Little Red Bus: aspire to inspire

Rave Reads: Inspired by Charley Harper

2011-06-23T08:05:00.026+08:00

Image from Charley Harper Prints

We've been loving the wildlife illustrations by Charley Harper, so imagine our delight when we actually found some children books that incorporated his works!

This little board book teaches the alphabet while incorporating Harper's illustrations, and is a great way of introducing art to children. There is another book covering number as well, and our little boy loves pouring over the pictures and identifying the animals.

Image from The Light Garden

And if oohing and ahhing over his art isn't enough, how about taking his style as a springboard, and doing Harper-inspired crafts with your child? Verity over at The Light Garden created some lovely pieces of art with her son, based on Harper's illustrations, which you can view here. I hope these inspire you to get crafty!

Jus is a Christian stay-at-home mum to one little boy that runs her ragged, and spends naptimes trying to scrapbook, craft and do stuff that satisfy her itchy fingers. She blogs about motherhood, making and meals at http://makingmum.blogspot.com

Small Stylists :: Trumpette Socks

2011-06-22T08:28:00.022+08:00

The humble sock has come a long way in recent years, becoming quite the fashion accessory. Check out these adorable socks from Trumpette:

My favourite for the boys are the dessert boots

and the loafers

and for the girls, my favourite picks are these Ballerina ones

and the Peace Maryjanes are pretty darn cute too!

REBECCA ATKINSON :: Little Spunky Monkey is bursting with beautiful hand made babies clothing, accessories, hair accessories, room decor and lots lots more. Featuring Amy butler fabrics.

{handmade hullabaloo} alphabet cards

2011-06-13T20:55:00.015+08:00

I designed a set of alphabet cards to help my littlest one learn her alphabet! Simply print laminate and trim! You can play matching games or use them as flash cards. The letters are Victorian cursive, which is the style of writing taught in Western Australia. I'll share the whole set over a few posts...for now, here's A to C

click here to download your copy!

TANYA: Half of The Candy Tree team, creating gorgeous children's parties & designing party stationery is what I do everyday, and I love it! I adore all forms of design…graphics, events & interiors especially! I love and live for my three gorgeous children, my beautiful step-daughter and lovely husband! Oh, and my other love…coffee!! x

Picnic Decor DIY

2011-06-09T09:19:00.001+08:00

The simple joys of a sweet picnic in the great outdoors calls for a lovely touch of handmade decor. To help make your picnics a little more merry this season, enjoy this DIY project for adding pep and style to food picks and sipping straws, alike. And just like a good picnic, it's simple, fun, and oh-so lovely.

DIY Picnic Decor Straw Tags and Food Pics

An easy way to make your picnic personalized, themed or stylized.

What you need:
- Cardstock
- Circle or any Shape Punch or sissors for cutting shapes
- Standard Hole Punch, Straws
- Food Picks or Toothpicks

1. Punch or cut out shapes (approx. 2in) from card stock
2. Punch two holes on opposite ends of shape
3. Thread Straws and Food picks through holes

Emily Horak and Carrie Flynn are designers and makers of handmade goods for merry celebrations. With an affinity for simple, handmade beauty, this creative (and quirky) duo loves making good times oh-so pretty through their work for Potter+Butler. Their blog , of the same name, toasts the handmade life & all the merry celebrations that adorn it.

Small Stylists :: Jewelry

2011-06-08T08:34:00.005+08:00

Hello, hello!

The recent launch of the Bloesem Kids Wear Neon collection suggested me this post today... I am in the mood to explore what designers out there are proposing as accessories for our children...

Let's start naturally with the funky, happy, cheerful neon collection by Irene {and Vivien} of Bloesem Kids. A simple and beautiful concept, pop colors and great materials go a long way! The styling of the photos is also super inspiring... not sure about you, but these are necklaces I would borrow from my kids!

Bloesem Kids Wear Neon - our new favorite!

In a totally different style come Emma Cassi's stunning creations. Precious, delicate and feminine necklaces, earrings or brooches will adorn your little girl's outfits {or yours}. One-of-a-kind accessories, perhaps not for playing in the sandpit!

