Valentines in a Jar With Free Printable Mason Jar Tags

Are you ready for Valentine's Day? Here are a few last minute ideas that are simple and easy to pull off. I shared many of these ideas with Tori Spelling's readers on ediTORIal last week.

We all love glass jars, right?  So let's give someone special a jar full of love this Valentine's Day! The possibilities for filling your jar are endless... from desserts, to candy, flowers, candles, craft supplies, or love notes.

I decorated my jar with Valentine washi tape and a red enamelware jar lid from Factory Direct Craft.

Here is what you will need...

Materials:

Glass Jar

Candy or beads

Love Notes

Twine, Ribbon, or String

Washi Tape (optional)

Scissors

Hole Punch

Mason Jar Tag a limited time free printable by Piggy Bank Parties

Red Jar Lids (optional)

Directions for creating a Valentine Love Jar:

1. Write love notes, seal with tape or twine. 

2. Add notes to jar, fill the remainder of the jar with candy or beads. 

3. Print the free mason jar tags on card stock or kraft paper. There are two different tags to pick from, either "Love Notes" or "Filled with Love".  Both tags come in two different sizes to fit large and small jars.  

4. Cut out tags, punch a hole in the top so that you can string twine through. 

5. Attach tag to jar with twine, ribbon, or string. 

If you are looking for more great ideas, head over to Pink Heels Pink Truck for a Housewarming Party {Pink Edition} that includes my Pink Party from last Valentine's Day!

Family Movie Night with The Boxtrolls

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Universal Pictures, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BoxtrollsFamilyNite http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

My family calls every Friday,  fun Friday. We love celebrating the end of the school/work week with a family dinner and activity. Our Friday night plans range from board games, to Dance Wii competitions, and occasional trips for ice cream. My personal favorite family time involves the four of us curling up under blankets and watching movies together. It is the perfect way to wind down from a long, busy week.

My kids were bummed that we missed seeing The Boxtrolls in the movie theater. Luckily, The Boxtrolls came out on DVD this week so I ran over to Walmart to pick up the movie and a 10 count box of homestyle Pop Secret. We went all out and created our own Boxtroll popcorn boxes and designed our own fancy white hats for our family movie night.

Materials Needed:

empty cereal boxes
paper bags
scissors
tape
sticker paper or card stock
popcorn

Directions:

1. Remember in middle school how we covered all our school books with paper bags? Well, do this, only cover the cereal box instead. Don't forget to pull off the handles of your bag.

2. Your cereal box should look like this

3. Print your favorite Boxtroll character's graphics here and glue to the front of your popcorn box. Fill boxes with Pop Secret popcorn and enjoy the movie! I also put out some brie because the main characters are obsessed with cheese ("Prepare to say bye bye to your brie, cheerio to your cheddar...").

Next, we designed our own fancy white hats. Everyone in the movie covets the fancy white hats!



I drew large hats on white card stock paper. The kids designed their own fancy white hats. We cut the hats out and taped paper straws to the back.

Grab some Pop Secret popcorn and The Boxtrolls DVD while supplies last at Walmart and make your own family memories!

New Year, New Grab N' Go Organization!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Wayfair, but my opinions and commentary are entirely my own.

I am a little nervous to share this with you all. In all my years of blogging, I have never posted pictures of my closets. When Wayfair asked me to chat about closet organization, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to get my most unwieldy closet under control. I really had no idea how bad it was until I started pulling everything out.

  This is a truly untouched "before" photo of my utility closet. We shoved things in this closet when we moved in last March and never took the time to organize it. This utility closet is located in my laundry room. It is perfect for my cleaning supplies, light bulbs, paper towels, and other daily essentials. When we designed this closet I wanted shelving on the right and open room on the left for brooms and mops. As you can see the broom side really needed a wall mounted broom holder.

STEP ONE: Empty the closet. I sorted the massive mess into keep and trash piles.



Apparently, I hoard cleaning supplies.

And worse, I hoard empty bottles of cleaning supplies.

Now that the closet is a clean slate, here is how I organized it. 

STEP TWO: GRAB N' GO ORGANIZATION... Okay, I am pretty proud of myself for thinking of this idea. I hooked my most essential cleaning supplies right on the top shelf. So easy to grab n' go clean! I also placed things I use/need most at easy to reach places. Things I do not use as often were placed on the highest and lowest shelves.

My mops and brooms are much happier on the wall mounted holder. Notice my darling new burlap bins? I seriously love the chalkboard tags. They help me keep items organize and labeled. My new bins and wood boxes both have plastic liners inside so I am not worried about leaks or debris getting on them.

Ta-Da! A cleaner, more ogranized space.

Shop This Look from Wayfair

Here are the items that helped me get organized:

Wood Metal Crates : Broom and Mop Wall Mounted Organizer
Drying Rack : Burlap Baskets with Chalkboard Tags

Holiday Entertaining With Gloria Ferrer Wine

'Tis the season for holiday entertaining... endless cookie plates, appetizers, and wine!

