Holiday

Twigs and Berries Fall Door Decor

September 8, 2014 by Bre 36 Comments

Like it or not, fall is in the air.

I like it. A lot.

So it’s no surprise that I am thrilled to be getting my home ready for the new season. Last year I barely plunked a pumpkin on my porch because all of my fall decor was in storage during our basement remodeling project. This year will be totally different! My home will look like a scarecrow vomited copious amounts of harvest-themed decor all over it.

One item that I already added to my backdoor was this cute little guy I made with some twigs I lifted from my neighbor’s yard.

Fall door decor made with branches and berries. Average But Inspired

OK, they weren’t actually twigs – it was actually more like a tree limb that I took from my neighbor’s yard. (Trust me – I waited until I was sure nobody was around to see me dragging this thing into my house. I looked like a lunatic. Even my daughter asked what was wrong with me. Look at her face – you can tell she thinks I’m crazy.)

Once I sawed my tree limb into twigs of appropriate sizes, I got to work making my door decor.

I used the following supplies (please note that some of these are affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)

First I hot glued my twigs together to form the letter I wanted. Then I wrapped the joints with twine to give some extra hold.

Next, I drew lines on my canvas so that I could paint stripes on it with my gold acrylic paint. You could obviously paint your canvas however you like.

When I filled in those lines, I loved how it looked! The gold was subtle but added a little interest to the plain canvas. Perfect.

Next, I hot glued a small artificial berry sprig to my letter, and tied some twine around the base. Then I hot glued the entire thing to the front of my canvas.

Finally, I cut two strips of fabric and hot glued them to the back of my canvas so that I would have a way to hang my letter decor.

So simple and so fun. I made this entire thing in just about an hour.

It is a perfect touch of fall for my back door.

If you have an unfortunate last name that begins with a curvy letter, you may not be able to do this project, or you may have to get super lucky and find some bendy twigs in the yard. I’ll cross my fingers for you.

– Bre

DIY Ribbon Wands: Glow-in-the-Dark Parade Wands

June 24, 2014 by Bre 1 Comment

Make your Fourth of July parade or fireworks experience even more special with these glow in the dark ribbon wands or parade wands! Kids love them!

Do you have your Fourth of July plans in place yet? I do not. I have no idea what we’re doing except that we will be watching fireworks at some point, somewhere!

I’m always a little nervous about the Fourth of July because my husband wants to set off like a million fireworks, despite the fact that we live in a congested area, and practically on top of our neighbors.

He also thinks that it’s okay for our little kids (ages 2 and 4) to use sparklers and those things you throw on the ground that snap, crackle and pop (no – not Rice Krispies . . . those weird smoke things).

Anyway, I can barely light a candle without freaking out, so I am not into my kids playing with sparklers and all that jazz. So . . . I made them some safe ribbon wands (or “firework wands”) that GLOW IN THE DARK! Perfect for use while watching the fireworks displays!

These patriotic DIY ribbon wands are also PERFECT for that 4th of July parade (or Memorial Day parade) you may be heading to! Of course any parade will probably be during the day, so you won’t need the glow in the dark feature for that.

DIY Parade Wands Supplies

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Wood dowels
Acrylic paint (I used red craft paint and bright blue craft paint)
Glow in the Dark craft paint
Red, white, and blue ribbon OR scrap fabric
Small screw-in eye hooks
Foam stars
Paintbrush
Scissors
Hot glue gun

How to Make DIY Ribbon Wands for the 4th of July

These were super easy to make and my kids are really excited about them! My daughter wants to “share them with all of her friends.”

Paint the Dowels

Start by painting wood dowels the colors of your choice. I went with red and blue because, America.

Once that paint is dry, cover the dowels with the glow in the dark paint. And don’t worry – this glow in the dark craft paint dries clear, so it won’t distort the color of your parade wands!

Attach the Ribbon or Fabric

Next, carefully screw one eye hook into the top of each dowel.

Cut the ribbon or fabric to the desired length (and width, if necessary).

Then, push the ribbon strips or fabric strips through the eye hook, and tie all of the pieces into one knot.

Embellish the Parade Wand

Finally, fire up that hot glue gun and attach a patriotic embellishment to cover the knot in the ribbon or fabric.

I used foam table scatter stars, and they were perfect for making these ribbon wands extra festive!

Aren’t they cute?

