DIY Wedding M&M: Embellished Picture Frames

This is one of my favorite projects from the wedding.  To make these embellished frames, you need:

an unfinished wood frame, $1.00 at Michael's
Modge Podge
a 1 inch foam brush
Patterned paper
Fabric strips
Felt
Hot glue
White cardstock

I just discovered I have literally no photos of this process!  So I'll describe it as best I can.
First, find or create your patterned paper.  I made mine in Photoshop.  I used a linen look digital paper, then put the lyrics of ten of my favorite love songs over the top in a typewriter font to look vintage.
Next, trace the outline of your frame onto the back side of the patterned paper.  Cut an X in the center hole, but be careful not to cut over the lines you traced.

Then using the foam brush, coat the front of your frame with Modge Podge and then place the frame face down on the backside of the paper, making sure to line it up with the lines you traced.
Next, brush some Modge Podge over the back side of the frame, and carefully fold the paper over the edges, kind of like you are wrapping a present.  Make sure the paper is taut, you don't want any creases.  Trim off excess paper as necessary.  The Modge Podge may cause the paper to look wavy, but don't worry, it will dry nice and smooth.
This is optional, but I didn't like how messy the backside looked, so using the white cardstock, I again traced the outlines of the frame and then cut out around the lines and then Modge Podged it onto the back of the frame.
Let it dry, and in the meantime, make your embellishments!  I used fabric strips, felt and a hot glue gun to make rosettes.  Once whatever embellishments you choose are ready, hot glue them on!
And there you have it!  A very inexpensive but very cute frame.

All the posts on this wedding found here.

Linking up here:

{M} Twigg Studios-Skip to My Lou-The DIY Showoff-Mad in Crafts-Marvelously Messy-Pinkopotamus-The Girl Creative-Sumo's Sweet Stuff-Making the World Cuter-Sew Can Do- C.R.A.F.T.- Keeping It Simple-Creating My Way to Success-All Things Fee-Craft-o-Maniac-Boogieboard Cottage-Be Colorful-Between Naps on the Porch-I Should Be Mopping the Floor {T} Today's Creative Blog-Tip Junkie-Cherished Bliss-A Diamond in the Stuff-Sugar Bee Crafts-Vintage Wanna Bee-Reasons to Skip the Housework-The Kurtz Corner-Me and My Boys-Funky Polkadot Giraffe-Hope Studios-Creative Itch-Not Just a Housewife-At Home with K-My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Home Stories A2Z-DIY by Design-Primitive and Proper {furniture only}-Elizabeth & Co.-Project Queen-Coastal Charm-Ladybug Blessings-Homework-Topsy Turvy (third Tuesdays)-New Nostalgia {W} Tea Rose Home-Someday Crafts-Lil' Luna-Creations by Kara-Sew Woodsy -Blue Cricket Design-Sew Much Ado-My Girlish Whims-Very Merry Vintage Style-Savvy Southern Style-Seven Thirty Three-Sugar and Dots-The Trendy Treehouse-Southern Lovely -Polkadots on Parade-Restore Interiors-Ginger Snap Crafts-Fireflies and Jellybeans-Organize and Decorate Everything-Rae Gun Ramblings {Th} The Shabby Creek Cottage-House of Hepworths-The Brambleberry Cottage-The 36th Avenue-Yesterday on Tuesday-Momnivore's Dilemma-Beyond the Picket Fence-Somewhat Simple-Gluesticks-A Glimpse Inside-Domestically Speaking {paint only}-A Creative Princess-Christina's Adventures {$20}-Tales from Bloggeritaville-A Little Knick Knack-Crafty, Scrappy, Happy-Two Yellow Birds Decor {F} Thirty Handmade Days-Romantic Home-Remodelaholic-Shabby Nest-Lovely Crafty Home-WhipperBerry-At the Picket Fence-Finding Fabulous-delicate CONSTRUCTION-My Repurposed Life-Naptime Crafters-Chic on a Shoestring Budget Decorating-Fingerprints on the Fridge-504 Main-French Country Cottage-See Vanessa Craft-It's a Hodgepodge Life-Truly Lovely-Simply Designing-Miss Mustard Seed {furniture only}-Simply Sweet Home-Joyful Stamper-Craftionary-Release Me Create-Simple Home Life-Family Ever After-Addicted to Decorating-One Artsy Mama {S} Funky Junk Interior-Ladybird Lane-Tatertots and Jello-Craft Envy

DIY Wedding M&M: Candle Jars

Since I wasn't sure about the flammability of Modge Podge, and I didn't want it to be overkill, I opted to merely trim the candle jars.  I used quart jars for the tinted flower jars, and pint jars for the candles to give variety in height.  I trimmed them with lace, raw edged fabric, ribbon, jute twine and leftover patterned paper from the picture frames.  And I googled how long tea lights burn for, and I am happy to say they burn for an average of four hours.  That was helpful, since tea lights are so much cheaper than votives!  (You can get 100 for $3.99 at IKEA or 50 for $2.25 at Walmart.)  Our open house was two hours, and we had not a single tea light burn out.

Next up: picture frames!

See all posts from the wedding here.

DIY Wedding M&M: Tinted Mason Jars

I pinned a number of tutorials for tinting mason jars, and I ended up kind of combining all the techniques I saw, as well as trying a few of my own ideas.  As I experimented, some jars turned out better than others.  I'm sharing the method that worked the best for me.

