It has been a whirlwind of happenings over at One Handspun Day this last month! I worked on an amazing collaboration with Cassandra of Borrowed Blu to bring to life Desert Blooms, a styled Bohemian bridal shower and could not have happier with how it turned out. After laboring over the vision, pulling together a talented team of vendors and crafting tons of DIY details, I quite literally teared up with joy when Katie of Katie Pritchard Photography sent me the photos of the shoot (you can read her thoughts on the shoot here). It exceeded every hope that I had for it. And I was honored that Green Wedding Shoes featured it a couple of weeks ago and that it was received with such an overwhelming response from her lovely readers! Ruche also put together a sweet blog post on the shoot, so stop on over there as well.

Desert Blooms was a concept inspired by the natural beauty of the Arizona desert and although it includes some of the southwestern influences you would expect, we gave it a fresh interpretation through whimsical details such as a table runner made from colored sand, oversized terrariums bursting with large blooms, girly tones of blush and a true celebration of all things pretty. We set up our bridal shower in a cactus garden, but the decor for this event could beautifully transform a patio, backyard or neighborhood park.

And we couldn’t be more excited because we also have released a DIY guidebook to go with this styled bridal shower event: 70+ pages of everything you need to recreate this bohemian bash for your next celebration! We have packed its pages with DIY tutorials, templates, pretty photos, illustrations, inspiration and variation ideas! Plus it has all of the little touches you would expect from One Handspun Day – it is available as a download (because we know how much you love instant gratification with your purchases) and it has lots of hand illustrated design elements (those crochet trim borders were drawn with pencil by yours truly!). Now that you have the scoop on this gem of a book, here is an exclusive peek into some of its pages…

“This book has been a labor love for the last two years, growing from an idea to photoshoots to words on a page. My mission when I set out to create these guidebooks was to bring attainable creativity to everyone who has ever considered themselves as ‘not creative.’ I whole-heartedly believe that everyone has the potential to be creative, but most just simply need some practice in thinking creatively. My event guidebooks are designed to give you a framework in which to do just that.”

“Follow the tutorials to craft details for your event in the way that we did, then try a few of the variations. Before you know it you will be brave enough to try an idea of your own or will interpret one of our projects in a new and beautiful way.”

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing photos from the styled shoot and more content from the book, including some of the tutorials, variations and some fun bonus content!

What types of themes or events would you like to see us create for future DIY event guidebooks?

Photo credit: Green Wedding Shoes

Last month I worked on a really fun project for a Green Wedding Shoes + West Elm collaboration – I was one of four contributors that were given the challenge of coming up with a DIY wedding project using West Elm’s Spring collection of paper flowers. All of the contributors definitely met the challenge head on and came up with some really great projects! If you haven’t seen them yet, they are all definitely pin-worthy…. and while you are over there enter West Elm’s giveaway for a dozen of paper flowers plus the vessel of your choice!

I came up with a lot of different ideas for the paper flowers (there are so many ways to use them!), but decided to weave the stems together to create rose wreaths that appeared to float around vases. I thought it would be fun for you to see the brainstorming sketch that I put together next to the end result -  I love when my vision comes to life the way I imagine it!

By the way, all of the gorgeous photos are courtesy of Dana Grant Photography. Dana is not only an insanely talented photographer (she photographed my wedding five years ago!), she is a fabulous person with a beautiful outlook on life. Follow her on Facebook and after a few posts you will see why she is so beloved!

The roses were so easy to work with and I was even able to re-use the twine from the packaging that the roses arrived in to hold the flowers in place! West Elm put together a post with tips, some of the other ways I used the roses, and details on how to ‘shop this look’ that you can read about here. And for details on how to construct the wreaths… keep reading on my lovelies!

Materials:

• Makes 1 floating wreath
• 1 bunch of West Elm’s paper roses (12 roses are in a bunch)
• String or twine (save the twine from the packaging and re-use it!)
• Gold pen, optional

Step One: Create the wreaths

Step Two: create the stands

Step Three: Add more Roses!