Emma Cassi for Girls

Last but not least I want to introduce you the work of Akiyo Sakamoto, the designer behind label La Paruriere sold on 51 Stars Paris. Completely different story again, but definitely pieces that mother/ daughter or mother/ son would happily share!

Cocardes by La Paruriere on 51 Stars Paris

1 :: 2 :: 3

Which style do you prefer?

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section or

hop to our Facebook page to share

your favorite handmade accessory designer {for kids}!

MARIE MAGLAQUE :: Just turned 30, two adorable children and a fun, lovely husband. Currently based in Singapore, I have been in the Asia Pacific area for the past 6 years and I love it. Passionate by interior, fashion and jewelry designs... handmade, vintage or unique pieces... a long-time crafter, I am always looking for beads, lace, sequins and every thing that sparkles and shines!

Picnic Inspiration Board

2011-06-07T16:18:00.007+08:00

Picnic season is upon us! Some of our favorite childhood memories are of family picnics in parks and green, open fields, alike. Anytime, anywhere. A picnic turns the tradition of sitting together and enjoying a meal as a family or a group of friends into a special event worthy of getting excited about and classifying the day as lovely. And if you're like us, everything simply tastes better outdoors. The added ingredients of fresh air, beautiful surroundings, and natural elements have a way of making something like a little PB&J taste better than ever. To honor the simply joys of simple eating in the great outdoors, we've crafted a picnic-inspired inspiration board - complete with touches of handmade decor. May your picnics this season be lovely, happy, memorable occasions. Cheers (from our recycled, reusable cup to yours)!

Handmade Picnic Supply Inspiration Board

{ Clockwise }

:: Metal vintage picnic basket by Gingers Girl ::

:: Reusable Sandwich Wrap by round bottom baby ::

:: Picnic Fork Spoon Wooden Cutlery by RomanticPink ::

:: Picnic Throw Quilt by WestCoastQuilts ::

...sleeps until my birthday

2011-06-06T20:28:00.034+08:00

My gorgeous Indigo will be celebrating her 5th birthday soon, so to make the countdown a little more fun I created this '...sleeps until my birthday' chart, so she can pick a petal out for each day leading up to her birthday.

Step 1 - Print onto card or paper and trim the background to square, and cut out the petals and centre '...until my birthday'. I've printed onto paper, and then glued the background sheet to a piece of heavy card. I've also given it a distressed look by rubbing sandpaper around the edges, and over the corners.

Step 2 - Apply foam dots at the centre tip of each petal

Step 3 - Stick petals in order from 1 sleep to 10 sleeps

Step 4 - Apply four more sticky foam dots to the centre

Step 5 - Finish with the '...until my birthday' dot

Step 6 - Hang or stand in the birthday childs room and let them pick the petals to countdown the sleeps to their special day!

And, if you laminate the pieces, this could be used every year!

Click here to download your birthday countdown.

Have fun!!

Sesame Street Party Inspirations

2011-06-03T08:19:00.001+08:00

Can you tell me how to get…

Sesame Street is a perennial classic isn’t it? I know I love it as much now as what I did when I was a kid. I adore the colours, the characters and the music!

My favourite character was Mr. Snuffleupagus. I have such clear memories of an episode where Big Bird was helping Snuffy to see what he looked like all the way around with a little hand mirror. Because he was so big he’d never seen all of himself – at the time I thought he was the best friend to have. Now, I feel I sympathise a little too closely (though I don’t want to see my rear view all the way around…)

Who’s your favourite character? I had so much fun pulling together this series of party inspirations for you – all celebrating the magic of Sesame Street. Enjoy

Party by: And Everything Sweet found on Kara’s Party ideas

Party by: Jenny Cookies found on Kara’s Party ideas

Found on Hostess Blog

Cake pops by Bakerella

Hi I’m Renee and I am a first time Mum and event planner. I love my generous, long suffering husband and my beautiful baby boy. I dream about creating amazing special memories for special events. I believe that we entertain for a reason; we want to open our lives, share with those we love and make them feel cherished. I live to help people do this.

