I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s winning diy post is from the always genius Lauren of A Fabulous Fete.

Trophies. they scream, look at me, i’m a winner, i’m number one. Well, let’s find a way to class ‘em up and replace the “team spirit” trophy your man brought home from his bowling league. just kidding… who’s in bowling leagues anymore?

Here’s what you’ll need:
- spray paint
- primer
- champagne coupes or little port glasses
- glue gun
- this magical material crayola likes to call model magic (like super lightweight clay)

Roll the “arms” of your trophy and shape so that the bottom curves and reaches to the stem of the glass. Wait overnight for your itty bitty foam arms to dry, then…

trim the edges so both arms are exactly the same, and glue to your glass.

Prep and paint.

Now use em.

Use as name card holders for a dinner, or fill with fun treats and supplies as party favors.

I know you gals are crafty and hot glue savvy, but i want to make sure i throw the disclaimer out there. Glass doesn’t like glue (if you find one that likes it, email me ok?). It sticks, but is not permanent. Grab those foam arms and you’re likely to have a spray painted champagne glass left if your hands. So handle carefully! and enjoy:)

See more awesome from Lauren on A Fabulous Fete.

I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s party ready marshmallows  that would be a perfect project for a kids are from Kelly of Studio DIY.

My favorite kinds of DIYs are the ones that don’t involve crazy, hard to find supplies but rather things you can pick up at your local grocery store or Target (of course). They’re the best kind of projects for budget-friendly parties, and late-night impulse projects too. This yummy DIY is inspired by a few of the season’s biggest trends: color blocking and dip dying. But why save that for fashion or home decor when you can make ‘em edible too!? Meet the dip-dyed marshmallows, ready and waiting to add a little color to your s’mroes and take their place on a colorful dessert bar!

Here’s what you need :

- Marshmallows
- Food Coloring
- Water
- Muffin tin or cups for dipping
- Lollipop sticks or toothpicks (Optional, for display)
- Styrofoam or wax paper for drying

First prep your colors. You’ll want to minimize the water and maximize the color so you keep the yummy marshmallow consistency and taste, so I found a ratio of 20 drops of color for 2 tsp. water worked best. I used mini muffin tins to house my colors because the shallow depth made for easy dipping, but you could also use small cups or regular muffin tins.

If you’re making marshmallow pops, stick your marshmallow on a lollipop stick. If not, I recommend popping them on a toothpick for easy drying and pick up.

Now get to dippin’! I dipped a few tops, a few sides and a few on a diagonal for a nice color blocked variety.

After you dip each marshmallow, make sure you let all the excess color drip off before you flip it over to dry completely. Make a drying rack with a piece of styrofoam or, if your marshmallows aren’t on sticks, allow them to dry (color side up when possible) on a piece of wax paper.

Here’s a few tips:

You only need to leave the marshmallow in the food coloring for a few seconds.

If you’re impatient like me, you can take an extra plastic cup, stick the marshmallow in and spin it around (Splatter warning!) to help get the excess off quickly.

To make a two-toned version, dip your marshmallow in the first color before placing it on a stick. Then dip the other color and let dry.

It’s as simple as that! Add these to the list for your spring and summer parties, turn them pink and blue for a gender reveal or baby announcement, or, you know, just add them to the Friday night dessert menu.

See more awesome from Kelly on Studio DIY

This post is sponsored by Disney Baby. I’ll be joining the Disney Baby blogging team next month, and look forward to sharing these kinds of stories (projects/ideas/etc) with you over there! Stay tuned for more details!

I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s post is from the Parisian living hairstylist, Rubi of She Lets Her Hair Down.

It’s true guys, bowl cuts are my fave. When I was about 10 years old, an older friend of mine used to cut her little sister’s hair by putting a bowl on her head and just cutting straight around the edges. I remember thinking that was so funny!

About 4 years ago, while going through an awkward stage of a grown-out pixie, I asked my co-worker to give me a bowl cut (minus the actual bowl) and guess what – I loved it! It framed my face just right and it was a pretty no-fuss hairstyle. Bowl cuts are basically never-ending bangs – it’s not for everyone, but it certainly shouldn’t be ruled out as a cute haircut!

images:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 
graphics designed by Becca Clason

See more awesome from Rubi on She Lets Her Hair Down.