Now that you have the base stand created you can add more roses to it. Place the second wreath a couple of inches below the first and lash into place (or place it right up against the first one if you want your rose grouped more tightly). Repeat for the third wreath. To finish the stand, pull two of the rose stems together and cross them to form an ‘X’ and lash them with twine to hold the shape. Repeat with the other two rose stems. The rose portions that belong the legs should be standing straight up from the top wreath – bend them down so they are in line with the other roses. Bend the leafs of all of the roses so the gold lines face outward and so that a few gently curve away from the wreath, following the shape of your vase.

TIP: If you would like your floating rose wreath to look more full, you can easily add more roses by weaving them into the other stems.

If you like these wreaths, don’t forget to check out the other ways I used the paper roses over on West Elm’s blog!

Photo credits: Dana Grant Photography

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this post, but all of the materials pictured were items that I chose and that were provided courtesy of West Elm.

Photo credit: Stephanie Godfrey Photography

Hello my lovelies! I know it has been quiet over here lately and that is because we have a lot of very exciting things in the works – we can’t share just yet, but are bursting at the seams and cannot wait to fill you in on all the fabulous handspun happenings. In the meantime, we have a lovely project to keep those crafty little fingers of yours busy! These pretty little rope string name cards were featured on the Wedding Chicks last month and received so much love that we wanted to share with you how we made them! Your Facebook votes were definitely in favor of this DIY, so I am excited to share it with you today. If you would like to chime in and choose which tutorials we put together, then join us on Facebook!

One of my favorite things about these precious little handspun details is that they are made with wire, so they are very easy to make. And there are so many fun ways to use them once they are done ~ you can make them stand upright, hang them from the backs of chairs, or even place them so they appear to float up! Let’s get started…

Materials

• Vine Wrapped Rustic Feel Craft Wire
• Needle nose pliers
• “MR” & “MRS” template (download our free template here)
• Paint
• Paintbrush
  

Step One: Shape the wire into words

Shape the vine covered wire into the the letter ‘M’ and continue forming each letter, moving left to right just as though you are writing in cursive. You can do this freehand or ‘trace’ over the letters in our template (our “MR” & “MRS” is available as a free template and can be downloaded here). Use your fingers to bend the wire into shape – it does not take much force to bend.

Tip: To create sharp turns or straight sides for your letters use needle nose pliers to hold the wire in place and bend the wire against the edge of the pliers. When creating the “M” twist the legs of the ‘M’ a few times so the shape of the letter stays together (this also works for other letters that have sections that double back on themselves).

Step Two: Paint!

Now that your vine covered wire is fully formed into a word, you can embellish it with paint. I wanted a ‘dipped’ look for my signs so I only painted the bottom portions of my “MR” and “MRS.” You could paint yours in several colors, create an ombre effect, add a pattern such as polka dots, or even use metallics for a completely different look. Have fun with it and let me know if you make some of your own!

Photo credit: Stephanie Godfrey Photography

And there you have it ~ your very own handspun string name cards. To see how mine were used in the James & the Giant Peach styled shoot feature, pop on over to the Wedding Chicks to see the full gallery of images!

Did you spot our ‘Love is a Flutter’ invitation suite on BRIDES last month? They were tucked in a dreamy, rustic lavender farm wedding that we just cannot get enough of. These dreamy, ethereal photos were taken by the ridiculously talented Lizzie of S’Wonderful Photography, an absolute favorite of mine (you probably recognize her work from here). All of the vendors that contributed to this shoot are very talented and I was honored to be part of such a great group. I loved this shoot. I really loved it. I loved how the lavender farm smelled, the hours it took to get there that I spent chatting with Emilee & Lizzie, the memorable bumble bees that we tried so very hard to maintain peace with, the way the light fell softly over the hills, and the dozens of beautiful wineries that surrounded it. There are plenty of photos over in the gallery on BRIDES, but I wanted to share a few of my favorites, many of which are not part of the BRIDES feature.

