Petite Pinata

Are you ready for some blah to TADA! crafting?

 We'll use these pyramid pinatas by Confetti System as our peg.

To make our version, we'll use blah cardboard boxes and tissue left over from gifts and packages.

First up, the cardboard: make one square and four triangles. The bottoms of the triangles must be equal to the size of the square {I opted for four inches}.

Link the pieces to form this shape. Secure the parts of the triangles that touch the square with clear tape.

When folded up and tips are linked together, it will form this pyramid.

Now on to the tissue paper: let's make some fringe! Prepare several strips of tissue {one inch thickness}. Fold the tissue in sections and make the fringe {about half an inch} with a regular pair of scissors or with these nifty fringe scissors {five-blades-in-one for faster fringe-making}. 

To assemble: cover the cardboard diamond with a layer of tissue paper. A glue stick is a TADA! way to attach this. Then glue on the strips of fringe, starting at the base {where the bottom of the triangle meets the square}. Trim off the excess. Keep going until you've covered the tip. Do this on all four triangles.

Attach some ribbon or twine at the inner tips of each triangle using hot glue. Allow to dry. Tie these together to close the pyramid.

Use it to wrap presents, game prizes or party favors.

TADA!

Confetti System

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by today.

When you think of pinatas, what do they remind you of? Kiddie parties, right? Well, the team at Confetti System used this as the jump-off point for the art they make: pinatas for grown-ups. 

I got the chance to see their work at the MoMa PS1, a space in New York City dedicated to contemporary art.

Entitled Confetti System: 100 Arrangements, it displays their creations at the venue's event space -- merging art with everyday life.

This is what the space looks like -- an explosion of shimmer and color.

Here's a write-up from the exhibit:

For MoMA PS1’s two-story gallery, CONFETTISYSTEM (Nicholas Andersen and Julie Ho, est. 2008) has created an immersive environment inspired by the mechanics of theatrical staging and fly systems. Evoking theatrical scrims and curtains, 100 Arrangements features new and older design elements by Andersen and Ho that are suspended from above and can be adjusted to varying heights to produce nearly endless permutations. The work serves as a performance space, playing host to live events that are part of MoMA PS1’s Sunday Sessions program. The variable environment can be reconfigured to best suit each event, highlighting a compositional system that allows for a functional design.

Mylar curtains, flower walls and pinatas suspended in varying heights.

The look of the room is easily changed with a system of ropes and pulleys.

Here are a more photos showing detail:

Pineapple pinatas

Branches and paper flowers {my personal favorite}

Honeycomb lanterns

Glittery diamonds

The view from below

via Confetti System

Just one of the parties hosted by MoMa PS1 with DJs in the house and a wild dancing crowd!

Concerts and celebrations are TADA! with the Confetti System touch, wouldn't you agree?

Party People

Pretty images to start our Monday:

via Confetti System

Maybe you've seen these pompom-like decorations in a shop window or as an image on Pinterest and other blogs you love to visit? Credit goes to Nicholas Andersen and Julie Ho of Confetti System. They're designers who turn simple objects such as paper into a party!

Their cheerful art has met commercial success. They've dressed windows for retail brands like J. Crew:

via notetoself

And collaborated with West Elm for holiday decorations and a catalog:

via Confetti System 

Worked on the set design for Opening Ceremony's magazine:

via Confetti System

Made the interiors of Lane Crawford in Hong Kong fun and festive:

via ConfettiSystem

Apart from colorful buntings, they also make these giant pinatas:

Oh, imagine the joy of having these at a party where both adults and kids can take turns whacking them for the surprises inside!

This week, we'll use these as inspiration when we turn blah into TADA! See you tomorrow.

Decorating Some Eggs

With Easter coming up, some of you might be decorating eggs with the kids.

I found this article in a magazine that showed a TADA! way to decorate eggs. Basically, you take a square of textured fabric like lace or cheesecloth, wrap it tightly around the egg and immerse this in dye. When the egg dries, it will take on the design from the fabric.

I tried it out with a few empty eggs. 

 

I used these blah produce sacks 

{packaging material from 

onions and garlic}.

I wrapped the fabric around the egg and secured with knots. Alternatively, rubber bands can be used.

Dunk the eggs in food safe dye and 

let sit for several hours.

Here's the result. I admit, the webbed pattern is very faint. 

The finer netting pattern on the orange egg did not register at all. On hindsight, I could have wrapped the netting tighter and used more dye.  

My first attempt was blah. But I'll turn my Easter egg into a TADA! with paint.

I choose a scallop pattern in a cheerful yellow. 

I hope it's not too early to greet you a HAPPY EASTER!

Have a colorful weekend!

Spring Has Arrived

Spring is officially here and I'm all-over giddy about vibrant shades and floral prints to replace the blah colors of winter.

As I've mentioned many times, I adore Anthropologie and I've been spending "quiet time" looking through their catalog/website. 

Since we're all friends here, can I just share a few favorite items?

via Anthropologie

I would wear this dreamy dress to Easter brunch.

via Anthropologie

This clutch can add TADA! to any simple outfit.

via Anthropologie

Isn't this collar necklace darling?

via Anthropologie

This bathing suit reminds me of kimono fabric.

via Anthropologie

A scarf that reminds me of Impressionist paintings.

via Anthropologie

A vase to put in fresh flowers from the market.

But even without flowers, it's very pretty!

via Anthropologie

Did you know that Anthropologie sells wallpaper?
I'd use this for an accent wall in my pretend
craft room or imaginary boudoir.

via Anthropologie

And finally, uber cute napkins for a spring soiree.

Felt and Yarn

Sometimes, I go to the mall not to buy anything. Instead, I walk the aisles and look for crafty inspiration. Here's what I found at Target a few weeks back:

After a blah winter, this banner is all we need to welcome spring. It's easy to recreate with cardboard, felt remnants {or markers and paint} and hot glue.    

I'm so digging this wreath! It's so simple but the colors scream "springtime". To make a DIY version, twirling yarn or ribbon around a foam wreath turns blah to TADA!

These baskets come in handy to gather Easter eggs, pick flowers or wrap presents. We can make our own version using an empty yogurt or ice cream container embellished with felt! TADA! 

Surprise Inside

When we were little, my brothers and I received Easter eggs from a very thoughtful aunt. They closely resembled this:

via Sugar4U

An egg made entirely of sugar, decorated with flowers and Easter characters like bunnies or chicks. Of course we'd try to eat them, but couldn't go as far as a few licks {they were too hard}. One of the best parts of the egg was that it was hollow and there were pieces of chocolate inside! Those we devoured without hesitation.

Because of this childhood memory, here's a round-up of Easter eggs that have a built-in surprise.

via Sugar4U

Another version of eggs made of sugar, this time with 

an Easter backyard vignette inside.

via Williams Sonoma

A papier mache' egg covered in vintage paper and 

filled with sweet treats.

via MiaPuPe

My heart melts over this bunny hatching out of a felted egg.

via Fairyfolk

More little rabbits hiding inside eggs.

via bySol

Crocheted eggs and lil' chicks.

via SesameSeedDesigns

Springtime gnomes resting in egg-shaped sleeping bags.

These are blah to TADA!, don't you agree?