Birch Log & String Light Centerpiece Tutorial

Today I'm excited to bring you a tutorial for my favorite custom centerpiece I've built to date! We made these beauties to complement some picnic tables we had rented for our event - it was a great way to bring the outdoors inside and create a cozy, rustic and casual environment.

Here's a list of the supplies you'll need:

IKEA MUSKOT Plant Pot - 9 1/2" (2 per centerpiece)

10 ct. Battery Operated Edison String Lights - I got mine at World Market (no longer available) but you can find similar HERE at Target.

4ft Birch Sticks 3-Pk from Hobby Lobby (they don't have them online) $15.99/set of 3, but use your HL app for 40% off!

GREAT STUFF 16 oz. Gaps and Cracks Insulating Foam Sealant with Quick Stop Straw - Home Depot (I used 2 cans for 15 sets of centerpieces)

Vigoro 0.4 cu. ft. Mexican Beach Pebbles - 2 bags for 15 sets of centerpieces (you could also use moss or something else to fit your theme/style!)

Rubber gloves (for use with the spray foam)

Tape of some sort (masking or gaff recommended) to help hold sticks in place while they dry

TOTAL COST PER CENTERPIECE: All in all, it cost us about $35 per centerpiece set. And the great thing is that we've already used these in multiple events - they are super versatile and add a touch of a soft glow to any room!

Here's how I did it:

First, I sweet talked my dear husband into cutting all of the birch sticks in half for me, so each centerpiece stands 2ft. high. Each birch log looks a little different, so as he cut them I numbered the bottom of the sticks to make sure each centerpiece matched in both pots. I also had him cut a notch in the top of each log so that the string lights can sit securely on top.

Next, I used the spray foam to secure the logs inside the pot. PLEASE USE GLOVES! This stuff is legit and it will legit take the skin off your hands, so please use caution! It also expands fast, so start with small sprays to get the amount you need. 

I filled the pot up a little less than halfway, then used the logs and/or tape to hold them in place while it dried. Allow several hours to fully set.

Once they fully set, you're ready to add the lights and rocks. Wrap the lights around each log and secure in the notch on top of each pole. Finally, bury the battery pack under the pebbles and you're all set!

The great thing about these centerpieces is that you can swap out the rocks for moss or something else cute to match the theme and style of your event - they are very versatile! We finished the look up with a strip of moss in the center of the picnic table and three cute votives. 

At our latest event, we also used them on some of the food tables. See more about that event HERE.

I love the soft, outdoorsy look we were able to create with these centerpieces, even when our events were inside. Bonus: they would look awesome in a back yard or on a porch as well! 

Photo Credit: Sarah Marie Photography

(DISCLAIMER: This post contains some affiliate links.)

Ready to Pop Free Printables

They're finally here...FREE printables for your next baby shower!

We had such a huge response from my previous POST about the "Ready to POP" baby shower I threw for my bestie, that I put together two different sets of FREE printables for you...so now you can have them for a boy or a girl shower! 

Here's a glimpse at what they looked like at the shower I hosted:

 And now you can download your own in either Blue and Green or Pink and Brown! Here's what the download package includes:

• Water Bottle Labels

• Food labels (with blanks for extra items)

• Ready to "Pop" round cutouts (for cake pops, labels, favors and more!)

• Thanks for "Popping" By round cutouts

• Baby Stats game instructions and cards

• Baby "Pop" Quiz Game & Answer Key

Simply choose your color palette below and click on the link to open and print!

PLEASE NOTE: This printable is for your personal use ONLY. Files may not be sold, printed products may not be sold, and the designs may not be placed on items that are sold. If they are reproduced, redistributed or sold under any of these conditions, legal action will be taken.

Ready to Pop Printable Pacakge - Pink and Brown

Ready to Pop Printable Package-Blue

Enjoy!

Country Charm Wedding

We're wrapping up wedding week with one of the sweetest weddings I've ever been part of. From the story of how these two came together to the dessert bar reception...everything about this day was just, well, sweet. And I couldn't have wished a sweeter day for two more deserving people! 

Meet Jen & Tim...

I could write an entire blog post on the incredible story of how God brought these two and their amazing families together. Jen is by far one of the strongest women I know with a faith like no other...so to see her find such a kind and caring protector like Tim was a true answer to many prayers.

For their big day, Jen and Tim wanted a simple and intimate setting for their closest family and friends in an afternoon ceremony followed by a dessert reception. And if you know the bride, there are two things she loves: cowboy boots and the Clemson Tigers! So of course, those had to be tied into the theme of this country casual fall wedding. 

