DAZZLING HEART BOX

Oh so pretty...yet...oh so simple! I must tell you that this favor packaging project was motivated by comments in a bridal forum. The professionals were saying that there should be no DIY's at weddings...yikes...I disagree and told them so. Their thoughts were that DIY elements at a wedding never turn out well and cheapen the feel of the event.

The challenge was now on to create a boutique style favor that those with basic crafting skills could make themselves. This turned out far-and-away better than any pre-mades, kits and even many customs that I have seen, and the beautiful part is the favor box is simple to make with minimal supplies needed. Fill them with whatever YOU fancy; a cookie, truffles, candy, gift card, etc.

Supplies

 
 
3"x 3"x 2" White Kraft Favor Box                                                        

2 yards 7/8" wide Pink Organza Ribbon
White Pipe Cleaner
Sparkling Pink Card Stock
Heart Die (made from AccuCut Heart #6-small die)

 

 

We filled our favor box with pink gourmet jelly beans. As you can see we have used a white paper cupcake liner for our food safe barrier. The cupcake liner is resting on a little nest of white crinkle cut shred to bring it closer to the top of the box.

       Cut 1 yard of 7/8" organza ribbon and wrap around the favor box as pictured. Tie in a knot.

Make 3 loops of your 7/8" ribbon about 3" wide. Fold pipe cleaner around center of loop then twist to secure (as pictured above).  Glue ribbon bow to top of favor box. Glue point of die cut heard to the corner of the top of the box. Then glue the top of the heart to center of ribbon bow (as pictured below). This will give the heart
a nice lift.
Trim up the ends of the ribbon and you are done! 

 

 

 

SALT AND HONEY SCRUB WITH GRAPEFRUIT AND ROSEMARY

Had to share this great DIY post. ~ Sandra

 

Salt and Honey Scrub

 

My girlfriends gathered at Katie's to make homemade cleaning products (awesome) and I threw in this recipe for a salt and honey scrub that moisturizes with olive oil. It makes my skin feel super despite Duluth's very dry mid-winter air. The recipe's simple and the only equipment it requires is a bowl and jars!

I made this batch with kosher salt, olive oil, honey, grapefruit and rosemary oils and a bit of sugar. I know a lot of people make theirs with table salt because the kosher's grains are so large. But unlike kosher salt, table salt has anti-caking chemicals in it. And the kosher salt dissolves really quickly when you rub the scrub between your damp hands. It'll soften up to the texture of a good moisturizing exfoliant. Alternately, you can use fine sea salt or even pulse kosher salt to a finer grain for a few seconds in a food processor.

I love how close the color is to real grapefruit pulp!

This sort of treat is my favorite kind of gift to my friends (and self).

Salt and Honey Scrub with Grapefruit and RosemaryFills about 6 half-pint jars. Shelf life 4 months.

2 cups olive oil
2/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit essential oil
1/4 teaspoon rosemary essential oil3 cups salt
sugar (optional)
red food coloring (2 drops)
Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl. Gradually mix in the salt 1/2 cup at a time. It's easiest to mix with your hands. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin.

Continue to mix until the oil is mostly absorbed into the grains. It will be very thick and mass together with a bit of oil seeping out. If it's not coming together after several minutes, add salt or sugar in half cup increments until it's a gritty oily paste (you will need more salt/sugar if using kosher salt and less if using a finer grain salt).

Add 2 drops red food coloring and mix well. Add additional essential oil at a rate of 1/4 teaspoon at a time for a stronger fragrance.

Scoop the scrub into little jars with holes large enough to dig the product out by hand. Wipe off the top of the jar before lidding as the salt can rust the metal lid.

To use, scoop a tablespoon of the scrub into damp hands and massage between your hands until you feel a gritty paste. Scrub your face and body in a circular motion until most of the salt crystals dissolve, then rinse.

Easy as that! Enjoy your day!

 

Thank you  Hanna Grunzke for this article. ~ Sandra @ ribbonsandfavors.com

WEDDING COLORS 2013

Here we are... Spring 2013 has arrived and around here the weather is very temperamental. Although, our Spring weather is changeable the color palette for 2013 wedding season is set! Take a peek and see what you love.




