Midori Ribbon Ornament DIY

This week’s DIY is from one of our favorite vendors, MIDORI ribbon. Their website, midoriribbon.com, is dripping with gorgeous images and lots great inspiration for the holidays and beyond. We are loving this ribbon ornament DIY, it’s easy, fun to put together and looks great on your tree, mantel, as a hostess gift, or even as an alternative to a wedding bouquet! We have a wide range of MIDORI ribbon in stock at our IDEAS studio, call or email us at 248-608-8820 or ideas@somethingfab.com and we will be happy to take your ribbon order!

Enjoy your ornament!

Think About It Thursday: Bright-Kite Delight

Think About It Thursdays are an opportunity to learn something fabulous every week; a fresh perspective on an old stand by, a lesson learned or a tip to share – take a minute and just Think About It…

If you read yesterday’s post you learned how to create a custom kite. For some it’s a fun craft project but if you Think About It it’s a fun detail that can be incorporated into your baby shower decor and then transferred into your baby’s nursery. This fun DIY is a great way to incorporate some meaning behind your details and make a memory that will follow your baby into childhood.

Below you will see how we incorporated our DIY kite idea into a kite-themed baby shower:

For the mother and father to be, this design process was a particularly rewarding experience; the couple were able to select fabrics that matched with their nursery decor as well as choose patterns that reflected their personalities and style.

Invitations are a fun and creative way to tie in your DIY project with your theme. We incorporated the kite and kite fabric into all the centerpieces and paper details. We were able to play with color, texture, fabric and patterns with this kite inspired baby shower.

1. The Mommy and Daddy to be both chose pictures of themselves as children with their parents to use as table cards – note the kite accent detail.

2. You can never go wrong with a kite inspired cupcake and a candy licorice tail. Note: Ribbons to accent the clear cupcake package were selected to compliment the kite’s fabric.

3. These hand cut mini-kite place cards helped set the tone for the celebration. All mini-kites had matching fabric with the larger kites that soared above.

If you Think About It, this DIY project is a gift that keeps on giving. It’s not only a a fun project that you can do with family and friends, but a talking point for your shower and colorful detail piece for your nursery. After hearing back from this mother reflecting on her shower, she said the greatest gift was watching her daughter enjoy this kite and having a sentimental keepsake to always remember the special day.

D.I.Y. – Custom Kiddy Kite

With today being the Summer Solstice, we wanted to celebrate the start of Summer with a fun DIY that is perfect for any child’s birthday, baby shower, nursery or just to have in your child’s craft area.

The idea behind this DIY is it’s simple to do yet has a large impact with multiple possibilities. It’s easy, fun and can be used again and again.

Step 1: Gather your supplies – you will need two 3 ft. flat wooden craft sticks, 4 yards of your favorite fabrics, ribbon, 1-2 yards of tool, embellishments (e.g. pompom balls, flat crystals, butterflies), glue gun, scissors

Step 2: With the hot glue gun, glue the craft sticks together at the center.

Step 3: Measure out the necessary fabric per triangle (4 triangles per side) – feel free to play around and mix and match the fabrics.

Step 4: Roll in the edge of the fabric to give a clean line, then hot glue the folded seams to your wood stick base. Repeat for each triangle.

Step 5: Embellish your kite – get inspired and play with your details, we chose to use pom pom balls and flat crystal beads in varying sizes. We also added a fun ribbon across the seams of our kite.

Step 6: For your kite tail, the texture is important. Tool is great as it gives a soft and flowing look, but ribbon, yarn and twine help give it dimension. Tip: Think about where this tail is going – is it going across a room or down a wall? This dictates the fabric choice. Don’t forget to add some embellishments, we love our butterfly details.

Wishing you all a happy start to your Summer – stay tuned for part II of our Kiddy Kite DIY to see how this fun project has been incorporated into into a baby shower celebration.

D.I.Y. Hen and Chicks: Our Brown Thumb Solution

If you have a brown thumb like us, we have found the perfect plant for you. Hen and Chicks are everywhere this season in bridal magazines, bouquets, and home decor. It’s the plant that keeps on giving. Once you have one hen, you will have chicks for years on end.

Working with Hen and Chicks is as easy as one, two, three:

1. Find a Hen at your local garden shop or ask a friend to share.

2. Gather an assortment of rocks in your garden and any type of soil – you don’t need much.

3. Find your favorite container. We tried combining teacups with other items just laying around the house!

Feel free to play around and get creative. There’s no wrong way to create a centerpiece, favor, or home decoration. Check out a couple of our fun ideas below:

Feel free to share how you have gotten creative with Hen and Chicks this season!

D.I.Y. Cinco de Mayo Mango Margarita

Whether you are planning on celebrating at your favorite Mexican restaurant or spending the night in, what better way to get into the Cinco de Mayo spirit than with a delicious mango margarita. If you are feeling adventurous, try our favorite D.I.Y. mango margarita recipe that’s sure to dazzle and delight.

Top it off tip: To give your margarita that extra wow factor, don’t forget to rim your glass with a little bit of lime and dip it in fun flavored cocktail crystals. Be sure to check out your local grocer or specialty wine shop for a variety of rimmed flavors.

Bridal Make-Up: Do You D.I.Y. or D.I.F.Y.?