All the guests who sported their favorite boots!

Instead of a traditional guest book, family and friends signed these log slabs instead!

The ceremony and reception were both held in the same room, but to keep things casual, the bride opted for round tables for both the ceremony and reception....or what I like to call a "family style" ceremony.  

With wood slabs, burlap, pinecones and pumpkins...these fall centerpieces were accented with some bright fall flowers (including Clemson orange and purple, of course) to match the bride's bouquet.

Oh, and remember my awesome Craigslist fireplace mantle find from my sister-in-law's wedding? Well it made an appearance here as well, but with a few more "country style" accents!

After the ceremony, guests were serenaded by live music from our buddy Chris Cauley (you might remember him from Team Adam on NBC's The Voice) while they enjoyed some amazing desserts!

Then it was time to send off the happy couple! But you can't do sparklers in the middle of the day, so the bride hand made ribbon wands to wave them off..in true Clemson football style, of course.

Cheers to a lifetime of love...and cowboy boots. 

Congrats Jen & Tim!

Photo Credit: http://lindsayhooten.com

All photos were provided by my dear friend Lindsay over at Lindsay Hooten Photography...if you're in the Atlanta area, you should check her out!

Pink & Purple Wedding

We're having a blast talking all things weddings this week!

Today, let me introduce you to Emily & Clinton...

Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com

These two are super special to me. That's because for this wedding, not only was I the designer, planner and florist...I was also sister-in-law to the bride and matron of honor. (talk about pulling double duty!) 

Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com

When it comes to siblings in law...I hit the jackpot with this gal, she's just swell. We did this same pose at my wedding (see below right) and of course, had to carry on the tradition!

Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com

cinderella-carriage

Anywho...if you know Emily, you know she loves all things fairytale related. In fact, Clinton even proposed to her with an adorable Cinderella carriage snow globe (that we displayed on their cake table) So from the princess style ball gown to the sweetheart cupcakes and every detail in between, we wanted to make her day feel like her own special farytale. I LOVED the bright pink, purple and black color palette she chose...it was so vibrant and fun! And when we found dyed hydrangeas to match her vision, we hit the jackpot!

Let's start with the flowers. Sam's Club came through for me again with a great selection of affordable flowers, and perfect colors to match! (to read more about how I used Sam's Club for my own wedding bouquets, check out my DIY tutorial HERE) 

Oh my word our tiny apartment was busting with flowers! (did I mention my hubby's allergic? oops!)

Emily wanted bouquets, but she also wanted flowers integrated into all of her centerpieces, so this order cost a little more than my last, but for just under $700 here's what we got:

1 Large bridal bouquet

6 Large bridesmaids bouquets

2 Mother's carry bouquets

3 Grandmother's carry bouquets

13 Boutonnieres

20 Centerpiece arrangements

12 Aisle arrangements

2 Large buffet table arrangements

7-10 small arrangements for altar and other accent tables

Talk about getting some bang for your buck! We had flowers everywhere and they were gorgeous! The bouquets and arrangements were made up of pink & purple hydrangeas, green hypericum berries, hot pink roses and purple tulips.

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Now let's talk decor. Emily wanted this fairytale day to have a country club setting with a slightly rustic feel (which I love, because in wedding world these days rustic is the new black). So we accented her decor with touches of burlap and mason jars...galvanized buckets and vintage lanterns, barn wood framed chalk boards and DIY distressed table number frames. It was lovely!

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Did you see that adorable little sketch in the picture above? That's actually their save the date. The bride's grandfather is an artist, and he sketched that picture for them. My husband then scanned it in and added the text...it was so cute and personalized just for them! I also designed all of the Bride & Groom's invitations, programs and wedding favors. I created a custom "logo" for them that we placed on any of the printed signage for the day such as place cards, etc.

The logo I created for them.

The wedding favors were another adorable burlap touch, complete with the couple's logo and filled with purple and silver Hershey's Hugs & Kisses.

One of my favorite pieces we created for Emily & Clinton's big day was the fireplace mantle altar. Since the wedding was at a country club, there was no "traditional" altar for the focal point. In fact, the ceremony and reception took place in the same room, so while the guests were enjoying cocktail hour on the gorgeous veranda, the room was flipped...however this altar remained in the room and doubled as a backdrop for the dance floor. I actually scored the mantle off of Craigslist for $50...what a steal! (the story of how we actually got it to fit in a vehicle is a comical tale for another day...let's just save you the trouble now and say it will NOT fit in a Rav4)

The mantle was in great condition, so we just added two wood planks at the bottom to enable it to stand up and painted them white. I bought some sheer curtains at Ikea for $5 (similar HERE) and tacked them on the back to give the center some filler, and then we ran a strand of twinkle lights along the back of the opening to give it a soft backlight glow effect once the sun went down. It turned out beautifully!