I love that I was able to use up leftover fabric for these, but I think they’d be adorable with patriotic ribbon, too.

Have a safe, happy, and fun Fourth of July!

Patriotic Paper Straw Stars: Crafts with Paper Straws

June 10, 2014 by Bre 12 Comments

Looking for crafts with paper straws? Try these paper straw stars! This paper straw craft idea is easy for all ages.

I love America and all, but I don’t usually decorate for the Fourth of July.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

However, while rummaging through my cabinets the other day, I found some red and white paper straws that I’d purchased for a baby shower two years ago. I looked at them and had a crazy idea that I could turn them into stars.

You Might Enjoy These Other Patriotic Craft Project Ideas!

So I cut some paper straws in half, threaded five pieces onto floral wire, and bent them into shape (tying the ends of the wire together and cutting the excess).

Amazing! I knew they were the start of something that would show my USA pride.

Feeling very proud of my paper straw stars, I then decided to play with fire and make a “firework” of sorts. (OMG. What a terrible joke.)

I used a large circular hole punch to make two large scrapbook paper circles, and then I glued portions of paper straws to one of the circles. I then topped those straws with the other circle and some sparkly letter stickers. BOOM!

And finally, I made some crazy curly fireworks by cutting a circle with my circle punch and then cutting the circle into a spiral.

I glued those paper curls onto paper straws to create these guys. They bring the party to the arrangement.

I stuck all my straws into one of those green floral foam blocks and topped it with some leftover Christmas wrapping paper shreds.

SO EASY, but I think Uncle Sam would approve of this Fourth of July decor – how about you?

5 Simple DIY Easter Hostess Gifts to Make

April 17, 2014 by Bre Leave a Comment

Looking for a way to thank someone for hosting you for Easter brunch or dinner? Here are six simple DIY Easter hostess gifts to make today!

Easter is right around the corner!

I’m excited to celebrate this wonderful holiday with people I love. I’m also excited that I’ve been trusted with bringing a vegetable dish to this year’s celebration. I’m now a “grown up.”

In addition to my vegetable dish, I will be bringing a hostess gift. This will further solidify my status as an adult, and will also show my mom how thankful I am for her hard work and her effort in preparing our special Easter meal.

If you’re lucky like me and don’t have to host an entire Easter brunch or dinner, perhaps you’ll want to bring an easy Easter hostess gift, too.

This post was originally published in 2014, but updated in 2026.

Easy DIY Easter Hostess Gifts to Make

I love DIY hostess gifts because I think they show that you put extra thought into what you are giving the recipient. And, there are plenty of simple yet beautiful DIY Easter hostess gifts to make: all of them are easy!

DIY Easter Hostess Gifts to Make

Don't show up empty-handed this Easter Sunday! Here are easy Easter hostess gifts you can make to thank your host and show your appreciation.

Bunny Napkins

Purchase some adorable fabric napkins for your Easter brunch hostess, and fold them to look like bunnies! Not only will this gift work for Easter Sunday, but she'll be able to use them for any other occasion.

Customized Hand Soap Set

Surprisingly, this is a Dollar Tree DIY hostess gift! Use an electronic cutting machine, like a Cricut, to monogram a hand towel with the host or hostess' initials, and add some flair to a dollar store soap dish and soap - also with added embellishments.

White Chocolate Popcorn (Easter Mix)

Make a large batch of this delicious white chocolate Easter popcorn and package it in a darling container for a fantastic Easter hostess gift that will satisfy her sweet tooth.

DIY Bunny Planters

Upgrade a flower pot with felt bunny ears, and include a succulent as a kind way of wishing your hostess a Happy Easter!

DIY Egg Shaped Soap

Handmade soaps in an egg carton are a totally adorable way to say thank you to your host or hostess! This is one of the most clever gift ideas around.

Free Spring Flowers Monogrammed Printable

Download a free printable with the host or hostess' monogram, and put it in a pretty frame. This is a lovely way to thank him or her for hosting Easter brunch!

All of these DIY gift ideas show you care and that you’re appreciative of the effort put into hosting you. Remember that the beauty behind a host or hostess gift is the thought that goes into it; not the amount of money spent.

Shop Easter Gifts for the Hostess

And listen, if you don’t have time to make something, there are plenty of lovely gifts you can purchase, too.