Star Bows

Pantone has published their 2013 fashion colors and what a lovely line up it is. Along with the purple, blues, greens, yellows, pinks, reds and oranges the colors black, pewter gray and silver are coming in as strong accent choices.  As always, classic white is the base color of popular choice.

 

 

 

With Pantone's guide in mind we recommend Ribbons and Favors tissue papers in oxford blue, turquoise, sapphire blue, soft lavender, scarlet red, red, dandelion yellow, light yellow, leaf green, pistachio, Caribbean blue, teal green, tangerine, blush pink, gray, black, metallic silver and white.



 

 

We recommend Ribbons and Favors matte and pearl raffia in daffodil yellow, celadon green, pink, lavender, emerald green, red, burgundy, black, charcoal gray and white.

Pearl Raffia in Celadon Green, Daffodil Yellow, Pink and Lavender

 

 

For information on Ribbons and Favors color matching services visit our page at Free Custom Color Matching ribbonsandfavors.com

 

 

 

 

CASH IN WITH BIRTHDAY BALLOONS

 

Had to share this cute, cute idea for a fun way to give cash. ~ Sandra

As my nieces and nephew get older, I have a hard time trying to figure out what to get them for their birthday's and Christmas. On top of that, they live on the other side of the country from me so shipping can get expensive. But I know for sure there is something they will always like...cold hard ca$h! I've given them a twenty in a card plenty of times, but that is boring. 2 years ago I sent my nephew, who was turning 13 years old: 13 $1 bills, 13 quarters, 13 dimes, 13 nickels and 13 pennies. I put it all in big box with packing peanuts. I taped some of the money to the peanuts and some to the sides of the box.

For his birthday in December, I sent birthday balloons.

I used latex balloons and 20 $1 bills.

I rolled each dollar bill ...

pushed it into a deflated balloon and put a little bit of air into each balloon.

Then I gathered them all into a cardboard box, closed it up with a birthday card and sent it off. (I know USPS really frowns on sending cash through the mail, so use your discretion) I think my nephew was pretty happy with his gift.

 

 

Thank you Choose Craftiness for this article.  

Food Safe Barriers For Pretty Favor Boxes.

 

Ribbons and Favors often recommend a food safe barrier in our product descriptions.  Creating a food safe barrier is very simple.  Using products manufactured specifically to be in contact with food to line your containers will open up a whole new gift packaging and favor packaging world for food products.  You don't need to be limited....by taking a pretty box or container that does not specifically say it is food safe and lining it with a food safe barrier it will protect your food from contact with chemicals that may not have not been rated for food use.

Of course, our favorite product to use for creating a food safe barrier is Ribbons and Favors own cello products.  Cellophane comes in sheets, rolls and bags.  But, there are times when we use other food safe barriers.  If you take a peek in our supply cupboards you will also find wax paper, aluminum foil, cupcake liners, candy liners, disposable nut cups, parchment, plastic wrap, butcher paper, freezer paper and even plastic bags.

We do love to use a pretty cupcake liner or muffin liner inside a cute favor box!  Must admit though I have a teeny bit of an obsession with fancy cupcake liners and wraps, but that's for another time.

Food safety techniques can be used when putting ribbon around cakes by applying a band of wax paper the same width as the ribbon around the cake first, then place the finishing ribbon right over top of your wax paper strip. Food safe papers can be cut with fancy scissors to create a decorative edge. It really is simple to keep unwrapped food items safe and still have endless packaging options.

If cello isn't going to work, look around your kitchen or in the kitchen isles of your local grocery store, you will find a number of  food safe barriers.  Then the sky's the limit, so to speak.  Slip a sumptuous brownie into a gourmet box lined with a food safe barrier.  Tie it up with a pretty ribbon.  Ahhhh... safety and beauty...a perfect union!

