Fabric Wrap Gift Boxes {DIY}

Hello, 

I am very excited to tell you that my son will be arriving New York tomorrow afternoon. I have not seen him since last summer so it has been almost a year now. I miss him terribly. I will post pictures and story about him and I on my next blog post.

In the meantime, I had so much fun creating these fabric wrap gift boxes. These fabric wrap gift box is very easy to do. You can embellish the box with anything you want. It is fun to see the build up decoration comes a live just like mine are. Some of these trimmings were from a trimming sewn on the bottom of a top. I used the fabrics for many crafts DIY and I cut the trimming to create a rosette as an embellish on this box below.

Tutorial {here}

For this photo session I am using an old abstract painting of mine as a backdrop. I have not been painting in a long time. I think I miss painting a lot lately. Since our home is on the market and always have an open house I am not ready to put out the easel, paints, canvas, etc. It is a lot of work to set it up and put finally to put a way again. So I think I won't be able to paint for a while now.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Linked to;
Savvy Southern Style

How to Make Fabric Wrap Gift Box {DIY}

 

What you need;

1. Varieties of printed fabrics. The thin cotton is better because otherwise it would be too thick and the box will not be able to close and put on top another. {Quilt fabrics avail. at Jo Ann's Fabrics}

2. Thick lead pencil

3. Scotch Super 77 spray glue {available at Michaels}

4. Scissor

5.Empty craft boxes

6. Varieties of embellishments like trimmings, ribbons, ephemera, tag, rosettes, vintage items, etc. {avail. at Michaels}

7. Medium size of packaging box to put cut fabric while spraying.

Additional material;

8. Glue gun to attached hard embellishment like plastic {avail. at Michaels}

9. Fabric glue to attach ribbon or trimmings. {avail. at Michaels}

10. Mod Podge glue (avail. at Michaels}

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More pictures; {here}

1. Cut fabric large enough to cover the entire box plus 1/4" on the inside.

2. Place bottom part of box in the middle and trace the middle part of the box.

3. Tilt one side of the box and trace that part. Do it on the other 3 sides.

4. You will ended up a drawing on fabric like this.

5. Using scissor; cut the pencil line on the outer part. But leave extra fabric of 1/4 inch for two sides a cross each other. Please see the 4 black line is where you cut.

6. You will ended up having a 4 flaps like these; two one side and two on the opposite side.

7. Put the cut fabric in the box and give it a good spray. Leave for about 1 minute then transfer to your work area.

8. Place the box in the middle.

9. Starting with the side with flap; carefully attached and rub fabric gently  on the side of the box.

10. Do the same on the opposite side.

11. Then do the other two sides.

12. You are finished wrapping the bottom part of the box. Repeat the entire process for the top part of the box EXCEPT do not leave extra to fold inside the box. The reason is because the box will get to thick on the 4 corners that the box will not be closed and or will not be able to insert on top of the bottom part of box. Using small brush with mod podge glue; paint the fray edge of material on the box.

Thank you so much for looking!

Olive Oil Lemon Chiffon Cake

If you love lemon and are watching calorie intake; this cake is for you. It is light, airy, moist and lemony.

If it is me I love adding extra punch to it like lemon syrup that I created myself. It is the mixing of lemon juice, powder sugar and water. I ate it with strawberry jam and nutella as well. Oh and this is the kind of cake that tastes better eating with a cup of hot  tea after done with house work; which I always love doing.

I really love this vintage strainer. I got it at an antique shop in Vermont last winter. I think the flower motif around it is  sweet looking. Don't you think?

::Recipe::

