I love planning parties. I get completely obsessed with all of the tiny little details. Most of the time, I’m the only one who notices them. But if it makes me happy, who cares, right? I’m a fan of the little things. And I’m definitely the girl who will notice all of the tiny details (or lack thereof!) at your party.
As soon as I thought about my sister’s shower, I knew I needed to incorporate black and pink. My pal Janine and I went Pinterest crazy (she is as detail crazed as I am) and I scouted out my favorite blogs for inspiration. There were so many awesome ideas! I weeded it down to a few and crafted my little heart out. The best part is how easy these were!
Glitter Bottles
We can’t talk about things I’m obsessed with without talking glitter. It’s so preeeeetty! And it’s perfect for celebrating a baby girl. To cut some of the in-your-face girliness of all of the pink I was using, I decided to go with black glitter. Sleek, bold, and unexpected.
Here’s what you’ll need to make some yourself:
- A bottle. I love crafts that let me reuse things instead of going out and buying supplies. It’s good for the environment and good for my wallet. I used some Yuengling bottles and a wine bottle I had leftover after a game night with friends. Note: if you’re using a lighter color glitter, you may want to go with a clear bottle.
- Mod Podge. If you’re feeling like getting crafty, this is a must-have supply! You’ll also need a sponge or paint brush.
- Glitter. The type you get totally depends on what kind of look you’re going for. I bought a really fine glitter because I want a low key shimmer. If you want something bolder, go with a chunkier glitter.
- A sealer. You’re definitely going to want to seal all of that glitter so that it doesn’t shed like crazy. I accidentally bought it in matte (glossy would play up the shine), but it worked just fine.
Once you’ve gathered all of your supplies, put them on some newspaper (this is a messy one!). Start by coating a small section of your bottle with the Mod Podge. Next, just pour some glitter on top. As I went along, I tapped my bottle on the newspaper to shake off the excess. And because I’m incredibly thrifty (ie cheap) I had an extra piece of newspaper to transfer the bottle to every once in awhile so that I could pour the glitter that had fallen onto newly Mod Podged sections. This reduced my waste dramatically.
Allow the bottle to dry and then go back and add more glitter to any spots that don’t have enough coverage. Once you’re happy with the amount of coverage you have and your bottle is dry, you can begin spraying on your sealer. You’ll probably need a few coats, but make sure you do thin coats and allow each to dry before adding a new one.
Those little yarn bottles were an easy DIY as well. I didn’t take any photos, but it was easy enough to do without any. Like the glitter bottles, I coated small sections with Mod Podge (starting at the top). I then took a skein of ombre pink yarn and just wrapped it all the way around the bottle. Once I got to the end, I snipped my yarn and put a little Mod Podge on the end to make sure it stayed put.
Crepe Paper Curtain
I knew I wanted to make a crepe paper (aka streamer) curtain, but Janine gave me the idea of making it ombre. I loved it! Like the black bottles, the different shades of pink helped to make the overall look less sickeningly sweet and girlie and more modern.
All you need for this is streamers in whatever colors you’d like (fabric scraps would work really well too) and something to tie them to. I used black tulle because I love it and was using it for other decorations. Twine or yarn would work just as well.
First, I cut a strip of tulle a little longer than the length I needed (I knew I wanted it to dip down in the center). Then I hung it up so that I could see how everything lay. Next, I cut a single strip of crepe paper a bit longer than I wanted the curtain to hang. This step is essential since it’s so easy to rip the paper while tying it. I then cut a bunch of strips the same length as the first one because I know once I get into a good rhythm I don’t like to stop. All that’s left is tying your strips to the tulle. I left the ends loose at the top, figuring I’d trim them but in the end but I actually liked how it looked.
There will definitely come a point while you’re doing this that you’ll step back and wonder if you’re doing it wrong (I do this with most crafts). But think of it like any other art form. If you stop a painter in the middle of his or her work, there will be bits of the painting that aren’t blended properly and there will be things missing. It’s the same here. Your curtain needs to be full to give the effect you’re going for. And seriously, I promise this is a foolproof DIY!
If you try either of these, I want to know! Send me a photo at jennifergarrydesigns@gmail.com.
It’s perfect for a breezy summer evening filled with talking, laughing, and eating under the stars. The best part? You can put something like this together without spending much money at all.
We collected a bunch of mismatched dishes and crocheted pieces. We happened to have a lot of this stuff on hand, but they’re inexpensive and easy to find in thrift shops, Goodwill, and Salvation Army stores.
For a centerpiece, we used an old mirror to sort of contain things and added old family photos, pretty bottles and an old tin to hold flowers. The possibilities are really endless. Candles, a pretty pitcher, floating flowers. There are so many pretty options!
Rustic/Vintage for Bijou Issue I: Styled by Jackie Pfeffer and Jen Garry / Photos by Jackie Pfeffer