 

We finished construction on our new house in March and haven't had a chance to host an official house warming party yet.  We decided that Christmas was the perfect time to welcome our friends, family, and neighbors over for a good old fashioned Holiday Open House.

In a very uncharacteristic move, I decided not to decorate for the party. Our existing Christmas decorations were more than enough. I am probably the only one who noticed that my usual coordinating food labels, welcome signs, and favor tags were missing. I channeled all my energy into the food and drinks.

Our guests loved sampling all the different Gloria Ferrer Sparkling wines. Our favorite was the 2006 Royal Cuvee. It paired perfectly with my favorite appetizer Brie En Croute-  a Paula Deen recipe of brie topped with toasted walnuts and cinnamon, baked in a puff pastry. Absolutely delicious!

The night was so successful that our friends and family have deemed us the official hosts of this party next year. Good wine, good food, and good friends and family make beautiful memories.

If holiday hosting stresses you out, here are a few tips:

1. Invitations (whether emailed, mailed, or word of mouth) are extremely important. The more information you provide your guests ahead of time, the less questions you will get before the party.

2. Stay organized. Write lots of to-do lists as well as grocery lists so that you are not running out to the store 30 minutes before your party starts.

3. Accept help. If guests ask what they can bring to the party, graciously accept and offer some suggestions.

4. Know your guests dietary needs so everyone feels welcome and can enjoy your food and drinks.

5. Relax, enjoy the party. Hosting duties are a constant job, but try to have fun and enjoy your guests too!


Gloria Ferrer provided the sparkling wines and other freebies for my party. All opinions are mine.

Silhouette Black Friday Deals and DIY Personalized Baking Dishes

I am currently on a huge baking kick. In October we turned up the Christmas music and snapped holiday family photos to create these amazing personalized cookie plates. I am continuing the baking theme into my DIY gifts this year. I have always loved personalized baking pans that I have seen online and wanted to try and make some as gifts this year.

 

 

Thanks to my awesome Silhouette Portrait & Etching kit, I created a personalized pie plate for my Grandma Smith's famous apple pie and 9 x 13" baking pans for my mom and sister.

 



 

Honestly, I was a little nervous about etching on glass (and screwing it up), but it was so super easy. Silhouette offers very detailed instructions and even a DVD to watch first. I am totally in love with my new Portrait. It can do so many fun things from vinyl, banners, labels, glass, and so much more.

 

 

I love my machine so much that I wanted to share Silhouette's Black Friday Deal going on from

Nov. 26 to Dec. 8, 2014

USE PROMO CODE: CTPARTY

HERE ARE ALL THE SALES BEING OFFERED!

 

 

Portrait Bundle

- Portrait machine & 1 free year to Club Silhouette for $179.99

 

CAMEO Bundle #1

- CAMEO machine, Designer Edition software upgrade, Dust Cover, 4 Tools and $25 Download card to the Silhouette Design Store for $269.99

CAMEO Bundle #2

- CAMEO machine, Design Edition software upgrade and 1 free year to Club Silhouette for $299.99

CAMEO & Portrait Bundle (One for you, one for a friend!)

- CAMEO machine, Portrait machine and 2, $25 Download cards to the Silhouette Design Store for $299.99

 

Already a Silhouette user?

 

Use code: CTPARTY to receive 40% off at SilhouetteAmerica.com (*excluding machines, design downloads, download cards, subscriptions and gift cards) PLUS Free Shipping on orders over $25 for the lower 48 states

 

50% off all designs at SilhouetteDesignStore.com – no code needed!

 

Happy Black Friday shopping!  I'd love to hear about all the good deals you find!

 

Favorite Things Exchange Party

Congratulations Valerie Sobus, you have WON the #favthings2014 Bag of Swag Giveaway!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Hi Craft That Party readers, I recently shared my "Favorite Things" Exchange Party over on ediTORIal. Wanted to share it here as well in case you missed it.

 

The purpose of the party is for everyone to bring and share 5 of their favorite things and exchange them for 5 new favorite things.

 

How It Works:

I mailed invitations to my guests three weeks in advance requesting they bring 5 of their favorite things to the party. The items could be bought or homemade. The only rule was that you had to bring 5 of the same item, unwrapped, and costing under $6. In return, they would leave the party with 5 brand new favorite things to take home.

Party day couldn't come soon enough. I was bursting at the seams to share all of the exciting surprises I had in store for my friends. We started the night mingling over sweets from the dessert table.

 

I set out placecards where my friends could display their 5 favorite items on my dining room table. Each place setting had a beautiful favor box and a "You Are One of My Favorite Things" tag as a little token to show my friends how special they are to me.

We moved the party into the living room. Everyone took turns presenting their favorite things to the group explaining where they found it, how much it cost, and why they chose it. Items ranged from beauty products, sweets, kitchen utensils, Starbucks, and more. I was totally impressed with the creativity and ingenuity of my friends to find such great items for under $6!



