Printing on ribbon! You can do it & it is super easy-

Although fair warning being able to personalize your ribbon gets quite addicting.

Materials needed for ribbon printing:

• An injet printer (if you don’t have one they are super cheap to pick up thrifted)
• A length of ribbon (I have found flat/ matte ribbons work the best)
• A small amount of double sided tape

How to print on ribbon:

• Print out a copy of the words you would like to appear on the ribbon to check for spacing.
• Cut your ribbon to size and double tape the ends onto your printed paper, be sure to cover the words exactly, text will print on the ribbon exactly where your words are placed.
• Run the paper with ribbon attached through the printer on the heavy paper setting.
• Let dry *Important, do not touch the ribbon for about 20 minutes to insure the ink has time to set.
• Peal off the ribbon and enjoy your creation!

Use your ribbon to adorn a surprise gift, to personalize a birthday card, or to make a stash of exceptionally lovely party labels.

PS. I am so excited to share with you how I incorporated this into our wedding inspiration shoot, soon!

blessings.

The inspiration for this shower came from this article, upon seeing it I just feel in love with the idea of a yarn maze- it is amazing! Although not as long or even an actual maze, I was thrilled at how the backdrop for the shower came out. The yarn strung across our sweets table with the word LOVE tied into it was just the perfect starting point.

The backdrop quickly gave inspiration for what became the centerpiece of the room, a yarn spun chandelier. I created it using different size kids bouncy balls & bright colored yarn. I secured one end of the yarn to the ball and roped it around many… many times! I also hung ribbons with buttons to add to the homespun feel. The mid-air yarn ball chandelier really set the stage for our celebration. PLUS, I am convinced this would make the most lovely baby mobile:)

The yarn balls were repeated on the table as flowers. They provided a wonderful pop of color seated in spray painted bud-vases. See the tutorial for these by clicking HERE.

I used a whole bunch of letters in the design of this shower, LOVE spelled out in as many ways as possible around the room.

I am happy to pass on a FREE DOWNLOAD for the banners of love that were placed around the room. Simply click HERE to download your copy. Each template has a small version of knotted in love plus the larger LOVE. They can be cut and re-sized for your showering pleasure!

Along with the scrumptious panini’s, a buffet was also set with a sampling of treats. Chocolate dipped pretzels and ribbon tied cheery pops were a few favorites of the day.

To drink, I served the brunch appropriate Mimosa! Each Champagne bottle is outfitted in a custom label and custom cocktail stir sticks adorn the flutes. I am also offering these tags as a FREE DOWNLOAD for you- grab the file by clicking HERE. You will need to print them out on 8×10 label sheets or simply cut and attach each one with double sided tape.

A random stash of vintage thread spools was spotted and I quickly picked them up to be perfect accompaniment for this shower. We used them to adorn a bulk pack of white buffet napkins. A fun guest book idea- for any upcoming shower you might have, instead of using a guest book we stitched in thread, buttons and fabric swatches creating a whimsical homemade set of dinner napkins for our future bride.

I also used the vintage spools to decorate around the room, they made such lovely vases!

Cheery yellow butter dishes for favors, monkey fist knots with bright pink yarn interwoven and marriage advice flowing freely made for a very cherished afternoon. I am happy to have made a new friend in this bride and am looking forward to styling her wedding very soon!

Photography credits- Jackie Wonders

PS. I have a new flickr stream that I am going to attempt to keep fresh. Check it out by clicking HERE to see the whole gallery of Knotted in love photos.

blessings.

]]> http://thecitycradle.com/knotted-in-love/feed 8 http://thecitycradle.com/homemade-paper-flower-tutorial http://thecitycradle.com/homemade-paper-flower-tutorial#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:29:18 +0000 Vicky http://thecitycradle.com/?p=10836 As we close out Celebrate picnic month later today (I will be announcing all the winners in just a few hours) I want to encourage each of us to continue enjoying the summer, resting under trees and making picnics for those we love. Here is a sweet addition I created that will lend a lovely touch to a lazy summer afternoon.