The shots Lizzie took through this lovely stained glass window are simply stunning. Every time I look at these photos they make me want to freeze time and live in the little moment they capture. They feel like a series of beautiful stolen glances, wrapped in that dreamy, fleeting second when the day and night become one…

They take my breath away every.single.time.

And our ‘Love is a Flutter’ collection was right at home on this lavender farm. Isn’t she just darling printed on this pretty birch wood?

You can see the rest of the images from this styled wedding shoot over in the gallery on BRIDES.… just be prepared for some serious eye candy.

The talented vendors involved in this beautiful shoot:
Concept & Photography: S’Wonderful Photography
Lead Styling & Vintage Rentals: Tasteful Tatters
Florals: Recycled Love Story
Gown: Lindee Daniel provided by Lovely Bride in LA
Vintage China Rentals: The Vintage Table Co.
Paper Products: One Handspun Day
Desserts: Enjoy Cupcakes, los olivos
Hair Styling: Lauren Jones
Makeup: Molly Nicole Reynolds
Venue: Clairmont Lavender Farm in Los Olivos, CA

Hello lovelies! Does anyone here share my love of polka dots? In my book, anything that has a collection of dots on it jumps about five points in fabulousness. Toss them in a wedding and it’s an instant pop of whimsy and fun! And what better way to do that than to put them on a veil? It’s cute and it colors your world in polka dots when you wear it!

My full tutorial for an easy DIY polka dot veil is on Green Wedding Shoes today, so pop on over and leave some comment love there! This project is so easy and does not require any fancy sewing skills. Pinky promise. My handling of a needle and thread is enough to make anyone nervous and I managed to get through this project with only two finger pricks (ok, so I may have also accidentally caught part of my skirt into one of the stitches, but that doesn’t really count now does it?). Hurry on over and while you are there check out the wedding inspiration board Jen posted this morning in all of its polka dotted glory!

I have a fun new tutorial featured on Green Wedding Shoes today! Pop on over for the full tutorial…. you may find that you recognize the napkins from here.

What type of design would you stamp onto linen napkins?

Is there anything lovelier than fresh linen napkins adorning the plates of your dinner guests? We think not, especially when you can make them yourself and don’t even need to pull out the sewing machine. That’s right, my pretty little handspun crafters – you do not have to thread a single needle or pull out any pesky thimbles to make these linen napkins! Oh, and did I mention they have mitered corners?!? [for the non-sewers out there, that's fancy talk for clean 45 degree corners].

That being said, they are an absolute breeze to make. Seriously. And I would recommend making a batch pronto because you will need them for another tutorial I have coming up in the next month. It will be all kinds of fun and is also quite easy, so get a jump on it and invite over your favorite gal pals for a ladies night of napkin DIY-ing.

Materials:

Makes six 20″ napkins

• - Steam-A-Seam tape (1/4″ width)
• - 2 yards of linen fabric
• - Scissors (fabric scissors are recommended, though not necessary)
• - Ruler
• - Iron

Step 1:  Cut the fabric into 20.5″ squares

Lay your fabric out on a flat surface and if it looks a bit on the wrinkly side then you might want to iron it first so it will be easier to cut accurately to size. [Note: If you need an idea as to what 'a bit wrinkly' means then just look at the lovely photo above - it is a wonderful example of what more than 'a bit wrinkly' looks like. I did that for illustration purposes and not at all because I was impatient to make my napkins...]  Use your ruler to measure out 20.5″ squares. You can also choose a smaller size if you want your fabric to go farther, for example 16″ or 18″ square napkins (which would give you 12 or 9 napkins, respectively). If you choose to make a different size, don’t forget to add 1/4″ to each side for the hem (ex. 16″ napkins would be cut to 16.5″ x 16.5″).

A tip for cutting perfect squares:

In order to create a perfect square, measure and cut two of the adjoining sides. Grasp the corner you just created and pull it over the rest of your fabric to fold it into a triangle shape. Now cut the other two sides using these edges as a guide.

