12.29.2010

Silver and Gold for New Year's Eve

With New Year's Eve just a few days away it is time to break out some New Year's decorations to celebrate this past year and welcome the upcoming year. Just a few changes around the house can move you from the holiday red, green, or blue to the shiny sparkle of silver and gold.


Place the clocks in your house together to create a focal point and watch the countdown. You could also get some cheap clocks from a thrift store and place the hands on midnight.

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Quickly dress up your champagne glasses using stick-on decals. Not only will this create a countdown affect, but will help people keep track of their drinks.

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An easy way to add flare to your party is the standard use of balloons. I love these because they are extra large and take up the whole ceiling. They will also reflect light really well and the ribbon adds a fun streamer-like affect to the room. To avoid clean up give them to guests as a party favor. You could even have the location and year printed on the balloons for an extra detail.

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These little sparkled birds would be easy to make using some decorative birds from Michaels and some glitter. Make sure to seal it very well with a spray adhesive so that the glitter doesn't go everywhere. They would be a wonderful accent on your buffet or drink cart.

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If you don't mind sparklers used in your house, this is a cool way to show some cheer as the ball drops.

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These silver and gold ornaments are a great way to carry the holidays into your party's theme. Hang them above your buffet or from a light in your house so that the light reflects off of themLike the images below, you could pile them into bowls or cake stands for texture on your table, scatter them around your hors d'oeuvres or build your own holiday wreath to hang above your fireplace or food area.


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Silver serving trays and beverage holders are a great investment if you are entertaining frequently because they are classic and can be used often due to the fact that they go with everything.


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An interesting find was this picture of dream catchers that have been woven together. Take this idea, but spray paint them gold or silver and decorate them with small ornaments. You could also provide guests with a paper and pen and have them write down their wishes for the new year or write the things they were grateful for in the last year. Stick the papers into the dream catcher for a interesting and interactive display.

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12.15.2010

DIY Stockings

With Christmas fast approaching I thought it would be appropriate to feature some fun holiday stockings that can easily be made using felt, photo transfer paper, or can even incorporate your own socks. Be as creative as you would like with these. The more personal stockings will mean more to you and your family in the future.


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Adorable and easy to create in a sitting or two. Could be a great craft project for kids and is a wonderful way to spend some time with them that doesn't involve baking cookies.

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Traditional, but also youthful and fun. I also really like the idea of the felt garland in this picture.

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Personal and funny.

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Photo transfer paper would make these a snap.

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This is an interesting way of making little gifts feel like a lot.


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Think creatively with materials you already have. This person used dress forms and measuring tape to hang on the mantel for Santa. I love that you can see the colorfully wrapped items inside.