I personally think the best favors (second to charitable donations) are edible.

So, I just had to share this super awesome Girl Scout Cookie Favor idea from iDIY.

Oh, and by the by – my favs are Samoas. Yum.

I spotted this great cake topper DIY on the Once Wed Blog.

image courtesy of Martha Stewart

Best wedding favor = donation to charity. Second to that, something I can eat.

With fall weddings just ’round the corner, this DIY edible favor idea is quite timely. Ever walk down the street in Manhattan or through a mall in suburbia and get a good wiff from the roasted nut stand? Yum.

So first things first. You will need to buy an assortment of your preferred nuts in bulk.

Then you need a recipe – Martha’s recipe, honey roasted, sesame five spice, cinnamon, or even sesame and honey snack mix.

Now you need to package these bad boys up. Glassine coated envelopes would be my first choice. You could keep it fully DIY and make your own pyramid favor boxes or petal cones. Burlap bags are pretty fall-esque. These are nice and simple.

Add a tag with your names and wedding date. Maybe include a cute little verse…

“nuts about eachother!”

Thoughts?

Care to show off your favorite DIY project? Send it over so we can feature it on our blog.

I painted a chalkboard message center in our kitchen and I think it is the perfect blend of fun & function.

Chalkboard paint comes in a spray can now, making it super fast to use on DIY projects. Using a chalk pencil will allow you to write neatly.

image courtesy of the MoMAstore

The MoMA online store sells these napkin rings. While they are a touch out of my own napkin ring budget, they make great DIY inspiration. Be it a dinner party at home or your next catered event, this project would add such character to any table setting. Double them up as both a place card and a keepsake for your guests. I found these wooden napkin rings (scroll down on the page) priced at 3 for $1, making this project very economical as well.

image courtesy of Brooklyn Bride via Pottery Barn

While the pots pictured above are no longer available at Pottery Barn, you can get inexpensive clay pots at your local craft store in various sizes. Table numbers, escort cards, place cards, wine selection – you could use these for any number of messages for your guests.

These glass cylinders are also a steal of a deal at craft stores. I found step by step instructions for this project here

image courtesy of DIY Bride

Directions for the votives are here.

Now that is creative. ;)

Care to show off your favorite DIY project? Send it over so we can feature it on our blog.

I made this bouquet charm because I thought it was both a subtle and beautiful way to remember a loved one.

I bought all the supplies at my local craft store for about $15. I strung green Swarovski beads and embellishments on to jewelry wire. I also bought a floral pick and attached it to the charm so that I could easily insert the charm in to the arrangement.

Do have a DIY project you would like share? Send it on over to me, I would love to feature it on our blog.

photos courtesy of Angelica Glass

Paper Switch Plate Covers

This is a busy week for me so here is a quick little project I did using Amy Butler scrapbook paper. I covered two switch plates and two outlets on the same wall in my hallway. This face lift can give any room in your home an inexpensive yet custom look.

Next time I am feeling crafty (and have the time) I think I will try this in the boudoir using fabric that coordinates with our bedding.

There are full directions for this project available here.

After my wedding, I used the handy dandy templates in iPhoto to create these hardcover photo books as gifts for our parents. (click images to enlarge)

There are quite a few websites out there that offer this service. With prices starting from $20, photobooks make both a thoughtful and budget friendly gift – my favorite kind ;). Most of these sites offer a coupon for first time buyers so check for a code before you place an order.

I have used Mypublisher & Shutterfly with favorable results. I cannot personally vouch for the quality of the books from these other sites, but maybe some of you have used these vendors before. I’d love to here about your experiences and see your results in our comments section.

• MyPublisher
  

• Photoworks

• Shutterfly

• SharedInk

• Viovio

• Lulu

• Mpix

• Blurb

• Qoop