Another subtle fairytale touch with the unity candle. Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

For the aisle, we couldn't actually do an aisle runner because the dance floor was already in place, so to jazz it up I created mason jar floral arrangements and accented them with burlap. We then dressed the center aisle with pink, purple and white rose petals.

They're married! Dancing back down the aisle. Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

After a cocktail hour on the veranda, the guests came back into the ballroom for dinner and dancing....oh, there was so much dancing! The centerpieces contained an eclectic mix of vintage lanterns (no two tables were the same!), with mason jars wrapped in burlap, tied with ribbon that matched our bridesmaids dresses and filled with white hydrangeas.

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Those table number frames cost $1 each from Michael's. I painted them a purplish pink to match the decor and overlaid a layer of ivory to give it more of a rustic/distressed look. We used chalk-paper card stock (did you know they make that?! It's awesome!) and chalk pens, both also from Michael's.

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

And here's just a few more of my favorite shots from the day...

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com

Venue: Dunwoody Country Club

Hair & Makeup: Sineat Heintzelman (she's amazing!!)

Flowers & Decor Design: Sweetwood Creative Co.

Wedding Cupcakes: Gigi's Cupcakes of Buckhead

Dress: Bride Beautiful

Here's to Emily & Clinton's Happily Ever After!

Rustic Chic Bouquets

As we continue with Wedding Week, today I'm excited to introduce you to Lindsey & Jonathan...

Their wedding day was just so sweet, but their love story and illustration of God's faithfulness has been even sweeter. Lindsey is a co-worker and friend of mine, and I've known Jonathan for years...so it's been really cool to watch two friends I've known independently come together and fall in love. And I was so honored to be able to play a small role in their special day!

When Lindsey and I sat down to discuss her vision for the bouquets, I knew she wanted three things:

1.  Rustic in style

2. Blush and white in color

3. Affordable

So I created 8 bouquets, 1 flower girl bouquet, 2 large ceremony arrangements, 8 medium sized reception arrangements and about 40 (yes 40..see pic below) small baby's breath arrangements for the reception tables...all for right around $450.

The bouquets consisted of the following flowers:

Blush Garden Roses
White Garden Roses
White Hydrangeas
Dusty Miller
Baby's Breath
White Hypericum Berries
Blush Spray Roses

I wrapped them all in burlap and tied with twine to continue the rustic feel. They matched perfectly with the bridesmaids blush dresses!

All photos courtesy of Kyle Hale

Congrats to the happy new couple!

Wedding Week: April Showers

It's wedding week! All things bridal, all week long...swoon!

That's right, spring is in the air, all things lovely are in bloom...and wedding season is in full swing!

April showers always bring May flowers, they say. And while it may be raining here in Atlanta today, the only showers we're going to talk about are BRIDAL showers! Today we'll feature a bridal shower as well as a "Love is Sweet" Couples shower, both were thrown for my sweet sister-in-law. Emily's wedding colors were purple and hot pink, so we had lots of fun making this a brightly colored soiree! 

Both the chevron table runner and chalkboard food signs came from Jane.com. If you haven't signed up for their daily email list yet, do yourself a favor and sign up now...amazing deals daily!

Adorable wine stopper favors were wrapped up beautifully by one of the bridesmaids.

And here's a glimpse at the "Love is Sweet" Couples shower. Of course, if you're going to lure men to a shower...you have to provide entertainment. What's better than a good game of corn hole?

To wrap up the evening, we finished with a hilarious game of "He Said/She Said." We place the couple back to back and they swap a shoe, so that each of them has one of their own shoes in one hand and their fiancé's shoe in the other. We asked questions such as "who is the better cook" and let them both answer (without seeing each other's response). The outcome was hysterical, as you can tell from my sister-in-laws expression below.

Stay tuned with us this week as we cover more weddings, flowers and decor to your heart's content! It's bound to be a week of wedded bliss!

DIY Diaper Cake Tutorial

This cake looks almost good enough to eat!

