Three things I love about Summer: Margaritas, caftans, and outdoor crafts. I’m proud to say this project involved all three!
Did I mention this one involves food coloring? And you can assemble in under an hour.
Get the complete directions over on I Love to Create! They made a handy little video for their Facebook page too.
Not joking – I might need to remake this one in rainbow. Stay tuned!
A number of folks have asked me why I paint so many flowers. And while there are a dozens of good reasons, frankly, it all comes down to this lithograph, “Lilacs” by Vincent Farrell.
For many years now, it is the first thing I see each morning and the last thing I see at night. My parents bought it back in the 80s and it is one of the few items to survive from days gone by. We had a couple of his pieces, and one time, I must have been about 10, my dad took me to his studio/gallery on the Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach to pick up Lilacs from a framing repair.
I think my dad could tell I was impressed to meet “a real artist” because when Mr. Farrell came up front he proceeded to spend ten minutes bragging about me, telling him “she is also an artist” and how I had just received a whopping $20 from the local chamber of commerce’s Christmas Carol illustration contest. Then, not only did Mr. Farrell play along, but he went so far as to earnestly ask me about my medium of choice (magic markers) and my favorite artist (Mr. Joseph- the guy who painted words in the butcher’s window)…and then let us go back in the shop where there was an enormous landscape on an easel and asked me if I had any pointers for him. You guys, I’m not even kidding, I suggested adding stickers. STICKERS. When we got back in the car my dad said if I ever grew up to be “a real artist” I would remember that day for years to come and keep it as a lesson in humility, which, to be honest, wasn’t a word I understood at that age, but I feel very humbled by it now. And every time I look at Lilacs.
Sadly, both Mr. Farrell and my father passed away some years ago, but it is remembering the moments like this that remind me that not only did I hit the daughter lotto with my own dad, I was lucky enough to reap the benefits of countless other amazing men who took the time to invest in my growth, even when it was of no benefit to them. Friends, teachers, uncles, neighbors…even a passing stranger who let me tell him to add stickers. This weekend is much bigger than a day to celebrate dads.
Happy Father’s Day to all.
Here is a question for you; What about Father’s Day?
Seriously. What do you do for Father’s Day? Holidays like Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Mother’s Day, and even National Root Beer Float Day (Aug 6th BTW)….they all have clear expectations and traditions. But what about Father’s Day? How do you celebrate? The traditions are still in formation. And every dad is different. And if your dad is anything like mine, he might not even like a whole day devoted to him! A day spent on the couch with people paying attention to you is some dad’s idea of torture. So, what about Father’s Day?
What about devoting a part of the day, the best part -dessert– and turning it into a tribute to your favorite guy?
Now we are talking!
I came up with this DIY edible treat as a great way to incorporate your favorite photo and grocery store baked goods into something special and celebratory. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to let good ol’dad know he is appreciated. Where does it all start? The place you shop most often – the grocery store!
Personally, and I know this is a little weird, I love my grocery store. Love. It. It’s a local chain, and the stores are large and they carry all the usual stuff, but they also host the best bakery in town.
Literally, it is the best bakery for miles around. Cookies, cakes, breads…whatever you want. They sell an impressive assortment of cake by the slice, which is awesome because it means I haven’t had to make a cake from scratch in years. Not so awesome because when you live less than a mile from a never-ending assortment of cake-by-the-slice, you visit a little too often. But I digress…
Back to the bakery section!
I knew I was going to be inserting photos with a 3” width, so I had to select something with some heft. Oh, darn. This concept would work well on just about any baked good though- cupcakes, muffins, brownies.
Then, with a box full of fudge cake in hand, I went back to the house to craft up some cake toppers for the special occasion.
Materials
Photos of your favorite person printed on sticker paper*
Dark/plain paper
Glitter paper (optional)
Toothpicks
Scissors
*Note: If you don’t have sticker paper you can sandwich the photos and plain paper together with a glue stick, just make sure it’s quick-drying and non-toxic. But if you are considering making a bunch of these, I highly suggest buying letter size sticker paper. It’s great stuff!
Start by holding the printed sticker paper and plain black paper together and cut an approximate loop around the desired shape. This need not be perfect, just roughly the same size.
Then, after peeling the backing off the printed sticker paper, lay it in a table sticky side up, and lay the top third of a toothpick on top.
Now lay the plain black paper on top and smooth it down, securely sandwiching the toothpick in the middle.
Flip over the pick and trim off any excess paper. The more dynamic the photo, the more interesting the shape! If you can find a photo of your dad making jazz hands and sticking his tongue out, even better. Special shout out to all the dads who refuse to take a photo without making a silly face. Double special shout out if your dad looks like Larry David while he’s doing it.
Ahem.
And because it’s Father’s Day, we need a crown. A small square of adhesive backed glitter paper is an easy addition!
Just slice in a few triangles to make a crown and you are ready to go! King for the day, indeed.
Repeat the process until you have one for everyone in the family.
