The Humble Mason Jar

Photos top left to bottom right: Kate Landers Events, Eat Drink Pretty, HWTM, Divine Party Concepts, Eat Drink Pretty, The Cherry Grove, Save The Date For Cupcakes, Hip Hip Hooray Blog.

Invented in 1858 by John L. Mason, these babies have come a long way from the common use of canning for preservation of food!



Mason Jars are so versatile, here are just a few ways you can use them;



1) A Vase for flowers



2) A Cup - fill with lemonade or juice, add some colour with chopped fruit, tie twine/ribbon around the top then drop in a vintage paper straw.



3) Votive Candle Holders - different size and shape jars arranged on the table as a centrepiece, or a row of the same size jars with votives inside illuminating the garden path or outdoor deck, OR...get really fancy and hang them from the trees like lanterns using a thin wire to tie them up.



4) Party Favors - fill with sweets, a cupcake, or your favourite cookie ingredients for your guest to make at home. Cover the lid with some sweet fabric and secure with twine or ribbon, then add a co-ordinating gift tag.



5) Keepsakes - fill with precious and collected pieces to remind you of an important day, event or a holiday.



Do you have any other creative ways with Mason Jars to share ?







Sarah Thompson, of Style Me Gorgeous, is a featured contributor

Ladybug, Ladybug Birthday Party

Isn't this the cutest party? Thanks to Bethany for sharing her wonderful ladybug theme party she created for her daughter! Bethany's blog Hissy Fits Photography shares darling ideas on how to host a ladybug party!

Way too cute - hair clips!

Bethany hand made these invitations!

Her dad (yes, her dad) whipped up these fab ladybug crackers.

Ladybug Happy Birthday Banner

Make sure to check out Bethany's blog for more fabulous ideas.

Here are some more ideas to help you plan a ladybug birthday party:





It's very easy to make large leaves out of poster board. Ladybugs love leaves! For a deluxe version of the leaves, paint cheap heavy-duty fabric canvas with a leaf design. When dry - cut out the leaf and you'll have some very adorable party decor. Play musical leaves or have story time with all the ladybugs (guests) sitting on the leaves.

LADYBUG WING SET CHILD COSTUME RED & BLACK DOTS & ANTENNA HEAD PIECE COSTUME

Fly a ladybug banner on the birthday day

Ladybug Garden Size Applique Flag







Personalized Birthday Party Banner - Ladybugs

At this time of year, the Dollar Tree store has great little bug keepers. These bug keepers can be purchased in bulk through their website. Purchase 1500 Live LadyBugs to divvy up and place inside the bug houses. Kids would love these as favors - the kids can release the ladybugs in their garden at home.

Ladybug Bubble Bottles

                                         

               Bug Catcher                         Backyard Critter Case      CHILDRENS MESH BUG CATCHER

Ladybug Pull String Pinata

REPOST: I'm on vacation : )

Personalized Invitations/Announcements Giveaway - CLOSED

I want to share a new collection from Hallmark.com -  invitations that mail themselves.  Hallmark.com is happy to announce the “birth” of its newest arrival – Personalized Baby Announcements. This new line also includes customizable shower invitations, plates and thank you cards – all photo-ready and featuring contemporary new designs. One Design Dazzle reader will receive a $50 gift card to Hallmark.com.  The gift card is also good for birthday, holiday and other special occasion Personalized Greetings, so you can use your card on those items. Hallmark will do the rest! From printing the addresses and adding postage to mailing the cards on any date Mom chooses, Hallmark’s got it all under control.



PROMO Code to all Design Dazzle readers - 20% discount off Hallmark.com's personalized baby announcements line. Promo code is BABY20.

Hallmark.com creates personalized photo paper plates...how cool is that??

To enter to win this giveaway of a $50 gift card.  Please leave a comment on this blog post about what you would purchase with the $50 Hallmark gift card. Contest closes September 3rd at 10:30 pm (PST).

