Aylee bits » Crafts

DIY: wax luminaries

posted on October 22, 2008 by aylee

Aren’t these luminaries gorgeous? They’re actually made using wax and balloon. Candletech.com has instructions including step-by-step photos on how to create your own beautiful wax luminaries.

DIY balloon wax luminaries

Fill a water balloon with tepid water.
Melt your wax. Optimum working temperature for this project is 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Try to maintain this temperature for your wax while working by keeping it on a double boiler.
Slowly dip your balloon into the wax to just below the water level in the balloon. Warning: Do not dip the balloon into the wax past the water level. This could cause the balloon to pop.
Hold the balloon in the wax for a few seconds, and then slowly lift it out of the wax. Dip the balloon a few more times, allowing some time between dips to let the wax cool.
While it is still quite warm, carefully set the balloon down onto a piece of paper or a cookie sheet, making sure it is level. This will create a flat bottom for the luminary.
Dip your balloon a few more times until it is the desired thickness. A good target thickness is 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch.
Set the balloon on the paper or cookie sheet again and let it cool.
When the wax is completely cooled, hold the balloon over a sink or bucket, facing away from you. Carefully pop the balloon with a skewer or knife and let the water drain out. Throw away the balloon shards.
To level the top of the luminary, heat a cookie sheet on the stove and place the luminary top-down onto the hot sheet and carefully melt the edges until it is level.
Place a tea light or votive inside the luminary and burn on a candle holder in a dark area.

I love DIYing and I would love love to do this for my wedding. Unfortunately, I think we’re doing a day wedding so candles are not really needed :(.

Casa Sugar

Entry filed under: Crafts

1 comment

DIY: Monogram candy jar favors

posted on August 19, 2008 by aylee

Spending some time doing your own favors can save you money. Below is a popular monogram candy jar favor. The cheapest I found was $1.25 each jar (contents not included) with purchase of at least 96.

If you do it yourself, you only spend about $0.83 each jar or maybe less, plus cost of candy. In addition, you get full control over the design of the label. You can customize it anyway you want.

Materials:
Jar $2.99/4
2″ round labels $0.46/20 + $5.10 shipping (you can try your local office or paper store to save on shipping)
Label template

Where you can buy bulk candy:
www.bulkfoods.com
www.ilovesweettreats.com
www.bulkcandystore.com
www.economycandy.com
www.candywarehouse.com
www.metrocandy.com

Click here for the full list of Wedding Resources.

Entry filed under: Wedding, Crafts/Projects

Add comment

Wedding planning can be very complicated especially if you don’t have a wedding planner. Being organized can help make the process easier. Getting your own wedding organizer where you can put all documents, receipts, and such in one place is a start.

I. MATERIALS

Binder
I suggest getting a regular 3-ring binder so you can add most documents sized 8.5×11. You can buy them at any office or paper store. Below are some fun binders.

Click images to shop

Dividers
To separate different planning sections (i.e. Attire, Beauty, Reception). Tabbed pocket dividers are best.

Click images to shop

Pockets / Pouches
You need these to put in documents of different sizes that are hard to hole punch.

3-Hole Puncher
Helps in filing documents you receive right when you receive them. I suggest buying a portable puncher that has holes on the side so it can be inserted in the binder.

Click images to shop

Calculator
Very important when dealing with budget and vendors, but you don’t have to have this with your organizer. Most cellphones have calculators anyway.

II. TEMPLATES

Russell + Hazel Templates
RealSimple Checklists
Pash Weddings Planner
MS Wedding Workbook

Click here for my Wedding Resources page which also includes printable Vendor Guides: Questions to ask vendors.

Entry filed under: Wedding, Crafts

3 comments

Organizing with a labelmaker

posted on August 14, 2008 by aylee

I like to think of myself as well-organized, from budgeting to my arts and crafts tools and materials. I was so proud of myself with my organizing skills, until I saw this giveaway at several wedding blogs. The giveaway was a DYMO LetraTag® Personal Labelmaker. I realized that’s one of the things I’m missing. I usually use regular 8.5×11 sheet labels for labeling. But with the DYMO Labelmaker, it would be a lot easier and more convenient. So I entered the contest at the Wedding Chicks blog, but unfortunately I did not win :(.

