a ring to hold these pops in place.  The cupcake liners are used as a filler and for a little decoration.  When you use cake pops, you really need these liners to catch the crumbs and keep the oils away from staining the base. The My Scrap Chick Design Team has some fabulous holiday ideas to share with you next month too...see you then.  
Thanks for stopping by.
DT Margie 
My Scrap Chick

Log Home Festival -Vintage Halloween

A few weeks ago my friend Carla, told me she was setting up at a craft show in a log cabin in Morris, Illinois.  I had never heard of it but, it sounded like something I would enjoy.  Who won't love to be in a setting like that?  So she explained that this was her 2nd year in doing this unique show and she invited me to do it too.  Well, I don't really do craft shows, I sell party favors by the dozen for parties.  Instead of selling one or two, I like to sell in bulk. If you order a dozen you get one free. I really don't have time to make one or two party favors, but I do have time to make a dozen. So far this has worked perfectly for me.  But, I really wanted to do this show and hopefully get some orders or if nothing else, maybe get a few more followers here on my blog.  I started early this week to build boxes, bags and decorations within her theme...Vintage Halloween. I already had several files from SVGCUTS and decided on 9 different patterns. Since Halloween is a favorite holiday of mine, I was totally looking forward to building these. On a side note, SVGCuts is having a contest and I am going to use these pieces as my entry.  Wish me luck! 

I started out with my patterned Halloween papers from Archivers, matching and coordinating every piece.  I love when the papers are double-sided because everything looks great together...I feel like I am getting more mileage out of one piece of paper. 

I always like to take a picture of the pile of papers after I cut them.  I remember when I first started paper piecing this made it so OVERWHELMING!!  But now, I just take from the top of the pile and work my way down.  

So, lets start with the spooky bat.  I didn't think I would like this one...but I love it.  I added some wire and rag ties and it seem to just bring it to life. It really does hold a ton of candy.  I am going to make a few more for my entry way to my formal living room.  

Next, the little polka dot pumpkin...this was my FAVORITE!  I inked the edges around each panel and glued them to the base.  As always, I like to add the BLING ...so I added it to the leaves.  The paper I used was kind of bright, not vintage, but inking the edges was just the ticket.  I did attached the lid, just so not to lose it. 

The cauldron,  UGHHHH!!  My least favorite...that was such a pain to put together.  I ended up NOT making it as tight as I should have so the bottom ended up too big.  I guess that isn't earth shattering, I just cut the bottom piece a bit bigger and it worked out fine. It actually came out pretty cute, didn't it?  I did run the panels through my Big Shot and dry embossed panels with keys folder on each panel.  I inked in silver and loved the way it finally came out and I won't mind trying it again. It's always easier the second time around.

The apothecary jars were pretty cool. I made two, one tall and narrow and one short and fat.   I also ran the side panels through the Big Shot using a cobweb folder, and the silver ink pad...It came out adorable. The panels on the tall bottle were made with printed papers, but I also think that came out super cute! 

The vintage cat bucket was really easy, I add some glitter and some ribbon & rag ties. I love the pattern itself...it was so big and bright.  

Let see...how about the skeleton?  Very simple, made with silver brads so I could pose it any way. I used suction cups to stick it to my mirror.   

The vintage pumpkin banner was adorable.  In the beginning I thought it was a bit flimsy, so I added kraft paper to each flag, that seem to add a little strength.  I edged the each pumpkin edge with dark ink giving dimension. I found some cute Trick or Treat ribbon at Michaels. It looks perfect and I will be able to save it for next year.   

The candy dish was cute too.  Really simple to make, but the black silhouette with the big yellow moon behind really made it pop. At the show it was filled with my business cards.  
I have a few favorite companies I use for patterns and SVGcuts is surely one of them.  I love Mary's and Leo's video tutorials, and the patterns are very easy to use. Check out their site.  If you see something you like...call me, I will build it for you for your next party.  (wink, wink)

It turned out to be such a nice day at the show.  I followed the signs for the festival through a winding five mile drive back through cornfields, farms and color-changing trees.  The parking was hit or miss, I lucked out and found a close spot. The crowds were unbelievable.  It was nice to see everyone chatting in groups that congregated around vintage garden carts or in the shade of the big old trees.  It seemed everyone knew one another and was catching up about their families and friends, the way life should be.  

