Category: Creating

First Birthday, Mermaid Themed DIY Extravaganza

October 8, 2017
Custom made shirts for the Mermaid Mama, King of the Sea and the coolest little shark loving brother.

My baby girl recently turned one and I’m not quite sure how that happened. I feel like we only brought her home from the hospital last month, I’m still trying to figure out, and often failing at, this parenting 2-kids thing, and I’m definitely not back into my pre-baby clothes (that day may never actually come, and I’m okay with that…. most days). While this year feels like it’s passed in the blink of an eye, at the same time it feels like it’s been a very, very long year – mostly due to her hip dysplasia diagnosis and the countless doctors’ and hospital visits working to mend it.

But here we are, my happy and healthy, beautiful little girl is ONE! So brave, silly and dramatic, we have to celebrate this beauty. When I wasn’t busy tearing up in disbelief that a year has gone by, I was in full on party planning mode. And there’s nothing I love more than throwing a party. It gives me an excuse to get my crafting on. more “First Birthday, Mermaid Themed DIY Extravaganza” …

My Obsession with Paper Mache Letters

August 30, 2017

I’m here to shout it from the rooftops, I love paper mache letters! They’re so versatile. I’ve used them as bedroom décor, party decorations, photo props, you name it. If you’re a crafter (which I’m guessing you are if you’re reading this post) and you have yet to explore the possibilities surrounding paper mache letters, what are you waiting for?!

Now, this post isn’t to explain how to make paper mache letters, I’m sure there’s plenty of sites out there dedicated to that, but instead, the endless options on how to dazzle them up! My favorite letters are the simple block type letters from Joann’s. They have multiple sizes, from tiny to humongous (yes, those are measurable terms 🙂 ).

Now, to make them beautiful…

 

Glitter Letters

Glitter Paper Mache Letters

One of the easiest ways to make these suckers scream “Look at me!” is glitter! more “My Obsession with Paper Mache Letters” …

DIY Large Confetti Balloons

August 25, 2017

Are you looking for a large, statement party decoration? Why not confetti balloons?! An easy, customizable DIY that makes a huge impact on your party.

A couple months ago, I started planning my daughter’s first birthday party (cue tears…how can she possibly be one?!) I came across the concept of clear balloons filled with confetti and I knew it was something I wanted to recreate. First I had to decide how big I wanted to go and I chose huge because everything I do for a first birthday party is unnecessarily over the top. 🙂  To be exact, I went with 36-inch balloons, standard balloons are about 12 inches. Next, I picked out colors for the confetti that coordinate with the mermaid themed party (a lot more on that party to come over the new few weeks!). A little bit of time in front of the TV, punching holes while nursing (multi-tasking at its best) and these balloons are ready to fly! more “DIY Large Confetti Balloons” …

Family Olympic Games

August 16, 2017

I hope you enjoyed my post sharing all the shenanigans of my family’s Olympic Games weekend. If you’re looking for more details on the games so you can play them too, this post is for you! Today I’m sharing some coordination tips and how to play this years’ games and some of our favorite Family Olympic games from past years too.

While my family is wonderful, it can be hard to get their attention and even harder to keep it. For my group, I’ve learned they like relay games best and their attention span lasts for about 3 games. (Especially when there’s copious amounts of beer involved!)

Through trial and error, I’ve determined 4-5 person teams are the ideal size. We’ve tried as few as 2 and as many as 6-7. Teams are drawn at random. I buy a different color fabric for each team, not a lot is needed, ¼ yd per color, and cut it into strips. I throw all the strips into a bag and have each person grab one without looking. Bonus: everyone loves wearing the fabric strips. They tie them around their heads, arms, ankles – you name it – showing team pride. more “Family Olympic Games” …

Family Olympics

August 4, 2017

I come from a large Irish-Italian family. We’re loud, we like to eat, like to drink, and LOVE being together. Growing up there wasn’t a holiday that went by that we didn’t celebrate as a group, a summer we didn’t vacation at the beach together. There’s no such thing as a “small birthday party” when your family alone is over 30 people. But then we continued to grow up, people moved further away, schedules got more hectic. We still got together but it wasn’t as frequent and someone was always missing.

