Confetti Eggs

Here is a fun idea for spring celebrations: confetti eggs. A Mexican tradition, the delicate, hollow eggshells are usually broken over a friend’s head. When the eggshell breaks, the friend is meant to make a wish. Fill your own confetti eggs with biodegradable confetti. You can find the directions to making and filling your eggs here.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Vintage Guestbook

Over the past two weeks, I’ve come across typewriters in three entirely separate circumstances (which, you have to admit, is a little strange nowadays). The first time was while skimming the pages of Etsy, when I found an amazing aqua typewriter that I had to talk myself out of purchasing. The second time was last weekend while I was browsing through a consignment shop and found a (cracked) green typewriter that I considered picking up and placing on a shelf somewhere in my office. The third time was while I walked past a designer home furnishings store and noticed a brand new typewriter (fashioned to look significantly older than it actually was) staring me in the face. Of course, all of this got me thinking…

Photo: Great Wedding Finds

In lieu of a traditional guestbook, give new life to a vintage typewriter (which, as you can see from my experiences, apparently isn’t so hard to find), and allow your guests to type notes to you and your partner on your wedding day. Not only will this provide your guests with a seriously fun and unexpected icebreaker, but it will provide you with unique, vintage-inspired messages that can later be framed and hung around your home to be enjoyed for years to come. 

Simply Spring

Reused cans and low-maintenance daises…

Photo: Great Wedding Finds

The perfect, simple spring centerpiece. 

Personalized Vermont Soaps

Because I attended college there, I am a complete Vermont enthusiast. I tend to think of Vermont as my home away from home and, as a result, am a total sucker for anything and everything deemed “Vermont-y.” My freezer endlessly boasts various tubs of Ben & Jerry’s. I take great pride in the fact that I only pour real Vermont maple syrup on my pancakes. On particularly clear nights, I’ve been known to point out that the star-filled sky “looks like a Vermont sky” and on particularly gray winter days, have been known to tell at least one story about one of the five long winters when I lived in the Green Mountain state. You can thus imagine my excitement when I discovered Carved Solutions while browsing at the New York City Gift Show back in January. Carved Solutions is a Vermont-based, family owned and operated company that specializes in all natural, custom-carved, handmade soaps and candles. I particularly like their soaps, which can be personalized for nearly any event – from weddings to baby showers and beyond. And as if their “Vermont-y” quality isn’t enough, their soaps have a subtle, clean scent, making them perfect favors for everyone from an allergy-sensitive grandmother to a queen of the fragrance counter best friend.

Photos: Carved Solutions

Cute Favor Idea: Seed Matchbooks

In a world where everyone seems to be smoke-free, health-conscious and eco-aware, these adorable seed matchbooks are a cute and inexpensive favor option. A play on the traditional matchbook favor, this version offers guests a tiny packet of forget-me-not seeds, which they can sprinkle across a small garden and enjoy for months to come.

For easy to follow directions, templates, etc., click here.

Photo: Martha Stewart Weddings

Luck o' the Irish

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Here are a few inspiring and low-impact ideas to help you celebrate the day!
Enjoy!

Photos: Wolaver's & Martha Stewart and Better Homes and Gardens

DIY: A Warm Centerpiece

Create a warm and intimate tabletop for your next party by forgoing flowers and instead creating this quick (and heart-healthy) centerpiece: gather a collection of (preferably recycled glass) votive holders. Place a soy-based or other petroleum-free votive into each holder (earth-tones will work best here) and then pour lentils into each holder to surround the candle. Organize a neat row of votives down the center of your table or arrange in a cluster (as pictured below).  

Photo: Rachel Ray

Get Your Shine On

Over the weekend, I was busy browsing in a nearby secondhand shop when I stumbled across a box filled with beautiful silver flatware and serving pieces that were just a bit past their heyday. The pieces would be perfect for holidays, and really, for any other time of the year worth celebrating with a good party. Although the pieces were beautifully ornate and decidedly cheap, I have to admit that I simply bypassed the whole lot because I could not bear to think about having to sit and polish each piece with stinky (and toxic) silver polish. Which, naturally, led me to come home, feel guilty about bypassing said silver pieces, and then research nontoxic ways to clean silver without having to huff any fumes. 

Photos: Pottery Barn

Five Simple Steps for Green Silver Cleaning

Step 1: Wash all silver pieces in soapy water (to loosen any dirt and grime)

Step 2: Line a large pot with aluminum foil and place the silver pieces on top

Step 3: In another pot, mix about a quart of boiling water, ¼ cup baking soda and 2 tablespoons of salt.

Step 4: Pour the solution onto the silver pieces and let stand for about five minutes

Step 5: Rinse each piece with clean water and then hand dry with a soft, cotton towel

Last Minute DIY Centerpieces: Branches

If you find yourself with some last minute company in the coming weeks, embrace the tail end of winter by collecting fallen branches. Simply cut the branches into equal lengths and tie a bundle of them together at the base to create a sense of uniformity before placing each bundle into a transparent vase.

Photo: Rachel Ray

Making a Comeback: Cloth Napkins

Growing up, cloth napkins were always reserved for special occasions in my home. However, today, as more consumers are making an effort to reduce their daily waste, cloth napkins are making a pretty noticeable comeback. When shopping for décor for your next event, opt out of paper napkins and instead look for cloth napkins, tablecloths and table runners that are made from organic cotton and eco-friendly, low-impact dyes.

Photos: Plover Organics & Bambeco & Etsy