How about a fun and super easy craft idea for Valentine’s Day?

Pink Glitter Letters……

What a wonderful way to communicate your love (and other emotions) to your sweetie this Valentine’s Day!

Recently I came across this idea on Crazy Little Projects Blog and I just had to try it. These days it’s very difficult to find time to do any DIY or craft projects, but this one is very quick and easy. It literally took me 15 minutes

So with my son, Josh as my photographer, I decided to share with you my version of Valentine’s glitter letters

Here’s what you need for the project

• Wooden letters spelling out the word, name or initials you desire. I purchased these at Hobby Lobby for $1.29 each. I was in such a rush that I picked up the number 1 instead of the letter I. I didn’t even notice until Josh pointed it out. Haha! I told him it’s because your sweetie should be #1, so let’s pretend that I meant for that to happen
• Acrylic paint in your choice of color – I went with pink instead of red
• Glitter dust in your choice of color. It is best to keep the paint and glitter colors very similar
• A small soft brittle brush
• An old container for the paint
• Foil paper to lay out letters to dry
• Old newspaper or butcher paper to cover your work surface. Glitter will get everywhere if you’re not careful

My Process…..

• Lay each letter facing up on the foil paper
• Paint the letters one at a time. Do a really thick coat of paint because the wet paint will act as the glue for the glitter to adhere to. Be sure to cover all the edges with paint.
• While the paint is still wet, dust on a really thick layer of glitter. Be sure that all edges are covered.
• Leave the letters to dry before moving them
• When dry, clean up the edges and check that they are fully covered with glitter
• Voila! You are done
• There will be lots of excess glitter. Simply pour it back into the container

The Finished Product……

Here are the glitter letters in this cute little vignette.

Create a similar vignette on your nightstand and I bet that your sweetie will not miss this hint

You can spell out the word LOVE or XOXO, or your sweetie’s name or initials or whatever your little heart desires

Display on your mantel or in a bookshelf, or staple ribbons to the back and hang them on a wall.

Here it is using a picture editor app called InStatus

Have fun creating your version of Valentine’s Glitter Letters.

Would you try this Valentine’s Day craft idea?

Be Inspired!

With mother’s day just around the corner, I was thinking it might make a great gift for my mom who loves plants and flowers. She lives in a condo in Florida, and doesn’t have the backyard space for gardening…Perfect! I decided to do a bit of research to see If it might be a DIY project I could handle…..I am a designer, but I wouldn’t consider myself very “crafty” :-). I was amazed by the amount of information that is available about creating your own terrarium. Some a bit more complicated than others.

The following is one of the simpler instructions I found, so if you think this might make a good gift for your mom, and you’d like to give it a shot, here goes:

Materials:

Container

Potting Soil

Plants

Small stones

1. Find a container that you love, preferably one made out of glass so you can easily see your creation. There’s no need to limit yourself to garden stores, antique or home decor stores may have some unique options.
2. Now it’s time to pick your plants. Look for a variety of leaf shapes and colours to achieve an interesting design. Mosses, Swedish Ivy, Ferns and Herbs are all excellent plants to start with.
3. Place a one inch layer of small stones at the bottom of your container. These will help with drainage.
4. Add your soil, the amount of soil you will use will vary depending on the size and shape of your container, but you’ll want to have at least a few inches  to leave room for roots to grow.
5. Add your plants and arrange however you wish. You might prefer crowded and organic, or sparse and modern, go with what you like and have fun with this step.
6. Water but don’t over-water. A spray mister might be the best way to regulate moisture levels.
7. Give it some sun. Place your terrarium in moderate to direct sunlight.
8. Enjoy!

If you are more interested in planting a succulent terrarium the approach is very similar but requires slightly different materials and plants.  Martha Stewart has a great tutorial that you can find here

Now, if that was a bit out of your comfort zone, there are actually faux terrariums that look almost as good as the real thing. Here are a few examples

These faux terrariums, also known as cloches, are available at National Decorations Inc

They look great in tablescape groupings of varying heights and sizes, especially when mixed with other materials and textures. A larger size can stand alone as a dining table centerpiece. Or maybe adding a grouping of three by the window inside of your kitchen. Terrariums are a great way to bring in some greenery and nature into your decor. Have fun creating your own or as a gift to that special lady you call mom. Happy Mother’s Day in advance!

Here are a few more to feast your eyes on! Can you see why I am obsessed?

Be Inspired!

Veronica Solomon