One of my favorite pictures my Grandma – shows her fun loving spirit!

In May of 2014, the matriarch of this crazy family, my grandma, passed away. Almost all of us were by her side in her final moments. My grandma was truly at her happiest when we were all together. As you can imagine it was a blow to our family.

To honor my grandma, I was determined to get my WHOLE FAMILY together. No excuses, everyone had to be there. And so began our Kelly Family Olympics weekend! This year we celebrated our 3rd Family Olympics, which is essentially a family reunion sleepover party where just our family gets together to bond, have fun, and celebrate the memory of my grandma and the others whom have passed. Plus a little light-hearted competitiveness.  more “Family Olympics” …

Delicious Dill Dip – Your new go-to party appetizer

Dill Dip Recipe

Anyone that loves to host a lot of gatherings and parties has a few go-to recipes in their quiver that hit the bullseye every time. For me that’s dill dip. My mom has made it for as long as I can remember. She got to the point where she stopped making it because she was bored of it and thought her guests were too. (She throws a lot of parties. What can I say, I get it from my momma!)

It turns out, everyone still loves it and devours it every time it’s around. Now I make dill dip for every party I throw.  Why mess with a good thing if it’s working?? This is an easy recipe that is actually best if made a day ahead; one less thing to do the day of a party is a wonderful thing! more “Delicious Dill Dip – Your new go-to party appetizer” …

Create Your Own Sequin Sun Hat

June 28, 2017

Awesome sunnies? Check. Cute sandals? Check. Sequined phrase sun hat? Wait, you don’t have this summer’s hottest accessory yet?!? Good thing I’m here to help!

Sequin Sun Hat

It’s summer and for me that means lots of beach time and sunshine! I was looking for a fun new hat and came across an awesome option by Eugenia Kim but it was slightly outside of my budget. (And by slightly, I mean COMPLETELY.) There are cheaper options out there but I thought this was the perfect opportunity to flex my crafting muscles.

This project is so easy, even the most craft adverse person can handle it! Bonus: it’s cheap, less than $10! My hat was $5 from The Spot section at Target. I’ve seen similar options at Dollar Tree and Walmart. My strand of gold sequins came from Joann’s, also $5 but don’t forget to use you 40% off coupon!

You can download my template for “Shine On!” or use any cheeky phrase you want. more “Create Your Own Sequin Sun Hat” …

Build Your Own PVC Fort

June 16, 2017

Flashlights in FortFor 2 young boys, what’s more awesome than a massive fort?! Maybe eating gooey s’mores in that massive fort??? A quick trip to Home Depot and my building plans in hand, you too can make your kids’ night with an indoor camping adventure in their very own PVC fort.

 

This past week I’ve been lucky enough to have my nephew visit; he and my son are very close. Even though we live about 4 hours apart, they see each other quite a bit but it’s usually over a jam packed, non-stop, event filled weekend. This time we had the whole week together. I gave them plenty of time to just play but I also wanted to make it special, filled with excitement and adventures. more “Build Your Own PVC Fort” …

Create & Celebrate: Part 1 – Photo Props

June 6, 2017

Welcome to part one of our series – Create & Celebrate!  In this series we will give you our simple, DIY, budget-friendly ideas on how to fancy up your parties WITHOUT breaking the bank.

 

Because we’re living in the era of selfies and snapchat filters, we thought we’d start with…PHOTO PROPS!

Let’s face it, we live in a time where we want to capture every moment and then promptly share it with the world, so why not make it fun!  There are two photo props we’ve used at our recent parties that we’re a BIG hit with the guests!   more “Create & Celebrate: Part 1 – Photo Props” …

Must Have Craft Tools and Supplies

May 13, 2017

 

 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase using any of the links below. The selection and recommendation of products is all of my own opinions.

 

Before we even think about tackling our first craft project together, let’s discuss the basics: supplies!

In the past I would pick up anything interesting, especially if it was on sale. “I’ll totally use this silk leaf shine spray one day!” While some things have been used, most of it resides in the deep, dark, depths of my craft storage with no chance of seeing the light of day. I have learned my lesson and now typically buy supplies solely for my current project. There are a few exceptions to that rule.

more “Must Have Craft Tools and Supplies” …