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DIY Gift Box

September 6, 2016/0 Comments/in DIY /by Jessica Swagman

“May no gift be too small to give, nor too simple to receive, which is wrapped in thoughtfulness, and tied with love.” L. O. Baird

Over the past year, gift boxes have become more and more luxurious and stylish. Gone are the straw baskets with the generic and mass produced items and in their place are locally curated, thoughtfully designed, and entirely customizable gift boxes. For those of you needing a little inspiration on designing a gift box, I’ve designed one for you to use as a guide for your own creation.

What you’ll need:
• Gift Box
• Variety of Items
• Crinkled Paper

What I used:
• Wooden crate
• Terrarium + Air Plant
• Picture Frame (similar here and here)
• Journal (similar here)
• Small Pouch (similar here and here)
• Lotion + Shower Gel (similar here and here)
• Watercolor Print (similar here and here)
• Napkins
• Wine Stopper (similar here)
• Sparkling Wine

Notes:
Gift boxes are wonderful to make because you can customize each one to the individual that will be receiving it. I find it’s easiest to if you choose a theme for the box that is appropriate for the person receiving the gift. Whether that theme is a color, an occasion (ie: housewarming, wedding, new baby) or interest (ie: coffee, wine), having a theme helps you pick out items and gives your gift a nice cohesive look and feel.

Have fun and think outside the box when it comes to the “box.” Bowls, crates, and many other things can be used as your “box.”

I like to include some type of plant in each gift box. Depending on the person, you could give potted herbs, succulent, a small bouquet, or even an air plant.

JS Weddings and Events Grand Rapids Wedding Planner and Floral Designer - DIY Bridesmaid Gift Box

Instructions:
1. Lay out everything you want to include in each gift box. It helps you get an idea of what you have. Keep in mind you might not use everything you bought.

JS Weddings and Events Grand Rapids Wedding Planner and Floral Designer - DIY Bridesmaid Gift Box

2. Place the crinkled paper in the bottom of the box.

JS Weddings and Events Grand Rapids Wedding Planner and Floral Designer - DIY Bridesmaid Gift Box

3. Start playing around with where items should be placed. Generally, the taller items should go in the back, with smaller items placed on top/last.

JS Weddings and Events Grand Rapids Wedding Planner and Floral Designer - DIY Bridesmaid Gift Box

JS Weddings and Events Grand Rapids Wedding Planner and Floral Designer - DIY Bridesmaid Gift 13

JS Weddings and Events Grand Rapids Wedding Planner and Floral Designer - DIY Bridesmaid Gift Box

Designing A Tablescape

July 17, 2016/0 Comments/in Decor, DIY /by Jessica Swagman

A few months ago, Lisa and I held a small event at West Elm Grand Rapids where we taught how to design a tablescape and I thought it would be fun to share those steps, as well as some tips, with you over the next couple of weeks.

JS Weddings and Events Grand Rapids Wedding Planner and Floral Designer - Spring Tablescape Styling

There are 4 easy steps to designing a tablescape.

1. Start with the Why
2. Design
3. Styling + Setting the Table
4. Decorating the Table

Make sure to check back soon (or subscribe to the blog)! I’ll be going through each step in great detail as well as giving you some helpful design and party tips.

Take On Tradition

May 9, 2016/0 Comments/in DIY, Planning /by Jessica Swagman

A few weeks ago I attended my friend’s bridal shower (fun fact: I’m also helping her plan her wedding!). It’s been quite a few years since I’ve actually attended a bridal shower, so I was excited. Part of the invitation included the theme of “Something Borrowed,” in which we had to bring an item that Amy could use on her wedding day as her something borrowed item. This caused me more stress than I care to admit. I mean really, I just had to pick something that I thought she might like and bring it with me. Of course, the most logical thing would be to bring something she could wear (a bracelet, necklace, or earrings), but for some reason, this simple request had me stumped. None of the suggestions I received from people were good enough or unique enough. I was determined to bring the perfect item. Side note: her future mother-in-law brought the most perfect item!

This small task, which I made so much more complicated than it needed to be, got me to create this little list for all the future brides planning their wedding.

S o m e t h i n g O l d

Represents continuity, ensuring the bride always will be linked to her family and friends.

Ideas: family heirloom locket, grandma’s handkerchief, mother’s wedding dress incorporated into your dress, aunt’s strand of pearls.
Groom Ideas: grandpa’s pocket watch, dad’s cufflinks.
Non-Attire Ideas: grandparent’s Bible, display your grandparents + parents wedding photos, grandma’s china plates for your wedding place setting.

S o m e t h i n g N e w

Encourages the bride’s optimism for the future and her new life.

Ideas: your dress, clutch purse, couture head piece.
Groom Ideas: neck tie, wingtip shoes, cologne.
Non-Attire Ideas: monogram cake topper, champagne flutes.

S o m e t h i n g B o r r o w e d

Reminds the bride that friends and family will always be there for her.

Ideas: perfume from a friend, hair pin, grandma’s broach affixed to your bouquet.
Groom Ideas: Friend’s lapel pin, dad’s wrist watch.
Non-Attire Ideas: cake knife, cake stand, furniture/settee for cocktail hour, first dance song.

S o m e t h i n g B l u e

Stands for fidelity, loyalty, and love, making it the perfect reminder of the couple’s commitment to each other.

Ideas: blue nail polish on your toes, amazing blue heels, blue silk robe to get ready in, aquamarine ring.
Groom Ideas: navy blue suit, blue striped socks, navy blue polka dot pocket square.
Non-Attire Ideas: blue escort cards, blue cupcakes, signature cocktail with fresh blueberries.

A n d A S i l v e r S i x p e n c e I n Y o u r S h o e

A coin left in her shoe for the entire day is a wish for prosperity.

xx js

DIY Christmas Arrangement

December 21, 2015/0 Comments/in DIY, Flowers /by Jessica Swagman

Wishing you a season of gladness, a season of cheer, and to top it all off, a wonderful year.

What you’ll need:
• Cutters
• Small vase
• White Alstroemeria (4 stems)
• Red Alstroemeria (4 stems)
• Pink Alstroemeria (3 stems)
• Red Roses (3 stems)
• White Roses (3 stems)
• White + Red Carnations (3 stems)
• White Snapdragons (2 stems)
• Red Tulips (5 stems)
• Hawaiian Ginger (1 stem)
• Leucadendron (2 stems)
• Pointsettia (1 bloom)
• Evergreen Branches (6 branches)

Notes:
Keep the stems long until you are ready to place them in the vase. Then cut them to the appropriate length.

Have fun with the shape of the arrangement and don’t be afraid to move a stem to a different spot if you don’t like where you first placed it.

Always turn your arrangement so that it looks good from all sides.

Think of your vase in quarters: Front Left, Front Right, Back Left, Back Right.

Instructions:
1. Prep your flowers. Take the vase you will use for the centerpiece arrangement and fill with cool water.

2. Start with the evergreen branches. Arrange the branches on the outer edge of the vase, with a few of the branches draping over one side of the vase (front left quarter) and take a few taller branches and place on the opposite side (back right quarter).

3. Take the white alstroemeria stems and place a few near the taller evergreen branches and some by the draping evergreen branches. Arrange the remaining white alstroemeria stems inside the vase.

4. Take the pink alstroemeria stems and scatter them throughout the arrangement and in-between the white alstroemeria.

5. Do the same with the red alstroemeria stems.

6. Take one of the red roses and place near the other taller stems and then scatter the other red roses throughout the arrangement.

7. Scatter the white roses throughout the arrangement.

8. Take the 3 carnations, group them together and place them near the front of the vase (front right quarter), on the same side as the taller evergreen branches.

9. Next take the tulips and scatter them throughout the arrangement. These tulips are meant to be wild and whimsical, so let them just go where they want to.

10. Place the hawaiian ginger near the taller evergreen branches, jetting out at an angle.

11. Tuck in the leucadendron in opposite quarters (Front Right, Back Left).

12. Take the snapdragons and place one so it’s partially draping over the left side (front left quarter) and the other near the center middle.

13. Place a large poinsettia bloom near the front of the arrangement (front left quarter).

DIY Christmas Tree Favor

December 18, 2015/0 Comments/in DIY /by Jessica Swagman

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.”

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is in 1 week. Up until today, because as I sit and type this, my view is getting whiter by the second, it definitely hasn’t felt like Christmas; the weather has been mild and there really hasn’t been any snowfall. It has been so nice not having to worry about snowy roads, scraping my car, or forgetting my mittens. I am thoroughly enjoying the extra months of being able to forage in the woods for berries and evergreens with relative ease versus last year when I had to defrost every branch because the needles were frozen together. But, here’s to hoping we have a white Christmas

That being said, since it’s so close to Christmas, here is another quick and easy DIY Christmas favor, just in case.

What you’ll need:
• Small pot or planter (I used mini terra cotta pots and painted them)
• Dirt
• Small evergreen branches (I used 3 small ones)

Instructions:
1. On each branch, remove any needles on the bottom ½ inch. Having this ½ inch of clean branch makes placing it in the dirt a lot easier.