DIY Hanging Planter

Posted on January 14, 2014 by February Sky Designs

I hope one of your New Year resolutions was to do more crafting in 2014, since everyone needs more beautiful things in their lives! I decided to liven up my work space during the dull days of January by making this cute and easy hanging planter.

Here’s what you’ll need:

-3 mini terracotta pots (mine are 2 inches tall)

-twine or hemp, multicolored or white

-paint colors of your choice

-felt pom poms (could also use beads)

-glue gun

Start by painting your pots. I chose a light gray color and I needed to do two coats.

Let the pots dry. Since they are hanging pots you will see the bottoms, but not the insides, so I rigged up a little drying station with pens and a mug.

Once the pots are dry you can decorate them like I did by painting the rims in different bright colors, or you could do a ‘dipped’ effect by painting the bottom of the pots a different color. Be creative!

Measure 4 pieces of plain or colored twine/hemp about 50 inches per piece (if using different sized pots than 2 inches adjust accordingly). This will give you enough twine to tie the top loop and to add the pom poms on the ends.

Holding all four pieces together, make your first knot about 6 inches from the bottom of the twine. This is where your first pot will rest. Tie three more knots, each 8 inches apart. You’ll have four knots and plenty of leftover twine at the top to decide how long you want your pots to hang and where you should make your final loop. My loop stars around 8 inches above my fourth knot. Tie a large loop and knot it several times, cutting off the excess.

This step is optional, but you can wrap the knots you made with colored twine. This reinforces the knots and adds a little more color.

Next, tie knots in each piece of twine hanging from the bottom. Hot glue your pom poms or beads to the ends of twine, staggering them a bit so they hang nicely.

Hang your twine from the loop on a hook or screw and carefully place each pot above a knot, moving the four pieces of twine so they support the pot evenly. That’s it!

Hanging Planter Collage

I need to get some succulents to put in these ASAP. Enjoy your crafty January!

Rustic Winter Engagement Party

Posted on December 30, 2013 by February Sky Designs

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life -Confucius (smart guy)

I feel this is never more true for me than when I’m working on decorations for a loved one. One of my best friends since we were 13 recently got engaged to her beau and her mom wanted to throw her an engagement party right after Christmas while friends and family were in town for the holidays. This made a very busy month for me between Christmas shopping and working on decorations, but I loved every minute of it.

I wanted a winter theme that would tie in the Christmas decorations that would still be around the house for the party. I went with a winter woodland theme with birch trees and pops of red and turquoise.

These beautiful invitations were ordered from Oh Happiness Cards on Etsy. Everyone loved the back detail!

I purchased these awesome birch tree straws for the mimosas at the party, simply displayed in mason jars with ribbon.

Speaking of mason jars, I also used them as accents around the house filled with cranberries and floating candles.

Along with mimosas, we also served coffee and tea, so I made custom hot cup sleeve covers with a birch tree stamp and the couple’s initials.

I love the way covering cups and bottles with printed paper makes them that much more special. I created little custom labels for the champagne bottles that made them really stand out.

I decorated the drink table with a painted burlap banner.

And I added a little festivity to the doorway with simple paper cones strung between the dining room and living room

Something I don’t usually tackle for parties (except those I host) is desserts. For this party I actually made two desserts- a cake and sugar cookies.

First the cake: chocolate with vanilla icing, decorated with cranberries and rosemary

With a custom burlap cake topper!

The cookies are of Vermont, with a little sprinkle heart on Burlington where Rachel and Hugh met and fell in love.

(These gave me a very hard time. I wished I could teleport Clara to help me!)

Thankfully, the cake went easy on me.

Love the birch round I found at Michaels to use as a cake stand!

Lastly, I painted a sign for the couple that sums up the feeling going into the new year and celebrating their lives together.

Love you guys!

Oh, Christmas Tree

Posted on December 12, 2013 by February Sky Designs

Like many people, the smell of a real Christmas tree is one of my all-time favorites. Maybe it’s the memories of childhood associated with it, but it never fails to bring a smile to my face.

This year, however, I decided to go an untraditional route. I’d like to share with you my Christmas ‘tree’-

This, my friends, is a branch I found laying on the ground in the park near my house. I can only imagine what people thought when they saw me dragging it back to my apartment (in the snow, mind you). But once it was dried out and hung up it was ready to be trimmed with special ornaments and presents underneath.

I have to admit, I’m smitten with it.

Did I mention it lights up?!

I used little fairy lights that attach to a battery pack (hidden behind the ornament on the far left). When it’s lit up and a spruce-scented candle is burning, it definitely feels like Christmas around here.

