CasaSugar

How-To: 7 Ways to Repurpose Holiday Cards

CasaSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:00:40 -0800

What to do with that fat stack of last year's Christmas cards you've got stashed in a drawer? Well, if they're photo cards, save 'em. But if you've collected some cards with holiday-themed graphics, Real Simple says repurpose them! Cut up that old stationery into festive shapes like stars, Christmas trees, and ornaments. Then, scribe each of your guests name on the paper, hole punch, and tie the place card to your napkin with a ribbon or some red yarn. I have a few of my own holiday card repurposing ideas for you, so read more.

If there is no writing on the backside of your card cover (where the image is), you can cut off the top fold and use it as a postcard, writing your message on the blank back side.
You can slice card covers into four to six different rectangles and use them as gift tags. Punch a hole in the card and slide it onto your ribbon before you tie your bow.
Cut the card covers into festive shapes like Christmas trees, ornaments, and stars. Then punch a hole, and tie a loop through it with ribbon. Then, use it as an ornament on your tree. You can add additional ornamentation with glitter, beading, etc.
Cut the card covers into star shapes and letters to spell out "Merry Christmas." Then, make a garland out of them by stringing them together with red baker's twine, yarn, or ribbon.
Buy a pack of blank note cards. Cut up a few card covers into different shapes or stripes, and collage them with Mod Podge glue onto the front of the blank note card.
Or, you can send them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children, a safe home that rescues abused, abandoned, and neglected children. It runs a 30-year-old recycling card program to benefit the children. The children participate in the program by making new cards removing the front of donated ones and attaching a new back made with recycled paper, and then they are sold. Cards may be donated by sending them to:

St. Jude's Ranch for Children
Card Recycling Program
100 St. Jude's Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

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Casa Quickie: Wine Cork Place Card Holder

CasaSugar — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:00:00 -0800

If you're anything like me, there are already a plethora of wine corks laying around your home this season. So, if you'll be hosting a holiday dinner party this week, why not put them to good use and turn them into place card holders? Use a standard dinner knife to slice a shallow slit into the length of a wine cork or the width (top) of a champagne cork. Then, write your guests' names on pieces of decorative paper or place cards, and slide them paper into the slot. Voilà! A festive, recycled place card holder that you can reuse at your next dinner party!

Cool Idea: Duck Wing Quill Place Cards

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:00:50 -0800

I recently passed on a leaves place card idea to you from Another Shade of Grey that would be great for your upcoming Thanksgiving party. A couple of you liked the idea, but I didn't get a huge response. So, I figured I'd give it another shot. Instead of painting your guests names onto leaves, try feathers! According to Another Shade of Grey, you can buy a pack of 20 duck wing quills for about $1.99 (10 cents a quill). But, I'm really loving the look of these Pheasant Feathers ($.99/each). Whichever feather you fancy, paint each guest's name using a fine tipped brush and some acrylic craft paint.
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Cool Idea: Leaves Placecards

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:00:34 -0800

I saw this cute idea for placecards over at Another Shade of Grey and couldn't help but pass it along. I feel . . . what's it called? dumb for not thinking of this first, but that's life. My life at least. Just pick some fallen leaves up from your own backyard or neighborhood, the most colorful ones you can find, and use a paint pen to write the names of your guests. If you don't already own one, you can snatch up paint pens in a wide range of colors and metallics at your local art store for under $3. Or, if you're artistic, you could attempt to paint leaves with real paints: not as easy. I love the way these leaves pop against the white plate, so I'd suggest either laying it on a white tablecloth or napkin, or directly on your dinner plate, although that's not as cleanly. What do you think? Cute, right?
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Cranberry Decorating Part I: Place Cards

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 06:30:46 -0800

Ocean Spray has always been my go-to for Thanksgiving cranberry sauce; I've been known to eat an entire can of it as is. I've never thought to get decorating advice from the cranberry brand, though. I stumbled upon some festive cranberry DIY decorating projects on their site, and was so impressed, I've decided to share the series of them. They're fairly simple, and the deep color of the fruit is perfect for the holidays!

