Disco Love Sign

We just can't get enough of love… and since love is all you need (as the song goes) we're going a little crazy with our love signs. Plus, these silver sequins were just calling my name. Since y'all have been trying out the gold love sign, we decided why not give another love sign a try, but give our fingers a rest and make it easier? The result is just as spectacular and totally reminded me of a disco ball (the effect is something you have to see - it's hard to photograph how fun these letters are!), the directions just as simple, and your fingers will be happy that we don't use wood with this sign. Yes, it still takes some time to make, but I just caught up (once again) on tv shows. Win/win for crafting and a Downton Abbey weekend! Supplies:

sequins - choose any color you like sequin pins - I had to return others - these worked the best thimble - used to push the pin into the cardboard. It's easy, but you'll definitely need one! cardboard letters - I used 8" size brush & paint in same color as sequins

Directions:

1. Paint your letters and let dry. 2. Pin sequins on letters. Space them as close together or as far apart as you would like for the effect you desire. Obviously, the closer together, the longer it will take. Note that the sequins on our L are closer together than the sequins on our E to give you an idea.

That's really it! Like I said, this is a VERY simple project, but a little tedious. To make it easier, I placed my sequins in a cup, my pins and thimble in another cup, and put them both on a tray with my letters to carry from room to room. I finished over the weekend and it was a project I picked up whenever I sat down to watch tv, whether on the couch or in bed. Each letter took about 45 minutes with lots of interruptions. Enjoy, and let us know how it goes!

xo ~kim

Calligraphy made easy

In my childhood, I used to get these strong thoughts in my head about how talented I would be at something. I had this vision in my head of me becoming the next famous softball player, scrabble player, or baton twirler and begged my parents for lessons or to join a local team. My parents knew that these things probably wouldn't be my cup of tea and that I might embarrass myself in the process, but they let me take lessons and learn my lesson the hard way. I joined a local softball team and almost broke my hand by putting my hand in front of my glove to catch the ball (why!?), I lose at almost scrabble games (I still love it though), but my my mom  put her foot down when it came to baton twirling lessons, thank goodness. And now I'm not even sure why I was interested in taking those!

But I am totally into calligraphy and one of my goals this year is to become super-amazing at calligraphy. I recently took a class on SkillShare and haven’t looked back since, which you've probably noticed on our Instagram. I think this might actually be my thing. In fact, I might be {one day, if I practice} pretty good at it. *gasp* So since I’m basically a calligraphy prodigy (haha) I figured I better fill you in on a few tips since calligraphy is totally trending right now!

WHAT YOU NEED TO START CALLIGRAPHY:

Things to know :

-This is not your grandmother's calligraphy. But it can be if you want it to be. There are all styles of calligraphy, and I happen to like modern… not traditional.

-Calligraphy supplies really aren’t that expensive. You need:

• nibs
• pen
• paper
• ink

-You do not have to have amazing handwriting to start calligraphy. If you practice your style enough then you can totally pull it off!

-Calligraphy is super messy, at least for me. Make sure you aren’t writing on a nice desk, because ink will most likely be splattered all over it, and not in a chic way.

-Practice makes perfect, so practice, practice, and practice some more.

Places to learn calligraphy :

-Skillshare > search Calligraphy.  This is where I learned. Since I loved it so much, I'm going to be take more classes, maybe here, maybe one of the awesome places below, to keep learning! Uh, maybe this summer when school slows down. Junior year is buuussssy.

-Fake it ‘till you make it - not really calligraphy, it's, wait for it… how to fake it. Or if you want a true short cut, just buy the font.

-I still love Calligraphy - I don't know much about this, but it looks pretty.

-LH Calligraphy has a a super-cute starter kit on Etsy and a gorgeous Instagram! The price is reasonable too.

photo via LH Calligraphy

Please let us know if you try any classes and what you think of them, plus tag us and show us your calligraphy skills on Instagram! xo ~chloe

IF YOU ENJOY THIS: check out How to Make A GIF {without Photoshop}

Candy Lollipops, Part 2

We're back with more lollipop ideas! We had so much fun making glitter lollipops, that we decided to get even sweeter this time around with candy lollipops. They're easy to make (see the recipe here) and you just add in the candy you like - so we chose red hots and candy hearts for Valentine's Day. This time around we decided to use  candy molds which gave our lollipops the perfect round shape. Our friend, and newbie blogger Christy at The Bourbon Blush {be sure and show her some love} lent us her candy molds, but you can find them here: balloon sucker molds or round sucker molds.

Have fun cooking up a sweet treat and enjoy your candy lollipops!

Glitter Lollipops, Part 1

As a lover of all things Etsy, all things gold, and anything glittery that doesn't make a mess, it was true love when I discovered Sweet Caroline Confections glitter lollipops. Of course, the first thing that popped in my head was, "I could make those!" Typically, you know the drill, about 50% of our DIYs never make the pages of our blog, but make good stories for Chloe and I to laugh about… later. Once we get over the frustration of having tried to recreate something. But these glitter lollipops are fun and easy to make, and color customizable like our Marshmallow Pops.

