With this Ring...

It's the month of June and it's wedding week here at my blog. Vintage handkerchiefs like these are getting a blah to Tada! makeover:

Once a blah...

...now a Tada!
It's an outfit for the pillow that will hold the precious wedding rings.

It's easy to make: Just sew two same-sized handkerchiefs together (or one hankie on top and a regular piece of cloth on the bottom), leave a big enough hole on one side, insert the pillow and seal the hole by more stitching. Sew on a piece of ribbon (use a color that matches your theme) at the center. I suggest you sew through the pillow to achieve that little dimple at the center.

On the wedding day, all you need to do is tie the wedding rings securely. And the "I Do's" aren't far behind.

Judge the Book by its Cover

We're celebrating brides this week and I've got some ideas lined up to transform an old handkerchief from blah to Tada!

A vintage handkerchief, whether received as a gift or found in a flea market, is a perfect accessory for a wedding. Weddings are also a good time to break tradition...

Don't use the handkerchief the way it's supposed to be used (use tissues instead). Use it to cover a book (ex. Bible) that you want to be part of the ceremony. Another alternative is to cover a handmade booklet that holds your vows. This way, something simple turns into something special!

This One's for the Bride

Happy Monday Everyone!

As the month of June comes to an end, I'd like to give a shout out to all the brides out there. I'm dedicating this entire week to you with a bouquet-full of blah to Tada! ideas you can use to personalize your special day.

This week's blah is an old handkerchief.

Well, it's not exactly a blah when it's a special gift from an aunt or grandmother.Turn it into a Tada! by incorporating it into the wedding!

Make the handkerchief part of the bouquet.
Wrap it around the flowers & secure with a ribbon.

Tada! Something old & something new for the blushing bride!

Shadow Box Made Simple

Whenever we travel, we always take something back home with us. It can be a lesson learned, a new friend, a funny memory or something more tangible like a souvenir. This week, I showed you that souvenirs need not be expensive. In fact, many souvenirs are free. We just need to know what to do with them so that they'll keep reminding us of that fabulous trip we went on.

Theater tickets and Metro cards are just pieces of paper. But when arranged and placed in a shadow box, you add more meaning to them. Errr, shadow box? It's a deep picture frame. Not only can you display photos in it, you can add 3-D objects like sea shells, starfish and little toys. You can get one at a home store or you can make your own!

Blah: a plastic box that, until recently, contained some scrumptious chocolates.

Tada!: a shadow box showing off some travel memories of New York City!

How did I do it? I removed the indented plastic insert (to keep chocolates from moving around) that was inside the plastic box and made sure the box was clean inside & out. Then I made a collage using maps, ticket stubs, business cards, a subway ticket, photos and a plastic spork (spoon & fork in one) by gluing these on a piece of cardboard. Then I put the collage inside the plastic box and Tada! instant shadow box!

I hope I've inspired you to collect those mundane objects on your next vacation so that you can turn them into your own personal souvenirs.

Have a wonderful weekend and to all the Dads out there, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

A Bowl of Beads

I hope you liked the necklace I crafted yesterday. Today, I'll tell you about another necklace that reminds me a lot of my travels. Here goes.

It all started with a bunch of beads...

Each bead came from a different city. I purchased them at craft stores or souvenir shops by the piece, by the bag or as a bracelet that I took apart.

Then one day, I went into "jewelry-making mode". With the help of my trusty pliers, a handful of findings and a silver chain, I turned some blah beads into...

...This Tada! necklace!

In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy has a pair of ruby slippers...all she has to do is put them on, click her heels and away she'll go! This is my version of Dorothy's ruby slippers. I simply look at the red bead and I'm off to London. Or I can rub the turquoise bead and I'm transported to the blue beaches of Puerto Rico. The amber bead takes me back to a South African safari and the crystal blue bead reminds me of the mosaics in Morocco.

So if you think it's impossible to wear a vacation around your neck, this necklace shows that you can!

Pleasant Pendants

It's all about easy and inexpensive souvenirs here at blah to Tada! this week. And today, I'll show you what I do with some objects I found at the beach.

Look at these shells...they're not the perfect shape but I picked them up for their smoothness and sheen. Some even have natural holes in them.

All I had to do was slip them onto a silver chain, add a cute fish charm and Tada! -- instant souvenir!

Souvenir Scraps

I'm not sure if you'll agree with me, but sometimes, the most ordinary blah objects are the ones that bring back those happy vacation memories. Just like a scene from a Harry Potter movie, touching a shoe or rock magically sucks you into a different world, and Tada! it's like you're on vacation again.

Here are some ordinary, everyday things I've picked up from vacations past: pebbles, sea shells, a feather and a little bit of sand (packed into an old film canister). These can be displayed in small bottles or glass dishes, but here's what I do with them:

I add them to my scrapbooks!

I transfer the sand and shells into a miniature zip bag and glue this on the page. Add a feather (or pressed flowers if the destination isn't seaside) for a tactile and three dimensional scrapbook!