Bath Salts Gift Wrap

I’m always looking for ways to personalize my gifts – especially with the holidays right around the corner. My mom came to me last Mother’s Day with two glass jars of bath salts. She wanted to give one to my aunt and one to my grandma. While the gift itself was very thoughtful (who doesn't love to indulge in a hot bath?), the plain jars needed a little sprucing up. So, I dived into my crafting supplies and pulled out exactly what I was looking for: ribbon, flowers, buttons, pearls, and one of my favorite sentiment stamp sets.

I simply wrapped each jar with sheer ribbon and secured the ends with a Glue Dot (a great, strong adhesive for almost any craft project!). I then layered two flowers, a button, and then placed a pearl in the middle. For the tag, I pulled out my Birthday Sampler stamp set from Paper Smooches and cut the “a gift for you” stamp in half. That’s right, folks! I only wanted the “for you” part of the sentiment, so I took my trusty scissors and snipped the stamp into two sentiments. For future use, I can still put them back together on my clear block or use them separately. Remember, your stamps are yours…make them work for your individual needs! (Ironically, there’s already a “for you” stamp in this set. If you like a cursive font and can’t bear to cut your stamps, you’re in luck!)

After I stamped “For You” with black ink on white cardstock, I carefully trimmed around the edges. Or you can use a small oval die if you don’t trust your fussy-cutting skills. Then I simply added a foam dot for dimension and secured it behind the flower. I love how the tag resembles a leaf here. 

And there you have it! A simple gift that’s ready for any occasion. You could even change up the colors or sentiment to personalize it even more. For the record, I normally detest sheer ribbon, but this was the right color and the right width. And it was all I had on hand. I actually think a solid, satin ribbon would look even better!

PK :)

Keep Calm & Eat Chocolate

As a self-professed sweet tooth, I always have a little treat tucked away in my office drawer, purse, or compartment in my car. I love any kind of gummy candy (Sour Patch Kids are my fave!), but a girl can’t wrong with good ol’ fashioned chocolate.

My sisters gave me an assortment of candies for my last birthday. They know me so well!

And while I have my favorites in chocolate category (Peanut Butter M&M’s are at the top of that list!), I pretty much like love all varieties.

And since I think most women appreciate the gift the chocolate from time to time, I love coming up with new ways to gift wrap this divine treat.

We’ve all seen the many renditions of the “Keep Calm and Carry On” slogan. When I came across the “Keep Calm and Eat Chocolate” version on Pinterest, I was immediately inspired to print it out, attach it a king size KitKat bar and wrap it in baker’s twine. I even added a little note on the back that said, “When life gets rough, remember to ‘Keep Calm and Eat Chocolate.’ Repeat dosage as often as needed.”

When I handed out a few of these to the ladies at church, they were a big hit. You could even laminate the quote and add a magnet to the back, so the recipient can add it to their fridge once the candy is long gone. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

PK :)

A Beautiful Ride

Today is my last day as an editor for Paper Crafts magazine. It's definitely a bittersweet moment. I'm excited for the next chapter to begin, but sad to be leaving friends that have become my family for the last seven years.

Paper Crafts Team, 2011

I'm officially saying goodbye over on Paper Crafts Connection. Here I'm sharing seven of my favorite pieces of memorabilia from a cork board that hangs in my cubicle. As you can imagine, I've collected a lot in seven years!

In Paper Crafts' July/August 2013 issue, I used one of the downloadable sentiments to create this Life is a Beautiful Ride Notebook:

Little secret about me and paper crafting...while I love cards, I really love the challenge of creating 3D projects. Everything from gift bags and boxes to gift card holders and mini albums. And don't even get me started on treat wraps and sacks! (Yes, Susan. I said sacks. And you can't edit it!)

But this happy little notebook perfectly sums up my time at Paper Crafts. It's been a beautiful ride. I've gotten the opportunity to do so many things. From writing columns, newsletters, and ad copy to managing a blog, web site and videos to seeing countless magazines go through countless stages of production, the list goes on. But one of the best perks has been the relationships I've cultivated with co-workers, readers, and designers alike. And that's been the beautiful part. I hope to continue these cherished relationships as I move on to the next big adventure.

Thanks for the ride!
PK

Save the Dates That Saved the Day!

When it came time for my sister to send out her Save the Dates, Holly thought this would be a fun way to announce her destination wedding in California. And nothing says "destination" like an invite that resembles a plane ticket.

Since our dad is a pilot, he was able to work his magic and put her in touch with another pilot who flies private planes. After some smooth talking, Holly got the pilot to agree to a little photo shoot when the plane wasn't in use. My other sister Laurie was back as the photographer extraordinaire and Brent, well, he was back as the patient groom-to-be who agreed to put up with another Smith sister adventure. Noticing a theme here?