This DIY was geared toward fathers day, but it would be so easy to customize to a birthday party, weddings, anniversaries, or even a graduation. Wouldn’t it be cute with a new graduate’s baby photo with a mortar board tassel hat? If somebody out there does this, you have to send me a photo!
The key ingredient in all of this is something delicious to serve as the base: baked goods! So it is appropriate that today’s post is sponsored by the Give Bakery Because campaign. In-store bakeries provide the backbone of so many celebrations, and now you are invited to join in the fun! The Give Bakery Because campaign is offering two $25 gift certificates to Aunt Peaches readers who leave a comment sharing a story or sentiment about someone who deserves a special gift from their favorite in-store bakery.
So you tell me, who in your life deserves a special treat?
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For more ideas, visit the Give Bakery Because campaign’s pinterest page or instagram and you’ll find dozens of cool, easy DIY ways to customize edible gifts. Join in on the fun by creating and sharing your own spin on a Father’s Day Treat and using #GiveBakery.
As always, thank you for supporting the brands that make this site possible!
The life of a domestic cat in this house is rough. My cat, Lola, can attest to this! First there is eating, then there is napping, then there is whisker cleaning, which is followed by the time-honored art of the stalking of the sun spots. Somewhere in between all this, one must find time for litter boxing and monitoring the bathtub. (Just to sit in it for 10 seconds to verify it’s still there. Because you can never know when a pesky bathtub is going to pick up and take off on you, can you?) Then she has to climb onto the bed to make sure I made it, but if it’s too flat, it’s no good and must be unmade so it’s ready for remaking.
You can see how loaded and tiresome a cat’s schedule can be.
To combat this inertia and help cats live the best life possible, Purina Pro Plan has proclaimed June 15 National “Take Your Cat on an Adventure” Day! This can mean conquering new territory, arranging play dates, or bringing in new toys or settings for kitties to explore.
When Purina Pro Plan asked me to take my cat on an adventure, I thought the answer was obvious: a walk outside in the yard. Purina Pro Plan did a “cat walk” in NYC on May 23, so I thought we’d do a little one at home. It’s been a crazy long winter and although Lola is an indoor cat, she loves the occasional stroll in the garden. So, of course, I waited until late morning on a sunny day when there would be a minimal chance of a dog walking by (this is for the dog’s protection, not Lola’s). I scooped her up in a blanket and walked out to the yard, gently sitting down in the grass so she could acclimate to her surroundings. Considerate cat mother points, right?
WRONG. As soon as she hit the ground and ran away, pawing furiously at the door to go back inside. Can’t we just have a nice stroll through the garden?
So, of course, I let her in. An hour later, I picked her up to go back out and again, she gave me the business.
So much for outdoor adventure!
Outdoor activities are not for every cat, but there are many ways you can bring adventure inside as well. I followed her lead and decided to keep things safe and indoors. After much consideration I asked myself, “What is Lola’s favorite thing to do inside?” I looked at her and she looked at me and then she stuck her head in the glass on my lap.
BINGO: Lola’s greatest excitement comes from drinking water from glasses and bowls that don’t belong to her.
So this is what I did…
I filled ten bowls and glasses with water and hid them in random spots around the house: in the closet, by the dishwasher, on an end table…
It doesn’t look like much, but for Lola, this is Disneyland. Random water sources wherever she goes is the most exciting thing to happen around here in ages. Oh, Lola. Let the adventure begin!
So let’s talk about this! How would you provide an adventure for your cat?
Feeling adventurous? Visit www.mygreatcatadventure.com to learn more and share your experiences with #MyGreatCat and @ProPlanCat.
National “Take Your Cat on an Adventure” Day is June 15th. How will you be celebrating?
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This post was sponsored by Purina; all opinions expressed within are mine. Or my cat’s. Mostly hers. Either way, thank you for supporting the brands that make this site possible. Thank you!
So here is something I thought I’d never say: I bought a barbecue. A real, full sized, tomato shaped Bee-bee-que. Not a grill, not a fire pit, a BBQ. What does that mean? Cooking large quantities of meat.
And what does that mean? A great excuse to have people over.
As part of their Makers campaign, Michael’s asked us to take a look at their summer entertaining goods, and WHOA NELLY are they stocked! I grabbed a few plates and napkins for Memorial Day weekend, plus a few flags.
Can you ever have too many flags? Yeah, no.
As much as I like a good stars and stripes napkin, I like a good patriotic luminaria just as much.
Two words: mood lighting. And you know who sells white paper bags and paint? Michaels. And while you have the paint out, why not amp up your mood lighting with some painted party supplies!
Mood lighting is everything. But, let’s be honest: a cold cocktail goes a long way…
Finger painted party bucket anyone? Yesir!
And if you like the flower power, my fiesta flower door frame is the way to go…
I know where you can find some serious tissue paper options. You guessed it: Michaels.
And be sure to check out all of the other Michaels Makers DIY summer party ideas on the Michaels blog. For craft supplies and party goods to outdoor lighting, Michaels is your DIY destination for summer celebrations. Check them out!