Inspired By :: L'Affiche Moderne

2011-06-01T09:01:00.013+08:00

Hello! It's Marie from Etincelle Creative STUDIO again... I have prepared a lovely post on L'Affiche Moderne, a French online gallery presenting the work of young photographers, graphic designers and children's illustrators.

They have a wonderful selection of artists, and as much as my selection below caters for children, they also have lovely pieces of arts for adults too ;). A special mention to the French duo (Ma + Ch) behind the recent revamp of the site. They are seriously talented gals!

Soft and sweet colors for girls:

1. by Arrhenius Ingela P. 2. by Bukubuku 3. by Sarah Jane

What's in store for boys? vibrant colors, and more action!

1. by Lhomme Sandrine 2. by Slati 3. by Billet Marion

Under the section Educationnal Art, the necessary ABC poster:

1. by Linero Sol 2. by Jammes Laurence 3. by Martinez Sigrid

I would have a second thought on this world map (also available with blue or brown backgrounds, and in English), and maybe install it in the dining area... great conversation starter, isn't it?

by Mercier Julie

Last but not least I want to share with you my picks for my two children: the little cars and trucks with the animals driving them is so funny, my 18 month-old son would love it! He's all passionate by engines and animals at the moment. I love Sarah Jane's illustrations, and it was harder to pick something for my 4 year-old daughter... but ultimately the animals playing music is too cute to be missed!

1. by Billet Marion 2. by Arrhenius Ingela P.

What is your favorite? share it with us in the comment section or on our Facebook page (remember to "like" the page first to be able to leave a comment!)

L'Affiche Moderne :: Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter

MARIE MAGLAQUE :: Just turned 30, two adorable children and a fun, lovely husband. Currently based in Singapore, I have been in the Asia Pacific area for the past 6 years and I love it. Passionate by interior, fashion and jewelry designs... handmade, vintage or unique pieces... a long-time crafter, I am always looking for beads, lace, sequins and every thing that sparkles and shines!

Dress-up Ideas :: Updated

2011-05-30T13:28:00.001+08:00

Dress-ups are a huge part of play in our household- with a 4 ½ year old and a 3 year old, there are countless hours of pirates, princesses, ballet dancers, horses and superheros (so much so that Mr 4½ has requested a superhero themed 5th birthday).

I have been on the lookout for some new dress-ups to make myself in an attempt to reduce the
number of licensed characters in the house! I didn’t want anything too involved, too much sewing,
too confined to one size.

One of the most basic dress-up accessories that you can make is a good old stocking tail. I had the kids make these at a dinosaur party last year- and all ages that were there were able to make or assist in making them. Its a great activity for a rainy day and costs next to nothing.

Simply cut the legs off a pair of stockings, stuff with scrunched up newspaper and tie with a longpiece of ribbon that is then used to tie around their waste.

Another easy one is a headband veil- very fitting with the Royal Wedding recently!

You can find the instructions here.

A little more complex but still very do-able is felt animal ears. Easily adapted for a range of animals,
all by simply changing the shape of the felt.

Bunny Ears

Here are the instructions for the RABBIT EARS, while the Easter Bunny is still fresh in their minds.

A step-up again are these Batman wings:

Bat Wings

Incredibly cute and just think of the hours spent roaring around the backyard and jumping from the
trampoline edge. I love that they are attached to the arm for maximum wing-span effectiveness.

Now last but by no means least, my favourite project of them all- how divine are these wings:

Dress Up Wings

The time consuming but simple instructions and pattern can be downloaded here. So simple but so
beautiful. I am going to attempt them- anyone care to join me?

REBECCA ATKINSON :: Little Spunky Monkey is bursting with beautiful hand made babies clothing, accessories, hair accessories, room decor and lots lots more. Featuring Amy butler fabrics.

Dress-up Ideas

2011-05-18T08:40:00.023+08:00

Simply cut the legs off a pair of stockings, stuff with scrunched up newspaper and tie with a longpiece of ribbon that is then used to tie around their waste.