I thought for a second, how am I ever going to find Carla's Booth?  I turned to walk into the tent from a side opening and as I walked in (in-awe of the crafts), I saw Carla right in front of me! What luck!! Her booth was DARLING, as I knew it would be.  She and her friends did a GREAT job!  What a talented group of gals! 

Though, I didn't sell anything...I just had her hand out business cards in hopes some shoppers would stop by my blog and check out what I do. I actually didn't give her my things until the second day of the festival, but maybe next year I can have my own booth or better yet, set up with these gals again and be ready for October 2014?  I will have to start NOW building favors in bulk...hahah!!  BTW, these pieces I made were a little bigger than the "regular" size favors.  I actually call them Party Props...they make cute centerpieces groupings or darling packages that actually become part of the gift. 

After getting set up, Carla and I took a little break to chat and sat on a porch swing...omg, so relaxing.  I would love to do that on a daily basis. It looks like the crafters had a lot of interested shoppers.  Their booths were filled with the hand crafted, hand carved, handmade and home baked goodies.  The smell of carmel and kettle corn was in the air.  The only thing missing was the cool temps...it was actually about 82 degrees, but fall is just around the corner and soon I will be complaining that I am cold!!   

Thanks again for stopping by. Come back soon.  I am starting two more parties this week...and a few more Halloween things I know you will love.  I also have something REALLY COOL to share with you that I am SOOOO excited about.  Until then, enjoy your week.  
~Margie

  
     

Playing it Cool

Hey Friends, Did you hear the news?  My Scrap Chick is having a Design Team Call, they are looking for talented paper crafters...I'm so excited, I think I am going to give it a try!  

I remember a few years ago, I came across My Scrap Chick and instantly fell in love!!  It took me a bit to figure it all out, but I was determined to somehow use this cute little pieces in my event planning business.  Since then I designed a special canopied table top called a Tabletop Candy Shop and in doing so I have used MANY, MANY My Scrap Chick Favor Boxes and Bags.  As a matter of fact, I have almost EVERY PATTERN and am very proud to admit it!  So without further ado, I would like to share one of my all time FAVORITE parties I threw for my family and friends last year using My Scrap Chick Winter Pavor Favor Boxes and Bags.  Everyone loved these cute little snowmen, they are just adorable!!

Thanks Kristi and Val for designing the cutest SVG files for us. 

Good Luck to everyone and thanks for stopping by! 

~ Margie 

    

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Puppy Party

I recently a had a call from a young mom to make 1st birthday centerpieces for her daughters' 1st birthday "puppy themed" party.  She sent me a party napkin so I could match the theme colors and a photo of her dogs which she somehow wanted to be built into each centerpiece. We agreed that my Pretty Pokes Stems would make the perfect centerpiece and would keep the cost down as well. One of her dogs were black and other white, which was pretty simple for me, so I visited a favorite shop to purchase two cute puppy SVG files. She also asked that I fill mason jars with gumballs, since the party was outside and she wanted it to be heavy and not blow off the table.  Normally, I just punched the lids of the mason jar, but this time I went ahead and purchased the whole mason jar and gumballs to make it a little easier on this young mom...I remember the days of running to the stores with a 1 year old...sheesh!!  I also delivered this to her home to make it a bit easier on her all around.  

This time I bought those COOL vintage blue mason jars.  Ohhhhh so pretty!!  Have you checked Pinterest to see how else they are using these light blue jars....cool stuff!
So, here we go...I started to cut, and cut.....AND CUT!!  I sorted all my pieces and edged each piece with ink.

OMG, the pieces!!  I only made 8 centerpieces with 4 Pretty Poke Stems in each.  It really wasn't as bad as it sounds, grouping your pieces together before assembling really helps.  I love building these little guys and the PRIZE at the end is so rewarding to me.  Honestly, I can only do 1 job per week so I just focus and move forward.  My favorites are actually building favors...I could do that all day long. 

I also added an intial and a number 1 to each centerpiece. Very simple, but I love the way they came out.