The Violet Hours

Time for Craft Supply Storage

As I'm thinking about moving into my new apartment (today—woot!) I'm trying to figure out how I am going to solve the ever-consuming problem of organizing my craft supplies. It's daunting, really, so this blog post is a very self-serving one.

 

 

If you are a crafter, you know that it's painful to throw out a 3x3-inch piece of paper. I love this idea from The Crafts Dept.—store your scraps in presentation sleeves by color. 

Oh to have such a manageable collection of materials! If only I had 10 sheets of scrapbook paper, 4 pairs of scissors, or four spools of twine, only then could my craft space look like this. But this photo does display one of my fave storage ideas...the jars mounted underneath a shelf. Found on Ohdeedoh.

Chez Larsson came up with this precious way to store materials. She took photos of her materials and decoupaged the print-outs to wooden Ikea drawers.

Time for a Cupcake Party

My friend Amanda asked me to help with her daughter Sophia's 8th birthday party, and I was thrilled to start the brainstorm with her. Sophia had already decided on a cupcake decorating theme, so I just had to help fill in with some details. Check out the cuteness that ensued...

We decorated Amanda's sun-filled apartment with these gorgeous sewn paper garlands from Mahar Dry Goods. I think I could live with these on my wall year-round.

 

Before the decorating began, each baker got a blank white apron with a set of fabric markers from Oriental Trading. (The birthday girl is on the right with one of her besties.)

  

The kids arrived at their work station to find a naked cupcake atop these cute stands from Hello Hanna (I'm a big fan of cupcake stands). They also got their own bowl, spoon, and spatula to mix up their icing.

 

In just minutes, the table was a beautiful mess of colored icing, sprinkles, and confectioners sugar!

    

    

A few finished cupcakes having their moment on their little pedestals.

  

The sugar has officially kicked in!

Everyone got to decorate 2 cupcakes, one to eat on the spot and one to take home in these perfect boxes from Bake It Pretty.

Big time thanks to Amanda, Sophia, and her sweet friends for letting me crash the party! (And also, check out Amanda's amazing handmade sweaters-knitted by her mum-on her website, Fairy Bread for Kids.)

Time for Easter Eggs

As a magazine craft editor, I have to tackle Easter eggs every year. And seriously, it's a massive challenge for me to reinvent this tradition. So instead of slaving over it myself, I hire brilliant crafters to tackle the egg. Need new, easy ideas? Look no further...

You have to visit Chez Larsson to see how she made these adorable egg crafts!

These precious egg cozies were made by the brilliant Susan B. Anderson for Parents magazine. They are little baby socks, felt, and pompoms—genius!

  

Another amazing use of Happy Tape, Suzonne Stirling (check out her lovely blog, Urban Comfort) made these amazing (and refreshingly simple) eggs for Family Circle. Gorgeous!

You can't ignore Martha Stewart when it comes to decorating eggs. Check out these cuties from her April 2010 issue.

Time for a Cozy Fort

After a crazy-long and crazy-busy week, all I want to do is crawl into one of these with a good book and a pillow. And a box of Junior Mints.

Found via The The Bean and The Bear, via A Beautiful Mess

Via Booooooom from their fort contest.

via Anna Inghardt

found via loveology

Check out Oh Hello, Friend for even more cozy, curl-upable nooks. Have a lovely weekend!

Time for Word Garlands

There is no occasion that is ill-suited for a garland. They can convey a color, design, theme, or, in the case of these lovely examples, a message.

  

Off the beaten path phrases from Banter Banners. 

Christmas carol banners from Katie Did.

A simple birthday garland made from circles cut from cereal boxes, baker's twine, and letter stickers (no glue needed...just use the sticker to attach string to cardboard). From Parents Magazine.

How Sweet It Is, for real, from Simple Song.

Time for Measuring Tapes

I have a thing for them; don't know why, but I do. Maybe it's the even spacing, or the dashed lines, or the simple and familiar font. Clearly, I'm not alone...

Pretty Linen Measuring Tape ribbon from Cotton Blue, found via The Long Thread.

I've loved this birth announcement idea for a long time. Of course, it's from Martha. 