Another easy one is a headband veil- very fitting with the Royal Wedding recently!

You can find the instructions here.

Dress Up Wings

Bat Wings

Bunny Ears

REBECCA ATKINSON :: Little Spunky Monkey is bursting with beautiful hand made babies clothing, accessories, hair accessories, room decor and lots lots more. Featuring Amy butler fabrics.

Birthday Numbers

2011-05-11T09:20:00.004+08:00

For this post i've created some fun polka dot number printables. So many things you could use them for, let your imagination go wild! Here's one idea...

Easy and Adorable Cake Topper

1. Create a simple round paper fan,

2. Add one of our polka-dot numbers,

3. Attach to a wooden skewer and

4. Finish with a little ribbon!

Click here to download your numbers in blue, or click here to download them in pink!

Have fun!!

TANYA: Half of The Candy Tree team, creating gorgeous children's parties & designing party stationery is what I do everyday, and I love it! I adore all forms of design…graphics, events & interiors especially! I love and live for my three gorgeous children, my beautiful step-daughter and lovely husband! Oh, and my other love…coffee!! x

MIMI'lou :: Wall Stickers

2011-05-10T08:30:00.001+08:00

Hello lovelies,

I have planned just for you a wonderful post with an introduction to French brand MIMI'lou which I stumble upon not long ago. I got very enthusiastic when I discovered their collection of {wall} stickers, home decor items and other tasteful accessories. I thought The Handmade Hullabaloo and its readers would love to know about it. Am I right?

You will find below my favorite few, but check out MIMI'lou, there is so much more to discover... Wonderful wall stickers... the mini stickers are great too for decorating notebooks, luggages, bags etc...

1. Little animals 2. Wall borders - Enjoy colors

3. Life size child 4. Phosphorescent bulbs! works as a night light too :)

MIMI'lou is also proposing a selection of accessories and home decor items... I fell for their beautiful cushions and the paper lantern {no surprise here...}. And guess what? You can create your own cushion with their iron-on stickers! yeahh!!

1. Cushion - forest animal theme 2. Cushion - car theme 3. Paper lantern

... and yet the most original sticker tailored to you only... your child's portrait to stick in any room you want... I absolutely love this idea!

Your child's portrait on the walls of your room, anyone?

and because Mother's day is just a stroll away...

MIMI'lou has an online store and the site is also in English, so no excuses! shop till you drop while relaxing on your couch... and remember to check the list of retail shops worldwide, some of their products might be available just near you. If you are interested to sell MIMI'lou in your own little space, please contact Christelle directly: contact[at]mimilou[dot]fr

MIMI'lou :: website :: online shop

Share your thoughts with me and the rest of The Handmade Hullabaloo team over here in the comment
section, or on our Facebook fanpage {more fun!}. We love hearing from you :)

Super SWEET Bee Themed Parties

2011-05-09T09:05:00.001+08:00

I am in the middle of a children’s party overload at the moment and I love it! I have a couple of 1st birthday parties (one for 8 babes!) and a baby shower to boot! As I search the internet for inspiration I am always taken by the wide variety of amazing and talented event planners and stylists there are out there with some truly imaginative work. My favourites are always the themes that are a little bit different, not based on over the top commercialised party products and are clearly individual.

Some of the beautiful images that have been catching my attention are super SWEET bee themed parties. There are quite a few out there I know, but the happy colours, cute motifs and easy catering options always charm me! Not only that – but it’s such an adaptable theme.

• Bee mine (valentines, wedding, bridal shower)
• Welcome to the hive (baby shower, Christening or maybe a sip & see)
• A, Bee, C (kids birthday)
• Bee in the bonnet (another kids birthday or baby shower)

I have pulled together some sweet pics for you to ooh and ahh over, and maybe you can think of some cute (or cheesy!) bee themed parties too (oh pretty please, if you do think of a theme please leave a comment so we can share)

All photos taken from:

Alchemy Fine Events B is for Baby Shower

Scissors Paper Cake Bumble Bee birthday party
Paper and Pigtails Honey House Warming via Hostess Blog

Hi I’m Renee and I am a first time Mum and event planner. I love my generous, long suffering husband and my beautiful baby boy. I dream about creating amazing special memories for special events. I believe that we entertain for a reason; we want to open our lives, share with those we love and make them feel cherished. I live to help people do this.

