HATCH + marysia

As if swimsuit shopping while not pregnant wasn't hard enough, trying to find a maternity swimsuit that is both flattering and stylish may seem like an impossible task (especially when you're in need of a one-piece style that is appropriate for taking your toddler to swim class).  Thank goodness, then, for the collaboration between fashion-forward maternity designer HATCH and boutique swimwear brand Marysia that produced this absolutely perfect maternity maillot.  The gathered halter neckline is sophisticated and the keyhole cut-outs with side ties are playful with a bit of sex appeal.  The material is luxurious and the fit is phenomenal - I find it to be one of the most flattering swimsuits I have ever tried on, pregnant or not.  It's a bit on the expensive side, but thanks to the adjustable neck and side ties it can absolutely be worn long after baby arrives.  And, of course, feeling beautiful and sexy while pregnant is priceless.    

*Buy it from ShopBop to get free 2 day Amazon Prime shipping and free returns!    

diy :: tassel fans

I know, paper fans aren't anything new - you probably made them for the first time when you were 5 - but I had never before seen them strung together as a garland until a recent shopping trip to a local clothing boutique.  I only slightly ripped off their idea… I swapped out the staples for brightly colored washi tape to create a more tassel-y appearance.  To me, this is a fresh new take on the tissue garlands that have been all the rage for the past few years, and much easier to make.    

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You'll need:

- 8.5 x 11 text weight paper in assorted colors (don't try this with cover weight)

- bone folder

- 1/8" hole punch

-yarn or jute

Do It:

1.  Accordion fold paper using bone folder to press seams.  You'll want 6 creases - anymore and you won't be able to punch a hole through all the layers… unless you're the incredible hulk, in which case, crease away.  

2.  Stretch out paper to fan out creases a bit and then wrap washi tape around one end.  Punch hole in center above tape.

3.  String tassels on yarn (you will want something fuzzy-ish so the tassels don't move.  you can also tie knots or extra pieces of yarn/jute on either side of tassels if you have this problem).

4.  Hang and enjoy!

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dreamcatcher

I recently came across this dreamcatcher DIY from A Subtle Revelry and have to agree: it does make quite the lovely, thoughtful Mother's Day gift.  The message on the tag - "thank you for helping me dream" - was so beautiful I had to borrow it for mine.  If you're in need of a gift for your mother this weekend (yes, Mother's Day is THIS SUNDAY, folks), skip the flowers and make her something she will cherish for years to come.    

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(to learn how to switch yarn colors on the hoop take a look at this tutorial on tuts+)

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DIYP{iñata}

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Over two years ago when I was planning our wedding I became pretty obsessed with these piñatas from Confetti System... a beautiful-hued piñata not in the shape of a donkey?  Sign me up!  Unfortunately, I wasn't about to spend $150 on something that was destined to be obliterated, so I figured out how to make my own.  In the end I did not make a piñata for our wedding, but since then I have created several for other clients through my company spool + ink.  

With M's first birthday party on the horizon, I felt the need to make a giant "number 1" piñata to commemorate the occasion.  Below is my DIY Tutorial for this particular piñata, but once you figure out the method you can certainly make whatever shape your heart desires to destroy.

Materials:

- 2 large pieces of cardboard (amazon packages make great piñatas)

-scissors

-a ruler

-a pencil

-masking tape

-glue stick

-empty cereal boxes (I used 2 but you may need more)

-tissue paper in assorted colors

-hole punch

-jute/ heavy string for hanging

-optional: colorful duct tape

-optional: a large button, needle, thread and twine

Method:

1.  Using a ruler, begin by drawing out the shape of the piñata on one piece of cardboard.  Cut out with scissors (or an exacto knife if you can find yours), then trace onto second piece of cardboard and cut out.      

2.  Cut front and back panels off your cereal boxes and then cut in half lengthwise.  Also save long sides of cereal boxes.  Tape cereal box pieces to all sides of one of your cardboard "1's" with masking tape, making sure the printed side will be on the inside of the piñata.  Using the long cereal box sides, cut out smaller pieces to fill in gaps.  Line up the second "1" cutout to be the mirror image of the first and tape into place using extra tape on the bottom panels for reinforcement.   

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3.  Flip bottom piece of cardboard up to align over top piece of cardboard and, starting from the bottom, tape cereal box pieces to top cardboard (Don't worry, it doesn't need to look good.  You're going to cover this mess of cardboard and tape with tissue paper).  Just be sure not to tape top flap closed.     