They didn't have a lot of time (an hour, at tops) and the sun was setting, so they had to work quickly. Once the photos were taken, the fun part began...incorporating them into a Save the Date that resembles a REAL plane ticket. And this is where the misery began for poor Laurie who had to change the text and images over and over until both Holly and I were satisfied.

Here's the front of the invite complete with rounded corners thanks to my corner rounder punch! If you look closely, the airline is Five Star, which is Holly's nickname. And the flight number is 705 for her wedding date, July 5.

And here's the back of the invite. The caption says, "Love is taking off! Will you join us for the ride?"

And no plane ticket would be complete without an American Airlines ticket jacket! You know, because Five Star Airlines is an affiliate of American Airlines (and we have a dad who can get them for free!).

Like I mentioned before, Laurie had the tough job of editing these Save the Dates. One night the three of us were on a conference call going over all the details. The call went on for over an hour and each time Holly or I would make changes, Laurie would edit the invite and then e-mail us an updated proof. I could tell Laurie was quickly losing patience and becoming more and more frustrated with us because the subject lines of her e-mails became more and more colorful...

Bite me

Just say it's fine

Burn in everlasting torment

I just took up drinking

You make me want to run away

I like myself less and less by the minute

I just started sucking my thumb again

I think I just swallowed a bunch of pills

All of the sudden I want to hurt myself

I keep tying my hair in knots

I ate my twin in the womb

Oh look! There's the gun I've been looking for

I'm in Charlie's crate in the fetal position

I just ate a bowl of dog food and I don't know why

Sometimes I want to run away

With material this good, I had to incorporate it into my maid of honor speech at the wedding. It had the crowd laughing hysterically and I got a lot of compliments later. Laurie wasn't too happy with me, but since she forfeited her right to give a toast, I just had to include her in it! Plus, going the funny route saved me from getting overemotional and doing one of those ugly sob speeches that lives on in video for ALL eternity.

This is one video I can't wait to see!
PK

The Beach-Bride-Birthday Weekend

What do you get when you cross a beach, a bride, and a birthday with buttercream frosted cupcakes? One crazy busy, crazy fun weekend! This past March, I headed to Orange County, CA to assist my baby sister with my middle sister's engagement pictures. And it just happened to fall over my birthday weekend. :)

I attempted to fly out on a Thursday afternoon using a standby pass. After unsuccessfully "standing by" for three flights, I was about to call it a day (or in this case, a weekend), when the bride-to-be gave me the best birthday gift...frequent flyer miles! The flight left the next day at the butt crack of dawn (not the best way to wake up on your birthday), but at least I was on my way.

Holly's wedding was booked for July 5 at The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach. Because we wanted to take her engagement pictures near the surrounding area, we stayed at a nearby hotel. This was the gorgeous view of the Pacific from our balcony:

After a quick nap (cause the grumpy birthday girl needed one in a bad way!), it was off to meet with a few wedding vendors. After viewing countless tablecloths, overlays, seat cushions and napkins (who knew there were so many shades of purple?), we finished our business and went in search of some sustenance. And for the record, In 'N Out in California tastes much better than In 'N Out anywhere else.

Since the next couple of days were going to be busy with the engagement shoot, we cleared the evening of all wedding nonsense and went out to eat to celebrate my birthday. Our good friends, Jeana and her husband Eric, were able to join us for some yummy Mexican food. And for the record, Mexican food tastes much better in California than almost anywhere else. With the exception being Texas, of course, and most likely Mexico. :)

Not having access to a kitchen, my sister Laurie kindly asked Jeana to whip up my favorite cupcakes - vanilla with buttercream frosting! And Jeana did not disappoint!

Saturday was the big shoot! Holly wanted three separate locations (bistro, beach and dramatic art museum), so this meant three different outfit changes. While she was getting her hair and makeup done, Laurie & I met up with Jeana again to scout out a beach location. Being a local, Jeana knew the perfect spot: a section of Laguna Beach that offered up gorgeous landscapes and rocky backdrops.

And Jeana brought along the cutest scouts - her adorable sons Dane and Cole!

After shooting some fun bistro shots in Laguna Beach (sorry, I don't have any to share since I was babysitting our illegally-parked car!) we headed back to the beach. When it comes to photography, light is your most powerful tool, so it was a race to get these shots before the sun went down. And for the record, my main role in "assisting" the photographer was holding a flash. Big job!

Then it was a mad dash to Los Angeles for our night shoot. Holly wanted to take some dramatic shots at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, otherwise known as LACMA. Outside the museum stands hundreds of street lanterns. At night, their soft light creates the perfect romantic setting.