Homemade Paper Flowers

(photo from A Proposal Picnic)

The lovely thing about making a paper flower is that it does not need water- so it will stay alive and happily alert throughout an afternoon picnic + it can grow anywhere even out of an old picnic basket.

How to make a paper flower

First you will need 8 coordinating sheets of paper (double sided patterned works best). Download the Paper flower template by clicking HERE, it contains print quantity instructions for each paper.

• Run the templates through your home printer and cut out the paper flower leaf shapes.

• Cut one square of paper for the inner bud- 2 inches long by 4 inches tall. Fold in half and cut small slits going 80% down the paper.
• Wrap this paper and glue in place around your floral wire.

• Beginning with the smallest set of leaves first- glue each leaf to the floral wire around the base of your paper bud. Feel free to bend the paper into shape as you glue.
• To create the flower photographed you will be gluing 3 layers of leaves from the center. Large, medium and small in descending order.
  

All picnic photography credits to Jackie Wonders

An easy and lovely way to brighten up your next picnic outing!

blessings.

We had a mad tea when the clock struck noon- Red Queen’s orders. The Mad-hatter himself even showed up to celebrate.

A mad tea

We beckoned guests with whimsical invitations encouraging them not to be late.

The table was set with a black and white harlequin backdrop surrounded by hot pink & teal. Antique cups were used to sip and old fashioned clocks kept the time.

A drink me tag was tied around the lemonade canister where it spent the afternoon resting on a vintage dresser for the young woman’s taste buds not quite accustomed to tea. You can download the drink me tags I created by clicking here.

Bunches of colorful poms floated above. The birthday girl desired to have the colorful style from the old Disney movie combined with the sophistication of the new.

We created this look for her by using heavy vintage pieces and a dramatic black & white backdrop, redesigning a garage sale patio set to fit in as seating was an easy way to incorporate our theme.

Setting a table filled with youthful charm- vases of playing cards and whimsical pink flamingos created a fun celebration.

A bakers rack was set to the side as a place for hanging all of the custom hats- it also housed a fabulous vintage tea collection.

The red queen headed up the tea with elegance and just a bit of fear. The girls carried custom off with her head flags through the neighborhood on their way to play croquette.

A very mad tea indeed…

blessings.

]]> http://thecitycradle.com/a-mad-tea/feed 5 http://thecitycradle.com/homemade-ice-cream-vanilla http://thecitycradle.com/homemade-ice-cream-vanilla#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:30:42 +0000 Vicky http://thecitycradle.com/?p=10560 A party or wedding favor that will make your guests mouths water! I just about passed out when I found out this tutorial I designed was featured on Style Me Pretty this week- in case you missed it, click here.

The homemade ice cream jars are so fun to use for summer party or wedding favors. They are also a great way to say a cheerful Happy Summer to your neighbors. We dropped a few off on doorsteps of our newest friends during an early morning walk this week.

Homemade Ice Cream Favors

• Print out the I scream for ice cream labels for your jars- HERE. The download includes four large labels for the front of your jars, four blank side labels and four directional side labels.

• Cut out labels and personalize the blank one to say what you would like to your guests
• Pour 1 cup rock salt into the bottom of each jar
• Pour 1 tablespoon sugar & 1 teaspoon vanilla powder into a small (quart size) zip-lock bag and seal
  
• Combine the bag of powder and 8 of the half & half packets in each jar

• Tie on your front label with twine & tie on your side labels with ribbon for your guests

Use these for your summer party or get the kids involved & walk a few down the street to make new friends!

photography credits: Jackie Wonders

blessings.

One of my favorite touches to the Sherbert & Spice Party was our printable guest book, perfect for any kids event.

We had numbered pages laid out from our printable guest book for each attendee to sign. They read what had been written before and then filled in their page of the story, many colored in the black and white pictures as well. Each guest signed their name at the bottom of the page. It turned out to be a great way to get the whole family involved in the process.

