Sweets for your Sweet: Twig and Thistle DIY Brownie Bags

Get a load of this 5-gallon bucket of cute! I die!

From Seattle based design genius, Twig and Thistle, these little DIY Brownie Bags were a huge hit last year. After tons of reader e-mail, she's updated the craft for the new year. Aren't you glad she did? You can download the template on her blog and print it right to the bag. Not very tech savvy? Not to worry, the instructions are at the top of the template. You'll notice that she's added the waxed paper layer to protect the craft bag-this was a reader suggestion and I totally agree with it. I would recommend doing this. The best part, you ask? Well, she carries the bags in craft AND white in her fab etsy shop.

Do yourself a design favor and check out Twig and Thistle!

How To: Waxed Paper Wrapping Paper

I'm planning an 'Lovebirds' themed party and I wanted something cutesy for the wrap job on the favors that I could also use in other aspects of the decor. I remembered doing this when I was a kid and it was so much fun, I decided to use it. Love, love LOVE this and I hope you do too.

Custom Waxed Paper Wrapping Paper
You'll need:

Waxed Paper
Tissue Paper
Iron
Ironing Board
Paper Towels

How To:

1. Fold a section of tissue paper (in some dreamy color) in half three times. You should end up with eight sections stacked like pancakes.

2. Using a craft punch, punch out desired shapes. (this can also be achieved by making a template of said shape, tracing it onto the tissue and cutting out the shape...although this does take longer)
3. Set up your ironing board (make sure to keeps kids and fur babies from under foot during this step. Safety first, I always say.) Cover the board's surface with paper towels; place a sheet of waxed paper on top.
4. Arrange tissue paper shapes on the paper. Cover the shapes with another sheet of waxed paper. Layer more paper towels on top. Run an iron, on medium heat, gently over the layers to set.

The best part about something like this is its flexibility. Think of how cute this would be with snowflakes or evergreen trees. I found the picture on the Martha Stewart website...it illustrates the process quite well. I intend to update this post with my pictures soon.

The Sweetest Things

Found these adorable things at one of my favorite stores, Paper Source. I am hoping to have a crafting get-together with my friends soon and I would just LOVE to make these for my co-workers...

The little boxes are so flippin' cute, I want to eat them! But I won't. Instead I'll give you the link the downloadable .pdf instructions so you can make them yourself. How cute would these be at a little Valentine's themed dinner party? These would be so cute in chocolate brown, too!

Oh, Paper Source you never let me down.

New Year, New Resolutions

It's that time of year again. The time of year when we all examine our lives and see what sorts of positive changes can be made. Sometimes we stick to them (start a party planning blog and event design company) and sometimes we don't (take up kickboxing). Since I already eat well, exercise daily, belong to Weight Watchers and conserve what I can, I decided to make a short list of resolutions that are a little more abstract, a little tougher to achieve. I hope to be able to follow these not only to the letter, but more importantly to the spirit.

1. Take more risks. Both personally and professionally. I want to keep broadening my horizons and I can only do that if I'm not afraid to fail once in awhile. I decided that just because I'm getting older (28) I don't have to let go of all of my interests. Besides, nothing worthwhile is ever easily attained. Nor should it be. To quote a popular 90's film, "The hard is what makes it great." So, in 2010, I will be fearless and I will run freely into the unknown.

2. Be nicer to myself. This resolution is two-fold for me. First, I need to ease up on myself a little. All the diets, exercise, stylish outfits and beauty products in the world can't help if I don't already love me just the way I am. I need to learn to be my best friend and not my biggest critic. We are all much more than what we look like. This year I will work harder than ever to remember that. Secondly, I need to (and I think this should be the anthem for the digital age) learn to relax when I am away from work and not feel guilty. That means, no checking the iPhone, no e-mail, no Facebook or Twitter. Just relaxation. In August while getting ready for my Honeymoon, I agonized over whether to bring my laptop along. "But what if they need me at the office?", I kept asking myself. Finally, my Mom and The Hubbs had to remind me that a vacation is just that. In 2010, I will bask in the glory of vacations (and we're taking a few of them this year).

3. Blog more. I love authoring blogs. I really do. I am so proud of the two little blogs I started last year. It's here with all of you that I get to explore my passions. I get to write about pretty things, glamorous parties, and incredible weddings. Everytime I write, I am exploring your ideas with you. Cultivating an idea into an event! But the best part is I have turned this all into an opportunity to do what I love in the city that I love. I feel great everytime I sit down to a new post. In 2010, I want to feel great more often.

So, What do you say? Let's make 2010 one for the books!

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings dot com