I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s post is from a DIY queen (and birthday girl yesterday!), Clemence of Oh The Lovely Things.

I love the look of geometric jewelry these days + I have a ton of scrap leather + I always have fun making my own bracelets, so I decided to treat myself with a chevron leather cuff. I’m so excited to share the easy how-to with you!

You will need :
- A piece of soft leather, about 1mm thick. I cut a 7 1/2″ x 2″ (19cm x 5cm) piece. Depending on the size of your wrist, you may need a longer or smaller piece : cut a strip that is about 1-2 inches longer than your wrist size. You can also cut a wider or narrower strip, to suit your own taste.
- A pair of scissors
- An erasable marker, or a pencil
- A ruler
- An X-acto knife
- A slot screwdriver
- A snap button
- Thread and needle
- Spray paint (optional)

1. Cut a 7 1/2″ x 2″ rectangle piece of leather. Depending on the size of your wrist, you may need a longer or smaller piece. You can also cut a wider or narrower strip, to suit your own taste.

2. Using an erasable marker or a hard pencil, draw two parallel lines : one about 0.9″ from the right side and the other one about 0.9″ from the left.

3. Using a slot screwdriver and a ruler as a guide, trace firmly over the lines you just draw. If you used an erasable marker, erase the lines with a damp cloth.

4. You’ll now carve the lines that correspond to the gray lines on the bracelet diagram in step 2. With your X-acto knife, diagonally carve parallel lines, going from the left middle line to the left side of the leather piece. Repeat on the other side (going from the right middle line to the right side of the leather piece. Try not to go deeper than half the depth of the leather.

5. Sew the snap button (one part of the button at one end of the leather, and the other at the other end).

6. Spray paint your bracelet or leave it as is, as your heart desires.

You’re done! Wear it proudly.

See more awesome from Clemence on Oh The Lovely Things.

I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s post is from the southern hostess more charming than Paula Deen, Natalie of The Soho.

This is the kind of gift I love to hand out to people. That gorgeous pale shade of yellow will brighten anyone’s day, and it always elicits an “Ooo, wow!” or a “You made this?” All you need is lemon, sugar, eggs, butter and a pretty container to put it in.

This recipe from Gourmet magazine is simple, fast and produces delicious results. You’ll want to pour the finished curd through a sieve to get rid of any pulp or clumps and to make yourself appear flawless.

Lemon curd is tart, creamy and complements so many things. Slather it on pancakes or crepes, drizzle it over vanilla ice cream, make a lemon curd tart, you can even spread it on toast. Pretty much any vehicle to deliver the lemon curd to your mouth is acceptable.

See more awesome from Natalie by visiting The Soho.

I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s post is from sweet Katie (the newest member of my extended family!) of the kb files.

In order to stay with the fabulous melanie’s overall theme, i’ve come up with both an interior trend & a fashion trend to share with you that are currently making a strong running for being my ultimate faves.

First on the docket… spring fashion. And at the moment, t-strap ballet flats are definitely my fave.

1: chloe via nordstrom // 2: avril gau via madewell // 3: marais // 4: j.crew // 5: asos // 6: seychelles via anthropologie

I’m a longtime fan of the traditional ballet flat, but absolutely adore what adding that small strap of leather can do.  Somewhat more refined, somewhat more classy, all the more my fave!

Next on the list… an interior must-have!  With my masters degree being in the study of fine art & furniture, i have huge respect for classic & historical design pieces that are being revamped, used, and appreciated today.  Old chair designs made new with bright, vibrant colors are totally my fave.

the classic marais armchair, designed by xavier pauchard in 1934 // molded plastic dowel leg side chair, designed by charles & ray eames in 1950 // the era chair, designed by michael thonet in 1859 // the navy chair, original made from 111 recycled coca-cola bottles, designed through a collaboration between emeco & coca-cola in 1944

Add any one of these chairs to your kitchen table, desk, or studio and immediately you’ve added both a timeless icon & a fun punch of color into your space.  Timeless & fun?  Undeniably my fave!