To some brides, hiring a make-up artist for their wedding day seems like an unnecessary luxury.  However, it’s important to weigh the benefits before making a final decision. To help answer the question of, “Do I need a make-up artist?” we asked Ana Buitrago, an established make-up artist who freelances for Mac and also owns her own company. Ana is always up on the current make-up trends and was kind enough to share a few tips for our readers. If you have an upcoming wedding and are conflicted about whether or not you want a make-up artist, here are a few tips from Ana to help you make your decision.

[Photo credit: Ana Buitrago, MAC]

Six reasons you should D.I.F.Y. (Do It For Yourself) and hire a make-up artist for your wedding day:

• A make-up artist uses application techniques and products to ensure that your makeup will look flawless all day long
• A make-up artist will make sure all blemishes are properly covered, and can add a little extra to your look, such as faux lashes to bring out your eyes
• Your wedding day is a day to be pampered, and getting your makeup done should be a relaxing (not stressful!) experience
• A make-up artist will help you choose colors that best suit your skin tone and a style that fits your needs for your big day
• A make-up artist will only use makeup that looks good in pictures and won’t make your skin look washed out or muddy
• You’ve got your dream dress and you’re getting your hair done, so why not make sure your face is picture perfect also!

Should you decide to forgo hiring a make-up artist, here are some great D.I.Y. tips on doing your own bridal make-up:

• Choose a long-wearing foundation with good coverage that also looks good in pictures
• Choose an eyeliner and mascara that are waterproof just in case of happy tears
• Stay away from trend makeup for your wedding. Instead choose neutral eye shadow colors like bronze and mauve tones that never go out of style
• Use a lip liner before applying your lip color to add definition and staying power
• Use primers before applying your foundation and eye shadow to keep your makeup flawless all day

Should you have any questions you’d like to ask Ana, feel free to let us know or contact her directly:

www.anabuitrago.com | ana@anabuitrago.com | Facebook | Twitter

D.I.Y. Easter Basket

We love DIYs, especially when they incorporate some of our favorite things: upcycling, gorgeous embellishments and chocolate. Instead of buying a plain basket this Easter try creating your own stylized one that can last from year to year.

Style-Your-Basket Steps:

1)   Find your basket: There are many great options at Michael’s, JoAnn’s, Target or your favorite vintage store. Find the perfect cloth or wicker basket that you can embellish.

2)   Shop for your details: find ribbons, vintage trimmings, silk flowers, butterflies, custom brads and any other details that you love. If you have saved ribbons from gifts or have a favorite ribbon trim from your wedding dress this is the perfect place to incorporate these details.

3)   Prepare your tools: For those of you who do not have the time to sew on the embellishments, the hot glue gun will be your best friend, plus it works beautifully.

4)   Attach your details: Play with your details to find the perfect spot on your basket. Remember there’s no right way to embellish your basket – don’t be afraid to unleash your inner creative diva.

5)   Fill your basket: Here’s the fun part! Find some Easter grass, stuffed bunnies, your favorite childhood treats and any other goodies that make you smile. Our basket is sure to be filled with chocolate eggs, marshmallow peeps and candy buttons.

*Embellishment Tip – Create your own gorgeous layered flower with a custom center brad:

1)   Purchase your favorite brads and artificial flowers. You will want all different petal sizes and colors.

2)   Pop the flower off and remove the plastic center (this leaves you with just the petals and a hole in the middle).

3)   Layer petals from small to large. Remember to pick color combinations that you love.

4)   Feed your embellished brad through your layered petals and secure at the base. Feel free to add some glitter or crystal embellishments to give it an extra wow factor.

5)   Voila! You have a custom, layered flower.

D.I.F.Y. = Do It For Yourself – Bridal Pampering

We will be featuring HAIR by Andrew Marke Salon – stylists will spend an hour with you to create your perfect look. Bring photos of what you love and hate in hair designs. We will also feature Crowning Glory Bridal Accessories, and special guest Liv Hart, designer of  Enchanted Atelier, who will be showing her newest collection of bridal accessories for your hands-on and in-hair viewing.

D.I.Y. Vintage Chalkboard Decor

Add some personality to your next event! We know you’ve seen chalkboards used as signage for menus, directions and seating, now it’s time to try adding your own design to this fun detail piece in five easy steps:

Step 1: Finding cool vintage frames. They come in all different shapes and sizes as well as ornamentation. Try scoping out Craig’s List, nearby garage sales, vintage stores or your grandmother’s attic.

Step 2: Once you’ve found some frames you love, remove the centerpieces and measure the inside of the frame for the board insert that you will be adding.

Step 3: Go to Home Depot or any hardware store and buy particle board (they will custom cut any sizes you need). Make sure the thickness is ¾ inches in diameter.

Step 4: Paint the smooth side of the particle board with chalkboard paint (this can also be purchased from Home Depot).

Step 5: Adhere the dried chalkboard into your frame.

Voila! You have created a customized and unique detail for your event.

Check us out every Wednesday for more DIY ideas. If you’d like to share some of your own clever DIYs we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line at ideas@somethingfab.com

D.I.F.Y. = Do It For Yourself – Take a Leap!

Something Fabulous has always loved tradition, but once in a while it’s important to break the rules. With leap day only coming around every four years, why not take advantage of this gift and take a leap! According to an ancient Irish legend, leap day is the day that women are allowed to propose to men. The fable is that this act balances the traditional role that men and women typically play, similar to how leap day balances the calendar.

What a refreshing day… What kind of leap are you going to take?