To learn how to make these beautiful place cards, read more

Supplies:

3 x 5-inch cards or card stock cut to size (as many as # of seats)
Glue gun
1 bag of fresh cranberries
Small dried leaves
Small twigs
Acorns
Fine point marker

Here's how:

Fold each 3 x 5-inch card in half crosswise to make a tent.
Write a guest’s name on each card in your best handwriting.
Using the glue gun, secure a few fresh cranberries to the corner of each card.
Secure a variation of leaves, twigs, and acorns to the cards so that each is different.
Let dry, and arrange at each setting!

Source

DIY: Easy Ornament Place Cards

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:42:30 -0800

At a recent holiday dinner party I attended, the hostess rested basic place cards on a handful of adorable polar bear ornaments to make her simple place settings all the more festive. I was so smitten with the idea that I had to take photos to share. She also spread around some tiny plastic champagne bubbles, which I got a little carried away with after dessert. This project (would you call it a project?) takes almost no time to complete and the guests can leave with an ornament to hang in their own homes.

This idea will work with whatever cute ornaments you fancy, and they don't have to be expensive. If your ornament has a flat surface, you can personalize it by writing each guest's name directly on the ornament. Or, you can get frame ornaments and put a fun photo of each of your guests into the frame, and there'll be no need for name place cards. While I do always appreciate the place card projects that Martha Stewart has up her sleeve, they're often time consuming. So if you're hosting dinner, this may be a better option, especially since you've probably got more important things to worry about, like roasting a turkey or baking a ham...

Casa Interview, Part I: Domino Founding Editor Deborah Needleman (and an Awesome Giveaway!)

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:00:54 -0700

We design enthusiasts will admit that Domino will always hold a special place in our hearts - and bookshelves. But it was the stable of talented, creative people that truly made the beloved magazine an influence and an inspiration. So I was so delighted to have the chance to catch up with the founding editor-in-chief of Domino and co-author of Domino: The Book of Decorating, Deborah Needleman. It should come as no surprise that she hasn't lost her knack and passion for design.

Deborah's latest project is an exciting, interactive tool that she's created for HomeGoods, called StyleScope, which helps you find your own interior design style and learn to navigate the vast world of décor options. Home Goods, I hope you know, is a wonderful place to find designer home décor at prices 20 to 60 percent lower than department stores, and is also one of my favorite resources for stylish accessories. Deborah was kind enough to share some of her thoughts and tips on design and curating a stylish home that's uniquely you, and give us the lowdown on her life these days!

What are you working on these days? Any exciting projects on the horizon for you?
I am really enjoying the idea of just doing projects, consulting, writing, gardening - I probably shouldn't admit it, but it's quite a good relief to not be working so hard and to have a break from the pressure. I am considering on a couple book projects - one on table settings, another on decorators' gardens, and a more personal book on growing vegetables and flowers.

Before Domino, I was a garden writer - and it's nice to have time to garden like mad again. I'm also talking to people and companies about designing furniture and accessories and starting up new businesses. Sometimes I feel like I'm a professional meeting-taker. Last night the former creative director of Domino [Sara Ruffin Costello] and I hatched a plan to try to redesign all the ugly products at Duane Reade like Kleenex boxes, toothpaste, and shaving cream!

To read the rest of the interview, read more.

For the Summer, I'm just hanging out with my children, gardening, and being as lazy as possible. I've loved working with HomeGoods because oddly the store is a well-kept secret among design snobs - and I love spreading the word about great design sources. That was what Domino was about: sharing ideas and resources. And creating a style quiz was something we wanted to do but never got around to at Domino.

What current trends do you think have staying power?

Decorating that has personality and a sense of reality rather than rooms that are too matchy or too perfect. Rooms that are stiff and lifeless really depress me!! Mixing high and low design and price points will remain chic, and not simply for economic reasons - it shows personality and confidence. Also, now that nearly everyone is interested in design, there is no going back. It's a better decorated world than it used to be, and that is so nice!

What are your favorite go-to resources for furniture? How about accessories?

I am decorating my house upstate (well, really former Domino editor Rita Konig is!) and I can't get enough of the fabrics, rugs, cushions, and accessories from John Robshaw, Madeleine Weinrib, and John Derian.