(but I wouldn't recommend it)

Earlier this week I showed you our fabulous "Ready to Pop" themed baby shower (click HERE to download our FREE Ready to Pop party printables!), now I'll show you a simple tutorial on how to make the beautiful diaper cake we used as the centerpiece for our food display. Diaper cakes are a great way to dress up a practical gift, and if you decorate in the colors of the party, they can also become a beautiful focal point of the shower decor. 

Some might say they pull double doody....er, I mean duty. Ahem.

Let's start out with the supplies you'll need:I made this whole diaper cake for less than $30, simply by shopping smart and utilizing some supplies that I had around the house. When you know you're going to be making one of these in the near future, start collecting empty toilet paper rolls (these can be used for other fun crafts as well) and an empty wrapping paper roll. I use the empty wrapping paper roll as the "base" of the cake, to help hold everything securely in place. It helps the cake transport easily without falling apart and keeps everything centered.

With the exception of the diapers, I found all of my supplies (cake plate, ribbons, flower, crinkle paper) all at Michael's...so it really was a one-stop-shop kind of project. PLUS I used my Michael's iPhone app for a coupon and saved some money! 

STEP 1: Cut down your wrapping paper roll and glue it to the center of the 12" cake plate.To cut down the wrapping paper roll to the right size I took the three toilet paper rolls and laid them on the floor one on top of the other (to form a tower), then laid the wrapping paper roll beside it and marked it about 1/2 inch shorter than the length of the three rolls (so that it wouldn't stick out the top). 

NOTE: You might ask why I didn't just use a paper tower roll since they're similar in height - the problem with paper towel rolls is that they are generally the same diameter as toilet paper rolls, making it hard to slide one onto the other. I have found that wrapping paper rolls are generally smaller in diameter and work perfectly. And bonus...they're long enough that you can cut it and get TWO cakes out of one roll!Jackpot! While the glue on the base is drying, you're ready to start assembling your layers. This is where you bust out the diapers and take a good whiff because they smell incredibly of fresh clean baby. (ahhh). I used Pampers Size 2 Swaddlers that I got from Buy Buy Baby at 2 packs (72 diapers) for around $22...not bad! I've found that this size diaper is the perfect size for the cake, and it allows the mommy to enjoy the cake on display in the nursery for a little bit after the little one arrives (if she chooses) without having to take it apart in the first week for the newborn size diapers she'll need.

STEP 2: Attach diapers to the toilet paper roll with rubber bands.Make sure you turn all of the diapers with the patterned side facing inwards (so they all look solid like a vanilla frosted cake), and begin to wrap and rubber band them in stacks of five. As you add more and more diapers, you can begin to fan them out (instead of one thick stack) so that the outer rim looks smooth and symmetrical.

You might need an extra set of hands to do this for the base if you haven't done it before...but if you don't have help, just be patient, it may take you a couple of tries to get the diapers in the right place and rubber banded before they fall over! I promise you can do it - I did this one solo! 

Repeat this step for the middle and top layers.

Here's the breakdown of the number of diapers I used for each layer:

BASE: 30-35 Diapers

MIDDLE: 20-25 Diapers

TOP: 10-15 Diapers

The best way to do this is just eyeball it. Start with your base, and as you make the next layer measure it on top of the layer below it to make sure it is slightly smaller in size. Once you get your three layers rubber banded, you're ready to assemble.

STEP 3: Slide layers onto base, placing crinkle paper in between each layer.Adding the crinkle paper isn't absolutely necessary, but I think it gives it a fun pop of color and distinguishes between the layers. (and it looks like frosting to me...we all know I LOVE frosting...just saying.) Note: I originally didn't put crinkle paper on the very bottom (between the base and the cake plate) but I went back later and added it in to give it a consistent look across the layers - you'll see it in the finished product at the bottom of this post)

STEP 4: Attach your ribbon with paper clips and glue.You don't want to glue your ribbon directly to the diaper because it will ruin it for actual use, so what I did was use a paper clip to attach one side of the ribbon at the back. I then wrapped the ribbon all the way around, cut it just slightly longer (so it overlaps) and then used a little bit of hot glue to attach the ribbon to itself.

NOTE: Be sure to put something in between the diaper and the ribbon as you glue the ribbon together so that the glue doesn't seep through to the diaper.

Repeat this for all three layers, making sure your seams are all in the same place at the back of the cake. Next, take your 1/2 inch ribbon and wrap it around to the front of the cake, tying a bow in the center of each layer.

STEP 5: Trim your decorative flower and place on top.The great thing about this is that I literally just had to cut the stem down to the height of the cake, and then it slid right down into the wrapping paper tube...no glue, no muss, no fuss. Easiest cake topper ever. (I used a silk gerber daisy from Michael's)

And voila...you have a beautiful gift and a beautiful centerpiece for your baby shower!

"Ready to Pop" Baby Shower

Who has two thumbs and loves a good theme party?

This girl. [points to self]

So of course I jumped at the chance to do a fun "Ready to Pop" themed baby shower for my bestie, who is almost ready to pop...literally! She's just weeks away from meeting her sweet baby boy. Here's a glimpse into our fabulous DIY baby shower...with tutorials on some of the fun details to come later this week! From the Caramel Butter POPcorn to Cake POPs to POPcorn chicken and the favors, I had a blast dreaming up ways to incorporate the theme.

This super simple diaper cake makes a great gift (and centerpiece)...tutorial located HERE! Want an easy and inexpensive way to display your cake pops and add a little bling to your table? Simply get white, rectangle styrofoam pieces from any craft store (example HERE) for a few bucks and cover them in fancy wrapping paper! So simple...yet it makes your cake pops, well...pop. (pun intended)

All of the "Ready to Pop" logos were easily created in photoshop...download FREE printables in blue and green OR pink and brown HERE!

I think the cupcake in a jar favors are my new favorite. I just keep finding new awesome ways to use mason jars! Hope you enjoyed this peek into our fun filled day...thanks for POPping by!

(see what I did there? I just can't help myself)

(Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links.)

Real Weddings: Simply Sweet Hydrangeas

Summer is definitely here, and everywhere I go in Atlanta I see all those beautiful hydrangea bushes in full bloom! In honor of those beauties, I thought i'd treat you to a glimpse into another set of DIY hydrangea flowers I did for an amazing couple...who happen to be some dear friends of mine!

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Kristin and Joe had a sweet and simple intimate morning wedding in an old industrial building that's been converted into a church.  With a minimal color palette and rustic DIY touches, the bride created a perfect atmosphere for brunch with their closest friends and family.

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

She selected pure white hydrangeas as her flower of choice for both her centerpieces and bouquets that I made. I added a few white roses and some baby's breath to the bride's bouquet to give it just a little extra texture. (my poor boyfriend, now husband, he got roped into helping me transport everything!)

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

For the centerpieces, we continued the hydrangea and burlap look by wrapping galvanized buckets in burlap and matching ribbon, then adding three hydrangea bushes to each bucket. 

We cut green (wet) floral foam blocks to fit in the buckets, soaked them fully in water and inserted them into the bottom of the bucket.

We then paired that with the cute DIY table number frames made by the bride.

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

I just loved some of the personal touches, like the wedding favor coffee cup sleeves made by the bride for the coffee/hot chocolate bar!

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Here's to a lifetime of love just as simply sweet as they day they became one!

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net

Apartment Living: Easy and Cheap Coffee Table Decor

In the first six months of marriage, merging lives and "stuff" has been a fun, but ongoing challenge. Namely, how do I decorate our apartment in a stylish, cozy and affordable way without making my poor husband feel like he's living in a girl's apartment.

(Rule #1: Limit the usage of pink. Obviously.)

Today's task: Incorporate hubby's coffee table with a touch of shabby chic style that's not so feminine he feels like he's looking at a home you'd find on Lifetime: Television for Women.

Get the Look (for cheap!):

1. Chevron Table Runner: I got this from the awesome website Very Jane that has AWESOME daily deals...cheap, and I mean cheap. It was only $11.99! (I liked it so much I bought three different colors)

2. Flower Tray: It's actually a cheap picture frame from Michael's that I unscrewed the back off of so that it would lay flat, and I bought a .50 piece of printed card stock to put in the frame for a little style. The frame was only $7.99, and bonus...I opened my Michael's iPhone app and used a framing coupon, so it was only $5!

3. Bird Tealight: I got this adorable tealight holder from Crate & Barrel for only $7.95.

4. Antique Frame: Only $2.99 at Hobby Lobby. The adorable married couple in the frame? Of course, that's us. :)

5. Hydrangeas: These aren't real...but in real life, they really don't look super fake! They were $5 at Michael's (I used a coupon again!), and then I took an old mason jar I had laying around, wrapped it in burlap, tied it with jute ribbon, and bam...can't even see the fake stem hiding beneath!

6. Books: I just picked two books I already owned that were a good color to complement the decor and took the covers off of them! 

TOTAL COST: Less than $35!

Finding a look that both my hubby and I can live with: PRICELESS.

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links.