Union Jack Bedroom

2011-05-04T09:08:00.004+08:00

What a 'Royal Buzz' the world has been in lately with William and Kate's nuptials. I have seen the fun and funky British flag Union Jack popping up everywhere so have used it as my inspiration for this post. In a mainly white bedroom one or two of these items used in the room would make a fabulous pop of colour statement!

Union Jack Cushion, Union Jack Piggy Bank, Union Jack Dresser, Union Jack Paper Chain, Union Jack Quilt, Union Jack Puppy Doorstop

ABOUT AMY: My name is Amy, my friends call me Ames and my kids call me mummy. I am a wife, mum, daughter, aunty, sister & friend. I love to keep myself creatively busy - either by sewing the bunting banners for my business: Giggleberry Creations, planning a unique party for family or friends, playing with a glue stick & paper with my kids or just floating 'blog land' & absorbing all the fabulousness out there.

Mother's Day Brunch :: A Touch of Handmade Charm

2011-05-03T08:59:00.011+08:00

I am gearing up for Mother’s Day! It’s a long time tradition in our household for my husband’s family to come around to our place for a Mothers Day Brunch. Over the years the event has had a wide menu, sometimes been formal and other times been very last minute.

This year I am very excited because it’s my first Mother’s Day as a mother myself (keep dropping hints to the man about the house!). My husband and his family are all very low key people who don’t like fuss, me on the other hand – I love fuss. So this year our Mother’s Day brunch is going to be all about girly, handmade chintz.

I made up these invitations to send out – via snail mail of course! I really loved the way that they turned out, so I thought I would give you a bit of a ‘how to’ just to tempt you to maybe do some yourself!

Measure out a piece of cardstock in the colour and size of your choice – my recommendation is probably 100 X 140 mm. This way your invite will fit inside a C6 size standard envelope.

Print or write the content of your invitation on the cardstock. You can be as simple or as creative as you like with your text – and this cute invite idea could be used for all sorts of events.

Take a length of fabric in a pattern that suits your theme. Using pinking shears, cut two rectangle shapes slightly larger (2 cm) in width than your printed invite, but shorter in length.

With the right sides of the fabric facing out, sew a small seam (no larger than 1 cm) along the bottom and sides of your pouch. Check to see if your printed card fits into the pouch. You could stop here…

I decided to continue with the sewing theme and stick some detail onto the invitation themselves. I used two different colour threads and types of stitches.

Well, there you go, a sweet as sugar, handmade invitation for your Mother’s Day celebration. I think this is an easy way to make a great impression from before your event even starts!

I hope you are celebrating your Mum in style this year, and maybe someone is ensuring you are celebrated too! Be sure to pop back to tell us what you got up to!

Mothers Day Gift Bag & Tags

2011-05-02T08:26:00.014+08:00

Mother's Day is celebrated on different dates throughout the world, here in Australia we celebrate on the second Sunday in May, so this year it falls on the 8th of May.

I have designed this sweet little gift bag and tags printable for you, inspired by the gorgeous style of Cath Kidston!

I was first introduced to Cath Kidston a number of years ago, by my lovely friend Jacq...and was reminded of her again recently by a party styled by Birds Party. Her style is vintage with a modern twist....so fresh and fun!

Click here to download your mothers day gift bag & tags printable file, complete with instructions. There's a tag just for Mum, and also a cute little rose tag that can be used for nanna or aunty! It is a mini bag, so perfect for something small...jewellery, or maybe some chocolate kisses!

Have fun!!

Tanya x

Inspired by :: Stripes

2011-04-28T08:41:00.027+08:00

There is something so classic and fun about stripes. They are; versatile, will work for all ages, adaptable for both boys and girls, can be layered with other patterns and make such a great base theme for a party.