 

A Guide to Balloon Decoration

 

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Balloons can easily transform a normal room into a lovely celebration venue. Table arrangements fill the room with colour and add a new dimension. Room arrangements are more subtle but look lovely at the entrance, on the dance floor or dotted around the room.
Balloon decoration may seem like hard work but by spending a few moments reading these guidelines you can achieve professional results relatively easily.
Watch our video demonstration of making balloon decorations on Youtube
Colours
Balloons give a wonderful effect, immediately set the ‘celebration’ theme and transform a room quickly and cost effectively. Here are some colour combination ideas:
Birthdays
Mixed primary colours, mixed shades of blues or pinks, combinations of two or three colours, single colours, football and rugby club colours.
Weddings
Often gold, silver, ivory or white is used as a base. The following combinations look lovely:
Pastels: pink, green, ivory, lilac
Magenta and Ivory
Pale Pink and Ivory
Lilac and Ivory
Shades of blue
Gold and Ivory
Lilac and purple
Burgundy and Gold
Red and Ivory
Lilac, silver and white
Pale Pink and white
All white or ivory … looks stunning
The list is almost endless….
Christenings
Pale pink or pale blue and white are the most popular combinations.
Helium (floating) Balloon Decorations - Quantities required
Table Decorations:
We recommend three latex or two foil balloons per decoration. For latex three works very well - more than three is usually too much, whereas less than three can make the decoration look a bit flat. Foil balloons are different because you can get different shapes and because they are significantly bigger than latex balloons, so two per table is idea.
Floor Decorations:
We recommend a minimum of five latex balloons per decoration and a minimu of three foils. Odd numbers usually look better than even.
Ribbon
For each arrangement you will need a weight which needs to be heavy enough to support all the balloons and ribbon. The ribbon must be non metallic for latex balloons as metallic ribbon can cut latex balloons. For table decorations you need about 1.5 metres per balloon, for floor decorations you need about 2.25m per balloon.
Obtaining Helium
Disposable canisters:
These can be obtained from some supermarkets such as Asda or you may find some on-line. These canisters will fill between 15 - 22 11” diameter balloons. The cost will vary but this can be quite an expensive way to fill balloons particularly if you have quite a number to fill, as you may need several canisters.
Re-useable canisters:
The alternative is to hire a small helium canister from an agent of Air Products http://www.airproducts.co.uk/cylindergases/locator.htm
They have canisters of various sizes for hire and have depots all over the UK. The link above will give you the name and address of your nearest depot.
Which type of balloon?
There are two main types of balloons available: latex and foil.
Foil Balloons
Standard foil balloons can be inflated with helium and are self sealing (see notes below) which means you don’t need to knot them. They also have a valve which means that they should stop accepting helium when they are full - just inflate gently with helium until the valve automatically switches off and tie to a ribbon. This will only work if you fill the balloons slowly and it is possible to burst the balloon if you overfill it. Foil balloons should be filled so that the shape of the balloon is apparent BUT there is still some give in the side of the balloon when pressed. If the balloon is filled so that it is tight a seam is likely to burst and the balloon will either pop or slowly leak out helium. The moral of this – ‘be careful and cautious’ when you fill them. Foil balloons last for 2-3 days.
There are some smaller foils available which are placed on a stick and cup. These are filled with air and need to be machine sealed.
Foil balloons must never be released outside as they do not bio-degrade. If you take them outside always ensure that they are weighted or firmly tied to a heavy object.
Latex Balloons
Latex balloons can be filled with air or helium depending on the quality of the balloon. You will often see large quantities of balloons for sale at very low prices but they may not be good enough quality to take helium or they may take the helium but deflate after a very short time. Helium quality latex balloons are thicker than standard balloons and often appear much darker in colour when un-inflated than when inflated.
Decorator quality latex balloons last for 12-16 hours when filled with helium and so DON’T do them the day before. On the day keep the room aired but keep the filled balloons out of direct sunlight until you need them.

