DIY Succulent Gift Idea

This past weekend for Mother's Day, I wanted to make a little something to bring to all the Moms in my family. I had the idea to give them each a succulent planted in a cute little pot, but I didn't really get my act together in time. Then my Mom (of course) had the brilliant idea to just cover the plastic pots they come in with cute fabric and ribbon. That way, everyone could plant them however they pleased. This was the perfect solution, so off to the nursery I went.

I purchased enough plants for each mother in our family. I chose a variety of succulents and a little cactus I thought was cute. You should be able to find these small, individual succulents at a hardware store or nursery for anywhere between $1-$3 each. If you're really on your game and plan ahead, you can order them online for even cheaper.

Since we were already up at my parents house, I knew I could find fabric in my Mom's sewing room. But depending on the look you're going for, you could find a similar neutral fabric like I used at your local fabric store or order online from Amazon. In addition to the plants and fabric, you will also need raffia (or ribbon) and small elastic bands to secure the fabric around the plant. I've listed step by step instructions with pictures below so that you can easily make these yourself.

Supplies - 
2" succulents or cactus plants
neutral fabric
scissors/rotary fabric cutter
iron
raffia
small rubber bands

1) The succulents I purchased were 2" so I cut my fabric into 7" squares. This way the fabric would extend over the top of the planter and gather at the sides.

2) Once you cut your fabric, iron them.

3) Now that you've prepared all the supplies, gather everything and started assembling.

4) Start by placing the succulent in the center of one of the fabric squares. Gather the fabric around the planter and secure with a small rubber band (I used white elastic, but clear or a color that matches your fabric is best). Now that you have the fabric secured, you can adjust how it's gathered at the corners to your liking.

5) Next, cut a few pieces of raffia to tie around the planter and hide the elastic band. Once you tie the raffia bow, trim the access.

That's it! So simple & easy!

I was going to use a little vintage fruit box to transport them to our Mothers Day brunch, but they didn't quite fill it up so I ended up using a basket. Which was perfect because then my nephew was able to help hand them out for me.

They turned even better than I expected, so I knew I had to take pictures and share on the blog. I realize that Mother's Day is now behind us, but these would also be a fun hostess gift or favors at a wedding or party. They would even be a great for gift coworkers during the holidays. The best part is you can totally customize them for your own purposes. Use fabric with a fun pattern and colorful ribbon, or coordinate with the decor and color palette if you're making them as favors.

Be sure to pin this for one of those times you need a last minute gift idea! They were a big hit with the ladies in my family, and I know I'll be making them again in the future. I think next time I will make them to use as place cards for a dinner party or brunch with friends!

A Gift For The Bride to Bea

As you know, one of my best friends in getting married in a few weeks. I wanted to do something extra special for her to celebrate this important time in her life. Gift giving is always something I've prided myself on. I love thinking of unique ideas that are especially meaningful for the recipient. And of course, this was no exception. 

In the past, I've made a sort of "brag book" for friends getting married. Which is basically a completed scrapbook filled with everything except pictures. There are pages for each event from the engagement, leading up to the wedding and honeymoon. All the bride has to do is add pictures as the events happen. However, I knew I wanted something more personalized and special for Erica. And I wanted it to be complete when I gave it to her.

I decided what better way to celebrate the bride, than to compile a book of memories from her closest friends. And what better time to present the gift than at her Bachelorette Party when almost everyone was together. 

Now, this gift isn't for the faint of heart! It takes a lot of prep time, and then of course time to assemble the final product. But the completed book, and the look on the brides face when she opens it, will be completely worth it! So, I'll walk you through the steps I took in case you'd like to create something similar for a bride in your life!

First, I used the email list for the Bachelorette Party, and added a few family/friends I knew were close to Erica. Then I sent out an email, explaining the gift and requesting that everyone please share a few pictures and a message to the bride. The message could be anything from a quote, to marriage advice, to memories shared with the bride if they wanted to be included in the book. I knew that it would take some time to get this back from everyone, so I sent the request a few months in advance. I sent periodic updates to those who I hadn't heard from, and kept a list of those who had replied. 

Many of the girls had trouble finding pictures, but thankfully our friend who had organized the Bridal Shower had a ton that she shared with me. I'm also a picture hoarder, so between that and what I could find on Facebook and Instagram, I gathered enough pictures for everyone. 