After the party the birthday girl’s mom took the pages of our printable guest book home and bound them together by hole punching the sides and stringing ribbon through them- creating a story book. I’ve been told the birthday girl is having a blast reading her special birthday story over and over again.

Printable guest book

I am handing off this guest book for you to use and re-create. Print out the complete printable guest book template I created by clicking HERE. The book was created using pictures from a compilation of old story books. It prints in all black and white as to work with any part theme. There are 20 story pages included.

Have a table set up at your party for the printable guest book creation- set out the pages & pens or colored pencils to write. Set out a note explaining to all your party guests what to do.

Enjoy watching a riveting story come alive that you and the birthday child will treasure for years.

Photography Credits- Jackie Wonders

blessings.

PS. I have also designed a printable guest book for weddings that will be coming next month.

Ice Cream Birthday

A bit of old fashion vintage charm peaked through many of our ice cream birthday design pieces. We washed and sanitized a bushel of very old coke bottles found at a local flee market to serve as glasses for the event. With bright straws sticking out they were a huge hit.

The dessert bar featured custom popcorn cones, a cake with a chalkboard banner, and these vases of old fashioned candy.

The sherbert stand was truly a work of love! Made by the mom I was planning for- she hand drilled it all together and right in the middle of a major family move. The kids loved it and our chalkboard Sherbert sign signaled them over throughout the afternoon.

On the sherbert stand we offered a variety of both ice cream sandwiches and ice cream birthday cones. The sandwiches were tied up neatly with custom ice cream birthday labels and tied off with string.

You can download the labels for the ice cream sandwiches and cones by clicking here. Instructions: Simply print (there are multiple labels per page) and trim where necessary to fit your ice cream treats! Wrap around and tie with string.

We served up the sherbert toppings in a vintage model ferris wheel, each little basket holding a different yummy treat.

The kids especially enjoyed when we had the ice-cream man working behind our stand serving up gooey goodness for them. My little Chica even ate a whole messy cone herself- 25 cents was the going price:)

The wall behind our sherbert stand was strung with homemade kites, DIY coming soon. They served as favors for each of the kids in attendance.

To quench the after ice cream thirst we had stacks of custom labeled juice boxes set out along with fruit-lemonade for the adults.

Inspired by this celebrity party, the custom juice labels seemed too lovely a detail to pass up. You can download these custom juice box labels to use at your own party by clicking here. Remember to take the straws off the boxes before covering them, you can reattach them with string or simply set them in a bowl nearby.

To ensure guests didn’t faint from all the sugar we set up a food table with a special carnival fare.

Stacks of corn dogs curbed hunger and BBQ’d corn was finished off with fabric flag holders. The DIY for the fabric flags is here, I simple attached each flag to 2 toothpicks and stuck in the ends of the corn. The flags are a great stand in for those plastic hot corn grips. Wouldn’t they be lovely done as USA flags for an upcoming independence day celebration?

A bite size vegetable spread was centered on our food table. Using baby versions of the veggies they fit snugly in small candy cups. Multiple dips were ready beside them for dipping.

Before our guests left for the day we gave them a little project. In lieu of a signing book we created a blank story time printable guest book. Each guest wrote in a part of the story for our birthday girl. They did a great job and from what I hear the book has been bound and is being very treasured by a certain four year old, DIY instructions for this cane be found here.

Our Sherbert & Spice theme was possibly the most enjoyable celebration I’ve done. The details would translate well to many other summer-time parties- really anytime you give a group of kids melting ice cream & games it is a success!

Hope you’ve enjoyed this design. In case you missed it- part one is here

All photography credits to the lovely, Jackie Wonders!

blessings.