Besides the long-suffering groom, Laurie was the real unsung hero of this weekend. As you can see from the picture above, she went to great lengths to make Holly's vision come true. To see Laurie's professional pictures from this weekend, check out The Making of Mrs. Hendrix on the Laurie Ruth Photography blog.

And for the record, it was great birthday!
PK

Will You Be My...Maid of Honor?

 

This past Valentine's Day, I arrived home to find a small package on my doorstep. I didn't think too much about it, as I wasn't expecting anything, so I went about my usual get-home-from-work routine.

After dinner, I got around to opening the mail and then remembered the mysterious package. I carefully opened it up and found this lovely blue gift box. Did I have a secret admirer who chose Valentine's Day to profess his unrequited love?

 

Well, not exactly, but my newly-engaged sister decided Feb. 14 was the perfect occasion to ask her bridesmaids if they would stand up with her on her big day.

What I love the most about this thoughtful gift is Holly actually made it herself. She got the idea from Pinterest and then gathered all the supplies: gift boxes from World Market, purple tissue paper, silver cardstock, and the cutest aspect of this gift: the DVD of Bridemaids.

She found the "Will You Be My Maid of Honor" text and poem online, printed them out (double-sided, no less!) and then trimmed the cards so they would fit perfectly inside the gift boxes.

I was so touched my her gift, I wrote this on her Facebook wall: "Flowers and chocolates are always appreciated, but this has to be the sweetest Valentine I've ever received. Holly Smith: the answer is YES!"

We're officially less than a month away (and still so much to do!), but it's been so fun (and crazy!) sharing this experience with her. After all, she's been waiting and planning this wedding for 7 years!

 

In my next post I'll recap our trip to the O.C. in March where my youngest sister took her engagement pictures which had three different locations and just as many outfit changes. Let's just say Holly's fiancé Brent is a very patient man...especially when it comes to putting up with three Smith sisters who all have their own agenda!

~PK

The Cruise Chronicles: The Book

Once upon a time, I wrote several lengthy blog posts called The Cruise Chronicles:

• The Cruise Chronicles - Epcot Center
• The Cruise Chronicles - Day One at Sea
• The Cruise Chronicles - Day Two at Sea
• The Cruise Chronicles - Day Three at Sea
• The Cruise Chronicles - Final Day at Sea

They highlighted my family's 2010 Caribbean cruise, which doubled as our family reunion. A reunion my generous grandma gifted to all 19 of us (and it would have been 25 but an uncle, aunt and four cousins couldn't make it!).

We did a little tribute for my grandma (aka Gigi) on board the ship (a sweet little slide show and some sentimental gifts), but I really wanted to give her something that would showcase all the great memories that were made on that trip. Enter Blog2Print! Here you can turn your beloved blog posts into a hardcover book!

You select the design and color of the book and then add your cover image and title.

You even get to write your own dedication for the cover page.

And no book would be complete without a Table of Contents.

The best part...the software does all the work for you! You simply enter your blog URL, pick the start and end dates you would like the book to include and then hit "Slurp"! It literally sucks up all the content and arranges it in a book format. You can edit the layout a bit and even include blog comments in your book.

And the final stages include picking a back cover image and adding a little blurb describing what your book is all about.

If you're new to Blog2Print, they'll throw some discount codes your way (usually 15% off your first book) and will periodically e-mail you additional discounts (usually around the gift-giving holidays). The prices vary according to number of pages and whether you go the hardcover or softcover route. The book I made for my grandma was probably 35 pages and cost me $25, plus shipping.

If you interested in giving Blog2Print a try, I just got an e-mail for their Mother's Day promotion. Enter "BloginBloom" to save 15%. It expires tomorrow (May 9), so don't delay!

PK 

DIY Tiered Bathroom Organizer

Photo courtesy of BHG.com

One of my New Year's resolutions is to actually make some of the ideas I pin from Pinterest. I fell in love with this tiered bathroom organizer not only because it's functional, but it's also pretty and so easy to make!

 Supplies needed:

• 2 plates (one dinner, one salad)
• 1 candlestick 
• Krazy Glue (if working with glass plates) or a clear-drying ceramic glue (if working with ceramic plates)

This DIY project only cost me $5 (minus the Krazy Glue, which I already had on hand). I found these glass plates in the "As-Is" section of IKEA. They were only $2 a piece! And I found the candlestick at Dollar Tree...for $1! 

To assemble, all you do is adhere a candlestick to the middle of a dinner plate, then top the candlestick with a coordinating salad plate. It dries pretty instantly. If you go with clear plates (as I did), make sure your Krazy Glue/Super Glue says it "bonds to glass".