I organized the messages the girls sent in a word document, and sized them and used different fonts so each page was unique. I also organized all the photos and had them printed in a variety of sizes. I used to scrapbook a lot, so I have a lot of supplies laying around. And luckily, I even had a scrapbook, pages and page protectors to use for this project. But you can get everything you need at a craft store like JoAnns or Michaels. I did make a quick trip to the craft store for cute paper and stickers to embellish each page. 

Once I had all the pictures and messages printed, I cropped them down and used a corner cutter to round the edges. Since I mostly wanted the focus to be on the photos and messages, I selected a simple paper for the background, and arranged the photos and messages on top. Then I just added a sticker or two, and the name of the person that page was from. Each girl had their own page, and then I did a 2 page spread for the bridesmaids. Mostly because I am indecisive and have so many photos of the five of us, I couldn't fit everything on one page. 

I decided I wanted to start the book with something special, not just jump into the pages from friends. So the first page highlights their engagement. You can read more about their engagement on Erica's blog, but Corrie proposed in Utah while they were snowboarding on Christmas, and the ski resort photographer captured the whole thing! I also included a page of their engagement photos, which were taken by the lovely Stephanie at AT&T Park! Perfect for these two Giants fans! After the Engagement photos, I jumped right into the pages from all the Bride's friends and sisters. 

Missing a caption  on the right because she's a new mamma :) so I left a space to add it in later! 

I hope it's something that Erica's treasures forever! It was so fun looking over all the photos, and reminiscing. Most of us have been friends with Erica since high school or even elementary school, so you can only imagine some of the old pictures and memories! Hopefully this book reminds her of how many people love her, and how excited we all are for this new chapter in her life! It's proof of all the support she and Corrie have as they start their lives together!

One of the best parts was watching Erica open this after breakfast one morning in Palm Springs. No one had seen the completed book yet so all the girls were eager to see "their page" and laugh over the old pictures and memories we've all shared with Erica. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

If you have any questions about how I made it let me know! It's pretty straight forward, but I wanted to share the idea since I can't think of a Bride who wouldn't love receiving a gift like this!

DIY Growth Ruler

I've always loved crafts and DIY projects. There is something so rewarding about creating something beautiful and inspiring. I also love giving gifts that are unique, and come from the heart. This often means that I make gifts for family and friends, like you've seen here and here.

My DIY Pinterest board was the very first one I created, and this was one of my very first pins. Growing up, our parents measured us on the molding of our bedroom closet. My sister and I each had our own side, and I can remember lining up against the wall so our parents could see how much we had grown. Over time, the writing has faded, but I still love how that growth chart captures a bit of our childhood.

The only trouble is, when my sister and I were both out of the house, my parents wanted to re-do that bedroom for a proper guest room. I somehow convinced them to leave that one portion of trim unpainted, preserving our growth history.

The beauty of this DIY growth chart is that you can move it from room to room, or house to house. I am lucky in that my parents still live in the same house I grew up in. But I know that's not the norm. Most people move at least once throughout their childhood, and this is something they can bring with them.

For Phillip's first birthday, I knew this was something I wanted to make for his gift. At a year old, there is nothing you really need. Heck, pots and pats are as good a toy as any! But I thought this would be something he and his future siblings would enjoy years later, and I knew it was something his Momma (my sister) would love!

This project is actually quite simple, although a bit time consuming. I promise anyone can do it! It's also very affordable. The supplies you'll need for this project are:

6 foot board

Wood conditioner

Stain 

Sand Paper

Black Paint (I've also seen this done with black vinyl decals)

Straight edge

Measuring tape/ruler/yard stick

Sander

55 Grit and 220 Grit Sandpaper
Clear Enamel Spray

Picture hanging kit

Now, let's get started! 

I went to Home Depot to buy the supplies I didn't already have on hand. Specifically, I needed the board. I had planned to buy a pine board and have it cut to 6 feet. However, I lucked out and found a board in the discount bin that was roughly 6 feet. It was pretty beat up, but I actually like that about it, I knew once I sanded it down it would work perfectly for this project. And at 75% off, it came in at less than $3 for the board. Score! 

Once I was home with my supplies, it was time to start sanding. We have a small power sander, which made this process much quicker, but you can sand down your board by hand as well. Because mine was so beat up, I used a rough grit sandpaper, 55 I think. I went over the entire board (front, back & sides) thoroughly then wiped down the board to remove all the sawdust. I wanted a smooth surface, so I went over the entire thing again with a fine grit paper, 220. This gave me a silky smooth finish. Once I was done I used a damp cloth to make sure the board was completely clean and let it dry over night.