Clever: a lamp made from measuring tapes. Cute for your craft room? Found on A Dress a Day.

A gift bow made from a measuring tape? Why not? Found in Canny Belle's Etsy store. 

Cute bangle from Cupcakes Polka Dots on Etsy.

And lastly, for a practical use of this ubiquitous tool, mount a measuring tape on the edge of your work space. You'll never fumble for a ruler again. Oh Martha!

Time for Party in a Box

I am usually not a fan of the packaged party thing; I'm a DIY girl after all. I'm constantly getting press releases and pitches for "party in a box" sets that just do it all for you. Now, I'm not a mom yet, and I know most moms out there say that sometimes is just easier to buy a kit. Well, if you must do the grab-n-go thing, at least spring for something as cool as Banter and Frolic. Check out these sweet party kits.

The Carnival is in Town contains (among other things) hot dog holders, popcorn bags, pinwheels, and ticket strips.

The Grandstand Sports Party comes with sporty drink holders, paper to make cones, pennants and sandwich holders. 

Off Limits Construction Party comes with construction tape, straw tags, construction tape, and icon food toppers. 

Standard with each party comes invitations and a manual (yes, a how-to manual for setting up your party-in-a-box). Sad that you'd have to order from an online Australian site (hello, shipping costs!), so if you must have a kit made in the USA, go for the precious ones by Meri Meri. 

(But really, if you have any questions about kids' parties, leave a comment; it's my specialty!)

Banter and Frolic found via LMNOP.

Time for Humor

I've been trying to think of a way to group these hilarious posts from Unhappy Hipsters into a round-up, but honestly, they are just too good to water down with anything else. The writers take images from design magazines and sites and pen new captions for them. As someone who has worked on a ton of photo shoots trying to make scenes look "real", trying to find the "humanity", these make me laugh out loud.

It became his morning ritual. He woke, stepped to the window, and fantasized about the day he would be free of his knotty-pine cell.

(Photo: Hertha Hernaus; Dwell, July/August 2008)

Babe, look! It says here that some people live in trailers, intentionally, without a hint of irony.

(Photo: Wallpaper magazine)

There are certain sacrifices one has to make when choosing a designer environ. The ability to comfortably recline tops the list.

(Photo: Celine Clanet; Dwell, February 2010)

Rosebud’s patience wore thin. Was the door open or closed? She refused to suffer the humiliation of guessing.

(Photo: Jason Schmidt; Dwell, February 2010)

Time for Trompe L'Oeil

Trompe-l'œil is an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects appear in three dimensions, instead of actually being a two-dimensional painting.

I really have no words to introduce these amazing creations. These photos say it all...

 

Rita's Living Room, made of all plywood. Found via Paper n' Stitch.

 

 

Charlotte Mann creates these using only Sharpies. For reals. Spotted on Life in Parallel.

Inspired Goodness decorated their booth at a trade show with this awesome butcher paper mural.

Time for Dollhouses

Today I have houses on the mind because yesterday, I closed on my very first apartment! Yes, my husband and I are now Brooklyn homeowners and I'm giddy, exhausted, elated, and yes, a little nervous. But mostly elated.

My sister and I had a few dollhouse incarnations as kids (including the Glamour Gals cruise ship that we loved), and we were very fastidious about our decorating choices. Ok, not much decorating happened on the Lido deck, but our next project was a dollhouse taller than we were—a Doll-Mansion, I'd say. My most distinct memory was hanging a locket-size photo of our Uncle Dore on the living room wall.

So as I begin to dream about decorating plans for my real-life home, I'd like to take a look at where the dollhouse has gone in the last twenty years. (My skills would be so refined if I'd had any of these!)

I saw the Emerson house by Brinca Dada at Toy Fair this year. Ridiculously amazing. Really. It even has sliding glass doors, 2 fireplaces, and solar panels. It's so 2010. Check out their mini-furniture too.

This fold-able dollhouse from Ferm Living is totally the opposite. It's design is super-simple yet full of imagination and possibility. Found via Decor8.

Here's minimal for you. This clean shape designed by Eva Shildt for Playsam is soft, yet modern. For the simple child. Found via Minor Details.