Even if our Glitter Lollipops aren't the perfectly round, clear perfection we saw on Etsy, ours are perfect for Valentine's Day (or just change the glitter color and customize them for any occasion, from weddings to prom parties to baby showers, reveal parties, and bar mitzvahs). The possibilities are endless, which is what we adore about the this glittery confection, besides the fact that it only has a few ingredients and is simple to make once you master the technique of the what I prefer to call the "slow pour."  So let's get started!

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar 2/3 cup light Karo corn syrup 1/4 cup water edible glitter of your choice {you will also need lollipop sticks, a candy thermometer, and a bowl partially filled with ice water set aside}

Directions:

1. Prepare your work area since it is important that once your candy has finished cooking you can work quickly:

a. If you have granite or marble countertops, lay parchment paper directly on them in long strips. We found this the best method to work quickly. If not, then use cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. (Note: we tried using Silpat, but ended up with a pattern on our lollipops from the sheets. Yours may not make a pattern, so feel free to try it!)

b. Sprinkle your glitter in 3" circles about 3" apart in 2 rows so that lollipop sticks can face in opposite directions and lay completely flat. If you are using candy, then you can place candy into the lollipops after pouring.

2. Place sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan with a pouring spout. Stir until the sugar is dissolved while bringing to a boil.

3. Once boiling, place your candy thermometer in the pot and use a pastry brush to wash down the sides so crystals don't form.  Do not stir, but boil until mixture registers 300 degrees to 310 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, about 5 - 7 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and set in the bowl partially filled with ice water for 15 seconds. It will steam loudly! You want most of the air bubbles to be gone, but don't want the mixture to cool off to much because then it won't pour well - and it cools very quickly!

5. Pour very slowly in the middle of each glitter circle until a circle is formed and press in lollipop sticks. Let sit until completely cooled.

Note: I did re-warm the syrup over the lowest heat to soften it slightly when it began to harden. Also, clean-up is easy if you soak everything in very hot soapy water.

Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com 

And, if you noticed the title, it says Part 1, so yep, we had so much fun making these, that we'll be back for more ideas after we order a few supplies (hint-hint) for more Glitter Lollipop goodness!

xox, Kim

IF YOU ENJOY THIS: check out our Calligraphy Made Easy & Drink Stirrers

Wrapping Pt. 2: "Snowglobe" Gift Tags

So we've got our gifts wrapped in a cute wrapping (see our pompom gift wrap) and now it's time for gift tags. We chose to make tags inspired by snow globes. They are not actually snow globes, but these holiday tags totally remind us of them! Shake them up and watch the confetti (or whatever you choose to put inside them) move around. Here's how we made them. Step 1: Gather your supplies:

*we used plastic baggies, but you can use any clear covering such as vellum paper which will give them an "artsy" faded look. We think it would great over a black and white photo with gold glitter "snow"!

Step 2: Make confetti (use a hole punch) or make gold or silver pieces from tinsel or garland. You can also use glitter.

Step 3: Cut a baggie and use one side as a "wrap" for your tag. You'll be folding it over the top of your tag, so the size baggie you'll need will depend on the size of your tag. We also used vellum paper which gives a completely different look and feel… and the glitter moves more freely without the static from the plastic.

Step 4: Make your gift tags or put names on store bought gift tags. We cut corners on our rectangular tags to make them look extra-special gift taggy. (That's a word, right?)

Step 5: Use your tape (not pictured in the supplies, oops!) on the back of the gift tag to secure a layer of the baggie on all but one side of the gift tag. On the open side, insert pieces of tinsel, confetti, glitter, etc. Then close the final side and secure. The first photo below (Merry) is using vellum. The others are using plastic.

To attach your gift tag to your gift, be creative! We found these adorable mini clips and decided to spray paint them white to attach them to some gifts. Since the back of our tag isn't as gorgeous as the front, it could also be glued or taped to the gift wrap and the entire gift could be shaken (it's non-breakable!). Whatever you use, make sure your tag can move to show how the tinsel shimmers and shines!

That's it… simple, fast and fun. Enjoy!

Ravishing Wrapping Pt. 1: Pom Pom Gift Wrap

This pom pom gift wrap is our favorite of the year, which is no surprise considering it's Anthropologie inspired. It's so easy to do, but makes such a statement! And check back soon to see how we made our gift cards. They are so much fun and "snow globe" inspired… meaning just shake them up for a little fun. Now, on to the pom pom gift wrap!

Step 1: Gather your supplies: a wrapped present, glue dots and pom poms in your choice of color.

Step 2: Apply glue dots to your wrapped package. Wrapping in craft paper v. white paper or geometric paper is going to give a completely different feel to your finished pom pom gift wrap. Have fun deciding on your look.

Step 3: Apply pompoms to the glue dots and admire! I like a pattern, while Chloe likes random placement. We ended loving them both though.

We're not sure which is more fun… wrapping or unwrapping. Or coming up with ideas for making presents look cute! Have fun and don't forget to check back for our gift tag idea soon. We hope you love it as much as we do!