posts in category summer
5.23.2019
It's that time again! Graduation! What I'm loving right now...Basic Invite
It's that time of year again...graduation!
I just can't believe how quickly time goes. I mean, I've heard people say that forEVER, but I think that until you get a bit older, and/or until you have kids, you don't really understand just how fast it goes.
Case in point...in just over a week, my almost 14 year old son will be graduating from 8th grade.
8th GRADE!
It seems like just yesterday he was helping my husband tune up our bicycles...
And now he's this man-sized, always-eating, hysterically funny, baseball-loving almost grown-up.
It's scary.
And awesome.
He doesn't want a huge party to celebrate his graduation...in fact, he just wants to have a few of his closest friends over...and that's OK by me.
But we still need to celebrate in style, right?
So when Basic Invite asked me if I would take a look at some of their design
graduation party invitations, I jumped at the chance!
Basic Invite prides itself on being one of the few invitation websites that offers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. And, once you
select your design you can change the color of each element on the card
using 180 different color options! So you can make sure the card is
exactly how you want it down to the smallest detail.
I mean, really...180 different color options??? With instant previews???
PLUS, at Basic Invite you can order a printed sample of your actual invitation before you place your final order. I LOVE that option...I mean, seeing your choices online is one thing, but actually being able to hold your finished design in your hand before you order is really something that makes Basic Invite stand out.
Here are a couple of my favorite printed graduation invitation designs...
I LOVE this simplicity of this card...it's so timeless and lovely.
And the full-photo background is another one of my favorites...especially for boys.
My daughter will be graduating from high school in a couple of years...and I'll definitely be checking out some of these cute graduation party invitations for her.
I love the idea of putting your grad's future school on the card, too!
Basic Invite also has custom thank you cards available...
...and don't even get me started on the available foil options!
So elegant...
And just because I love them so much, I have to show you these gorgeous CLEAR business cards available at Basic Invite!
CLEAR BUSINESS CARDS!
I'm dead.
And right now, until the end of the month, Basic Invite is offering 15% off of any order with the code:
15FF51
Don't have a grad this year? Or looking for something different?
Basic Invite has you covered!
In addition to graduation invitations, announcements & thank you cards, they also offer every single piece of wedding/shower correspondence you could ever need...baby/birthday/Mitzvah invitations, PLUS stationery & business cards!
Basic Invite also hosts free wedding & birthday websites!
So cool!
Check out everything they have to offer HERE...and don't forget to add the code 15FF51 when you check out to get 15% off your order!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Now get on over to Basic Invite!
*Disclaimer: In exchange for this post, I have been compensated by basic invite. All opinions, however, are entirely my own and were not influenced by the fact that I have received payment.*
5.23.2018
Heidi Swapp | Summer Party
Can you even believe summer is almost here?
That means summertime parties are almost here, too!
And what better way to celebrate than with darling little diy party accessories?
I used all things Heidi Swapp to create this little summer party set-up...and I think it all turned out so cute!
I started with some patterned paper from Heidi's Hawthorne collection and a little mini beach umbrella cut-file I purchased in the Silhouette store.
I cut the umbrellas out with my Silhouette and assembled them with a tape runner.
I love how beachy and rustic-looking these are!
Then I attached them to some wood skewers with a little hot glue.
Next, I took the labels off of these water bottles and attached the mini beach umbrellas with some washi tape from Heidi's Fresh Start collection.
Next, I used the Jumbo Kraft Letters & puffy "vibes" sticker (also from Heidi's Hawthorne collection) and my Minc machine to create these awesome picks!
Heidi's Letterboard is a MUST-HAVE for any party!
And the little washi pennants I created using Fresh Start & Hawthorne tapes & toothpicks are a great way to add color and texture.
Circles punched from more Hawthorne patterned paper and sewn together create a darling little banner for my bar cart, and Heidi's Lightbox is the perfect finishing touch for the bottom shelf!
The best thing about this party decor?
With all of the paper, washi, Letterboard & Lightbox options available, you can create a totally custom party for any theme!
Thanks so much for taking a look!
7.24.2016
mini-album | Elle's Studio
Happy happy Sunday!
I'm up on the Elle's Studio blog today with a little mini-album I created with Elle's July 2016 kit...
I hope you can take a minute to head on over and check it out...
Thank you so much!
I'm up on the Elle's Studio blog today with a little mini-album I created with Elle's July 2016 kit...
I hope you can take a minute to head on over and check it out...
Thank you so much!
5.23.2015
Mojito Freeze - my favorite summertime sweet treat...
The following is a post that first went live in June 2012...it's such a fantastic dessert I wanted to share it again...
I hope you love it!
--------------------------------------------------
To download this recipe, simply click "download"...
Here are a couple tips I have learned from making this a number times...
*Make sure your cream cheese is really really really soft...like, really soft. If it's not completely softened there will be clumps of cream cheese in your dessert...
*Also be sure to completely freeze your dessert...it's much better that way.
*The finer you can chop your mint, the better...it will give you a much more even flavor.
*And...(here is where I've adapted the recipe)...I like A LOT more pretzals & lime in my dessert...so I've doubled these amounts. Again, the recipe is fantastic without doing this, but I like it just a little tangier and saltier...yum.
I hope you enjoy this yummy treat as much as we do!
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
I hope you love it!
