fancy, and for like $5!

as promised, here's what i did to make my ruffled party streamers used for my mom's bday party on friday.

and sorry, i don't have a photo of them hanging up. wah wah.

but i decked out their whole house. like, if it stood still, i stuck something to it.

it wasn't a surprise party, so she kinda mentioned that she didn't want any of that ugly over-the-hill party junk you buy at the store... i wouldn't do that anyway.

but do nothing? yeah right.

so i made it girly. and colorful. and sparkly.

we had tie-died/marbled balloons, and pink ones with white polka dots,

and her name in glitter. twice.

gold, and black and white mixed it.

it turned out really cute, actually.

i had pinned the streamers over a year ago and was waiting for the perfect chance to use them.

it was originally from the awesome blog: made.

you can find the link to her whole her tutorial here, i won't list out the steps because i credit dana 1000%.

her directions were easy to follow and i've said this before, i own a sewing machine but i use the standard settings that it came with... and try not to touch much because i don't really know what i'm doing.

and she made it easy, even for sew dumb people like me!

so i ran to hobby lobby and bought a few rolls of their standard crepe paper for $1.29 a piece.

i got aqua, hot pink, red, blush pink, and yellow.

(then later i had to run to our standard party supply store for some other party stuff. mine's called fun services. they had every single color and shade of color under the rainbow and they were only $0.99. so if you don't like what hob lob has to offer, try elsewhere. and i'm sure online has em all, too.)

i chose hot pink and aqua first.

followed her directions, turning up my tension to 9 and my stitch length to a 5. those were both the highest settings for my machine.

she also suggested keeping your right hand on your thread at the top of your sewing machine, to keep an even tighter tension. and that helped. it made it even more ruffle-y.

this is how i kept it free flowing and tangle free... because this stuff is delicate and kinda high maintenance otherwise.

after you're finished, just roll it up and it's ready!

i did every 2-color combo and 3-color combo i could come up with.

(please don't mind my ugly dining table. it's been on the to-do list for a coat of high gloss black paint for oh, 3 years now. maybe this year's the year.)

and just went and went and went.

i was going to go until i ran out of crepe paper (which makes a ton)

but my sewing machine broke!!

 i swear i offended it somehow and now it doesn't like me.

second time in 2 months.

so instead of paying over half of what a new one costs to get it fixed, AGAIN...

i just got a new one.

the first one served it's purpose well.

and if one day i feel like paying to get it fixed, well then, i'll have 2.

but seriously, they're cheap at walmart.

and they have a 4 year we'll-replace-it-if-you-break-it warranty for only $15, so i took it.

and knowing me, i'll be using it, too :)

if you take your streamers down and store them properly, these will last for multiple parties.

so i think all of our parties just got a whole lot more festive.

{i think they're perfect for cinco de mayo*}

hope you had a good weekend.

JILL

flowers for friday #130

tonight's my mom's big birthday fiesta.

i was up burning the midnight oil last night making special stuff for her party.

i was in charge of decor. just the way i like it :)

it gave me a huge opportunity to put my pinterest party board to use.

i made garlands, and flags, and stuff and stuff and stuff! it definitely went into the girly, colorful, sparkly realm. but she likes those things! and you only turn 50 once. plus she had 5 kids, 4 of which are boys. so she and i could use a little extra girly in our lives...

instagram got a glimpse of some of it. the thing that excited me most was the ruffled crepe paper streamers.... i am going to post it here on monday in case you want to make your own, because if you own a sewing machine-- it's so very easy to do. and it takes a $1.29 crepe paper roll from cheap to fan-freaking-tastic.

i am only working half day today.

i have to go hang all the stuff i made!

and make some goodies to eat.

so long story short, i am on a crafters high.

i hope you have the best weekend.

happy friday.

JILL

happppppy birthday, mom!!!!

today my mama,

super awesome and hot mama,

turns 50.

happy birthday, mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love you forever.

JILL

{image via bellevivir}

stacked bobbies.

have you been noticing the stacked bobby pins everywhere you look?

i'm kinda obsessed and have been casually looking for some colored bobbies since fall. casually meaning i didn't seek them out but if i found them, i'd be happy.

well, mission accomplished!

run to target and get your own for $2.50:

and i'm kinda in love with these bc they're mini's!

i'm sporting the green ones today.

i was coerced into taking this photo in the bathroom at work.  i really prefer to be the one behind the camera, not in front. its so stupid awkward!

but here it is:

 

i like mcphee's look of multiple colors.

my pack has lots of black ones that won't show up in my darker brown hair so i think i'm going to take some nail polish to those and who knows... maybe neon? hot pink? most probably.

and maybe mint or lavender.

there are tutorials abounding online for how to paint your own.

i first spotted a similar look last christmas when babble posted 10 holiday hair ideas and i've had this image saved ever since.

(this is ban.do's jumbo party bobbi)

i just thought it was an easy and cute way to tame my similarly messy, insanely long hair with minimal effort... which is the way i play when it comes to my hair.

taza's been sporting it similarly, too.

so that's when target came to the rescue last night.

do you guys even like it this look?

i do :)

JILL

the d family.

the beautiful d family.

i took these back in october and i'm just now getting around to sharing.

these little nuggets were full of energy.

i had lots of fun exploring nature with them.

exploring nature in a bow tie.

i mean, how else would you do it?

that smile at the top slays me...

and the eye lashes.

and the hugs.

and the pretty nature lurking in every corner.

JILL

tis the season.

citrus season!

it's cold and gloomy and gross outside...

and thank goodness for these, bright sunny spots of vitamin c.

{i love fruit. fruit is like dessert to me.

i don't understand those out there that don't like fruit. it's like candy!

and i will take most any fruit flavored dessert over any chocolate dessert you can throw at me. ever.

drives my husband crazy because he prefers those with chocolate and i prefer... key lime pie.}

at my grocery store right now, grapefruits are 2 for a $1.

i have been eating at least one a day.

at least.

saturday morning breakfast at my house ^

i was tempted to do the grapefruit brulee.

you sprinkle your halved grapefruit with sugar, then pop it under the broiler.

i was tempted...

but it was going to take too long and i just wanted to eat it.

i normally don't even add sugar.

but i think it sounds good.

another one i wanna try:

blood orange bars.

like lemon bars but waaaaaaay more beautiful.

do you see this color?!:

i think it'd be so lovely for a brunch.

or on tuesdays. or fridays. or any day really.

you can find the recipe here.

are you enjoying any fruits of the season right now?

JILL

flowers for friday #129

 

oh, tgif.

i know i had a short week, but sometimes those feel longer!

my house needs cleaning and the amount of couch time i've logged in the past few days has exacerbated the issue.... am i lame for saying i'm excited to deep clean tomorrow?

then consider me lame.

happy friday!
 

JILL