]]> http://thecitycradle.com/sherbert-spice-part-two/feed 20 http://thecitycradle.com/picnic-printable http://thecitycradle.com/picnic-printable#comments Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:56:22 +0000 Vicky http://thecitycradle.com/?p=10210 Tomorrow I am FINALLY going to be sharing the Sherbert & Spice party with you & announcing the winner of our circle guessing contest. If you haven’t given your guess yet- you still have time, here. A hint, someone is really close:)

For today, the perfect picnic printable – a sweet little utensil pouch. A bit sporkish in design, I just adore the vintage charm of this download. Use the picnic printable to give your upcoming outdoor party or backyard BBQ an extra touch of charm for your guests.

The picnic printable utensil bag is a super quick party project, using only your printer and an old brown paper bag you can easily create these in mass.

Make your own picnic printable utensil bag:

• Cut a brown paper bag down the middle, open up and measure to 8 x 10 inches.
  
• Cut the bag around the measurements into an 8×10 paper size.
• Download the picnic printable utensil bag by clicking here.
• Stick your brown paper bag into the printer and run it through as you would paper.
  
• Fold the picnic printable bag at the side crease lines, cut down to size if you’d like your bags smaller.
  
• Seal the sides and bottom of the bag together with glue.

Enjoy having a sweetly hidden spot for your spork (or fork, or knife, or spoon) while you serve your guests under a tree.

See the rest of the picnic here, photography credits to Jackie Wonders.

blessings.

PS. I am really enjoying seeing the wonderful picnic photos that are popping up in my inbox. It will be so fun to share them with you later this month. You still have time to picnic with us and win great prizes- find out how- here.

Free printable baby shower, sly fox style banner…

You can create this free printable baby shower banner, by downloading the template and printing on coordinating paper for your party theme. Cut along the dark lines to make the flags for you your party banner, then simply glue them to a length of coordinating ribbon.

Download the free printable baby shower, fox style banner.

You can also download this free printable baby shower banner to use for other do-it-yourself party projects. Simply cut out the fox and he becomes a great template for your design. For our Sly Fox baby shower, I used the template to create craft paper foxes that popped up in frames throughout the party space. We also printed the template to make a sly little fox mobile for the new baby’s nursery.

P.S. Making a paper party banner, can be a super easy project that costs very little money. I am getting quite obsessed with them these days, hope you enjoy:)

blessings.

Our coffee & tea tasting turned out to be quite fun bridal shower theme, I am so pleased to give you the projects today to create it on your own.

Perfectly paired, free printable labels…

The glass bottles were a great way to make 6 different drinks all come together with one cohesive look.

Directions: Use these printable labels to produce your own coffee & tea tasting bridal shower theme. Download using the button directly above. The labels fit these bottles from Trader Joe’s perfectly. After enjoying the purchased lemonade, run through a dish-washing cycle or soak in hot water to remove current label. Cut out the labels from the template. Using glue or double sided tape attach directly onto bottle.

You could use any other type or size of bottle as well, simply center the label and glue. Add ice and your favorite coffee or tea for an easy and unique bridal shower theme. I left one label blank in case you’d prefer a different drink.

The cup holders are a cheeky take on the usual coffee drink order and they kept our guests from feeling the chill of their glasses.

Directions: These printable labels will print 2 per page. They fit around a 9 inch cup which is about the average 8 oz cold party cup. Print and use glue to attach the ends together for a cozy way to warm up iced hands. The look just lovely on clear glasses with plum straws popping out of the top.

The tea bag favors were such an easy and lovely way to thank and appreciate our guests.

Leave your guests with a sweet way to remember the day. They are a great way to send friends off with an aftertaste of your sweet bridal shower theme. The printable labels come eight per page, cut out and fold at the center crease. One side bids a thank you while the other gives instructions for home brewing.

Here is the custom tea recipe we used to make the bags (making tea is actually super easy). Combine the herbs in a large bowl in their crushed and dried form then portion out into purchased tea bags.
1/2 cup stinging nettle leaves
1/2 cup oatstraw
1/2 cup spearmint leaves
1/4 cup chamomile flowers
1/4 cup rosehips

Together I hope these labels will set the stage for a fun and unique bridal shower tasting table.

blessings.