20 Low-Cost Decorating Ideas

I've been a bit under the weather and until I can get back to feeling creative and crafty, here are some pretty ideas from Real Simple Magazine.

20 LOW-COST DECORATING IDEAS

Enjoy!
-Molly

Last Minute Valentine Favor Boxes

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This is another version of my tall favor boxes. This size is for the smaller petite baking cups (1.24" 3.2 cm). Depending on your candy, about three or four paper cups fill a box. You can also fill with small toys or money!

Here is the template I made showing the size and score measurements. The blue lines are cut lines; red dots indicate the pieces of the template that you will cut off and discard. I used a corner rounder punch for the top flap piece. In addition, I also cut the side flaps at the top of the box in half (not shown in the blank photo).

This is what your box should look like before assembly.

Before I assembled, I used a circle cutter to make a 1-inch window in the front of the box. I glued a square of clear cellophane inside over the cut-out.  First, the 3/4-inch flap on the side is adhered to the opposite side. I use a tape runner. I find it is easier to line up the flap to the side. Next, the bottom flaps are tucked in and the last one glued down. BAM! You have a box to embellish and fill with treats.

These are for the staff at my dad's home and filled with Butterfinger Mini's and Junior Mints. They are a bit plain, I used ribbon and conversation heart stickers from Michaels. So use your imagination to embellish your own little boxes.

Have a sweet Valentine's Day! XO

~Molly

Wordless Wednesday

Crafting + Procrastination = FAIL!

I printed and started this list at the beginning of the year, obviously putting it off each week. I photographed it a couple of weeks ago intending to do a blog post at that time (BIG sigh).

credit:  orgjunkie.com

I really am trying to tackle this pathetic characteristic of mine. My husband is also a procrastinator so we are major ENABLERS. I am going to fix me first and then work on him :o)

I'm an Organizing Junkie
Laura (favorite new find for 2011)

 Her post today is her menu for the week! Plus 380+ comments posting their blogs with a weekly menu.

Laura wrote this blog on the Organizing Your Way blog:

 Tips-for-Dealing-with-Procrastination 

Here is a bonus link. Complete Organizing Solutions. Tanna Clark is an office supply junkie... now I can relate to this. She is also a Professional Organizer.

Do you have any favorite procrastination tips or organizing links?

Enjoy and happy Tuesday,
~Molly

I {heart} Piddix

The title says it all.  I love, love Piddix on Etsy and using Corinna's collage sheets. You know the gazillion, cute little acrylic pendant necklaces? This is one thing I know of that are made using her pretties. She sells both modern and vintage digital prints.

I was first introduced to Corinna in an Etsy virtual lab class when she was talking about quitting your day job to sell on Etsy. Are you kidding me? And I found out she knows! How would you like to have more than 15k 100% positive feedback on Etsy? (That's 15,000 happy purchases, updated: 18,500.) After the class, I immediately went and purchased a couple of cute vintage Santa Christmas prints (that I did not need and had no idea what to do with them) LOVE THEM.

So this is all you need to know about Corinna to check out her store. Oh one more thing: She is one of the top 10 handmade sellers on Etsy. And trust me, it isn't just making digital prints, listing and sending via email. Anyone can do that. Her set-up is remarkable. Her resources, customer service, personal auto response emails, FAQs - are all customized to work perfectly with her craft. (Can you tell I am impressed?)

So what is a sheet of Piddix prints doing in my freezer? Well, I do use an ink jet printer. When I coat the prints with Mod Podge or Triple Thick stuff, the reds and oranges run and the process turns whites to yellow. By accident over the holidays I discovered a trick to set the ink and ... BAM, it really works!

I have made some dimensional paper buttons for rings with my 1" Valentine circles. They are gifts so they aren't for sale this year. But I will have St. Patrick's Day rings in the store soon.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Molly


P.S. Oh, so how long in the freezer? About a half a day, give or take an hour.

P.S.S. And Corinna's subsequent blog post on this same subject is here.

Disclaimer: I have not been paid for this post nor given free product.