A to Z Celebrations Guest Post {Rose Ball Tutorial}

 

Today I’ve got Nancy from A to Zebra Celebrations here sharing a super fun tutorial!

 

Nancy Pfeifer is a talented mom and party planner from Arizona and founder of A to Zebra Celebrations and MyPartyIsOver.com, a place for everyone who loves to recycle and reuse party decor. She loves planning parties for her two daughters!

 

 

 

I have been meaning to write the tutorial for the rose balls I used in my daughter's party. 

A little story about these.  I was in Los Angeles, CA this past March.  I went shopping with my aunt.  We walked into this little store downtown and they had some gorgeous rose balls hanging from the ceiling.  I asked the clerk if they were for sale and she said "yes".  I told her I wanted 3 of the pink ones.  She told me "we are sold out, and we won't get any for another month".  I was devastated, because my party was in like 3 weeks!  I knew these would be perfect for the party.  I had no choice, but to try and make them myself.....ha!  Here's what I came up with and it's super easy, but you need to know that it took me over 7 hours to make these 3 balls... sooooooo much time!!! Materials: Roses, foam ball and glue gun.  (You can also spray paint the foam ball, but I did not)

 

 

 

 

Take the roses apart and get rid of all the greenery

 

 

 

 

Take your glue gun and add some to the stem

 

 

 

 

Stick it in the ball right away before your glue dries.  You will need to press hard and hold for a minute or two

 

 

 

 

Your rose will look like this when you let go

 

 

 

 

I added some hot glue inside the petals to make them look tighter

 

 

 

 

Then add another rose, and another, and another....until your ball is full

 

 

 

 

You want to stick them pretty close together so you have no white spots showing

 

 

 

 

And here's what your rose ball will look like!!

 

 

 

 

Here's where I used them for my daughter's party!  You can view all the pictures from her party HERE

 

 

 

 

I also used one of them for this zebra photo shoot and just put it on a candle holder

 

 

 

 

The possibilities for these gorgeous rose balls are endless!  I'd love to hang these in a nursery room, or use them for a wedding, you could also hang them above a desserts table, etc..etc...  Let your imagination come up with new ideas for these!!  Send me an email with pictures if you decide to make these and use them on your upcoming party!  I'd love to see them :) Feel free to ask any questions

 

 

Sponsor Young and Crafty in March

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Option #1 is a 150x150 ad space for $8.

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Great Spring Cleaning Tips {Guest Post}

 

  5 Spring Cleaning Tips

The weather’s getting warmer, and it’s almost time for everyone’s favorite yearly activity: spring-cleaning. If you’ve spent almost a year watching things pile up in your closets and garage, spring-cleaning is going to be difficult. But there’s nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it. With a little ingenuity and elbow grease, you can make your house as neat and organized as Martha Stewart’s. Lose the stress, and try out these five, simple tips while you’re cleaning out your house this year:

1. Get the whole family involved.

Ask your kids and spouse to help out. Oftentimes when it comes to cleaning, one person in the household has to do the majority of the work. This isn’t fair. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you live alone, you could ask one of your close friends or family members to come over to your place and help you out. Someone probably owes you a favor. Take advantage of it.

2. Break your cleaning up.

Don’t try to clean out your whole house in one day. It’s best to break up your spring-cleaning over the course of several weekends. For instance, you could work for a few hours every Sunday for a few weeks. If you clean in small chunks of time, you’re less likely to feel burned out and give up.

3. Work on the most difficult parts of your house first.

Start with the closets and then move to the kitchen and bathrooms. The closets are where you’re going to need to spend the most time deciding what you can get rid of. And you’re going to spend the most time organizing the closets. The kitchens and bathrooms are the areas that you’re probably going to have to scrub the most. Once you take care of the difficult areas, everything else will seem like a breeze.

4. Consider throwing a garage sale.

A garage sale will save you the trouble of having to transport large items like couches and TVs to your local thrift store if you want to get rid of them. And a garage sale will help you make some extra money you can use to treat yourself for being such a diligent spring cleaner!

5. Avoid putting everything that doesn’t fit in your house in the garage.

The garage should only be a temporary solution to alleviate clutter in your home. Try to only keep your cars, tools, and lawn care items in the garage. If you pile all of your unwanted stuff in there, you’re just going to have to clean it all up someday, which will probably be a complete nightmare.

Author’s Bio: Ryan is a guest post writer on the subjects of home organization, home window prices, and interior design trends. He’s also a real estate enthusiast who is specifically interested in homes for sale in Austin TX and Amberwood homes for sale.