What’s your number one tip for finding great bargains?
I am married to a man who will buy something truly awful because he "saved so much." Something is only a great bargain if you would want it even if it cost more. I learned from Domino editor Dara Caponigro to never let anything in my house I don't love. Even free stuff is not a bargain if you don't need or love it - it is junk, clutter. Also, you must know your own style more if you're wading through a flea market or garage sale than if you're in a boutique where the owner has done all the taste-editing for you already!

What types of furnishings should one splurge on/invest in? Any to cut back on?

It's so personal. It really only matters what matters to you. I believe in expensive sheets. I like sleeping, and good sheets are a wonderful indulgence.

How did working at Domino influence your own decorating habits or design choices?
As a reader, I craved a magazine like Domino because I was a person who I felt had good taste, but not great style, if you know what I mean. I could never make a decision because I could never decide who I was stylistically or how to express myself!! I surrounded myself at the magazine with people who I thought had great taste and great style (and all rather different style sensibilities actually), and who were all also really smart and nice - so they could teach me and the readers simultaneously. I learned to edit! I learned I could have a lot of different styles I like but just not all at once!!! And I learned to both be braver and to loosen up more. You can't avoid making some mistakes. But truthfully, I also learned that there is a lot to learn, that decorating well isn't easy, and that there are people way better at it than me - and that I still want their help! I love the advice of experts. Sadly, for me, the more I know, the more I know I don't know! Domino also made me realize how important decorating can be to the life of a home, and the life of a family.

This interview will be continued, so stay tuned for more. And we have a special giveaway for you CasaSugar readers on the way! One of you lucky readers will win a $500 gift card to HomeGoods. Check back for the rest of the interview and details about the giveaway tomorrow!

What's Your Home Décor Style?

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 05:30:48 -0700

Founding editor-in-chief of Domino Deborah Needleman has created a cool tool for HomeGoods called StyleScope that helps define your home décor style and navigate the vast world of décor options. I answered a few fun questions about my habits at home, color preferences, and furnishing choices and learned that my style is "Glamorous Classic." I definitely agree with that! The quiz results give a few tips on making your home a happier place, how to use color, and best of all, what to look for when you're shopping! Check it out and tell me what your style is.

This will be especially helpful for one of you lucky readers who wins a $500 gift card to HomeGoods - get all the details of the giveaway here! Be sure to read my interview with Deborah, you'll need to answer some quiz questions about what she's up to and her decorating tips to enter!

Casa Interview, Part II: Domino Founding Editor Deborah Needleman (and an Awesome Giveaway!)

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:00:39 -0700

Deborah Needleman, the founding editor of Domino, is a goldmine of savvy advice on decorating your home, honed from years of experience heading up the style-centric magazine as well as decorating her own home. You can read the first half of my interview with her here. Deborah's tips and thoughts on decorating continue in the second half of this interview.

Our homes are really personal spaces. Considering that most of us are shopping from the same few décor retailers and finding inspiration in the same shelter magazines and blogs, how should we go about personalizing our homes?
Every home definitely needs a few old things and a couple unique things. And when most of what we have is mass-produced, it's more important than ever to have some things made by actual human hands, whether it's pottery, rugs, pictures, whatever. It is essential to find a few things that no one else has, whether you find them in a shop, at a tag sale, bring them back from a trip, collect them from nature, or even make them - like just tacking up drawings or notes from friends. Stuff that is meaningful to us, what we love or collect or find is interesting to our guests. I also do think it's really nice to have one really good piece - whether that's a table, rug, chandelier, whatever. It gives your room some substance, some weight - and also ensures it doesn't look like anyone else's.

To read the rest of the interview, read more.

I love your home, which I saw featured in New York magazine a few years ago. I know that you’re a big fan of neutrals and white, or at least you were when that article was written. Are you still a neutrals gal?
Thanks. It's funny, in New York City which is so chaotic and where I get easily overwhelmed, I need to be a neutral gal. It totally calms me down, and keeps my head clear. But upstate, where I feel more relaxed, I love layering patterns and color - florals, suzanis, chintzes, Indian prints, etc. I'm covering my sofa there in purple linen, my study is painted black, and one room is the craziest color green I've ever seen.

