The Violet Hours

Time for Confetti

{via I Spy with my Salad Eyes}

If you don't love confetti, you don't have a soul. Ok, maybe it's a mess to clean up, but even the cheesiest of metallic confetti has a glittery, sparkly, ephemeral impact. Check out these surprising ways to use it....

Put a packet of confetti in your wedding invitation. I'm beyond in love with this one that I found on Pinterest!

 

How awesome are these tube confetti throwers from Oh Happy Day? Love love love...

 

I still love the confetti gift wrap that I blogged about two years ago!

 

Love the look but hate the mess? Try a stamped table runner (you can use a pencil eraser, a wine cork, or a sliced carrot) that gives the illusions of confetti like this one from Love Luxe.

Time for Rocket Crafts

My 2.5-year-old Oliver loves rockets. He calls them rocket-planes because they fly like planes; they don't sail like ships. Der. He sees rockets in everything from a water bottle to a random pile of blocks loosely dropped into a pointed formation. So naturally I invented a rocket craft for my book...and after scouring the web for my competition, I'd say it's pretty original. Alas, I can't post it yet, so here are a few other ideas that I heart that aren't the typical cardboard tubes and streamer flames.

Rockets live so naturally on a garland, like the one above from Guusjes Appeltaart, a Dutch blog. She made stamps of rockets, stars, and flying saucers to create these gorgeous forms. I just love them.

 

Bonus points go to a rocket craft that can actually fly, like this cute project found on Dollar Store Crafts. You blow through the straw to make it soar through the air. Big fun.

 

Here is the elegant version of a rocket craft...those gold letters really take it up a notch! Apparently it's a party favor (so says the blog, My Garden Party).

 

Rockets make natural bookmarks because of their shape, like this one that I saw on Pinterest. Add a little weaving lesson that doubles as flames and you're ready for take off.

 

Now why haven't we seen this idea a gazillion times? It's genius...a cardboard rocket "playhouse". And notice, the aliens are made from bottle tops. It's pretty amazing and really gets me thinking about how I would do it. Nice work, Se7en!

ps...I promise to come back next week with a recap of Sommer's 1st birthday party, as promised! It's been a crazy week of book production!

Time for Map Crafts

I'm so attracted to maps, both for the actual use (navigation) and for their design and craft aesthetic. Obviously I'm not alone in this, as maps have been decoupaged on everything from coasters to lampshades. But these crafts, like this amazing map dress by Elisabeth Lecourt, are taking maps to new destinations...sorry, it had to be said!

This looks crazy hard I know, but I think the artist just covered this cardboard deer head in maps. Love. Found via Babble.

 

This could be a very cool abstract embroidered design, but it's actually the Paris Metro system. By Needle & Compass on Etsy.

 

I love the link between transportation and navigation with this folded paper map boat by d. Sharp Journal.

 

A travel scrapbook made with map pages? Yes. Found via Scrapbook.com.

 

Ok, so I'm ending with the decoupaged map chair found via Pins for Your Home because I just love it.

Time for DIY Play Money

I saw this adorable fabric play money on Estefi Machado's blog (one of my favorite craft blogs that happens to be in Portugese), and it inspired a search for other clever homemade play money. She used a really cool technique...she coated a piece of cotton in spray mount, let it dry, then ran it through the printer. (At least this is how I understood the google translation.) Being on fabric save them from wrinkles and rips. Here are a few other clever DIY money crafts that caught my eye...

These homemade wooden coins by Lil Blue Boo are super cute: I love that they are in denominations of treats, rather than money amounts.

 

What's better than a kid seeing her own mug in the center of currency? I love the iron-on and stitched details of this homemade play money.

Time for Jar Lid Crafts

I save every jar, every lid, every bottle cap...my husband is about to go insane! But if ever there is a post to prove that my obsessive hoarding of trash has a point, it's this one. Here are 6 lovely, clever ways to upcycle jar lids.

This fringe technique that Design*Sponge is showing is what makes these lids looks so smooth and perfect. Love.

I love people that embroider the unexpected, like these lovely jar lids that I found on Pinterest.

 

What I love about this amazing owl craft found via Recycled Aw Blog is that the lid isn't painted, covered, or disguised in any way.

 

Are you serious? You can bake a tart in jar lids? I would probably never do it, but that's just amazing. Found via Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body.

 

I've seen a gazillion jar lights, but never have I seen a light with just the lid. Found via Pinterest.

 

How cute is this printable jar-lid matching game from Smashed Peas & Carrots?

Time for Last Minute Easter Egg Crafts

We are just 3 days away from the official Spring kick-off...Easter. By now you should have made some eggs or planned what you were going to make on Sunday, but if you don't have more specialty craft supplies on hand like rubber cement or candy sprinkles, then just use your basic craft supplies...Tim Gunn would say it's a make-it-work moment!

Colored pencils on eggs by Fine Little Day—seriously simple, seriously gorgeous.

 

Sharpie pens on Easter eggs by Mom.me! Yes!

