18 October 2011

Food to Go


All this week, I'm recycling different kinds of boxes.

I like to order in every now and then.
I have a habit of keeping the
plastic food containers;
there's even a designated shelf
in my pantry for these.

Sometimes, I feel they're a blah because the shapes
and sizes vary, they don't stack very well.
But I still keep most of them anyway.

When you have a party, they're
very handy to store left-overs.
You can keep some in the fridge,
some in the freezer or send some
to your guests so they don't
have to cook the next day.

You can also give one to your doorman
or someone who helps you out
everyday.

Just add a fork {also collected from
too much take-out}, a napkin
and why not add a drink, too?
TADA!

Won't this idea be TADA!
for the coming holidays like
Thanksgiving & Christmas?

17 October 2011

Berry Nice


Did you have a fun weekend my dears?

The weather is cooler here in the East Coast
but the leaves haven't turned into
warm autumn colors yet.

It seems that, like me, they are
still hanging on to summer.

And one of the things I'll miss
about summer are berries.

I think berries are the jewels of summer.

These cartons of fruit got me
so excited to craft.

I'll turn this blah fruit box & blah paper bag
into a TADA! package for a gift.

I painted some strawberries on
one side of the paper bag.

Once the painted design was dry, I tucked
in a gift inside the paper bag.
Then I put the bag in
the fruit box.

Doesn't it look like a carton of strawberries?

Attach a tag with a rubber band or string
{like some farm stands do} and
finish with a beautiful note.
TADA!

14 October 2011

Cocktail Ring Lover


Yipee! Yay! It's Friday!

Thank you for checking out my posts.
This week, it was all about catalogs
and how each page carries so
much inspiration.

I found another idea from this catalog.

Can you see it? It's a ring holder.
Yes, it's that white twig-like
object in the center.



Here's a better view.

Well, we can make our own
blah to TADA! version, don't
you think?

blah: a twig & a rock found in the park

Clean with water & allow to dry.
Trim the twig to your desired height.

Then put together with lots of hot glue.
You can paint it all over or
keep it all natural.

TADA! An easy way to
store {and display} your
cocktail ring collection.



Have a terrific weekend everyone!

13 October 2011

NYC Souvenir


You've heard it before: you can find
inspiration everywhere.

This week, I'm looking for
inspiration in catalogs that
I get free in the mail.

This shop carries a lot of young and
modern pieces for the home.

They have some cool artwork
like this one:
It's a typical New York scene.
The artist captures the city's energy,
vitality and fast pace.

I'm taking this cue for my
own humble piece of art.

blah: black & white photos I took of New York
City {they've been sitting in a box for ages}

blah: wood backing salvaged from an old picture frame
{the glass broke}

I picked a photo from the pile: the "Imagine"
mosaic, taken in Central Park. It's a tribute
to John Lennon.

It's my favorite because the word
gives you permission to escape to
your version of an ideal world.

The photo and printed paper
{to cover the gaps}
were attached to the wood
with acid-free/photo safe glue.

It's very New York but more subdued
compared to the art it was
inspired by.

Artwork that's handmade.
Artwork that inspires.
TADA!

12 October 2011

Decoration Nation


I receive a lot of mailers and catalogs.
I like to peruse them before
banishing them to the recycling bin.

Here's one from a company that sells
its products in storefronts & on-line.

They have a lot of tech & travel stuff so I was quite
surprised that they sell decorations like these.

It's this photo that led me to this
blah to TADA! transformation:

blah: a plastic bag

Make flowers out of the bag
{You'll find the instructions here}.

Attach the flowers to a cardboard circle
with a glue gun.

TADA! A homemade wreath!
Replace the ribbon depending on the season -- silver for
a wedding, pastel for springtime, gingham for summer
and red {green or gold} for the holidays.


11 October 2011

Gorgeous Gift Basket


What is your attitude towards
product catalogs that you
receive in the mail?

Are they blah junk mail or
are they TADA! in that you
look through them and base
your purchases on them?

I think they're TADA! because
they tell you what's new and
also provide crafty ideas.

The Harry and David catalog came in
the mail recently.

You can order gift baskets for any occasion
and they'll deliver it for you.

Don't you love these festive boxes with sweet treats?

Or this basket of baked goodies?

Maybe even a selection of international delights?

These photos got me excited to
make my own gift hamper.

blah: an old basket {you can also use a pretty box,
crate, tote bag or small suitcase}

Fill it with your favorite foodie discoveries
like fruit, cookies, jam, pate' or chocolates.
For something even more TADA!,
why not things you made in your
own kitchen?

This serves as a generous gift for
a birthday, house warming or
for the holidays.

10 October 2011

Combing Through Catalogs


I hope you had a stress-free weekend
my dear friends!

Do you get mailers & catalogs in
your mailbox? Here in the U.S.,
we receive quite a few peddling
anything from clothes, shoes,
accessories, toys & furniture.

I like to leaf through them
because many of them are very
well produced...you know what I
mean -- there's a concept, styling
and a story unfolding as you flip
each page.

The J. Crew catalog is one of those
ones I look forward to.

The pages are filled with ideas
on how to put clothes together
in a unique way.

It's also a good source
of blah to TADA! inspiration.

Take a look at these bangles
Won't they be the perfect
finishing touch to a cute outfit?

Well, let's try making something similar.

blah: plain plastic bangles

Add a few embellishments by attaching
with hot glue. TADA!

Certainly not as luxe as Lulu Frost's...

...but a cheap & cheerful transformation
nonetheless!