The take away message for today is - sitting in a vintage chair wearing a new pair of t-strap ballet flats is completely awesome & for sure my fave.

See more awesome from Katie on the kb files 

When a new baby is born all of the attention is given to them naturally (which the parents love) but you know who else really needs it? The mom! Just a few days after Beck was born I got a package in the mail from a dear friend and while I was expecting a little something for Beck, it was filled with things for me. After opening it I pretty much lost it. Then one night another friend brought over a carton of Ben and Jerry’s and while eating it I literally said, “Ice cream has never tasted so good.”

I felt so out of sorts for that first couple of weeks that any help people offered I graciously took. If you have a friend who is a new mom, here are some nice things you could do for her that she will love. And be prepared for tears to be shed because that’s how hormones and lack of sleep roll.

- Bring over dinner or groceries (especially snacks for the nightstand) or just a carton of ice cream. Nursing moms are starving and barely have time to eat a handful of stale cereal.
- Offer to watch the baby for an hour so they can take a nap. While they’re napping, do their dishes.
- Gift a subscription to Netflix or DVDs of their favorite TV show. Feedings are long and frequent so it’s nice to have something to watch.
- After a couple of weeks, invite them to go out for a short little outing like lunch. Chances are they just have an hour window but it’s nice to get out of the house.
- Tell them they look beautiful. They won’t believe you but tell them anyway.
- Tell them how cute and awesome their baby is.

What are some things that friends did for you that you appreciated?

photos by Jennifer Little of Sugar Photography

This post is sponsored by Disney Baby. I’ll be joining the Disney Baby blogging team next month, and look forward to sharing these kinds of stories (projects/ideas/etc) with you over there! Stay tuned for more details!

I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s post is from the always delightful Alli of Hooray

With the abundance of paper flower tutorials out there, I’d be surprised if we’re not all making these in our sleep. For awhile I’ve had a few simple tissue poms up on one wall of our living room, but after seeing these over-sized crepe paper flowers, I figured it was time for an upgrade.

Though the instructions call for fancy crepe paper, I just used the cheap kind I had on hand from the local craft store. I made about 14 heart shaped petals from pink, and 5 or 6 teardrop petals from cream (for a nice layered look).

Because the petals are so large and the paper not very sturdy, my finished flower is a bit floppy, but perfect for casually hanging on a wall. To hang, I bent the wire stem into a circle and suspended it from a thumbtack in the wall. And voila! A pretty addition to our room and just in time for spring.

See more awesome from Alli on Hooray

A couple months ago when my belly was a tad more basketball-ish, my friend Mykol (who clearly has impeccable taste) hosted an amazing baby shower. The theme was welcome to the world so everything from the invitation envelope to the paper garland favor were map and globe themed. She even borrowed about thirty globes from her mom’s collection to scatter throughout the house! It looked (and the food spread tasted) like something right out of the pages of Martha Stewart Living. I am dang lucky to have such thoughtful friends. Beck definitely had a warm welcome to the world.

All photos taken by the talented Diana of Yan Photography

This post is sponsored by Disney Baby. I’ll be joining the Disney Baby blogging team next month, and look forward to sharing these kinds of stories (projects/ideas/etc) with you over there! Stay tuned for more details!

I had a baby so I’ve invited some fave guests to take over for me while I spend time with the little guy. Today’s post is from crafting champion, Chelsea from Lovely Indeed.

I’ve got a cool little DIY for you, so get your materials together:
- clear glass vase
- gold paint
- container to dip in

This project is about as simple as you can get. Make sure your vase is clean and dry. Pour your paint into a container that’s wider than the top end of your vase (my old used butter container worked like a charm). Holding your vase upside-down, dip it in the paint, only about a quarter of the way in. Flip the vase right-side-up and place it on a covered surface to dry.

That’s all there is to it! Let the paint do its thing, and make sure it’s thoroughly dry before you begin handling it. Fill it with some gorgeous spring flowers and sit back to admire your handiwork.

Happy dipping!

See more awesome from Chelsea on Lovely Indeed