 

I'm crazy about the soft, washy quality of watercolor Easter eggs. Two lovely examples by Spoon Fork Bacon and Oh Happy Day.

Time for Pom-Pom Bunny Crafts

It doesn't have to be Easter to get the hankering to craft a bunny. But you do have to have pom-poms on hand to make any bunny craft worth his weight in carrots. Whether it's the whole body, the tail, or just the nose, listen up: pom-pom(s) required. Here are some of my faves...

 

This cutie-patootie little bow-tied cupcake topper bunny by Oh Happy Day is just the perfect amount of cute.

 

Not for the faint of craft, this pom-pom bunny by Jennifer Murphy is lovingly described in 18 "simple" steps.

 

Sweet and simple...I'm in love with this book-page and pom-pom bunny by Dekotante Rock My Home.

 

Just the noses...that's all the pom-pom you need to give these envelope bunnies a soft touch. By Martha Stewart.

 

What a clever little party favor! Give your Easter guests a pom-pom necklace buy displaying it as the tail of a paper bunny. By B. Jane Brewing.

Time for Easter Candy Decorations

I'm usually very anti- the idea of decorating with sugary, edible items as craft materials for all the obvious reasons...the waste, the insect-attraction factor, the potential for decomposition. But honestly, Easter has me rethinking this rule of thumb. And I think because you don't typically leave Easter decorations up for weeks on end, it's totally excusable. Pass the Peeps please!

I made these sprinkle and icing Easter eggs for Parents magazine a bunch of years ago. They are so much fun to make, and there a ton of different techniques! I used corn syrup as glue...worked better than hot glue!

Martha Stewart always takes Easter to a different place. I wouldn't let my kids anywhere near these beautifully styled jars of Easter candy!

 

What's prettier than a sugary, gumdrop wreath like this one from A Pretty Cool Life? Just shellac it and save it for Christmas!

 

I love the idea of using candy-dot paper strips as easter basket decor like this one from Parents magazine (ok, I know...but I used to work there!).

 

You can't talk about Easter candy decorations without Peeps. This sweet topiary by Country Woman magazine is amazingly easy to make. Go ahead and use your glue gun on this one...who wants to eat peeps anyway?

Time for 10 Amazing DIY Birthday Party Hats

I find no reason whatsoever to buy a party hat. Wait, let me rephrase that. I find no reason to buy a party hat without jazzing it up! It's totally legit to buy the paper ones and doll them up, or, just download a hat template and make it from scratch. But of course that all depends on how many you need to make. My daughter's first birthday party is in two weeks and to be honest, I don't feel the need to make a hat for everyone...just for her. So, since I'm only making one, I can really dedicate some time and thought to it. Let's explore the world of homemade party hats, shall we?

1. Never would I ever make this hat from Wedding Chicks for a 1-year old baby (glitter in the eyes, mouth, ears, cake, etc), but I love love love the ombre affect! I think I would try something a little cleaner with some glitter paper from American Crafts and glitter tape from Shop Sweet Lulu.

 

2. These DIY party hats from Oh Happy Day are soft and lovely and feel so right for a darling 1-year-old girl on her birthday.

 

3. These DIY printable party hats from Chic Mother & Baby couldn't be simpler. Download the design, print, cut and glue! And they are pretty precious!

 

4. Love the bling! These homemade party hats from Glee Projects would be perfect for New Year's Eve...or in brighter colors for Sommer's first birthday party hat!

 

5. I'm all about repurposing, and these paper-cup party hats from Real Simple are totally adorable and so, so simple!

 

6. I'm kinda loving these butcher paper, marker, and pipe cleaner hats from Salsa Pie. The combo of the glittery pipe cleaners with the plain ole brown paper is genius. What a fun craft for kids!

 

7. Again, another totally unpredicable combo of silver and wood grain by Creative Jewish Mom. But it works so well, especially with those pops of pink and yellow.

 

8. I love the idea of putting party hats on the favors! Saw this today at Shop Sweet Lulu's blog! (Read this post...I love that this party centered around this orange cat from Ikea...colors, theme, the whole bit!)

 

9. A party hat made from an ice cream cone? Yes please! Made by the brilliant ladies of One Charming Party.

 

10. A classic Martha Stewart Living masterpiece, these DIY party hats are made by gluing 2 circles together!

 

Time for Easter Egg Craft Smarts

Really and truly, I could come up with dozens of topics for Easter egg posts...animals eggs, people eggs, egg totems...but I feel the need to think outside the shell a little bit. Today, I've chosen to feature egg crafts that are a specific color for a specific reason. Huh, you ask? Take a look...

 

As a New Yorker, the brilliance of these MTA Subway eggs just can't even be put into words. I'm just mad I never thought of it. Made by The Soho.

 

Oh Pantone, how we love to use you as a motif! How About Orange dyed eggs, then accurately matched them to her Pantone chips. Smart lil lady.

 

Leave it to Martha Stewart to bring color theory into Easter egg crafting. And turn out a gorgeous, modern result. Found via Present & Correct.