DIY Holiday Wreath!

Posted on December 3, 2013 by February Sky Designs

photo(2)

My idea of the perfect wreath is one that is beautiful and is neutral enough to be hung throughout the holidays and well into the cold, holidayless months of winter. Of course, the wreath could be tweaked to be more holiday-specific if that suits your fancy!

photo(2) - Copy

I had a few materials lying around (as usual), so I used the leaves and feathers left over from my dreamcatcher, and I gave the berries from the baby shower a little makeover using white paint and gold glitter.

I made the bow from some burlap ribbon, but you could also buy one while you’re at the store gathering other supplies (although I think it’s usually cheaper to make your own, and it’s not that difficult if you cheat and use glue to make the ribbon look perfect!).

The flowers I made are a little strange since they are made out of pistachio shells, but clearly I am not the only person who looks at a pile of shells and thinks they should be refurbished into craft supplies.

Alright, time to start gluing! I knew I wanted my wreath to be free form and asymmetrical, but to give myself a little guidance I started by placing the berries around the wreath and attaching the bow.

Pause to yell and curse when I burn my finger on the glue gun. Crafting is dangerous business.

And we’re back. I glued the largest items first, eying where they looked best to me. No rhyme or reason, just going with the flow.

Here you can see the mess I was making of my work area. Crafting is also messy business 🙂

Once I had the big pieces attached I went back in and stuck leaves and feathers wherever there were holes, working my way along the left side and tapering off at the top to achieve the asymmetry I was looking for.

Done!

The finished wreath, ready to hang on the door!

I hope you are inspired to create your own wreath to brighten up your door for months and years to come. Happy holidays!

DIY Dreamcatcher

Posted on October 31, 2013 by February Sky Designs

When I was a wee child I had a dreamcatcher over my bed. It was purple and turquoise, brought to me from New Mexico and I loved it. Sadly, as the years have passed neither my mother nor I can remember what happened to it. As I was browsing Pinterest recently, I came across this beauty and was inspired to remake my childhood keepsake. So here, folks, is what I did.

If you check out that link, you’ll see that they made the clever decision to use a doily as the center of the dreamcatcher. Of course, I have never been someone who makes things easy for herself, so I decided to learn and execute the traditional woven style, as explained in wonderful detail in this post.

Michael’s was having a huge sale, and I had a stash of beads and an embroidery hoop at my disposal, so I’d say this project cost me about $10, but could get up to $20 if you had to buy all the supplies at once.

Here’s what I used (or, what I planned to use. I did not end up using everything, as you’ll see at the end).

My color palette was cream and soft dusty pink and tan. The packages of feathers and leaves included really pretty dark browns and reds, though, so I might need to make another dreamcatcher with those soon…

I started by wrapping my hoop with the lace. I didn’t need to glue it all the way around, just at the beginning/end of the hoop.

Once that was all set I braided a few pieces of twine to make the loop that the dreamcatcher hangs from.

Then came the intimidating part, the weaving. I am not a sewer/crocheter/knitter and it took me a while to get the hang of it. And, to be honest, took a LOT longer than I thought it would. That doily idea seemed better and better as an hour turned into two (embarrassing, but true). However, I did manage it and I was really glad I went with the weave because it reminds me so much of the little dreamcatcher of my youth.

Can you see where I messed up right at the end? Bless you if you say no, but that wonky gap next to the center opening was NOT intentional. So, I did what any good crafter does, and I glued something pretty over it.

All better!

Time for the creative part- all the dangly bits of ribbon, beads and feathers that give dreamcatchers their character!

To hang everything I used my twine and a little superglue in some places to make sure everything stayed where I wanted it to. I didn’t end up using all my beads, but they will stick around for another project on another day.

Here she is, my new dreamcatcher all gussied up!

I’m really happy with how it turned out, and it is now happily hanging over my bed. I anticipate only good dreams tonight 🙂

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Next up, a Harry Potter themed Halloween party!

French Bistro Themed 25th Birthday Party

Posted on September 10, 2013 by February Sky Designs

Jill's Bday Collage

It was an honor and a privilege to decorate a French Bistro themed 25th birthday party for my lovely roommate, Jill. She studied abroad in France and misses it terribly, so we decided that this year we’d bring a little bit of Paris to our apartment in Boston. Allons-y!

First and foremost, we needed to invite people to the soirée. I decided to take the traditional chalkboard signs that are iconic to French bistros and use them throughout the party, starting with the invitations.

Invite