--------------------------------------------------
Today I am featuring Summer Food & Drink ideas...so I wanted to share my all-time FAVORITE summer dessert...Mojito Freeze!
I made this dessert for the first time a couple of summers ago, and it has become a staple for us at summer parties. I adapted my recipe from one that I originally found in the Kraft Food & Family Magazine...but the original recipe is just as wonderful.
Here are a couple tips I have learned from making this a number times...
*Make sure your cream cheese is really really really soft...like, really soft. If it's not completely softened there will be clumps of cream cheese in your dessert...
*Also be sure to completely freeze your dessert...it's much better that way.
*The finer you can chop your mint, the better...it will give you a much more even flavor.
*And...(here is where I've adapted the recipe)...I like A LOT more pretzals & lime in my dessert...so I've doubled these amounts. Again, the recipe is fantastic without doing this, but I like it just a little tangier and saltier...yum.
I hope you enjoy this yummy treat as much as we do!
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
7.12.2013
Road Trip Game Printables
All week on the Heidi Swapp blog, we have been sharing fun games for you and your family to enjoy this summer...
Today I'm sharing some games you can play on all of your summer road trips...woo hoo!
We usually vacation close enough to home that we drive to all of our destinations...but those long car trips can be soooooo boring. The kids are usually really good in the car, but it always helps to have something to do.
These games are not new...in fact, you probably play them all the time during road trips. I know we do.
But usually I'm searching high and low for paper for paper for everyone, pens for everyone, etc. So I've decided to make some printables (using some AWESOME graphics from Heidi's digi-shop) you can keep in the car and use time and time again...even if you're just running to the store.
Here's a quick preview of the games...
...a fun alphabet-find game that anyone can play!
...a fun alphabet-find game that anyone can play!
To read more and to download all of the game printables, click here...
I'd love to see how you use these games on your next road trip! Post your photos on IG and tag me, @midwesterngirl5 - yay!
6.27.2012
summertime wall art...with #CanvasCorp
Earlier in the spring I repainted my living & dining room. And, when I was done, I decorated for spring. And then I was done. I haven't touched a single accessory since then.
So, when I was straightening up the other day I realized I needed a bit more "summer" in my decor. I began looking through my stash and I noticed I had a 12x12 stretched burlap canvas (question: is it still called a canvas if it's burlap? Probably not, but you know what I mean...right?) from Canvas Corp. And as soon as I saw that, I remembered the coolest piece of scrapbooking paper...also from Canvas Corp.
Here's the "canvas..."
And here's the paper...
Isn't that paper fantastic???
So, I knew these were the items I was going to use...what I wasn't quite sure of was how to use them. I didn't really want to Mod Podge the paper to the burlap...because I didn't think it would work. So I grabbed my craft knife and went to work.
Those of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen this photo the other day...
See what's happenin' there? Oh yeah. It took FOREVER. But it was a great "sit-in-front-of-the-TV-and-do-a-project" project...
When all of the letters were cut out, I adhered the paper to the burlap with Easy Tack (repositionable/removable spray adhesive)...
...grabbed some acrylic paint, and went to work.
Because I don't have any ombre in my house I thought it might be fun to make this project ombre-ish...so I painted the bottom row blue and just kept adding white paint to the blue as I worked my way up the burlap.
Here's the burlap before I removed the paper.
And here's the final product:
In reality, it was a little difficult to keep the stencil tight against the burlap, so there was some paint leakage past the actual letter cut-out. But I really don't mind that...it adds to the laid-back, summertime feel of the piece...plus, you can still read the words, so...all is well.
So, what do you think? I think it adds a nice, beachy feeling to my decor...I love the texture and colors...
And it looks great in my kitchen.
So, when I was straightening up the other day I realized I needed a bit more "summer" in my decor. I began looking through my stash and I noticed I had a 12x12 stretched burlap canvas (question: is it still called a canvas if it's burlap? Probably not, but you know what I mean...right?) from Canvas Corp. And as soon as I saw that, I remembered the coolest piece of scrapbooking paper...also from Canvas Corp.
Here's the "canvas..."
And here's the paper...
Isn't that paper fantastic???
So, I knew these were the items I was going to use...what I wasn't quite sure of was how to use them. I didn't really want to Mod Podge the paper to the burlap...because I didn't think it would work. So I grabbed my craft knife and went to work.
Those of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen this photo the other day...
See what's happenin' there? Oh yeah. It took FOREVER. But it was a great "sit-in-front-of-the-TV-and-do-a-project" project...
When all of the letters were cut out, I adhered the paper to the burlap with Easy Tack (repositionable/removable spray adhesive)...
...grabbed some acrylic paint, and went to work.
Because I don't have any ombre in my house I thought it might be fun to make this project ombre-ish...so I painted the bottom row blue and just kept adding white paint to the blue as I worked my way up the burlap.
Here's the burlap before I removed the paper.
And here's the final product:
In reality, it was a little difficult to keep the stencil tight against the burlap, so there was some paint leakage past the actual letter cut-out. But I really don't mind that...it adds to the laid-back, summertime feel of the piece...plus, you can still read the words, so...all is well.
So, what do you think? I think it adds a nice, beachy feeling to my decor...I love the texture and colors...
And it looks great in my kitchen.
DISCLOSURE: From time to time, Canvas Corp. sends me product to play with. They never require anything of me, but I think their products are fantastic and I want to let everyone know when I use them in my projects. Thank you, Canvas Corp!
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