Fabric Paper Glue

DIY Love Note Pegboard for OSBP

2015-02-11T10:33:00.000-06:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I'm sharing a tutorial on Oh So Beautiful Paper for turning a pegboard into a display of love -- a little message board to relay on the ways you love, like, and enjoy your partner. You know I love a good pegboard! Check it out here.

Bubble Bath Bash Alt Summit Mini Party

2015-01-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

Party sponsored by Joann. Unless otherwise noted, all photos by the amazing Sarah Deragon.

This last week, I went to my third (!) Alt Summit in Salt Lake City, but this particular Alt experience definitely wins out over my previous ones because I had the amazing opportunity to co-host one of the Friday night mini parties with my friends Jessica from Oh So ANTSY and Nic from The Roc Shop. I'm not sure I love many things more than decorating and throwing a good party.

Back in October, Alt offered up the opportunity for folks to pitch party ideas for a chance to win a ticket to the conference and to co-host a Joann-sponsored mini party. Jessica, who I met at Alt last year, and I teamed up to submit our "Bubble Bath Bash" idea. A little weird? Yes. But we had a vision. You can check out our submission photo here. We were actually pretty shocked to find out that we won a spot and completely thrilled to bring it to life this last week.

Our vision was pretty simple: balloons, balloons, and more balloons. We inflated more than 700 balloons, and added in about 20 pounds of pillow fill from Joann for accents of "soap foam" around and on the furniture.

Not gonna lie, it was a lot of work, and if we had our druthers (i.e. more time), we might've inflated another 500 balloons just to drive the point home. Who knew you needed so many balloons to make a statement?!

We had a DIY station for folks to mix up their own bath teas using Himalayan pink salt, epsom salt, jasmine green tea, lavender, and red rose petals. You can find a tutorial for making your own on Jessica's blog here. We used vases, sachets, and cork-top bottles from Joann for display and packaging. Our logo was created by Nic.

Nic and The Roc Shop created all the amazing acrylic signage, which made for great photo props.

Read on for a few more pics of our pretty little party in action.

DIY Sewing Machine Cover for Mollie Makes

2015-01-15T10:33:00.001-06:00

Hey, hey. Remember this ole goodie of a sewing tutorial from about two and a half years ago? Well, I'm reviving the spirit of that project for a DIY sewing machine cover in the latest issue of Mollie Makes. You can take a peek inside the issue here (with a teaser for my project here), subscribe here, or pick up a copy at a nearby craft store.

DIY Mini Cowhide Coasters for OSBP

2015-01-13T09:36:00.002-06:00

I have to be honest. DIY blogging is a tricky game. It's hard to come up with new and clever ideas all the time (which partially explains my drop-off in blogging). I mean, I always like my creations, but I don't always love them, you know? But today...oh, today...I love this one -- DIY mini cowhide coasters for Oh So Beautiful Paper. They're easy. They only take a few supplies, and they're unique. What's not to love, right? Anyway, hop over and check them out here.

New Craftcourse, New Partnerships, New Shop

2015-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Part of the reason that I've been so sparse around Fabric Paper Glue for the last year has been Craftcourse. In 2014, we focused largely on throwing craft parties, and we had such a good time doing it! Well, with a new year comes new perspective. We were lucky to get to do a little event design work last year, and we loved making our own things so much that we decided to make that a more official part of what we do this year.

So, last week, we launched a fresh look and a new website. Our tagline: "We make cool things." It's been hard to nail down a traditional term for the kind of work we're good at. Quite simply, we love making things...for events, for window installations, for photo booths... So, hop over and check it all out!

Another great part of 2014 was all of the many amazing partnerships we were able to forge with all kinds of businesses here in Nashville to throw our craft parties -- everyone from Hester & Cook to the Skillery. We'd love to continue collaborating this year in new ways - which, of course, could include YOU! If there's a way we could work together, any cool thing that we could make for you, let's find a way to work together! Just shoot me an email at mandy@craftcoursenashville.com to get this conversation started!

Finally, one of the amazing projects that we were honored to work on last year was creating custom decor for Nashville's Porter Flea Holiday Market. You can see what we came up with on the Craftcourse blog, but we made dozens and dozens of giant geometric baubles. It was definitely a mountaintop maker moment for me. The response was so positive that we decided to make a small run of our baubles for sale on Etsy. We'd love if you'd take a moment to check out our shop!

So, with that, happy 2015! Can't wait to see what this new year holds!

DIY Clay Cookie Drink Markers for OSBP

2014-12-12T09:02:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday, everyone! The last week and a half has been straight-up crazy - full of Craftcourse party decorating, planning, and workshops. Super good crazy, though! Among it all, however, I found some time to bake up a batch of cookies for Oh So Beautiful Paper -- that is, fake cookie drink markers posing as the real thing. Hop over and check them out here.