Here are several Easter hostess gifts you can purchase on Amazon for speedy delivery!

Happy Easter to you and yours!

Dollar Store Easter Bunny Decor

March 27, 2014 by Bre 33 Comments

Since the beginning of time, I have been a sucker for a good makeover.

All of my Barbies got makeovers when I was little. Some of my favorite TV shows have involved makeovers (think What Not To Wear and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (DON’T JUDGE – they always got me when they moved that bus!)). And I love a good makeover for myself at the Bobbi Brown counter every once in awhile.

So how excited do you think I was when I spotted an ugly cardboard bunny decoration at Dollar Tree that I knew could be made adorably happy and springy with a little TLC? Goodbye weird bunny displaying an image of another bunny holding an egg almost as large as itself, as well as the lie that “[s]pring is here . . . ” (it is not here. In fact, it may never be coming to Chicago. LIES!). Hello cuteness!

Loved this makeover! It was super easy and super inexpensive. And it adds a dose of happiness to my back door. Hippity Hoppity!

Supplies Needed for Dollar Store Easter Bunny Decor

Cardboard bunny from Dollar Tree
Small piece of cardboard for your carrot (I used part of a shipping box rescued from the recycling bin)
2 pieces of 12″ x 12″ scrapbook paper (1 for the body of the bunny; 1 for the carrot)
Spray adhesive
Wood shims
Wood glue
Acrylic paint (two colors – one for wood background; one for text), and brush
Ribbon
Hot glue
Scissors or x-acto knife
Optional: Green felt (for carrot top); Twine or ribbon (for a bow at bunny’s neck); Cotton ball or pom pom (for bunny’s tail); Paint tips (for easy text painting)

Now, here’s how I did this!

STEP ONE

Spray your bunny and the scrapbook paper with spray adhesive. Adhere the bunny to the paper and press down all over to ensure a good bond.

STEP TWO

Cut around the bunny with your x-acto knife or scissors.

STEP THREE

Draw a carrot shape on your cardboard. (Fix it over and over again until it doesn’t look totally deformed, as shown in the photo below.) Repeat steps two and three to decorate your carrot.

STEP FOUR

Take two of the wood shims and place them parallel to one another, vertically on your table. Place some wood glue at the bottom and begin to affix your other shims perpendicular to those lying on the table. Glue shims all the way to the top.

STEP FIVE

Once your wood shim backdrop has dried (it might take a couple of hours), paint it however you like. I used watered-down acrylic paint for a more unfinished look.

STEP SIX

Once the paint has dried, determine the placement of your bunny and carrot (but don’t glue them yet). Then, write your text in pencil, wherever you like.

STEP SEVEN

Now, paint over your text with acrylic paint. I used acrylic paint bottle tips, which made painting the text really easy. Then I went over that painted writing with a small paintbrush to give it a flatter and broader look.

STEP EIGHT

Affix your bunny and carrot to your wood background. Add any decorative elements you like (for example, a ribbon at the bunny’s neck and a cotton ball or pom pom at the tail). Glue your ribbon at the top of the wood background for hanging.

Cute, right?

I feel like this makeover would get Clinton and Stacy’s stamp of approval. What do you think?

– Bre

Valentine Stamp Printable {Free Printable Valentine’s Day Cards}

January 20, 2014 by Bre 19 Comments

I just love Valentine’s Day because it is so cute. It also adds some fun to a gray and dull time of year!

This post contains affiliate links. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

In getting ready for Valentine’s Day, I couldn’t pass up these cute two-sided Valentine stampers. I thought they’d be a darling addition to my preschooler’s Valentine cards for school.

One night while my husband was working late, I decided to create a Valentine card to accompany these cute stampers. And, of course, I couldn’t resist a cheesy pun: “You get my stamp of approval, Valentine.”

To attach the stampers to the printed cards, I used a mini hole puncher to place two holes on each card – one higher than the other. Then I placed some double-sided tape in between the holes and placed the stamper on top. I then tied some bakers twine through the holes. These stampers aren’t going anywhere.

Since I’m such a kind and generous person, I’m sharing these free printable valentines with you. All you have to do is download them here and then print at home, or at your local print shop.

If you don’t want to order stampers online, you may be able to find some at Target or Dollar Tree!

If you use this Valentine stamp printable, I hope your kids (and the recipients) enjoy!

– Bre