Thursday, March 11, 2010

Spring Projects Compilation

Forced Forsythia [credit]

With less than 10 days away from the official first day of Spring, I am more than ready to start on all of the fun projects I have lined up.  With a toddler to "help", I have limited myself to easy, but effective DIY's that can be done in very little time.  The more time consuming ones will have to be done during his naptime.  :)

My first project is one I do every year:  Forcing flowering branches to bloom. Unfortunately, our newer home has no flowering shrubs or trees from which to gather these early drops of sunshine.  So this year, I'll plant a flowering tree instead of forcing.  But if you want to try this easy project, here is what you'll need:

  • Branches of budding tree or shrub (forsythia, cherry tree, rosa banks rose)

  • Clippers

  • Hammer (to crush the place where you cut the branch for water uptake)

  • Large container filled with water
All you do is gather the branches, hammer the end where you made the cut, place them in water, bring it inside to a bright location in a warm room, and wait for it to open up and make you happy for several days.



A very easy project that can be done with small children (just watch that they don't get a hold of the candy unsupervised).  All you need are pastry bags, jelly beans and some ribbon.  These would look so lovely on your Easter/Spring table. It will easily coordinate with whatever color scheme you have planned.  You can get any flavor you want online here.  For Martha's instructions go here.

I'm not planning on doing these just because I have lots of other outstanding projects right now, but aren't these just so adorable?  I found them at To Be Charmed.  They have several examples of this japanese Washi Tape project, including using paper cups for containers.  Very cute.  For the "how to" go here.



I found this picture at Torie Jayne's blog.  I am not sure if this is the styling done by Pottery Barn or herself, but I LOVE the way it all looks and will probably do a tablescape that includes books tied up with string, bunnies, and daffodils tucked in very simple containers. Just lovely.  Keep reading to find a delicious recipe from Torie Jayne as well.



Now, would this be a lovely idea for a Spring Shower?  The bunny banner is a fun, kid friendly project too.  Go here for instructions.


Here they are, the mouthful and I am sure delectable Toffee Apple Cupcakes from Torie Jayne.  They are easier to make than they look and only require a handful of ingredients.  The sugar nests are ready in a jiff once you learn to work fast.  :)  You could cheat with the icing and buy it ready made... Hmmm cream cheese icing anyone?  I'll try them this weekend.


Here is a fun one... I have a corner of my garage where I could fit a potting station...  I might add a sink since the connections are already there.  Isn't this such a joy to look at?  Lots of fun can be had here. Yeah, that's as exciting as it gets around here. 


If I had a little girl, I'd be hopping all over this one...  If you celebrate Beltane, and want to learn how to make a crown of flowers, go here.


The un-contain-able Tracy Porter shows us how to make this beautiful basket, which she hangs IN the house.  While you are watching the video, make sure you notice her handpainted peacock curtain panel hanging between rooms. I want one for the entrance to my study.



If you are passing out gifts this Spring, do it in high style.  A Gift Wrapped Life, one of my very favorite blogs, has a write up inspired by what the very talented Sande Chase saw on the runway for Spring 2010.  Don't forget to stop by her shop and look at the fabulous goods she has collected and at the fantastic selection of wrapping paper and accessories all put together for our convenience.

Alright everyone, I hope you enjoyed these projects and decide to try a few of your own.  I would love to hear what crafty things you guys have planned for Spring.  Have a wonderful weekend!

29 comments:

Dori the Giant said...

These are awesome! Thanks for sharing. This really got me in a spring mood now.

Pauline Wiles said...

These are so lovely!
I have to confess, though, with 2 March weekends penciled in for skiing, I'm despairing of even keeping up with the laundry, let alone doing any decorative projects...

The Shiny Pebble said...

Wallflower, I am glad to oblige.

The Shiny Pebble said...

Struggler... I don't blame you... actually, I am just more than a bit jealous. :) Enjoy your trips.

Andy Quirks said...

Flowers always make everything looks prettier. love this!

be having a giveaway in a bit. do join!

xoxo,
andyquirks.blogspot.com

The Shiny Pebble said...

Fun... I love giveaways... Will check it out. Thanks!

The Buzz Blog said...

We're still waiting for buds to bloom here but toffee cupcakes could certainly lift the mood. Thanks for stopping by and visiting The Buzz!
~ Carolyn

The Shiny Pebble said...

The Buzz, thank you. :)

OneCraftyFox said...

These are all such fantastic and easy ideas! Thanks so much for sharing, I'll be taking from your ideas come Easter :)

Unknown said...

Great post! Thanks for including my cupcakes, the Pottery Barn bunnies pic is from there website. Have a sweet day!

The Shiny Pebble said...

Fox, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love blogging b/c it is all about sharing.

The Shiny Pebble said...

Torie, I can't wait to try the recipe. Yum. And thanks for clearing that up.

Jess said...

Those cupcakes are amazing! They look so complicated! Thanks for stopping by The Finer Things-- I'm loving your blog and am so glad you found us!

The Shiny Pebble said...

Thanks Jess. My readers should hop on over to The Finer Things to check out your blog and shop. It is just lovely! I wanted to have added the bee bridal shower to this post, but I only saw it after publishing this one. Drats!

http://blog.finestationery.com/2010/03/love-sweet-love.html

Silvia C said...

Great ideas. I love coming to your blog. You always have something inspiring! Have fun with the projects.

The Shiny Pebble said...

Thanks Casa Bella... I'm really looking forward to taking better pics so I can show my own stuff instead of borrowing so heavily from our fellow bloggers... But what can I say... You all are so talented. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi C,
Fantastic! I love every single thing! Those nest cupcakes are out of control!

The Shiny Pebble said...

I'm telling you... You should sell those in your fund raizer. And that's great that nest newbies wrote about it. Congrats.

Sarah Frills4Thrills said...

those cupcakes are amazing! they looklike they'd be hard to eat, but so what if they're just for decor? lovely!

and i LOVE those vases with the tape on them! i never would have thought of doing that! love it.

The Shiny Pebble said...

Hi, Saralala, and welcome! I love eating with my hands... doesn't it sound fun to munch on the eggs first and then move on to the sugar nest and finally the yummy cupcake. Hmm-Hmmm-Good!

Unknown said...

So looking forward to the first bursts of yellow with the forsynthia and daffodils blooming...might have to steal that jellybean idea too. Have a great weekend!

michelle b @ every little thing inspired said...

great post!!
i'm going to get springifying my home this weekend!!!
fresh flowers, bunnies, mmm, a cupcake or two??

i'm a new follower..love how it says will work for followers! cute!
michelle...xoxo

The Shiny Pebble said...

Michelle, welcome! "Springifying", you totally get me. Love that!

The Shiny Pebble said...

The Zhush... steal it away... that's what I'm here for. :) But be warned, I might steal some ideas from your blog too.

michelle b @ every little thing inspired said...

just wanted to thank you for visiting my blog and for entering in my giveaway AND becoming a follower!!

michelle...xoxo

Paris Pastry said...

I can't wait for Easter and start decorating and baking!

Naomi@DesignManifest said...

great ideas! So excited Spring is almost here. It definitely inspires me to be more creative.

Red River Interiors,LLC said...

Thanks for the tips. Love this post. I'm going to do the forced branches this year... can't wait... Fay

Coryanne Ettiene | Kitchen Living with Coryanne said...

The images are divine. I make the sugar baskets often, once you get the hang of them they are easy to turn out, and make a perfect showcase for ice cream.

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