This organizer can also double as a pretty serving platter at at party!

If you want to use the top plate to hold smaller items, make sure you select a plate that has a lip on it.

And there you have it! I'm still debating if I'll store nail polish, perfume or make it a random I-can-store-anything-here organizer. The possibilities are endless! If you've recently made a DIY project from a Pinterest board, I'd love to see it. Leave me a link and I'll check it out. Perhaps it will become my next DIY project!

~PK

Matters of the Heart

Ah, Valentine's Day...the season for love, romance, and pretty poetry. Shakespeare knew a thing or two, but when it comes to matters of the heart, kids pretty much have it figured out.

I mean, who can argue with this sound logic...

Love and Marriage:

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too." -- Greg, age 8

"Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me." -- Dave, age 8

Kissing:

"You should never kiss a girl unless you have enough bucks to buy her a big ring and her own VCR, 'cause she'll want to have videos of the wedding." -- Jim, age 10

How People In Love Act:

"It's love if they order one of those desserts that are on fire. They like to order those because it's just like how their hearts are -- on fire." -- Christine, age 9

"See if the man picks up the check. That's how you can tell if he's in love." -- John, age 9

Strategies For Making People Fall In Love With You:

"Tell them that you own a whole bunch of candy stores." -- Del, age 6

"Don't do things like have smelly, green sneakers. You might get attention, but attention ain't the same thing as love." -- Alonzo, age 9

Good Advice About Love:

"Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work." -- Dick, age 7

"Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash." -- Erin, age 8

For more great kid quotes on love, click here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

~PK

The Wedding Planner

A week ago, my sister Holly got engaged!

To say I've been anticipating this moment is an understatement. In fact, Holly's fiance Brent has been around for so long, he already feels like one of the family.

Brent's accompanied us on some of our favorite vacations, including a little 2010 cruise where he was trapped on a floating boat with 19 of my crazy family members. If he can survive that, he can survive anything!

McCall, Idaho, 2006. This picture was taken almost seven years to the day that they'll say "I do". 

Luckily, I had a feeling the proposal was right around the corner, so I had a lot of fun putting together a special Christmas gift for Holly. And what does every bride-to-be need? A customized wedding planner!

It warms my heart to see Holly with my gift at a bridal boutique!

I first started with a 8 1/2" x 11" scrapbook album from Michaels. I went with the 3-ring option because I knew Holly would be filling it with lots of inspiration pieces and would need the flexibility to move things around a bit. It also came with 20 page protectors, so that was an extra bonus!

Here's Holly looking at pictures of her wedding venue, Pelican Hill in Newport Beach,  CA.

This title page was so easy to create!

Once I purchased the album, I knew I wanted to add dividers so Holly could properly categorize all her ideas. I purchased this 10-divider set at Office Max and then downloaded the Avery template here. All I had to do was type in her 10 wedding categories, a fun title and incorporate a cute picture of the happy couple. Looks familiar, huh? :)

This is NOT the wedding gown, but Holly looks beautiful nonetheless. 

Since Holly will be getting married July 5, her rehearsal dinner will be on Independence Day. Since so many friends and family will be giving up their Fourth of July holiday, we're going to throw a fun red, white & blue barbecue where everyone can relax in jeans, eat some all-American food and hopefully see some fireworks.

And this is the perfect opportunity to pay homage to our Texas roots with the food, music and decor. Speaking of decor, Holly is letting my aunt and I accessorize this red, white & blue shindig. Thank goodness for Pinterest and their new secret boards. Unfortunately, they only allow three!

Let the games begin!
PK

Metabo-Fool

For many people, a brand new year brings new resolutions and goals (and maybe a few recycled ones). If you indulged a little too much over the holidays, why not try the latest miracle weight loss drug, Metabo-Fool?

From the same company that brought you The Lex-Mop, Metabo-Fool is the only FDA-approved drug whose Natural Idiot Formula promotes healthy starvation and weight loss.

Taken orally 10 times a day, you will see dramatic results within two days. Just think...all your friends will think you've been hitting the gym or have hired a personal trainer!

As with any drug, be mindful of these warning labels:

If you're not a smart person or puppy and do not mind saggy drawers, Metabo-Fool could be your new best friend in 2013!

Happy New Year!
PK

P.S. Metabo-Fool was a "present" I gave my father a few years ago after I noticed a similar weight loss drug in his medicine cabinet. He was losing a lot of weight "unnaturally", so the smart ass in me decided to make a point. This empty bottle still resides in my dad's cabinet, so I think the message was received with the love and affection that was intended. And maybe a little pride in my snarky creativity.)

P.S.S. There really is no limit to what you can do with alphabet stickers!