You need:

Matte Modge Podge

Food coloring

Tin foil

a styrofoam bowl

an inch wide foam brush

a popsicle stick or something like it

a wet rag

Okay, so first things first, make sure your jars are clean and dry.

Next, pour some Modge Podge into the stryofoam bowl.  Add a tiny bit of water, like 2 tsp max.  Then add five drops of blue and a drop of yellow (if you're going for the antique aqua look).  Stir it all together with the popsicle stick (I would recommend not stirring with the foam brush, as when you try to get the excess out of the brush, it creates bubbles which then end up in your jar...and they don't bake out!).  In all likelihood, the color will not be dark enough, so you may have to repeat the food coloring a few times.  If there isn't enough green in the tint for you, add some more yellow, or even some green.

Now dump it into your jar, and roll it all around to coat everything.  Use the foam brush as needed to smear it into any spots that haven't gotten covered.  Try really hard to get an even consistent coat everywhere.

Dump out the excess, and wipe the outer rim of the jar with your wet rag.  Then leave it sitting upside down on the foil (you might want two layers of foil to protect your work surface). 

I personally left my jars to drain out the excess for around 45 minutes, to try to eliminate any runny stuff.

Then preheat your oven to 200 degrees.  If you plan on having water in these jars, you must bake them, otherwise the Modge Podge will come right off.  Baking also makes the Modge Podge translucent, whereas just letting it dry makes it more opaque.

  Take out any extra racks from your oven and line the bottom with tin foil.  Then carefully put tin foil over the wires of the rack still in the oven, as shown below.

Then wipe the outer rims of your jars one more time, and put your jars in, still upside down, and bake for about 45 minutes.  Beware, the scent of baking Modge Podge is awful, try not to breathe it in.

Pull them out and let them cool overnight before putting anything in them.

It's very probable that your jars will not be perfect.  I dealt with that by trimming them and turning any ugly spots to the center of the tables where they wouldn't be seen!

We then trimmed our jars with satin ribbon and burlap, and I made some cute monograms and date circles in Photoshop to add a little extra something.  Then my husband's cousin, who is a florist at Flowers for All Events, did a BEAUTIFUL job filling all the jars with flowers.

If you want to reuse these jars for another event, dump out the water as soon as possible and let them dry out.   You may even want to rebake them (you can just stick them in the oven right side up) for 15 minutes or so if you plan to use them with water again.

Next up: candle jars!

See all posts from the wedding here.

Linking up here:

{M} Twigg Studios-Skip to My Lou-The DIY Showoff-Mad in Crafts-Marvelously Messy-Pinkopotamus-The Girl Creative-Sumo's Sweet Stuff-Making the World Cuter-Sew Can Do- C.R.A.F.T.- Keeping It Simple-Creating My Way to Success-All Things Fee-Craft-o-Maniac-Singing Three Little Birds-Boogieboard Cottage-Be Colorful-Between Naps on the Porch-I Should Be Mopping the Floor {T} Today's Creative Blog-Tip Junkie-Cherished Bliss-A Diamond in the Stuff-Sugar Bee Crafts-Vintage Wanna Bee-Reasons to Skip the Housework-The Kurtz Corner-Me and My Boys-Funky Polkadot Giraffe-Hope Studios-Creative Itch-Not Just a Housewife-At Home with K-My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Home Stories A2Z-DIY by Design-Primitive and Proper {furniture only}-Elizabeth & Co.-Project Queen-Coastal Charm-Ladybug Blessings-Homework-Topsy Turvy (third Tuesdays)-New Nostalgia {W} Tea Rose Home-Someday Crafts-Lil' Luna-Creations by Kara-Sew Woodsy -Blue Cricket Design-Sew Much Ado-My Girlish Whims-Very Merry Vintage Style-Savvy Southern Style-Seven Thirty Three-Sugar and Dots-The Trendy Treehouse-Southern Lovely -Polkadots on Parade-Restore Interiors-Ginger Snap Crafts-Fireflies and Jellybeans-Organize and Decorate Everything-Rae Gun Ramblings {Th} The Shabby Creek Cottage-House of Hepworths-The Brambleberry Cottage-The 36th Avenue-Yesterday on Tuesday-Momnivore's Dilemma-Beyond the Picket Fence-Somewhat Simple-Gluesticks-A Glimpse Inside-Domestically Speaking {paint only}-A Creative Princess-Christina's Adventures {$20}-What Allie's Making Now-Tales from Bloggeritaville-A Little Knick Knack-Crafty, Scrappy, Happy-Two Yellow Birds Decor {F} Thirty Handmade Days-Romantic Home-Remodelaholic-Shabby Nest-Lovely Crafty Home-WhipperBerry-At the Picket Fence-Finding Fabulous-delicate CONSTRUCTION-My Repurposed Life-Naptime Crafters-Chic on a Shoestring Budget Decorating-Fingerprints on the Fridge-504 Main-French Country Cottage-See Vanessa Craft-It's a Hodgepodge Life-Truly Lovely-Simply Designing-Miss Mustard Seed {furniture only}-Simply Sweet Home-Joyful Stamper-Craftionary-Release Me Create-Simple Home Life-Family Ever After-Addicted to Decorating-One Artsy Mama {S} Funky Junk Interior-Ladybird Lane-Tatertots and Jello-Craft Envy