Two of my favorite things (aside from photo-making of course!): hosting parties and creative projects.  Combine these with some sugary sweets, pretty pastel anything, new & old friends, and you’ve pretty much landed in my idea of heaven!!  Which is why I am excited to invite you, yes YOU to the next Be Crafty handmade workshop, which I am hosting with my friend Amanda on Friday 6.1.12!  We would LOVE for you to share in our project-making bliss. You can find all the details & registration here.
xoxo.

Earlier this month, my friend Amanda and I hosted another handmade workshop called Nest Crafty–a springtime afternoon soiree for 20 lovely girls who enjoy crafting as much as we do!  It was an amazing day, filled with inspiration, creativity, new friends, sharing ideas, sugar consumption, and squeals of delight as we watched each girl’s projects come to life! Some of the attendees were creative businesswomen who needed a break from their daily craft, and others claimed to not be crafty at all (untrue!).  At the end of the day, everyone walked away with new friends, a cute screen-printed tote bag filled with awesome goodies, and 6 finished projects! We sewed pillows, made mouse pads and embroidery hoop wall art with fabric, planted succulent terrariums, hammered spoons into garden markers, and decorated glass jars.  This is just a tiny snippet of the eye candy, so please take a peek at the whole lot of images over on the Be Crafty Workshops blog!!
xoxo.

Back in December, my friend Amanda & I hosted GIVE CRAFTY, a creative workshop sharing our love of handmade gifts with 20 local women.  Ever since the initial planning stages of that party, we have been dreaming up more & more projects and possibilities!  Those dreams have rolled into big plans for a series of workshops, beginning with NEST CRAFTY, an all new inspiring party, which will focus on creating good things to make your home a more beautiful place to live!  We have 6 lovely projects planned, a slew of sponsors already, and limited space available. I really hope you can join us, meet new friends, enjoy tasty treats, and get your craft on.  Everyone is welcome–No experience necessary!
NEST CRAFTY  
Saturday March 11 | Noon-4:00pm
Minneapolis |(location disclosed upon registration!)
Please visit our blog for more deets + the complete project list. Cannot wait!
xoxoxo.

A few of my favorite things: weekending, crafting, and entertaining.  Combine all 3 and you pretty much have the recipe for my ideal day. Nothing makes my heart more happy than a warm house filled with crafty girls, yummy food, and amazing creative projects!  The weekend before Christmas, I had the honor of hosting a fabulous handmade gift-making party with my friend Amanda.  We spent the day chatting and creating with 20 amazing local girls–both old and new friends!  Methinks that whoever is on the receiving end of these fabulous projects will have one happy Christmas. Prepare for complete pretty pastel overload…
At the front door, we welcomed guests with sparkly nametags hanging on a tinsel tree. The happy hostesses (below)Peppermint cake pops & pistachio macarons(above right)from Cocoa & Fig–our favorite bakery! Finished projects: Vintage tin ornament (below left) & Stenciled doily canvas bag (below right)Lovely supplis to decorate our vintage tins from the Gilded Bee! Glittered clothespins (below left) & busy gift wrappers (below right)Pretty cupcake wrapper bows!  So addictive to make!And the best part of all: Sending each lovely lady home with a SWAG bag (Stuff We All Get)–goodies donated by our kind sponsors!  (See source list below!) Amanda designed the Be Crafty graphic on the bags–isn’t she wildly talented? We are already busy planning our next party in March 2012…NEST CRAFTY…where we will get busy making crafty things for our homes! Stay tuned for details & registration.
{My only regret was having not taken even more pics!  Not pictured: fabric paper clip book marks & pretty ribbon luggage tags.}

Okay, so by now I’m sure you’re probably dying to find out where we got all of these pretty supplies!  The overwhelming response & contributions from our sponsors pretty much rocked our world…We had almost as many sponsors as guests!! The next time you are shopping for crafty supplies, please pay them a visit!
xo.

—————–GIVE CRAFTY SOURCES——————
Annabel Gray – pretty packaging supplies
Berry & Rabbit – kraft envelopes, mini clothespins
California Craft – glassine bags, stickers, tags
From Soul – unique picnic boxes, wooden (glitter) spoons
JR Crown – paper goods & handmade stickers
Little Miss Moustache – bias tapes (for fabric bunting banner)
Mary Beth Hale – vintage rick rack, wooden spools of thread
Merrigoround & Me – bias tapes
Paper & Present – twine, doilies, heart stickers, twist ties
Run Ellie Run – pretty packaging materials
Sweet Kaity – pink striped treat bags, pink paper straws
Sugar B Supplies – pretty glassine bags
The Gilded Bee – beautiful emphemera, paper flowers, tags, etc.
The PathLess Traveled – star punch garland, twine
The Petite Package – pretty packaging supplies
The Twinery – twine
Wrap Works – pretty packaging supplies
Twine & Tape – glassine & kraft bags, twine, and more lovely materials