Our standard balloons measure 11" (27cm) diameter. Place a chair this distance from the wall or table and place the inflated balloon in the gap to ensure that they are evenly filled. This will give a professional appearance and ensure that helium balloons last for the maximum length of time possible.
Tying Latex Balloons
Latex balloons need to be tied and this is in fact very easy if you know how the professional balloon decorators do it. Here is a brief explanation - try this out using a balloon with air, then if you don't get it for the first couple of balloons you won't have wasted precious helium:
This method allows you to tie the ribbon and balloon together in one action and also allows the balloon to be adjusted on the ribbon if you need to change its height.
1) Hold the neck of the balloon in your left hand between your fore finger and middle finger.
2) Rest the ribbon in your left hand between your thumb and fore finger.
3) Stretch the neck of the balloon around the top of your thumb and fore finger and pull towards the left of the balloon. Pull right around the back of the balloon and your fore finger until the next reaches your thumb and fore finger.
4) Open your thumb and fore finger and pull the neck through.
5) The balloon can be moved up and down the ribbon. Moisten the ribbon and gently move the balloon along it.
This does work! Try the technique a few times on an un-inflated balloon and then fill one with air and try again. Do this a few days before your event and you will save lots of time on the day.

Tying a latex balloon

Preparing and Arranging Helium Filled Balloons
Preparation
It is recommended that you prepare as much as you can before the day of the event. Ensure you have enough balloons, weights and ribbon and cut the ribbon for each arrangement and tie it to the weights using a double knot. This will mean that on the day of the event all you have to do is inflate the balloons and knot and tie them to the ribbon. Don’t forget to take a tape measure with you on the day.
Arranging
Foil balloons should self seal (but please read notes above) and so once filled with helium they can be tied to the ribbon.
Latex balloons need to be filled according to the diameter of the balloon. The diameter is usually stated on the pack or on the web site. If filled correctly you will minimise balloon bursts and maximise floating time. Your arrangements will also be of a professional standard as all balloons will be equal in size. In order to fill the balloon to the correct size place a chair with its back the stated diameter from a wall or another object, then simply fill the balloon until it is a snug fit into the gap.
Once you have filled the balloon you need to tie it to the ribbon.
For table arrangements place the base of the lowest balloon about 26 inches/ 66 cm from the base of the weight. This will allow people to see each other when seated. Layer the other balloon(s) above this one so that they are overlapping but tiered.
For floor arrangements tie the top balloon first and layer downwards to make sure that you have enough space for all your balloons.
Curling The Ribbon
The ribbon which is hanging from the base of the balloon should be curled. Balloon ribbon has a slight curl to it. Use the closed scissor blades on the base of the ribbon which is the side which is curling away from you. Pull these closed blades gently along the ribbon in one movement and the ribbon will gently curl. You may want to practice this a few days before the event to ensure you produce a professional result.

Curling Ribbon with closed scissors

Place your balloons and enjoy the celebration.
REMEMBER: Balloons are a serious choking hazard and must not be given to or be within reach of babies and young children.
HELIUM is very dangerous and is an asphyxiant. Never breath helium - it can kill.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you fill the balloons in a safe manner. Use a trolley to carry helium and ensure that people aren’t close to you while you complete the decoration. Wear ear plugs and goggles if you are worried about bursting balloons – they can be pretty loud and sting if the latex hits you!

from   soraiseyourglasses.com

PAMPER ME BABY SHOWER FAVORS

Are you planning a Spa Themed Baby Shower.  Pamper mommy and guests with a delightful shower favor of fragranced bath salts.  So easy to make!

Recipe:
      2 cups  epsom salts
      1 teaspoon  liquid glycerin
      1/2  teaspoon  fragrance oil or essential oil.
      1 drop food color (optional)

Put all your ingredients in a zip lock bag.  Gently roll ingredients around until well blended.

Packaging:
      1 clear cello favor bag  3-1/2" x 2-1/4" x 9-3/4"
      1 yard of ribbon (you choose there are just so many pretty ones!)

Put 1 cup of your now delightfully smelly bath salts into the cello bag. Tie a simple shoelace style bow close to the bath salts and fluff out your plume of cello at the top.  I know...it looks extravagant, but you made it for so little!            Enjoy ~ Sandra