We have seen them featured in themes as diverse as Ice cream parlor through to Carnivals and Circus. They also make a classic theme all on their own, incorporated in details such as stripy straws, tableware, backdrops or even furniture. Be brave and experiment with some stripes!

Below is a round up of some of my favorite stripy inspirations - hope you find them inspiring too.

Image via Sambellina | Image via HGTV

Image via Tip Junkie

Image via Papernstitch | Image via SweetShopLulu

Image via The Tomkat Studio

RENEE: Half of The Inspired Occasion, Renee specialises in creating unique events for your special occasions. With many years of event experience between us, we will design an occasion that reflects your style, while allowing you to relax and enjoy your special day.

Gender Neutral Nursery

2011-04-27T09:15:00.012+08:00

With already being blesses with a boy and a girl, we debated weather or not to find out the sex of our third baby. Only for a split second. We just relished the surprise of finding out the gender of our first two children after giving birth and wanted to do the same with this one, due any day.

This decision has also saved our finances a battering as I have not been able to completely deck out the nursery in girl or boy decorations (and secretly it has allowed me to ‘virtually’ decorate 3 nurseries… a boy’s theme, a girl’s theme and a gender neutral theme).

I wanted to steer clear of the cream/brown theme that seems to be popular with gender neutral nurseries, and also wanted to not be tied into animal based decorations either. But most importantly, I didn’t want to be buying up big items for the room that would soon be replaced with boy or girl goodies. SO I used a lot of pieces that I already had for the other two children and freshened it up with a couple of purchases.

I have always had white furniture for all three children, which allows me to boldly or subtly use colour as the main decoration, usually based around a quilt cover or a rug. This time, it was a beautiful ‘And The Little Dog Laughed’ blue, green and cream blanket that was one of the first purchases I made once finding out about this pregnancy. I have also included some complimentary paint samples form Porters Paints.

I am really happy with the outcome and love the combination of the colours with a few vintage pieces, a few handmade pieces and also a few staples from Country Road, Kmart and Ikea.

Now all I need to add is the baby!!! - Rebecca

Bold Wall Treatments in a Nursery

2011-04-26T08:53:00.002+08:00

Hi everyone,

Hope you all enjoy my regular posts here on The Handmade Hullabaloo, or over at Etincelle Creative STUDIO. A few weeks ago I posted three inspiration boards to decorate a baby boy's nursery... today I
am back with {yes I know} only one board for a baby girl's nursery!

I have tried to create a sweet and comfortable atmosphere with an outstanding wallpaper {I love it!} and some wooden furnitures. You could add a soft rug, some furniture for the clothes and perhaps one or two mobiles in the ceiling...

What kind of bedding are you choosing for your children's bed? I like plain colors for babies {a white set
is always a must} and I enjoy buying printed quilt and pillow covers once the child is older.

Studio Crib :: Armchair :: Coral Wallpaper :: Ceiling Light

Tree-stump side table :: Doll pram :: Rabbit lamp

Peach Ruffle Pillow :: Photographs

The photographs "I love you", "Amore" and "Life is beautiful" are from a little Etsy shop called magalerie based in Paris. I like Anne's props and the way she sets her photographs {ah, Paris} and choose her subjects. Here are three more photos that would be lovely in a nursery...

All photographs by magalerie in Etsy

See you soon! and remember to visit the Facebook fanpage and leave a message, share your tips, ideas, photos... much appreciated!

Salut :)

{Freebie} Oh-So-Merry Party Printables

2011-04-25T08:32:00.000+08:00

Hello! It’s Emily and Carrie with Potter and Butler | Handmade goods for merry celebrations. While we spend our days designing and crafting goods that reflect the merriment of a sweet occasion for clients and for our shop, there’s certainly no shortage of excitement and inspiration when it comes to designing for our own celebrations.

Recently, we had a birthday in the Potter+Butler family circle. Carrie (the Butler half) designed and styled (and pulled off without a hitch) a birthday celebration for her son, Sullivan, who turned the great big TWO (The age, by the way, where we might as well replace the number with phrases, like: how-on-earth-did-you-get-so-big, my-how you’re-growing-up-so-fast, I-want-you-to-stay-this-little-forever.)