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Free for All

Wow the weather has been gorgeous! Have you been outside enjoying it? I have as much as possible :)

Here are the fab features from last week:

Wood paneling was about as cool in the 80’s as bead board is now. It’s not really cool anymore. We have it in the living room and I hate it (even though it’s painted). ANYWAY… here is an excellent tutorial on how to add molding to your paneling. It turned out awesome!

I love these tips on how to get ready quick! Doesn’t she look fabulous?!

I love this sign… the colors and the quote are perfect.

And the most viewed link:

This pantry redo came a loooong way. And there is an amazing stencil in the back!

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Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Nursing Cover & Bib

 

 

A nursing cover and a monogramed bib are my go to handmade gift for new moms. I always find out if the mom is nursing and if she is, I make a nursing cover. I like to throw in a bib to match because they are easy to make and can be specialized.

 

 

I used the pattern from A Little Tipsy that I found on the great Pinterest. (Follow HERE)

 

 

The nursing cover is a compilation of patterns. I sort of just made up my own. It’s really not to difficult since it’s basically a giant square with a strap. I used Velcro so that it would be really easy to take on and off.

(If you want a tutorial for this, let me know and I can make one!)

 

 

And there you have it! A super easy gift for a new mom :)

 

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Linking Up To These Parties: Monday- Skip to my Lou Embellishing Life Craft-O-Maniac Its So Very Cheri Making the World Cuter C.R.A.F.T. The Girl Creative Tuesday- Sugar Bee Crafts Topsy Turvy Cakes Night Owl Crafting A Diamond in the Stuff Home Stories A to Z Today's Creative Blog Funky Polkadot Giraffe Wednesday-  Trendy Treehouse Fireflies & Jellybeans Saturday MorningsThursday- Somewhat Simple Paisley Passions What Allie's Making Now Christina's Adventures House of Hepworths Friday- Sassy Sites Fingerprints on the Fridge Tatertots and Jello Chic on a Shoestring Decorating  Sunday- Under the Table and Dreaming I Heart Nap Time

Free for All

It’s going to be a great weekend followed by a great week! I’m off of work Monday for Presidents Day. I’m out of school due to Mardi Gras break. (Yes, we do have that down here in Louisiana!) My sister is in town, my best friend is in town, and my brother in law! Can’t get much better :)

Here are the fab features from last week:

OMG is this not the cutest argyle hoody ever?! I want one!

This dresser would be so perfect in a beachy room… or any room for that matter!

I have great respect for quilters because it looks incredibly hard. This one is beautiful!

And the most viewed link:

Want to get in shape and eat better? This blog post has some great tips and motivation!

Please take a second and visit my sponsor for all of your cheesecloth needs!

http://www.cheesecloth.us/

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Dollar General Home Decor

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I just love a good deal and Dollar General is the place to find one. You can't beat a good Dollar Store. They offer a wide variety of home decor, housewares, kitchen tools, sheets and rugs.

 

These colorful rags come in such fun colors.

 

  

 

 

And they make me wish for spring. Is it every going to get here?! Everyone can use more rags around the house. For dishes, for cleaning, for bathing. They always come in handy.

 

Towels are another great option. Especially if you don't want to spend a fortune. Towels can be quite expensive but  not at Dollar General!

 

You can also find some of those everyday household items that you actually use everyday for a great deal. Who doesn't need more measuring cups? I think I use one at least once a day!

 

 

 

I would definitely spend a $1 to buy this measuring cup! What a great deal on something I would use almost every day.

 

Right now Dollar General is having a promotion until Feb. 19th. You can get a 50% off coupon  that can be used in Dollar General stores. What are you waiting for? That would make that measuring cup a mere .50 cents!!

Lucky Clover Specimen Art {Tutorial}

 

 

There are so many cool specimen craft projects out there and I’ve always loved the look of them. I finally whipped one up using a few of my new Lifestyle Crafts products. They have an amazing new line of products that they just released. I just love how easy their products are to use to whip up a quick project!

 

Now that I’ve finished this little project up, I have exactly 2 St. Patrick’s Day decor items. You can see the clover I made last year HERE.

 

Here’s how I made mine:

 

 

I grabbed an old frame that I’ve in my craft closet for, oh let’s just say a loooong time. I threw the glass out. You won’t be needing it.

 

 

I covered the cardboard part with white computer paper and glued it on.

 

 

I painted the outside of the frame a nice St. Patty’s day green. I then used my Lifestyle Crafts clovers to cut out all of the clovers and then grabbed my Cricut to cut out the lucky letters. I tried to keep the outsides of the clover where I could lift them up a bit.

 

 

And now it sits on my mantle, right next to my pink flowers for Valentine’s Day.