4.  Unwrap your tissue paper (Paper Source has the most gorgeous colors around) and unfold it only once.  Measure out lines every one and a half inches or so and cut out without unfolding the tissue paper (You probably will only need to cut out 2 or 3 of these strips per color of tissue paper if you are using four colors.  I just got a little overzealous with the measuring).      

5.  Unfold a few un-fringed strips and glue to bottom of piñata (applying the glue stick to the cardboard and not the tissue paper), as well as one strip to the  bottom of all four sides.      

6.  Unfold remaining strips a bit and cut fringe approximately 2/3 of the way to the top of paper (leaving enough un-fringed surface area at the top to glue to piñata).   

7.  Apply glue stick to cardboard and attach first fringed strip so the bottom of the fringe is lined up with the bottom of the piñata.  Continue gluing and wrapping strips of tissue around piñata so all four sides are covered.  Keep adding new rows of strips, each a little higher than the last, until it's time to change to a new color of tissue paper (before you start applying tissue paper you may want to measure the height of your piñata and mark where each new color should begin).     

8.  Once you are finished with the sides of the base things get a bit trickier, and you will need to measure and cut smaller strips of fringe to glue onto areas like the top of the base.  But don't worry.  You can do it.  And it doesn't have to look perfect.    

9.  To switch colors, glue on the first fringed-strip of a new color to hide the messiness of the last strip of the previous color.  Perfection is overrated.  See below. 

10.  For this piñata I used colorful duct tape on the top flap and top of the piñata sides, but I usually just glue fringe to the top flap and all the way up the sides, with the tissue folded over the top edge and glued to the inside.

11.  Using a hole punch or a screw punch (or the point of your scissors) make a hole in the cardboard on either side of the piñata.  Run whatever jute/cord/string you plan to use to hang the piñata through the holes. 

12.  If you want a fancy closing mechanism you can sew a button on the side, then using an 1/8" hole punch make a hole in the top flap.  Pull some twine through the hole so that there is a loop on one end and a knot on the end sticking through the top flap.  To close the flap simply pull the twine up through the hole so that the loop tightens around the button and wind the remaining twine around the button.

13.  You're done!  Now, fill your piñata with confetti and goodies and hang it from a tree or just use it as a decoration because you've realized it's far too pretty to demolish.    

eco easter eggs

If you're anything like me, you probably aren't too keen on dying your Easter eggs with the harmful chemicals and artificial colors found in most commercial Easter egg coloring kits.  Instead, using vibrantly colored foods and spices as natural dye yields gorgeous, softly hued eggs that you can actually eat.

Try this Dye DIY from Two Tarts via Food52, or if you’d prefer for someone else to prep your vinegar and veggies (like me) you can purchase the Eco-Eggs kit from Eco-Kids: 3 powdered dyes, an egg dipper and a natural crayon for texturing your eggs.  If you want your eggs to be more on the pastel side as mine are, I recommend leaving eggs in the dyes for only 1 to 5 minutes as opposed to the 15 minutes the instructions suggest, then rinsing with water or wiping with a paper towel (or both).    

And if even that sounds like too much work, eco eggs are plant-based plastic Easter eggs that are non-toxic, reusable and fully compostable.         

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party planning: mercer's patisserie

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photo courtesy fox searchlight pictures

for the past several months i have been envisioning a "mercer's first sugar high" theme for her first birthday party: think marie antoinette-worthy desserts, pastels and florals.  this will be her first good-old-fashioned-chock-full-of-refined-sugar dessert experience, so why not just go all out with a wedding-worthy dessert table and skip the savory food altogether?  planning for this sweets-laden event was already underway prior to seeing my most anticipated film of the year, The Grand Budapest Hotel, but after seeing this visual confection of a masterpiece i have upped the ante.  oh yes, one way or another i WILL be recreating mendl's patisserie.  i might even try my hand at making the decadent courtesan au chocolate.  stay tuned for more mercer's patisserie planning posts, recipes and DIY.  in the meantime, check out my dessert table inspiration below and then get to the theater ASAP to see the most stunning wes anderson film yet.       

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photo courtesy fox searchlight pictures

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photo courtesy fox searchlight pictures

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and some cake table design inspiration from 100 layer cakelet: