Boxwood Clippings

Last week we threw our sis-in-law, Kimberly a small baby shower. With four boisterous boys, we are thrilled Kimberly is having a girl for her last baby.

We kept the party very simple with just a few decorations and of course some very delicious food.

We found a pink, orange and yellow petal wrapping paper at Target and decided to theme our shower around it…very “spring-y” and girly. For decor, we decided to wrap her presents in coordinating colors for a simple display. We also hung a few Chinese lanterns and pom-poms for a festive entrance.

Kimberly’s eyes say it all…we think she’s excited to be having a girl too :)

I’m sure Baby Catherine will win all of our hearts, but for now her big brother, Teddy has us totally smitten.

We also kept the food very girly with fruit, an over-the-top salad, a variety of Mum’s quiches and Sarah’s legendary lemon buns and meringues.

Such a fun afternoon with some great ladies.

Congratulations Dan, Kimberly and boys, we can’t wait to meet your little baby girl xxx

A few weeks ago, I had a baby shower for my good friend Brea. I wanted a quick and different way to decorate the party cupcakes, so went through my ‘scrap box’ and ended up using remnant ribbon and washi tape:

I simply tied knots of ribbon and folded washi tape in half around toothpicks, the result being easy and festive.

The cupcakes looked so great grouped together, and the toppers worked out to be considerably less expensive than store-bought versions! Do you have any thrifty tips for party planning? We’d love to hear!

Here at Boxwood we are always trying to explore new ways to wrap gifts. Today I am happy to share one of our new favorites: Disposable tablecloths! You can find them at any grocery or party supply store costing about $3 per large tablecloth.

Believe me when I say this stuff is amazing to wrap with! Here are three different ways I used an aqua tablecloth:

As a Filler: I cut squares of tablecloth and put into the gift bag, just like I would tissue paper. Sometimes by the time I get a gift to a party my tissue paper is all smushed and wrinkled…but the plastic holds its shape beautifully. Love!

As Gift Wrap: I used the plastic exactly as I would wrapping paper. The only difference is the plastic is quite translucent, so you have to use a few layers. It is actually easier to wrap up the ends of your present as it doesn’t hold its creases like paper does if you need a re-do. Also, tape sticks to the plastic better than paper.

As Trimming: When cut into strips, the plastic was a cross between rafia/ribbon. it is so fun to work with.

The presents look very polished with their shiny plastic finish, and I can’t wait to give them to their recipients!

With the great price (I only used a fraction of the tablecloth), ease of  wrapping and pretty finish I will be buying many more plastic tablecloths in the future. What do you think?

This week my friend Brooke’s twin girls turned one. Naturally she wanted a girly celebration, so one afternoon we threw together this garland (with lots of help from Katie).

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HOW TO:

First, we printed off the letters we needed and cut them in circles. Next we glued the edges and dipped them in glitter. While they were drying we cut out bigger circles out of card stock and folded them in half, again and again until we had this accordion look. Then we simply hot glued the letters onto the folded card stock, and then them onto ribbon.

Pretty darn cute, don’t you think!

Last weekend we escaped the inversion and headed up to the mountain village of Midway, Utah to attend Winnie’s Workshop Valentine’s class and boy, did we have fun…

Winnie’s Workshop is a picturesque country barn owned by mother and daughter duo, Nancy and Meredith who’ve put their heart and soul into making this space a crafter’s heaven.

Nancy, a life-long seamstress, has a larger than life personality and is currently teaching classes on quilting and felting what she calls “wacky woollies”.

Meredith has a bachelors in print-making, a masters in visual art, and is currently teaching classes on letter-pressing and bookbinding.

We were warmly greeted into a Valentine retreat with Nancy at the sewing machine, stitching bright wool hearts to pillow covers, Meredith warming up the vintage letterpress with red ink, and the workshop adorned in heart garlands and fabric, cards, and ribbons galore all ready for us to start crafting!

For the next three hours we made our own letter-pressed Valentine’s cards and crafts, munched on delicious snacks, chatted and laughed, and enjoyed the beautiful and quaint surroundings of the Midway valley and mountains. It was a day to remember, that’s for sure!

Thank you Nancy and Meredith! We had a such a great time!

Click HERE for upcoming classes, make sure to look at the kid classes too.

Please inquire about any special requests, private parties and group discounts. Nancy and Meredith are so great to work with and will work with almost any budget. We are already thinking of future birthday parties and girlie retreats!

We had a crazy good time and know you will too!

Nancy and Meredith will be at the Utah Art Market this weekend (Fri Feb 1st+ Sat Feb 2nd) selling their gorgeous letter-pressed stationary and ‘wacky woollies’…we can’t wait to see what these two talented ladies bring!

In my last catalog from Crate & Barrel I noticed a little ad mentioning Paperless Post. So I went to check out the link HERE, and found out the two companies have joined together to offer a FREE collection to their readers.

Aren’t their invites so cute and stylish? Perfect for that last minute get-together. This design is tempting me to host an Oscar party…

Go see if there’s a free invite for your next event or announcement, and don’t forget to invite us!

PS. Over Christmas we were playing a game when the word “catalog” came up, my 9 year old nephew asked what it was….scary how things are changing!

Good morning everyone!

Yesterday I was looking through our last week of posts, and I was inspired by Em’s roundup of Thankgiving tables to think of an even easier name card that you could put together in a matter of minutes, just before the guests arrive. :) This is what I came up with:

It can’t get any easier than this. Plus, I like how it sets the tone for games once the meal is over…my perfect way to digest and relax!

(In the Faubus family we have to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation that night, and after 8 years I still can’t see why everyone thinks it’s funny. :( Oh well, I guess there are worse family traditions!)

For the past 3 weeks we’ve had our big sissy Helen in town with her family. We’ve enjoyed plenty of days at the shops, pool and local hot spots, but one evening we were invited to our friends house for a garden tea party with just the ladies.

Jackie is a fellow Brit we’ve known all our lives, Helen was even her bridesmaid in her very Princess Diana-ish wedding. It had been more than a few years  since we’d had a good visit, and Jackie wanted to show us her English garden she’s created. It was truly amazing, we felt like we were back in Cheshire…not in West Jordan Utah!

Thanks Jackie, we all had a lovely evening…especially the little ones. :)

 This post brought to you by: The Sweet Tooth Fairy

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While planning for mum’s picnic party, we were struggling with ideas for dessert. Again we needed something easy and delicious, this is where The Sweet Tooth Fairy came to our rescue!

We think they are by far the yummiest cupcakes in Utah, and we love that they even had to-go packaging that matched the our theme of pretty and easy!

At the picnic we simply placed them in rows and let their appearance do all the work, no cakestands or even plates necessary.  However, they didn’t sit looking pretty for long as they were devoured almost instantly; and each guest insisted their flavor cupcake was the best. :)

Mum’s fave was the seasonal Pina Colada, it looked perfect with a single candle.

These cupcakes were the icing on a relaxed party, but I’m now convinced they’d make exceptional additions to any picnic.

Last Friday it was our mum’s birthday, and we decided a simple picnic in the park would be a relaxed ‘summery’ way to celebrate this special day.

A menu of chicken salad croissants, salted kettle chips, seasonal fruit, and a sparkling grapefruit drink sounded perfect for an evening in the sun.

With 20 guests, we planned ahead a ‘no fuss’ way of serving the food. These aluminum containers (HERE  + HERE) we found at Gygi worked perfectly, and were very cost effective at around 45¢ each with a lid. We added a personalized tag so each guest could just grab their grub whenever they were ready to eat, the kiddies really loved this.

The clear cups allowed us to colour coordinate our beverage, so we mixed  grapefruit juice with sparkling lemon + lime, for a coral look.

The paper coral napkins, as well as the cloth navy gingham were also from Gygi along with the cups. Their paper selection is truly amazing, with a rainbow of hues from every colour you’ll be spoiled for choice!

Remember you can use code ‘BOXWOOD10′ at checkout to get 10% off all items!

A big thanks to Gygi, once again you were our one stop shop for everything!

When I’m throwing a party, decorations are a must, but they don’t have to be a budget-buster. In fact, here’s how I decorated using mostly items that were already purchased for the shower.

These checkered beverage napkins doubled as a banner. I simply cut the napkins in half, hung them from a strand of ribbon, and secured them with tiny clothes pins.

The garland was made by stringing gum balls, which were left over from the invites (see HERE), and separating them with shortened paper straws.

The display above our kitchen island was made from: paper lanterns and Christmas baubles that I already had; a green dot garland, made with stickers and ribbon; and silver lids (used for aluminum food containers), to make the bigger dots.

They were all strung with baker’s twine, which was again left over from the invites.

The food was mostly made by Tyler, Kumari’s hubby. It was an unusual shower feast of bbq ribs, corn, etc. … that didn’t even last long enough for a photo!

The desserts were more traditional and equally delish! Perfect and delectable cupcakes from The Sweet Tooth Fairy (our favorite local cupcakes), and homemade mini fruit meringues.

The invites and favors for the shower can be seen HERE and HERE.

We were happy with how easily this party came together. With adorable products, and just a bit of imagination, it’s nice to create such fun events.

Again we’d like to remind you that Gygi is offering our readers 10% off all online orders. Just use the promo code “BOXWOOD10″ at checkout. Check out what we got below:

Complete list of products used from Gygi:

Baker’s Twine, $13.99; Candy Boxes, $8.99 for 25; Gumballs, $10.99 per 3.5 lb bag; Taffy, $7.99 per 3 lb bag; Decorative Bags, $5.00 for 20; Paper Straws, $9.99 for 144; 7″ Round Card Stock Lids, 15¢ each; and Black Checkered Beverage Napkins, $3.99 for 50.

Last Saturday we had my friend Kumari’s shower at our house. I wanted to have little favors for our guests, and needed something cute and easy we could put together without any fuss.

We once again headed over to Gygi, where we found these adorable paper bags, and bulk candy. We choose white taffy, and grey bags to match with our theme, and ta-da a cute little favor that couldn’t have been easier.

If you’re planning a party or get together you’ll have to stop by Gygi, especially since they are still offering our readers a 10% discount online with code “BOXWOOD10″…whoot whoot!!! (Remember you can pick up in store so you don’t have to pay shipping.)

PS. Did you see Gygi featured on the Today show last week? We love locals on national telly :) see HERE.

This summer I have plenty of reasons to be homesick. First, the queen’s diamond jubilee (which is today), and later Olympic games.

I hate to think I’m missing out on a whole country partying. However, getting my eye candy on pinterest has kept me going, when I’m feeling extra patriotic.

(image via: www.barbaracoupe.co.uk)

(image via: www.homelife.com.au)

(image via tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com)

I’m craving hanging up my union jack all summer long, do you think it’ll look weird with the american flag right next to it? At least they’re the same colours right?

A friend of mine is having her first baby, a boy. The couple has had his name picked out for years: Aston (as in Aston Martin, the famous British luxury sports car).

After seeing their nursery (it’s amazing), I was inspired to throw them a modern baby shower, with a little racetrack theme thrown in.

We headed to Gygi in SLC for some inspiration, and before we knew it, we’d designed the invitations.

The invites became little packages, and a perfect sneak peak for the upcoming shower.

We wrapped them with some bakers twine and a personalized tag, and voila! Simplicity always works best!

We were SO happy with our experience at Gygi. We just LOVE going into a store and finding everything we need. But even better, it’s a place where our heads can get ticking and inspiration flows freely!

We’re also excited to announce that our friends over at Gygi are offering our readers a 10% discount through their online store (whoot whoot!) found HERE. Simply use the code ‘BOXWOOD10′ at check out.

Their prices are already the best around, so with this additional discount you’ll be scoring some mega deals…holler holler! Also, it’s good to note that although the discount is only good online, you can pick up your purchase at the store to avoid shipping costs. :)

The items we used today were: the boxes HERE. The gum balls, HERE. And the twine HERE.

We hope you LOVE this store as much as we do. Now go shop!

Good morning everyone, I hope you all had a beautiful weekend.

This morning I’d like to share a project that posted over at  Lil Luna last week. I was too excited about it not to share on here also.:)

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A couple of years ago, I made a coffee-filter and cupcake-liner wreath that still hangs in my living room today (see HERE). Although it was quite a time-consuming project, the results were well worth it, and I’ve always wanted to make more.

This time I thought I’d mix it up a bit, and make letters instead of a regular wreath. The letters could be used as a single monogram, but I decided, “why not create a whole word, like ‘LOVE’?”

Again, I’m really pleased with the results and have already thought of many different ways I can use this both in the home, and for parties. But best of all, the whole project cost under $12! Holler, holler!

To make this project you will need:

About 200 coffee filters ($1.25 at Walmart)

Cardboard (I just used a shipping box I had: $0!)

Glue Gun and Sticks (I had the gun, $5 on glue)

About half a swimming noodle per letter ($1 each at the Dollar Tree)

Pencil and Scissors.

 HOW TO MAKE THE BASE:

HOW TO ADD COFFEE FILTERS:

(Just ignore my wonky accent, videos are so embarrassing :)

Don’t you think this would be spectacular at a wedding? I do!

2011 was such a big year for our group of friends. Lots of babies entered our little crowd and it was lovely to spend this New Year’s Eve with little ones in tow.

In the fall of 201o, Emi and I threw a shower for the first baby of our clan, Greta. I posted the invitations we designed on my personal blog (see HERE). We’re still surprised to receive emails and comments about this little project, so we thought we’d post it here on Boxwood Clippings with a Free Printable PDF for all those wanting to replicate it.

The boxes were found at GYGI in Salt Lake.

Simply Click HERE for the Front PDF, and HERE for the Back that you can customize and print.

Good luck, and don’t forget to shoot us a picture we’d love to see how yours turns out.

There are so many of you getting married this season, congrats friends!  I thought I would post a few pics found on pinterest to show how autumn is the best time to get married on a tight budget.  Wedding decor and flowers are usually a huge chunk of moolah, in the fall all you need are a few natural elements to create a cozy, inviting atmosphere for guests.

twigs + votives

wood + mason jars

acorn + mason jar votive

pine cone garland

pine cone place cards

pine cone centerpiece

burlap wreath

paper  leaf garland

wheat boutineer

wheat wreaths, wheat table centerpieces, linen/burlap table runners

A Few Hints:

Mason jars can always be found at thrift stores, they may not all match, but that just adds to the cozy factor.

Burlap and linen can be bought really cheap from JoAnn’s, especially if you sign up for their coupons.

Look out for candle outlets when buying in bulk.  We bought all of my wedding candles at For Every Body outlet in Lindon, UT.  Tea lights are an effective, inexpensive way to add light.  The cheapest place I have found them is Ikea.

Congratulations again everyone, please let Sarah and I know if we can help, we love a good wedding!

I had to squeeze this clever idea in, before the last BBQ’s of the year. It came from the August issue of Good Housekeeping, and I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

Use regualar size balloons, fill about 1/4 with tap water, freeze overnight and use in a barrel to keep your drinks cool.

There’s a couple of things I love about this: you don’t get your hands wet when you reach for a drink, and it’s a easy way to add your colour theme without much effort.

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What will you be up to this weekend?

We’re off to Midway to check out Swiss Days, we’re happy not to be having a booth this year, but a little sad at the same time.

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If you’re heading to the shops or online to snag some deals, don’t forget to check out these bargains from some of our favorite locals stores:

Downeast: take an additional 30% off home + clothing clearance. See ad HERE.

Roberts Craft: take 50% off total purchase (Mon only). Good time to start thinking about fall/winter projects. See ad HERE.

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Whatever you’re doing, we hope you enjoy with family + friends. We’ll see you Tuesday.

Happy Long Weekend!

It seems everyone I know these days is pregers, or just had a baby; and I never get tired of welcoming a miracle into this world, and think every baby should be celebrated over and over again!

I absolutely adore this party by Kate Landers seen HERE, finding out a baby’s gender is a perfect occasion to throw a party. Make way for Ducklings is one of my all time favorite children’s books, what a creative theme, take a look how it Kate worked her magic:

…I’ll definitely be filing this away for a later date.

I love my house, but I absolutely adore my kitchen (I should clean and shoot it for you to see one day), it’s layout is perfect for a regular meal, or a festive party.

Above my island counter space I have two pendant lights, and I’ve just discovered that it’s a great place to hang things from, as it doesn’t require any holes in the ceiling. The island is a great place to have the food spread at parties, as people can circulate easily without having to stand in line.

In preparation for our 4th of July bbq, I got busy hanging some decorations yesterday, and I’m pleased with the results.

The lanterns were purchased from the Dollar Tree, (one long + one circular in a pack for only $1). The stickers were also from there; I simply suck them on some thin coordinating ribbon. The paper dollies are part of the Martha Stewart party line I mentioned HERE.

It’s amazing what you can throw together for around $6. What are your cheap tricks for a big statement?