 

 

And as always, visit Lifestyle Crafts and get a 20% of discount with the code YOUNG!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linking Up To These Parties: Monday- Skip to my Lou Embellishing Life Craft-O-Maniac Its So Very Cheri Making the World Cuter C.R.A.F.T. The Girl Creative Tuesday- Sugar Bee Crafts Topsy Turvy Cakes Night Owl Crafting A Diamond in the Stuff Home Stories A to Z Today's Creative Blog Funky Polkadot Giraffe Wednesday-  Trendy Treehouse Fireflies & Jellybeans Saturday MorningsThursday- Somewhat Simple Paisley Passions What Allie's Making Now Christina's Adventures House of Hepworths Friday- Sassy Sites Fingerprints on the Fridge Tatertots and Jello Chic on a Shoestring Decorating  Sunday- Under the Table and Dreaming I Heart Nap Time

Free for All

My crafty mojo has left me lately. I’m hoping to get it back this weekend and get started on an estate sale find a few weekends ago. Here’s to hoping!

Here are the fab features from last week:

Making some type of menu board is on my “to do” list. I love this one!

This really awkward hallway got an amazing makeover. It looks awesome but I sure would hate to paint those stripes!

Oh my isn’t this the cutest little thing?! GREAT fabric choices!

And the most viewed link:

I actually posted this on Facebook and Twitter to share with you guys to. Looks like everyone was just as curious to learn great tips about thrift shopping to! Go check it out for a great read!

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

How to Hang Molding

 

 

This is one of those projects that I was scared to do. I’ve never hung molding before and was a total newbie.

 

First of all, don’t be scared to do this! I did it all by myself. Translation: the husband didn’t help. I wanted to give it a shot on my own and I am super proud of how it turned out!

 

I used Thrifty Decor Chick’s advice a lot. She has a great tutorial too. I’m going to give you my version, which is quite similar. I’m blessed that we have a miter saw and nail gun but this could easily be done with a miter box and an old fashioned hammer!

 

The hardest part is the measurements. Well, let’s just say it was the hardest part for me. I’m slightly mathematically challenged. I’m going to try to break this down as easily as possible.

 

 

So standing in my living room looking at the front door is the left side and the right side. I’ll explain the left side and the right is the same scenario.

 

First of all, I decided how many boxes I wanted before measuring. I don’t know if this is technically how you should do this but that’s what I did. I wanted 2 boxes on the left and 3 on the right.

 

The left side measured 70 inches. I knew that I wanted 3 inches to be between the middle of the boxes and on the outside where the boxes start.

 

Helpful hint:  When you measure, round to the closest inch. Unless someone has a super trained eye, they aren’t going to notice a 1/2 inch. TRUST ME this will make your life easier!

 

 

I subtracted 6 (for the sides) from 70. That left me with 64 inches. Then I subtracted the remaining 3 inches for the middle. That left me with 61 inches. All of those remaining 61 inches would be the boxes. Divide that by 2. That leaves the boxes being 30.5 inches in length (horizontal).

 

Whew. Are you with me? I hope that wasn’t to complicated!

 

Now it’s time for the width (vertical). From the bottom of the chair rail to the top of the base board measured 35 inches. This time you just need to subtract 6, 3 inches from the bottom of the chair rail to where the box starts and 3 inches from the bottom of the box to the top of the base board. That leave 29 inches for the width (vertical) of the box.

 

Ok, so now that we have the measurements let’s start hanging the molding. Each edge of the molding is cut into a 45 degree angle. It’s really easy to cut the angle the wrong way, so make sure you double and triple check. Yes, I did cut 2 pieces the wrong way!

 

 

You will want to find something to use that is 3 inches. I used a dowel and cut it down. If you don’t use something then you will have to awkwardly hold up a tape measure. Start at the top and put your dowel up.

 

 

While holding the molding in place, move the dowel to the top of the molding. Try your hardest not to move the molding. I then took the dowel and moved it back and forth from the left to the top several times to make sure everything was lined up correctly.

 

 

Put a nail in the top. This will hold the molding in place while you grab a level. You will be able to move the piece of molding around until it is perfectly level. AKA straight. Now you can put a nail in the middle and at the bottom.

 

 

Remember my helpful hint of rounding to the nearest inch? Here is an example of how it is a little off. No one will notice unless they keep a tape measure in their back pocket!

 

 

Now you are ready for another side. Fit your angle together and then grab your dowel. This is just to make sure you’re on the right track. Put a nail in on the side closest to the angle.

 

 

Grab that level again and move your molding until the magic bubble is in the middle. Put a nail in the middle and on the other end.

 

 

Don’t worry about the gap. That’s what spackle or filler is for!

 

 

And there you have it! I sure hope that this helped.

 

 

 

 

Now go forth and hang some molding!!

 

Thanks for stopping in :)