I love how your home is elegant and adult-oriented, yet still kid-accessible. What is your advice on and personal experience with creating gorgeous spaces that are also kid-friendly?
I have never understood dumbing down design for kids. No one had kid-friendly homes when I was growing up - people just had the homes they had and their children lived in them! A family home is for adults and children - why on earth would anyone give over their living room to let it look like a play room?! I'll probably get hate mail for this, but aside from a gate so children don't tumble down the stairs, and maybe a lock on the cabinet if you have the kind of children that want to eat the Ajax or whatever, children can be taught that table edges are sharp and that food is to be eaten in the kitchen and that open markers can't be left on the rug!

Other than that, if you have a fairly light palette like I do, you have to accept that you won't have the cleanest house in the world. Fortunately I like a bit of a patina on things! I like that the floor is scuffed by skateboards in part because I love a house where children feel free to run wild, have loads of friends over, and make forts out of the sofa cushions, but also where they have a sense of responsibility and respect for things. Oh, and I have cheap rugs, so if they get destroyed, I won't be sad! And I certainly wouldn't choose a linen velvet sofa fabric if I had to do it again! Kids don't rule the roost, they share it.

Your HomeGoods StyleScope tool helps home decorators find their style. How would you describe your own style?
I think I'm fairly conventional at core - I couldn't have furniture at funny angles or a bed floating in a room or anything too wacky or "fun." I dig symmetry. I like things that are classic in shape and form - not overly embellished, but I appreciate many kinds of design. I think I take this fairly classic base and mess it up a bit. I'm certainly not traditional. I like to layer on personality and quirk with ethnic textiles, cushions, interesting objects, fabrics, and art. I love stuff from India, Morocco, England. Thus, Bohemian Classic.

And to revive a favorite Domino feature of mine, what are 10 things that make you happy?
Hilarious question! Well, first of all, we never let people say their children or their dogs!!! Too boring and obvious.

Nearly all Santa Maria Novella products (if I could only choose one thing, it'd be their potpourri. But I'm crazy about the milk body cream, the honeysuckle perfume, and the pomegranate soap and bath salts). I am obsessed with scent - on my body and in my home!
My veg garden. (Really, seeing my children eat their way through our veg garden, but at Domino I would've edited that out as too sentimental!)
Making flower arrangements for the house.
My white parsons table (I have two) - and a brilliant new parsons side table in the pitch-perfect green color.
Comfy chairs in kitchens and bathrooms.
Cheap weekly blowouts from walk-in, no-appointment places.
Summer dinner outside with friends.
Staying in a lovely hotel room (never a trendy hotel, I like old-school, old-fashioned hotels). I love that nothing belongs to me and the beds are perfectly made. The Duc du St. Simon in Paris is pretty excellent.
Bobbi Brown makeup. Makes you look sun-kissed, not dolled up.
I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't say this, but having a decorator!! Specifically having the genius Rita Konig as a decorator!

Thank you, Deborah! We have a special giveaway for you CasaSugar readers on the way. One of you lucky readers will win a $500 gift card to HomeGoods! Check back for more details about the giveaway later on today!

The Card Shop: Hello! Lucky Wedding Invitations by Joel Dewberry and EIEIO

CasaSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:00:40 -0700

As if weddings weren't exciting enough, one of my favorite stationery companies, Hello!Lucky, has just launched two new collections of wedding invitations designed by the talented textile designer Joel Dewberry and decorative paper studio EIEIO. Each collection includes an average of six different designs, with varying colorways and the option to order the works: RSVP cards, save the dates, wedding announcements, thank-you cards, accommodations cards, reception cards, directions cards, menus, place cards, and seating cards.

Additionally, all of the materials can be printed either digitally or by letterpress - I'd go with the latter if I were you! My favorites are Sparrows by Joel Dewberry and Chandelier by EIEIO, each $97.50 for 25. So chic and elegant, but a bit contemporary, too. Check out all of the Sugar network's wedding coverage here!