As is our advice for designing details of any party, the number one question Carrie asked while styling the party: What would bring out the joy in the guest of honor – in this case, Sullivan? And secondly, how can this be reflected in the details in a way that others experience that joy, as well?

As a sweet and energetic boy with an affinity for all things Clifford, the event was styled with Sullivan's personality, tastes, and interests top of mind (with no shortage of sweets and softies, of course). From the custom cherry soda bottles, the red polka-dot food labels, and colorful, personalized (and oh-so merry) birthday banner, another great year in the life of Sullivan was honored in true style - and in a way that allowed both little tikes and adults alike to have a memorable and truly fun time.

And because we’re still aglow from the merriment, we want to share a piece of the joy with you all by making available party label printables from the party!

Use them as gift tags, name tags, food labels, or tented place cards. Use them for birthdays, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or any old day (because any old day is still cause for celebration, yes?). No matter how or when you use them, may your merriment be infectious and your joy be true. Cheers!

DIY pretty party hats, with The Inspired Occasion

2011-04-16T13:15:00.022+08:00

We had an occasion for a client last weekend and she had requested party hats for all the kids. Us being us, we wanted to create something a little different and special for the kids.

When I came across this idea from Jordan Ferney on the Oh Happy Day blog, I knew it was something we could make work with our clients chosen theme of Elmo.

We changed Jordan’s instructions slightly to work for us and I thought I would use our post today to share with you…

You will need; a party hat (or 10), a hot glue gun (you can also use a stapler, but I found the glue gun gave a ‘cleaner’ finish), crepe paper streamers and some sharp scissors.

First, we started with a pre-made plain Elmo party hat.

Then we used a selection of crepe paper streamers. Using the crepe paper ones are great because they will stretch and not tear easily.

We wrapped about 2 metres of it around our hands until we had a flat ‘bunch’ of streamers. We then took some sharp scissors and cut about halfway into it, with about a 2mm gap. Make sure you don’t cut all the way through though!!

(Note the solid bit in the middle)

Once you have completed all your cutting, mess up the frills and then unwind. You will have a frilly long piece of streamer that should look something like this…

Next, take your party hat, your streamers and your hot glue gun. Taking the end of one of your streamers, use your hot glue gun to adhere the end of the streamer to the party hat.

Add spots of hot glue all the way round as you wrap the streamer around. To get it looking really full and fluffy, wrap it around at least twice.Once you have done that, you can just trim it off and then do a final fluff!

Hope you enjoyed our first ‘how to’ and we can’t wait to see you again next time.

Cheers,Renee

ABOUT RENEE: Half of The Inspired Occasion, Renee specialises in creating unique events for your special occasions. With many years of event experience between us, we will design an occasion that reflects your style, while allowing you to relax and enjoy your special day.

Personalized Tea Bags :: DIY

2011-04-15T09:00:00.004+08:00

Well hello everyone and welcome to my very first post here on Handmade Hullabaloo! I am really excited to be here and hope that my posts bring you some joy, provide you with some cool inspiration or get you keen to get out and celebrate something!

My first post today is a little bit of a crafty tutorial. It might possibly be the easiest craft thing ever. While I love craft, I am a bit of an impatient person, so I want things that have great impact but don’t take a lot of effort (insert sheepish smile here…). So today’s idea is ‘personalised tea bags’ that just add an extra special touch to an event or celebration and hopefully a great big smile for our guest of honour. See, I am all for making it memorable for people, and this, is a great way to do exactly that!

So here goes…

Step one

Take some tea bags. Whatever you’ve got hanging around OR search out the favourite brew of your guest/recipient.

Step two: take off the little tags at the ends…

See, not too hard so far!

Step three: grab yourself something pretty (I’ve used a scrapbooking embellishment

here but the possibilities are endless) and either using the adhesive back, double sided

tape, or glue stick two sides back to back over the string.

Step four: THERE IS NO STEP FOUR – all you need to do now is relax and have a

cuppa.

So what could you use these cute little tea bags for?