DIY Mystery Supply Challenge: Ornaments

2014-12-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

You know, guys, sometimes projects just sort of flop, and sadly, I think this is one of 'em. Last week, I introduced you to the DIY Mystery Supply Challenge with a group of crafty bloggers among which I'm still not sure why I'm included. Totally grateful but totally "I'm-not-worthy" situation. Anyway, I wanted to keep it simple. There's enough going on this time of year that there's no reason to go making ornament-decorating too complicated, right? So, I kept it real simple. In person, they turned out modern, understated, and even delightful, but boy, they just don't want to be photographed.

I really wanted to try to give it another go to, you know, impress the shit out of you guys, but my life for the last few weeks has pretty much been consumed by creating this and it just didn't happen.

Really selling it, huh?

So after that convincing introduction, read on to see what I did.

Adore Magazine Double Feature!

2014-12-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Adore Home Magazine - one of my favorite sources for home decor inspiration - has TWO new issues out right now, and I'm in both of 'em! The cover on the left is the December/January issue, and I'm sharing some of my favorite finds on page 22.

What's even cooler, however, is that Adore's very first annual print edition becomes available today! Sadly, you'll be hard-pressed to find it in the U.S., but if you happen to be in Australia, it's available for purchase at quite a few retailers and online here. Since it's not available around here yet, I can't resist sharing the pages featuring my workspace. Although these should look familiar to you, it's still pretty exciting to see them all laid out and magaziney.

Make a Gift Bag Village on the Etsy Blog

2014-12-03T08:04:00.000-06:00

This week, I'm sharing a fun gift wrap idea on the Etsy blog! I use plain kraft gift bags to create a whole Christmas village. Be sure to check it out here!

DIY Mystery Supply Challenge: Materials

2014-12-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hey, friends. I'm dusting off the ole blog to participate in the DIY Mystery Supply Challenge! So, here's the deal: The 11 bloggers above have all been assigned the same project and a list of the same supplies. From there, we make whatever our creative little minds can dream up. Today marks the beginning of the first round of the Challenge and the holiday edition!

This week, I'm sharing our list of 'mystery' supplies, and next week, we'll all be back sharing our creations.

So here's what we've got: 1 pack of clear ornaments, 1 Sharpie paint pen, 1 bag of faux snow, and 1 roll of ribbon. Be sure to come back next Monday to see the three simple ornaments that I create with these supplies. What do you think I'll make?!

DIY Wire Leaves for OSBP

2014-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

I have a pretty strict (perhaps even militant) no-Christmas-before-Thanksgiving policy, so I'm still embracing Autumn. One indicator: These DIY wire leaves tutorial I put together for Oh So Beautiful Paper. Check it out here.

Hand-Embroidered Stationery Pockets for OSBP

2014-10-09T09:02:00.001-05:00

Nole over at Oh So Beautiful Paper teamed up with Craftsy to promote their online classes, and this week, I gave her a hand by taking their hand embroidery class. I used my refreshed skills to create custom embroidered invitation pockets. Stop by her blog to check them out!

Anniversary Photo Gallery Wall + Custom Framing Discount

2014-09-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

I was compensated by Framebridge for this post.

When we moved into this house about a year ago, I vowed I wouldn't be putting up any gallery walls. Our old place was rife with them, and I was over it. Well, today, I eat my words. Thanks to Pinterest, we've been taking a photo every year on our anniversary. An opportunity to try out Framebridge's online custom framing services coincided with our our 4th anniversary earlier this month, and so it seemed appropriate to finally put all these photos on display.

Read on to see our photo tradition, hear about my Framebridge experience, see more gallery wall pics, and nab a discount code for 15% off your own custom framing project!

Emily's Bright, Kid-Friendly Living Room

2014-09-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Disclosure: HomeGoods provided us with a free gift card.

For the last month, my Craftcourse partner Emily and I have been scheming up a light, bright revamp of her living room. Emily had already gotten some bigger furniture pieces, but as they say, the devil is in the details - particularly with home decor. When HomeGoods offered me a gift card to make someone happy, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to get the finishing touches on Emily's living room (and of course, make her happy in the process). You can see our inspiration in this post from last month. Well, we finished 'er up this weekend, and I've got to say that I'm feeling a little jealous of her new space!

Read on for more pics and details!

DIY Wrapped and Beaded Napkin Rings for OSBP

2014-09-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hi, friends! In case you missed it, I shared a tutorial over on Oh So Beautiful Paper last week for these black and white striped and beaded napkin rings. Check it out!

DIY Painted Pillows for Etsy Blog

2014-09-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hi, friends! I'm super excited to be contributing a tutorial to the Etsy blog this week. I'm showing you how to make painted pillows using 2 techniques - a little hand painting and some stamping. I love love love how these turned out, and the possibilities are practically - if not literally - endless. Find the full how-to here!

A Craftcourse Summer

2014-09-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Back in February, my friend Emily and I launched a little venture called Craftcourse to bring fun, crafty times to the ladies (and gentlemen, if so inclined) of Nashville. It seems that since that time my blogging has dropped off drastically. I've given some thought to why that might be (because it wasn't exactly a conscious or deliberate decision that I made), and I realized that what drove my love of DIY blogging was the constant need to be creating fun projects and trying new things.