The Exchange:

To avoid a mad rush to the table during the 5 rounds of the gift exchange, I asked a series of five fun random questions. For example:

Pull out your phone, how many photos do you currently have on your camera roll? Highest number picked 1 new favorite thing from the table first.

For the next round, if you have 4 or more kids you may pick first, 3 kids picked second, etc...

SURPRISE!

Once everyone had chosen 5 new favorite things from the table, they thought we were done... but we were only getting started! I secretly enlisted help from a few of my favorite shops and brands to send my friends home with TEN of my favorite things!

 

 I wore many of my "favorite things" to the party as clues for the surprise giveaway happening at the end. In this photo, I surprised everyone with Jamberry Nail Wraps! As you can see above, I am wearing green polka dot Jamberry Nail wraps that matched my outfit. 

For the next half hour, one by one I brought out each of my favorite things.  There were lots of screams and cheers! Here are all of the wonderful things my friends went home with...



 

Top Row: Oh Goodie Designs Confetti Wands : Piggy Bank Parties Favor Boxes & Tags : Sunbasil Garden Soap Love Soaps

 

Middle Row: Goin Chic Boutique Polka Dot Totes : A Blissful Nest Mugs : Jamberry Nails Wraps

 

Bottom Row: Birthday Express Gift Certificates : Alex and Ani Bracelet : Ike and Co. Vintage Glass Earrings

For my grand finale, I picked three names out of a hat for The Spa at Hershey Hotel gift certificates. Their cocoa facials are my most favorite thing ever. If you ever visit the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania or Hershey Park, you must leave time to get covered in chocolate at the Hershey Spa and tell them I sent you!

 

 

A huge thank you to all of my incredibly generous vendors.  I hope that you will check out each and every vendor listed for more inspiration and great products.

Party Vendors:
Photography: Allison Duda of A JOY Photography
Invitation, Favorites Banner, Straws, and Cupcake Toppers: Party A La Mo
Tribal Garland, Favor Boxes and Tags: Piggy Bank Parties
Honeycomb Balls: Shop Sweet Lulu
Plates, Napkins: Birthday Express
Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Apple Cupcakes and Cakepops: Samantha's Sweet's
Floral Sugar Cookies: Bambella Cookie's
Chocolate Covered Oreos: Bella's Bakery and Bowtique

Favorite Things Sponsors:

Sunbasil Garden Soap

Ike and Co.

Oh Goodie Designs

A Blissful Nest

Goin Chic Boutique

Hershey

Party A La Mo
Piggy Bank Parties
Jamberry Nails

Alex and Ani
Birthday Express
 

Favorite Things 2014 Swag Bag Giveaway

Favorite Things Exchanges are becoming a fun party trend where guests are asked to bring 5 items to exchange. Everyone shares their items and picks brand new favorite things to take home! You can catch all the party details over on Tori Spelling's ediTORIal today.

At the end of the party, I surprised my friends with some special gifts. Each guest took home a bag full of my favorite things. I am excited to announce that I saved an entire bag of swag from the party to give one lucky reader! Enter below for your chance to WIN an entire BAG of SWAG worth over $400 from the party! See how to enter and rules below.

 

 1 WINNER WILL WIN ALL THESE PRIZES!



Let's take a closer look at the prizes...
 

Oh Goodie Designs Confetti Wand (now sold in Anthropologie!)

 

10 Piggy Bank Parties Favor Boxes & Tags

 

Sunbasil Garden Soap Love Soap

 

 Goin Chic Boutique Gold Polka Dot Tote

 

A Blissful Nest I Love Pretty Things Mug

 

A set of Jamberry Nails Wraps

 

 $15 Birthday Express Gift Certificate

 

Alex and Ani Bracelet

 

Ike and Co. Vintage Glass Earrings

 

Party A La Mo Favorites Banner

 

 A prize package worth over $400!

 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway here:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 Again, a huge thank you to all of my incredibly generous vendors. I hope that you will check out each and every vendor listed for more inspiration and great products.

Favorite Things Sponsors:

Sunbasil Garden Soap

Ike and Co.

Oh Goodie Designs

A Blissful Nest

Goin Chic Boutique

Hershey

Party A La Mo
Piggy Bank Parties
Jamberry Nails

Alex and Ani
Birthday Express

Party Vendors:
Photography: Allison Duda of A JOY Photography
Invitation, Favorites Banner, Straws, and Cupcake Toppers: Party A La Mo
Tribal Garland, Favor Boxes and Tags: Piggy Bank Parties
Plates, Napkins: Birthday Express
Cupcakes and Cakepops: Samantha's Sweet's
Floral Cookies: Bambella Cookie's
Chocolate Covered Oreos: Bella's Bakery and Bowtique

Rules: This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. We hereby release Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest of any liability.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents 18 and older. The winner will be selected by Rafflecopter and will have 48 hours to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected. Giveaway prize will be sent directly from Craft That Party. Happy entering and Good Luck!