Well, for a birthday party you could use a cute little snap shot of the party boy/girl, or

even a cupcake?

What about treating Mum for Mother’s Day (or rather encouraging Dad, to treat

Mum) with breakfast in bed, with a pretty flower tea bag on her tray?

Having a girls afternoon tea? What about dressing up the teabag with a wee little

bow?

Each of these ideas are SO easy, take 5 minutes and add a real wow factor to your event or celebration.

What other little pretties do you think you could add to a teabag for great impact? What other events could you impress guests with? Go on… share your ideas and experiences, I would love to hear them!

Well, till next time remember to celebrate something everyday!

Easter 2011 Treasury

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I began looking for little Easter goodies a couple of months ago- we are due to have our third baby any day now- what better gift for Easter than our own little bunny! I was really taken (and thought how far Easter gifts had come) by the vast array of Easter goodies on offer- especially in the Handmade market. So many people I talked to said they were opting for less chocolate and more play/wear/creative related items to fill the baskets on Easter Sunday morning this year for their little ones, and not just the
traditional winter pyjamas and new book!

Being a complete chocoholic myself I find this hard to come by, but seeing how my eldest two children go crazy after a big sugar hit, I am liking the idea more and more! Especially the craft related projects and pretend play items leading to hours on end of little games and laughter.

I have put together a little collection of Easter goodies (and where to buy them from) that I hope tempt some of you to run out and buy- most are form WAHMs (Work At Home Mums) in Australia- a wonderful community that is well worth supporting!

Enjoy!
Rebecca

(from top to bottom, left to right)

Rabbit: Ribryba | Wraps: Bolly and Bear | Baking Cups: Mon Tresor | Knitted Beanie: Vintage is Beautiful

Rabbit Punchies: onecrafteemumma | Rabbits: Red Stitch | Singlets: Coconut Kids

Booties: itsybitsyorganic | Chalkboard: Sharnel Dollar Designs | Easter Sacks: Mini Envy

Crayons: House of Baby Piranha | Egg Garland: Chars Treasures | Cupcake Wrappers: The Cupcake Wrapper Co. | Carrot Rattles: Ollie Roses

DIY Party Planning Journal (with FREE Printables)

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Hello, lovelies! It’s Emily and Carrie here from Potter + Butler. We are makers of handmade goods for merry celebrations. Today, we’re so excited to bring you our concept for a DIY Party Planning Journal – complete with FREE printable covers (to satisfy both your stylish and functional sides).

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Potter+Butler Cover + Back Cover Printable Template
Two sheets 110# Card Stock in white or ecru
8.5x11 Newsprint Story Paper – horizontal orientation (found out at your local teacher supply shop)
Three 1” Binder Rings
Hole Punch

STEP ONE

Print front and back covers for your Party Planning Journal. Once printed, use your hole punch to punch three holes on the left side of the covers. From the top, punch your first hole at the 1” mark. Punch your second hole at the 4.25” mark. Punch your third hole at the 7.5” mark.

STEP TWO

Punch holes at the 1”, 4.25” and 7.5” mark on your Newsprint Story Paper. We used about 100 sheets to create our journal. Use as much or as little paper asyou feel you’ll need – knowing you can always add more paper down the road.

STEP THREE

Punch holes in your party inspiration clippings. As you collect more ideas and inspiration, simply punch holes and continue adding your collection of ideas toyour journal. Vendor contracts, email exchanges with vendors, color samples, and all other paperwork can be punched and added as it becomes available.

STEPS FOUR AND FIVE

Assemble your covers, newsprint, and clippings. Add binder rings. If you do nothave binder rings, or if you simply want a different look, ribbon can also be used to hold the Journal together.

FINAL STEPS

Label your Party Planning Journal. Plan, plan, plan – enjoying the freedom of an expandable journal that grows right along with your celebration creation.

For custom covers that fit your party’s theme and color palette, or for a journal that’s made by us, visit our shop. Happy Planning!

DIY JOURNAL COVER

:: navy chevrons ::

:: gray chevrons ::

:: mint stripes ::

:: pink stripes ::

:: damask ::