Because we bring our crafty touch to every Craftcourse party/workshop - whether it be making the sample projects or creating crafty little favors for each event - I've found that Craftcourse sort of fulfills that need for me now. Of course, I don't think I'll ever be done with blogging completely, because I still love sharing certain stuff here and contributing to other great sites (as you'll continue to see).

So anyway, I wanted to share a few pics of some of the ridiculously fun stuff we've been doing with Craftcourse this summer to give you have a peek into what's keeping me so busy.

DIY Candy-Colored Trivets for OSBP

2014-08-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last week, I shared a tutorial for a set of wooden trivets on Oh So Beautiful Paper - a super easy project with smile-inducing colors. Be sure to check it out!

Home Tour on A Beautiful Mess

2014-08-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hands down, my favorite DIY blog is A Beautiful Mess, which is why I'm so beyond excited to have had my home featured yesterday! If you've been around here long, you've seen plenty of pics of my house, but it's nice little full-on tour of the latest updates around the house -- including the new wallpaper in the laundry room! Check it out, won't you?

Making Emily Happy + $100 HomeGoods Giveaway

2014-08-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

My Craftcourse Nashville partner Emily is in the midst of a much needed living room makeover, and she's been begging me for help. I've been selfishly putting her off as I recently started a new day job, Craftcourse has been a handful lately, and together we've been working on decorating our friend Patrick's pad. Just when I think that Emily had given up hope on me, HomeGoods stepped in and sweetened the deal. You may not know it but today is Happiness Happens Day, and on Happiness Happens Day, HomeGoods has not only given me a $250 gift card that I'm going to use to put some finishing touches on Emily's living room (and in the process, of course, make her happy) but will also be giving away a total of $10,000 in gift cards to all kinds of people...maybe even you!

But first! Let's take a look at some inspiration for Emily's space. She lives in a traditional mid-century ranch house. She also loves some MCM, so we're staying true to it, but mixing in some serious color love. These are the rooms that are getting us excited. She's checked off some bigger pieces through some savvy shopping and Craigslist stalking, but what's really going to make the room is the styling details and art. This is where we're going to rely on a little DIY and some serious HomeGoods shopping.

Once it's all done, I'll be sharing the outcome. In the meantime, be sure to read on to find out how to get your own HomeGoods gift card to make someone in your life happy!

Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Source, Source, Source, Source, Source, Source

Now for the good stuff! You've got two ways to win your own own HomeGoods gift card. The first: share how you made a moment of happiness happen in someone’s life – no matter how big or small – either by posting a photo on Instagram or Twitter using #HappinessHappens and #HomeGoodsSweeps. Winners are chosen randomly and will be awarded $100 gift cards throughout the day today between 9AM and 5PM EST. Visit this site for a full set of official rules.

The second: enter to win right here on Fabric Paper Glue! Leave a comment below using the rafflcopter gadget to tell me know you'll make someone happy with the gift card sometime between now and Monday. I'll randomly choose a winner on Monday. Awesome, no?!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

House Tweaks: Living Room Record Station

2014-08-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

In my first iteration of our living room, I had grand hopes of keeping a large plant alive...you know, because the blogosphere had somehow convinced me that I could. I'm embarrassed by how quickly I killed the thing. Around the time we bid adieu to it, Michael decided to take up LPs. In short order, he'd inherited his dad's LP collection, and we were in need of a home for this new hobby. Read on for more.

Before & After: Downstairs Bathroom

2014-07-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

I realized the other day that I never shared a proper before and after of our downstairs bathroom. Not exactly a call-home-to-mom before & after, but we made a few small changes to keep it fresh and clean. The blue walls were brightened up with white paint, and although I'd seriously considered putting up some bold wallpaper, it quickly became evident that wasn't happening. See that big bump right above the tile on the corner there? Yup. No chance wallpaper is going on that.

Read on for some more changes and pics.

DIY Sunglass Case for See Kate Sew

2014-07-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hi, friends. Earlier this month, I put together a no-sew leather sunglass pouch for See Kate Sew. Be sure to check it out as this project is so easy yet one of my favorite projects in a while! Happy Monday!

Workspace Upgrades

2014-07-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Kenroy Home provided me with a free light fixture.

We've now lived in our Nashville home for nearly 11 months. I got everything in order at lightening pace. For the most part, I've been pretty happy with all of my quick decisions, but not so much my office/workspace. After, you know, actually working in the space, it quickly revealed its shortcomings -- chief among them was that there wasn't enough storage for what is apparently an ever-expanding craft supply stockpile. Yeah, like for a war...a craft war. You can check out the office back in November here, and last month, I shared some changes that I made to help me work more comfortably. In addition to those changes, I made myself some new curtains, upgraded my light fixture, and treated myself to a serious pegboard situation to help alleviate my storage woes. Read on for more pics and details.

Home Depot Outdoor Game Challenge

2014-07-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Guys, I'm back the Home Depot blog this week for their latest style challenge -- outdoor games! I made my own Kubb set, so check it out, yeah?