Olive Oil - Lemon Chiffon Cake

~ 1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour

~ 3/4 cup sugar, divided

~ 1 tsp baking powder

~ 1/4 tsp baking soda

~ 1/8 tsp salt

~ 5 tbsp mild extra-virgin olive oil

~ 4 egg yoks

~ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

~ Juice and zest of 1 lemon

~ 6 egg whites

~ 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

~ 1/2 tsp confectioners' sugar, for serving

Heat oven to 325 deg. In a large bowl, sift together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together oil, egg yolks, vanilla, 3 tbsp water, 3 tbsp juice and 2 tsp zest. Whisk flour mixture into oil-yolk mixture until smooth. In first bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar at medium speed until mixture just holds peaks. Fold 1/4 egg-white mixture into oil-yolk mixture to lighten it, then gently fold that into remaining egg-white mixture. Scrape batter into an ungreased 10" angel food cake pan with a removable bottom; level top of batter. BAke until top springs back when lightly pressed, 30 to 32 minutes. Immediately invert pan on a wine bottle (pan will hang upside down over bottle's neck); let cool completely, about 1 hour. (Mine is a regular 10" springform pan). Slide a thin knife around edges of pan to loosen cake, then remove from pan. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar. Sprinkle with 1 tsp zest, if desired.

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Thank you so much for stopping by!

By the Beach in Pink {Inspiration Board}

I must say that I enjoy creating mood/inspiration board very much. I hope you don't get bored with the inspiration theme once more time.

I have many exciting projects I am going to show you in the future but I am not quite ready so this is just an instant project I created this morning and I want to share it with you.

I love collecting pretty pictures from magazines; it can be a fashion, home decor or cooking. 

Today's theme is 'by the beach in pink.' One of my favorite outfit by the beach is colorful floral outfit. I love flowy, soft long dress. I remember in the past when we are going to Puerto Rico each year, I always created a home made necklace and bracelet made out of embroidery threads and beads. I think what I am trying to say is my favorite beach resort look is an elegant hippie chic. You know, lots of colorful bracelets made out of rope, threads and beads.

As you can see I also love sea glass bottles. And of course; sea shells.

 

Do you see the beaded push pins {last seen here]? I love making those. I bought more buttons yesterday and this afternoon for 25 buttons (small, medium and large sizes) that comes in a small plastic container and is only for USD 1.50 per container at Michaels. In the future I am going to get more vintage frames so I do not have to create a mood/inspiration board in the same frame all the time.

I wanted to share with you that I found how to make black and white picture with a portion of color on it through Picmonkey. The first picture on top left is the original picture, and I made into black and white with some color here and there {top right}. The one on below left I only put color on the flower, the pom pom ribbon and on the ocean while the one on below right I only put color on the flowers. Which one do you like best?

Here is another two pictures that I only put color on the flowers and on bottles {on the left} and on bracelet {on the right}. I think they both look quite lovely!

Thank you so much for looking! Have a great day Everyone!

Fun Summer Jewelries by Ellya

Once again I was inspired by Anthropologie {here} to create these super fun jewelries. What I like most about these jewelries is that it is playful, colorful and fun for summer to wear by the beach or just going out to an informal occasion.

I love Anthropologie for it's style of modern boho, hippie,casual elegant chic. I love the feminine look of colorful beads and embroidery on an outfit or as an accessories. 

I am imagining strolling a long a breezy summer afternoon wearing a flowy maxy dress with these accessories. I am now making that perfect maxy skirt for myself as I  could not find any that suit my style. 

These jewelries are available at my Etsy store {here}

'Have a wonderful week end Everyone, and

thank you so much for stopping by!'

Pretty {LILACS}

Last Saturday I went to Union Square Market in Manhattan. Here you can find the best fruit and vegetables from farmers around New York. It won't be a surprise if you see celebrity walking around or picking up some produce. I saw Jerry Seinfeld a while a go at the market. It was fun a small market and I love going there.

I saw so many lilacs vendors over there. And when asked if those lilacs were edible they were like "huh eating lilacs?" They were confused by my question if the lilacs were organically grown and therefore edible. Well, after went in and out  5 vendors one guy told me that all of these lilacs were sprayed. So I bought a big bunch for myself anyway since they are so pretty.

Then the rain was suddenly  pouring in. I immediately went in to the subway station and headed home hand carried the lilacs in the rain. It was all worth it for these pretty lilacs.

I love the aroma that comes out from the flowers; soft pretty sweet lilacs! The next day was Mother's Day I took half of the bunch and put them in a vase and tied a big bow around the vase's neck to give to my mother- in-law. I also created a card for her like the one I posted a while a go. {here}

Since I can not cook with these lilacs; I created a theme of purple vignettes goes with it.

 

Thank you so much for looking!

Linked to;
Savvy Southern Style