Next, I wanted to roughen up the board a bit. I found this big screw we use camping to stake Louis leash down, and just beat my board with it a little bit. I love the little ridges it created. I didn't go too crazy, but just wanted to add a bit of character.

The next step is to condition the wood. I had read on Young House Love that using a wood conditioner prior to staining helps give the wood a richer more even color. Since I was using the same stain as they had and I consider them experts, I followed their lead.

Once the conditioner was dry, it was time for stain. I selected Minwax Wood Finish in Dark Walnut, again because I liked this project on YHL so much. I applied the stain with a rag and let it sit for a few minutes before removing the excess. Lucky for me, I have a lot of staining experience. My Dad used to hire me to stain our 3 large decks when I was younger, I'll have to thank him for the lesson! Ok, getting off topic...

I let the first coat of stain dry over night, then went back to add a second coat, but only on the front side of the board. I figured that was all that mattered anyways. At first I was concerned the stain was too dark and that the black painted lines and numbers wouldn't show up. But after about 2 days drying in the garage, it was the perfect rustic color.

Now it's time to measure the lines to create our ruler. You want to start measuring at 6" to allow for space to hang the board on the wall. This means, your 1" foot mark, will only be 6 inches from the bottom of the board. Make sense? This is probably the most important step. It would be a shame to do all the work and have the measurements off.

I decided to use a tape measure to mark my board for the lines I would paint. I only made a mark every inch, I think it would look to busy adding more than that, but it's up to you. Andrew held the measuring tape in place for me while I used a pencil to mark where I would draw lines for every inch/foot along the board. Next, I went back with my straight edge and still using a pencil, drew my lines. For each of the 1" marks I made my lines 1.5" and for the marks at each foot, I made them a little longer at 3.5"

To make the black marks and numbers, I found a black paint pen at the craft store. I've also seen tutorials that use address numbers from the hardware store, or vinyl numbers they ordered from Etsy. It's personal preference, but I'll show you the method I used.

I saved the numbers for last, and started with the marks along the edge of my ruler. Originally, I thought it would be easiest to use painters tape to ensure I kept my lines straight. But that ended up being more of a pain than anything, I'd recommend using your straight edge to draw the lines, being careful to keep the length consistent. So, ignore the tape in the next photos :)

* that yellow picture-hanging level was my straight edge

Once you've done all your 1 foot marks, it's time to go back and mark every inch along the ruler using your measuring tape as a guide. Remember, start measuring at 6".

I lost the tape for the 1" marks, much easier!

For the numbers, I used the same method I used making the stool for Phillip at Christmas. First, I printed numbers in Word in Century font at 400pt. I then changed it to outline only, so it was just the outline of each number, 1-6. Once my numbers where printed I cut the paper down so it was just a small square around the number. I used a pencil to scribble on the back of the page, make sure you get full coverage on the entire back of each number. Next, flip your paper over where you'd like it placed on the ruler. Then simply trace the outline with pencil, this will transfer the pencil you scribbled on the back, making an outline of each number on the wood. Since my stain was dark, it was a bit hard to see. But the outline dark enough to trace with my paint pen. Once I colored in each number, I went back to do another coat. I also did a third coat on each mark along the side of the ruler and let it dry overnight.

It's very light because of the dark stain, but I was able to trace over it. 

I started with an outline first, then filled it in.

The final step is to use a clear coating to protect your project. I had seen this spray version on another blog, and decided to follow her recommendation. I did two coats on the front and sides of my growth ruler. I liked that it wasn't too glossy, and just gave a protective finish.

All finished! I was so happy with how this came out! It was exactly as I had pictured in my head, and I knew my sister would really like it. I couldn't wait to take it home for Phillip's birthday party!

Since this was a gift, I didn't hang it on the wall to get the "after" photos, but you can still see how great it turned out. Plus, it shows why you need to start the measurements at 6" to allow for the baseboards and any molding on the wall. 

To hang the growth ruler, there are a few options. I had seen examples of these hung with a picture hook on the back or screwed directly into the wall to ensure your little one doesn't pull it down. Once I told my sister about these two methods, she decided to do the later and just use black screws, and drill through the numbers so it wasn't noticeable. If you decided to use a picture hook, you could reinforce the bottom with heavy duty Velcro.

My sister hasn't had a chance to hang this yet, but here is a cute picture she snapped of Phillip with it. Now that he's walking it's hard to get him to hold still! I can't wait until they get it hung and mark his height at 1 year old!

Ignore his shirt!

If you have any questions let me know! It was really a simple project, anyone can do it!