If there are no more giveaways that I can find, I will have to buy it myself. One DYMO Labelmaker added to my Amazon Wishlist . It would definitely make a great addition to my organizing tools. And now that I have a couple of things planned, it would make it a lot easier for me.

We are making one of the rooms in the basement into an office. I will be moving all my stuff to that room and I am planning to do some re-organizing, meaning re-labeling as well.
I have started making a wedding organizer binder and I need labels for the tabs. A commenter in one blog had a great idea of labeling gifts so she doesn’t forget who gave them, and eventually help her when sending out the thank you cards.

There are a lot of other uses for a labelmaker. DYMO has a list of back-to-school labeling ideas on their website. You should check it out.

As soon as I get the labelmaker and use it, I’ll post a review so stay tuned.

Entry filed under: Miscellaneous/Other, Crafts

Add comment

Recommended tools and materials

posted on March 31, 2008 by aylee

A lot of my readers ask me what tools and/or materials I recommend for creating the DIY projects I have listed here on my blog. So I added links to my recommended products on each project page.

I always look for deals or the lowest price. But I cannot guarantee the links I posted direct to the lowest price available.

Entry filed under: Crafts

3 comments

Passport Save The Date

posted on March 12, 2008 by aylee

Here is a Passport Save the Date I created for a client a while back. I don’t have a template in Word, but I promise I’ll create one soon. So stay tuned…

Click on images to enlarge

Click Read on… for remaining pages in the passport

+ Read on…

Entry filed under: Wedding, Crafts/Projects

69 comments

DIY: Paddle Fan Program

posted on February 17, 2008 by aylee

How I Did It

Materials (per set)
80lb (or heavier) cover stock 8.5×11
fan handle or tongue depressor (popsicle stick may be too small)
adhesive

Tools
cutter, scissors, computer, printer, round-corner puncher (optional)

Recommended
Rotary Paper Trimmer (cutter), Round Corner Punch-Small (round corner puncher), Herma Dotto (adhesive), Classic Crest Solar White 80lb (paper), Classic Crest Recycled Bright White 80lb (recycled paper), fan handle

Template
One piece of paddle fan can be printed on one 8.5″ x 11″ paper. One side (left or right) of the template is the front of the fan while the other is the back. The fans measure approximately 5 1/4″ x 6 1/2″. My template includes 4 different shapes you can choose from.

Click here to download template

Adding an image background
Add your image by clicking INSERT from the top menu then PICTURE. You can either insert a clipart or an image file. Select your image by clicking on it. Right click on the image then click FORMAT PICTURE. Click the LAYOUT tab and select BEHIND TEXT under Wrapping Style. Click OK. Now you can drag your image to anywhere you want it. Notice that your image appears behind your texts.

Directions
Cut on solid lines. You may use cutter or X-acto knife for the straight lines. Use scissors for the curved lines. You can use a round-corner cutter for the corners of the basic shape. Do not cut the dashed lines in the middle connecting the left and the right parts. Score and fold on the dashed lines in the middle.

Apply adhesive to one tip of your fan handle or tongue depressor. Insert your paddle or tongue depressor in between the folded fan and press to adhere.

Entry filed under: Wedding, Crafts/Projects

37 comments

More at Aylee Designs

posted on September 21, 2007 by aylee

It’s been a while since I’ve added new monogram designs to the monogram design collection. I still have more, but I still have to find the time to set them up and upload them. I tried to upload the more basic ones first:

monogram

Recently, I created a boarding pass for a child’s birthday party. It was actually my first time to create a kiddy theme. I’m so used to creating wedding boarding passes, that I had to browse through all my fonts to find more kiddy types. Here’s a sample of the birthday party invitation:

Entry filed under: Wedding, Crafts/Projects, Design

18 comments

More program fans

posted on September 6, 2007 by aylee

I recently finished Jorie’s and Stephanie’s fans.

Entry filed under: Wedding, Crafts/Projects

2 comments

Jorie’s passes are done!

posted on August 14, 2007 by aylee

It’s been a while since I haven’t accepted new requests. And Jorie’s was my first this month. She’s getting married in Hawaii! She’s a delight to work with. She knows what she wants and even though we had to rush her boarding passes, it was easy.

She’s using the passes as invitation to the rehearsal dinner. First pass is a welcome letter, the second is the invitation, and the third contains the menu for the wedding reception.