Step 2:  Use Steam-A-Seam to fold up corners

Cut the Steam-A-Seam tape into small strips and place one on each corner of your napkin, sticky side down. Use the gray dotted line in the “Step 2″ photo as a general guide when placing your strips. Remove the wax paper, fold the corner at the bottom edge of your strip and press down onto the tape to create a small triangle. Use your iron to activate the adhesive on the strip by pressing down for approximately 10 seconds (check the directions on your Steam-A-Seam product for exact time recommendations).

Step 3:  Finish hems with Steam-A-Seam

Once all of your corners are finished, place a strip of Steam-A-Seam along the edge of your napkin. Fold up to create a 1/4″ hem (the same size as your tape, so just use that as a guide) and press with an iron to seal as you did with the corners. The edge of your hem should roughly line up with the gray dotted lines shown in the “Step 3″ photo (a closeup of this is pictured in the circle photo). If you strive for perfection then you can get a more pristine edge by folding up your hems and ironing them before you apply the Steam-A-Seam. Then just tuck the tape into the fold and iron to seal the adhesive. Repeat this step for the rest of the sides of your napkin.

And that’s it! You now have pretty mitered corner linen napkins to admire, use, or flaunt as you please! Be sure to put them out for your next soiree and brag about how you are such a fabulous seamstress that your stitches are not even visible. Or you could just tie them up with pretty ribbons or slip on a sequined napkin ring to let them shine quietly, but beautifully.

So, what do you think? Do they seem easy enough to give them a try for yourself?

An owl, a pie pan and a touch of inspiration from these Anthropologie candlesticks brought this quirky little cake stand into my home. The end result may look like a labor of love, but it was actually easy as pie! Want to know how you can make your own DIY handspun cake stand from thrifted finds or knick knacks from your home? Visit Green Wedding Shoes for my full tutorial… and kindly leave a comment over there to show your support.

In case you have missed my other DIYs over on Green Wedding Shoes, you can pop on over and see them here and here… and more handspun lovelies will be making their debut every month!

What else would you use to make a cake stand? Have any fun items on your shelves that are calling to you?

The lovely ladies of Utterly Engaged Magazine are giving away our “Pick a Pair of Speckled Feathers” collection!

 Sashay your pretty little self over to their blog and leave a comment to enter! And you don’t have to be a bride to win… in celebration of our “Painted Little Finds” feature in this month’s Utterly Engaged Magazine {look on page 18!}, we will customize our printables any way the winner desires! That means these pretties can make their debut at your next birthday party, bridal shower, or any other event you would like.

One lucky winner will be announced on Monday April 30th and will win a set of printables from our “Pick a Pair of Speckled Feathers” collection: Invitation, RSVP, Patterned Paper, Name Card, Thank You Card… and we are throwing in a yard of organic cotton knit fabric that matches the patterned paper!

Leave a comment here to enter, and be sure to earn an 3 extra entries by leaving additional comments if you follow One Handspun Day on Facebook or Twitter or if you tweet about this giveaway!

What would you do with your printables if you won?

What happens when an artist meets a natural history museum curator? Click here & flip on over to page 18 to find out!

Oh. And be prepared to drool over all of the other pretty pages in this month’s issue from Utterly Engaged…

I’m considering posting a DIY tutorial for one of the details from the styled shoot… if the thought of that makes your crafty little fingers itch, then leave a comment and tell me which detail you would most like to see a tutorial for! 

{a special note of appreciation: thank you to Utterly Engaged for the beautiful feature and thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the lovely vendors that dedicated their time & services to making this styled shoot a reality! Photgraphy: Lukas VanDyke Photography / Co-styling, Florist & Glassware Rentals: Primary Petals / Vintage Furniture Rentals: This & That Vintage Rentals / Vintage Table Settings: Antiquaria / Cookies: Vanilla & Chocolate Cookies / Make-up: Beautiful Faces by Denise / Hair Styling: Alex West / Models: Alex West & Kevin Calvo / Videography: The Yodsukars }