1. printable cupcake wrappers from urban comfort

2. fruit stickers from twig and thistle

3. make your own sweater from a beautiful mess

4. printable notecards from one charming party

5. heart nail art from wonder forest

6. felt candy hearts from the purl bee

7. heart cookies decorating how-to from glorious treats

wrap up: {diy} {ideas} {projects} {round up} {theme} {valentine's day}

every year i try to make the majority of my christmas gifts. there are really two reasons for this; the first is that i love to make things. i love everything about the process, from picking out a project-to-pouring myself into it-to-getting anxious about seeing the recipient open it. it’s just all good. the second reason is that it saves us money. christmas on a budget is tough, and when you can get crafty it can save you tons. i’ve been cataloging my favorite project ideas over on pinterest, and here are a few of my favorites. i still need more ideas though! do you have any crafty gift plans?

1. pretty poufs (discovered via itty bitty impact)
2. braided leather belt
3. drawstring bag (discovered via indie pretty projects)
4. tub teas (perfect for making your own tea)
5. handmade envelope tutorial
6. reversible journal covers

wrap up: {diy} {gift} {handmade} {holiday} {ideas} {make} {pretty} {projects}

This is one of the tastiest meals my husband and I have ever made on the grill. He’s the grill master, and I the preparer. What’s great about this recipe is that it doesn’t require a lot of time, so it’s perfect for entertaining. You can of course customize the toppings to your liking – I enjoyed the mix of sweet peppers, salty capers, and tangy onions and feta cheese in this recipe.

Ingredients

 
for the dough

1/4 tsp yeast

1/3 cup warm water

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

Pizza toppings

 
6 ounces pesto (homemade or from a jar)

6 ounces tomato sauce

12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup feta

jarred capers

1 red bell pepper

1/2 a medium onion

2 cloves garlic

parmesan cheese

olive oil

crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Get your grill pretty much as hot as you can get it; begin preparations for the pizza

For the dough

 
Mix the yeast and warm water; let set for 10 minutes. Combine flour and salt, and add water/yeast mixture; mix well. Once the dough starts to form a ball, move it to a floured surface and knead until the dough is stretchy and forms a smooth ball.

Split the dough, and flatten into a disc about 1/4 thick. Brush or spray the dough with olive oil. I layered our dough discs between parchment paper, so they were easier to take out to the grill.

To make the sauce, mix together the pesto and tomato sauce; set aside.

Place the onion half and two halves of bell pepper directly on the grill for 5-10 minutes. Remove from grill and slice. Mince garlic, and set all toppings aside.

Cooking the pizza

 
When the grill is about as hot as you can get it, place your pizza dough on the grate. The dough should firm and puff up quickly. After about five minutes, flip the dough, top with sauce, toppings, and cheese, and grill for 5-10 minutes the the lid on.

This pizza is best with a crunchy crust, so don’t be shy about slightly over-cooking! Top with parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes.

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

wrap up: {ashley pahl} {grilled} {indie pretty} {pizza} {projects}

hello, lovelies! i wanted to make some time this week to do a 4th of july project of my own, but time is slipping away from me. so, i decided to do a little roundup of diy projects from around the blogosphere! if you’re planning on having a little 4th of july get together, i think one of these projects would make your celebration all the more special. are you planning any special projects of your own?

clockwise: 4th of july cupcake project from style me pretty, diy 4th of july party set from twig & thistle, cobbler’s stand candle holder from design*sponge, diy tin can plants from ruffled, 4th of july diy salsa label from camille styles,

wrap up: {4th of july} {celebration} {craft} {diy} {fireworks} {projects}

 
seeing that we are all in the full swing of christmas, the happy holidays guide to diy couldn’t come at a better time! brittni from papernstitch has compiled a beautiful diy guide with step by step tutorials for over 8 easy holiday projects, and they are all to die for!

 
these projects are never-before-seen originals that will get your creative juices flowing and inspire you to get crafty this christmas.  with beautiful gift wrapping ideas, ornament tutorials and some great last minute gift ideas, i couldn’t be more excited to share this with you!

 

 
click here to get your free copy!

i wish you all a wonderful weekend, as i’m sure we will all be busy bees tying up loose ends before christmas!  i’ll see you back here on monday, love to you!

wrap up: {book} {christmas} {craft} {diy} {free} {papernstitch} {projects} {tutorials}

 
it’s here, it’s here, it’s here! after over a month of hard work, i’m very pleased to share with you going home to roost’s first publication, celebrate magazine! inside you’ll find over 50 pages of free downloads, diy projects, & instant gifts. here’s a sneak peak of what you’ll find inside:

*free art

*downloadable gift tags and wrapping paper

*a giftable, printable 2011 calendar

*winter recipes

*craft projects galore

*2010 gift guide

*…and much more!

and the best part? it’s free!

click here to view the magazine, get access to all the downloads, and get info on sharing it around the web. i hope you enjoy it! xox, bonnie

wrap up: {celebrate} {crafts} {diy} {downloads} {free art} {gift guide} {magazine} {projects} {recipes}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
with having a new place to decorate, i’ve been prowling design blogland even more than usual.  i try not to be such a sucker for trends, but sometimes i just can’t help it (like with my latest chevron fad).  yes, i even have an antler on order (where is it? .. should be here by now..).  in lieu of amy‘s decorating with maps post last week, i’m taking the hub to our local map store to pick out the biggest one they have that will fit over our recently thrifted desk.  at the same time, i like to make things my own, and put an unexpected twist on things.  through vintage finds, thrift store snags and diy projects (some of which i’ll start sharing with you next week), i like to think there’s a little bit of bonnie in every trend i follow.  i have planned lots of painting, a little stenciling, some cushion covers and quite a few spray paint projects. we’ll see how far i get before monday! what projects are you planning this weekend?

{all pictures are from lonny mag, a sure fire way to gather some inspiration if you’re in the mood to decorate!}

wrap up: {decorating} {diy} {home decor} {lonny mag} {projects} {trends}

good morning from colorado springs! wow- is it beautiful here! the weather is perfect (as i’ve heard it usually is) and the scenery is simply to die for. we arrived without a hitch, though we flew in on two small planes. i don’t love flying as it is, so i’m hoping for bigger planes on the return flight! our hotel is just across from the city’s historical downtown, so we’re a quick walk to cute shops and yummy restaurants. hopefully i’ll have pics to share soon!

most recently added to my wish list is meg mateo ilasco’s latest book, crafting a meaningful home. featuring 27 projects that tell personal stories and celebrate heritage, the projects are all budget conscience and beginner friendly. as i am always trying to make my home a handmade haven, i can’t wait to get my hands on this book!

wrap up: {book} {diy} {home decor} {inspiration} {projects}