Additional entries:


• 2 Extra entries - become a Design Dazzle follower (by adding yourself to the follower group on the sidebar)... would love to have you as a blog friend and reader : )



• 2 Extra entries - add our Design Dazzle button to your blog/website or blog about Design Dazzle with a link to our blog.



• 2 Extra entries - join Design Dazzles' facebook page as a fan. 

Each entry needs its own comment! Post a separate comment for each extra entry - if you entered all entries you would leave 7 separate comments. Winner chosen using Random.org.  The winner will be announced September 4th on a blog post. If winner fails to respond within three days, a new winner will be chosen. You need to be at least 18 years old to be eligible for this prize.  Winner responsible for any applicable taxes.   Open to INTERNATIONAL readers!!

DIY Headboard For Kids and Teens

A great look for a teen room - album record covers made into a headboard.

Frame your little artists artwork and use as their headboard.

I've blogged about a similar look using A-Z letters for a wall treatment. What a fun idea for a headboard.

Hollow doors (without the doorknob hole) stacked side by side and hung vertically. A couple coats of gloss black paint finishes the stunning look.

Large canvas painted with colorful stripes. The large canvas was hung as the headboard. The last four images from BHG.com

Creating A Colorful Dorm Room

Posted by: Kelly Porter

{kohls.com}

If your son or daughter is returning to college or headed there for the first time, you may have discovered that their 'home-away-from-home' is not so homey. Dorm rooms are famous for having basic furniture, bare floors, cinder block walls and harsh lighting -- but don't worry! Colorful college-living essentials are widely available at affordable prices, and these items can bring style and warmth to even the most uninspired dorm room. With just a splash of color and a little creativity, your campus-bound child will feel right at home.

{pbteen.com}

 Teen/Dorm bedding

Thanks to social media sites, such as Facebook, students get to "meet" their roommates even before arriving on campus. This is a great opportunity to coordinate colors and bedding prior to arriving at school. Bed coverings don't have to be an exact match, but the colors and/or patterns should be similar in order to ensure a harmonious look.

{oprah.com}

Don't take dorm decor too seriously. The result should be casual and fun. For example, oversized bold patterns and brightly-colored curtains helped to transform this dorm room {above} from drab to fab. Bright hues are also a fun choice for storage and seating:

{walmart.com}

{I love this electric blue sofa from walmart.com}

{target.com}

Also, don't forget to lay the groundwork with an amazing area rug. This can be the starting point for your room's entire color scheme, and it will be very much appreciated on cold winter mornings.

{styleathome.com}



{area rugs available at target.com}

A funky lamp is also a nice way to add a bit of flair and personality. Lamp lighting is also a refreshing alternative to the glare of fluorescent ceiling lights.

{jcpenney.com}

If your child is residing in an off-campus student apartment, you may want to check and see if painting is permitted. Even painting just one accent wall can really make a space more inviting, and it's an easy Saturday project.



Above, designer Brian Patrick Flynn used rich colors to transform this University of Georgia dorm room into a cozy retreat. Below is another great painted space from IKEA.



If painting isn't allowed, there are many other artistic ways to add color to the walls. Check out this "Post-It Wall" {below} that two roommates created in their dorm room.

{Now that's using your imagination! From loveyundergrad.com}

Also consider using removable wall decals. With all of the colorful and unique choices available, your child is sure to find a design that perfectly suits his or her taste.

These washable 'white board' decals {above} from dezignwithaz.com, are as practical as they are pretty. Below, these retro mod ovals are available at the Design Dazzle store.

Dorm decor has certainly come a long way since I was in school... I remember bringing identical blue bedspreads with me to Howard University as a freshman so that my roommate and I would have matching beds. We taped pictures from fashion magazines to the walls and covered our bookcases with contact paper. That was considered pretty impressive back then. Now, decorating options are way more creative and widely available, so take advantage of them. Your son or daughter's dorm room is an important part of the college experience. Make it colorful!



Kelly Porter, designer and publisher of Color Sizzle, is a featured contributor.