DIY: glitter garland

WHO LOVES A PROJECT?!

Well, goodness, I think everyone loves a good project every now and again.

But the real question for this post is WHO LOVES A GLITTER PROJECT?

I DO.

And ultimately, I think you do too.

A necessary precaution: Before you start this insanity of a project that is glitter garland you must come to terms with the fact that once you commit to a glitter project, you will ultimately be committing to a lifelong marriage with glitter. Or, at least, a week-long marriage. Which is just as serious in my humble opinion.

And so, lest you forget, you must remind yourself that glitter is amazing. When you’re elbow deep in glitter, just keep telling yourself that.

Anyways, onward!

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HOW TO MAKE GLITTER GARLAND >>

You will need:

cardstock
scissors
modge podge glue
foam brush
glitter (!!)
measuring tape
fishing line (or clear craft string)
glue gun

Instructions:

Step 1: Get cardstock paper.

Step 2: Figure out what size you want your circles to be. I basically just found a candle lid that I thought was an appropriate size (4 inches across) and traced it on the cardstock.

Step 3: Decide how many garland strands you want to make. I made 8 because I made the craaaazy decision to dress up my entire dining room (it looks awesome P.S.). For my project, each single strand of garland had 5 glitter circles.

Step 4: Once you decide how many glitter circles you want on your garland, cut out double that many circles. So, for me, one garland had five glitter circles, so I cut out 10 circles of cardstock. Understood?

side note: Since I made 8 strands of garland, the math tells me I cut a total of 80 circles. Which is insanity. TGFDC. (Thank God For Dawson’s Creek. Netflix, people. DO IT.)

Step 5: Take one piece of circle cardstock and paint one side of it with modge podge (only one side– and don’t skimp on the edges!), then press the cardstock to the glitter. I put the glue and the glitter into paper plates (see below) to make it easy. I also had an extra paper plate for spreading the glue onto the cardstock. Once you’ve painted one side and doused it with glitter, put it to the side to dry.

Step 6: After you paint and glitter-up all your cardstock you should have a bunch of circles that have glitter on one side. THIS IS GOOD. I got better and better with applying the glitter the more I did this. By the end, there we no white spots on my circles at all. HUZZAH.

Step 7: Decide how long you want your garland to be and cut a piece of fishing line accordingly. Mine was approx 100 inches long, or so. Maybe a little longer.

Step 8: Use a glue gun to glue two of the cardstocks together (with the fishing line in the middle!), obviously, with the glitter side facing out. Putting two cardstocks together will keep the paper from curling at the sides and keep your circles nice and straight.

Step 9: Figure out how much space should go in between each glitter circle. I put approx 15 inches between each of mine.

Step 10: Once you have all your circles glued together and spaced out accordingly, hang that sucker up! It will look awesome!

I kept going to make a total of 8 garland. It was a LOT of work and a LOT of glitter, but ultimately it was worth it.

Check it:

Tada! And the picture doesn’t even do it justice. Seriously. I should have you all over for a glass of wine just to show it off. December hasn’t even arrived and it’s getting to be so Christmas up in here it’s CRAZY. When it comes to the holidays, I don’t mess around.

Three cheers for glitter + HAPPY DECORATING!

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(A note on this project. I saw this picture on Pinterest, which led me to this etsy shop, which was all sold out of this particular type of garland. And so, this DIY was born.)

good thoughts for a friday in november.

Friends! HEY!

I feel like it’s been awhile since we’ve seen each other. Seen? Heard? Read? Hmmm….

I’m going to have to sit on that one for a bit. This whole blogging thing totally boggles my mind sometimes. AND I LOVE IT.

So… what have I been up to this week…good thoughts, good thoughts. Let’s see…

Last weekend I spent another weekend in Boston (evidence above!). I met up with Clair and Mackenzie for coffee, which is my favorite, and strolled Newbury Street and the Public Garden with my holiday spirit in full force. This coming weekend will bring yet another Saturday and Sunday at home. There is sleeping in to do! And crafts to be done! And Netflix to watch! It’s all so exciting. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever spend another weekend away again or if I will just be in Boston FOREVER. Just kidding! I know I will travel again! But this might be the longest streak ever in the state of Massachusetts, or so it feels. And it feels pretty good.

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On Monday and Wednesday I participated in the most incredible workshop at school, Family Stories in Picture and Writing. I worked on collage art and spent my time writing down and telling my dad’s story. It was such a wonderful experience and incredibly important for me to record and write down. The artwork aspect of the story telling is amazing, and I’m considering sharing some of the artwork I did here on this ‘ol blog. I think you guys will be impressed! It’s also amazing and wonderful to me how everyone can be successful while doing this artwork and writing– and I’m so excited to try this literature project with my own first graders.

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On Tuesday morning we exercised our right to vote, and on Tuesday night we cheered and cheered and danced along to Stevie Wonder’s soul single with a smile in our eyes and pride our hearts. You go, Mr. President, YOU GO!

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I’ve been making handmade decorations for the holidays and even had to break out my hat and gloves on Thursday morning because of the SNOW! I don’t like cold, but I’m having a hard time doing too much complaining with this stuff in my kitchen. Y.U.M. With enough hot chocolate and six full seasons of Dawson’s Creek to dig into on Netflix, I think I’m officially all set for winter. BRING IT.

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Other things I’m loving?

This Hip Handmade Holiday E-book. So fun!

This dry shampoo. I wash my hair twice a week now! Not even kidding!

This She & Him Christmas record. Our turn table always gets the most use around the holidays.

These killer leopard print boots. Target! $14.50 on sale! Gleee!

This best-selling book. Wow. I finished it last week and I cannot stop thinking about it. It’s truly an incredible story.

And, last but not least, the new instagram profile pages and pinterest secret boards! I, for one, think they’re both pretty rad.

Any good thoughts you want to tell about?

Happy Friday, friends! And, as always, HAPPY WEEKEND!

a handmade holiday.

Today is November! And because it’s November two very important things are happening in my life:

1. Christmas music is playing throughout my days morning, noon, and night from here until January 1. I’m so excited. It’s just glorious.

2. I have officially starting my holiday shopping! Eeeeeee! If there’s one thing I love more than anything else it’s shopping for Christmas. There is something so satisfying about buying gifts for other people. Don’t you think?

This year, I’ve decided to do something different. I’m declaring this year a “Handmade Holiday”. Not in the “I’m making all my gifts kind of way” (I may try my hand at a few gifts, although DIY projects and I only go so far), but instead in the “I will only buy gifts for my family and friends from handmade shops” kind of way. And I’m really pumped about it. I think it’s going to be so, so good.

Here’s where I could use a little help…

I’m not the biggest online shopper. I’ve bought from etsy a couple of times– shops that I mostly heard about from word of mouth. Since starting my holiday present search, I’ve basically found myself just clicking, clicking, clicking through the pages and paaaages on Etsy which can be pretty tedious. There are a lot of great shops out there, but for every really good shop I find there are at least two mediocre shops (if not more, sadly).

Here are some of the good ones I’ve found:

One Canoe Two Letterpress

Firebird and Body

Gritty City Goods

Velle Handmade Leather Goods

Pauliszka Knits

And the following shops are those that I’ve bought from in the past– I can only say good things about all of these places and will definitely be going back for more this holiday season:

Lady Lee and Drew Jones

Letter Girl

Emme Purses

Gussy Sews

Anyways, help a friend out! I need to start my shopping now so that my gifts will arrive in time for CHRISTMAS! It would be awesome if you have a favorite handmade shop you could guide me to. Or do you have a friend with a shop? Or even better, maybe you have a shop yourself?! Let me know so I can take a look around!

Happy November, everyone! ‘TIS THE SEASON!!

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**UPDATE: THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all who linked to shops in the comments! Be sure to take a look– there are some AMAZING suggestions and I am so excited about them all! Happy handmade shopping, everyone!

things i saw, things i love

FRIDAAAAAAY.

{Drumroll please…}

Presenting…

The latest and greatest pretty things gracing the internets…

(in my humble opinion)…

First up this week, is my best friend Maureen’s appearance on Style Me Pretty! I was so excited for her when she tweeted the link! All photography was done by the terrific Alice G. Patterson. You can check out her post about their wedding here. Yay, Mosie!

I kind of love these dresses from two. I saw these on Eat, Drink, Chic and couldn’t help but think how lovely these would be to wear in the heat of the summer. Sigh.

Speaking of summer (can you tell I’m yearning for it?), it’s just not complete without a few dives into the waters of a clear, clean lake. I loved this post by Butter and Brass. It just made me want summer just that much more. Did you know Minnesota has 10,000+ lakes? I didn’t! Lake prints by Nicole Meyer. Read about her project here.

Do you love this purse as much as I do? DREAM! Anyone know where I can get it?? Seen via One of a Kind.

Um, hello. This is the cutest idea EVER! I originally saw this on Making it Lovely, and was then led to Minifanfan. I want.

Do you think it comes in chevron/ikat?

A Cup of Jo’s Bedroom makeover? Did you see it? I was basically drooling all over my keyboard as I scrolled through the pictures.

LOVE the colors and all the tasteful patterns.  Love the headboard, love the Dwell Studio Sheets, love the wall of frames, LOVE IT ALL.

This bedroom is absolutely incredible.

Earlier this week both Molly and Elizabeth posted about their lovely friend Lady Lee’s new etsy shop. I am just smitten with all the prints she’s selling (words straight from the minds and hearts (and blogs) of these fantastic ladies). I love how she did that. Just love.

Plus, I am eyeing that cream necklace.

So pretty!

I think I might be addicted to patterns? Just a thought. At any rate, I LOVE this DIY from A Beautiful Mess.

Now all I need is one of these cameras.

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Aaaaand I just realized I said “love” about 500 times in this post. But whatever, it’s the gosh honest truth.

And IT’S THE WEEKEND!

I’m heading to Maine tomorrow to spend time with Hannah and enjoy some of the snow they’ve gotten. I’m hoping for a beach walk (if possible) and a chance to take some more winter pics with my camera. I haven’t visited since summer, so I’m really looking forward to it… snow and all. Maine is one of my favorite places on earth.

Hannah + Maine = Happiness

What are you up to this weekend??