Have the last signs of winter finally left your area? I love seasonal transition times. Though there may be a few remnants of the dying season, the first signs of spring are clear. And so we can look forward to all the things that spring will bring. If you brought some bulbs or flowering branches inside for forcing, you may already have spring blooms in your house. I prefer to wait for Mother Nature to do her thing because it all comes at once: the cleansing rains, the crocus and forsythia, and the songs of our returning feathered friends. A feast for all the senses.

Among the other things that spring will bring are Mother’s Day May 8th, lots of bridal and baby showers and then pretty soon, the first picnics of the year. Many opportunities to stretch your creative wings and take flight.

Eileen

See the lovely Clay Pot Table Bouquet centerpieces created by reader Karen Shipley for her own wedding by clicking here. Of course they could be created for other events as well, but I love the way Karen used her bridal party’s colors to coordinate the entire event. What lovely photos she must have.

Not only did Karen have fun doing her own centerpieces but, by her own accounting, she saved $137, “which went a long way toward food for the reception!”

Karen, thank you and best wishes to you and your groom for many happy years together.

Make the pots more casual and use them for your first family or neighborhood picnic of the year. As Karen suggests in her letter, the pretty decorated pots can be used for some foods if properly prepared or protected. They could also be used to hold tableware and napkins tied up in little bundles.

Craft Foam Party Invitations

See our pattern for some adorable Craft Foam Baby Shower invitations by clicking here. If the baby’s sex is already disclosed, the invitations can be made in the “appropriate” color.

Otherwise, use yellow or half blue and half pink. I love the little plastic pacifier sticking out of the baby’s mouth. Of course, this three-dimensional aspect means the invitations almost have to be hand delivered.

The basic idea could easily be adapted for other themes. How about an umbrella dripping with tiny flowers for a wedding shower or an invitation to a Red Hat Lady party with a red hat decorated with feathers, ribbons and pearls. You can just make a hat; but if you include a face, be sure to put on a pair of big red sexy lips.

More Gift Bags

See more fabric gift bag ideas here. Gift bags are a big seller all year round; so I’ve been trying to come up with some unique designs.

For a friend who drinks scotch, I made one in a tartan plaid and added a balmoral cap on top and a sporran with tassle to hold the gift card. It was quite a hit.

A couple other ideas I have are a burlap bag with coffee beans attached to the ties for coffee flavored liqueur, a Russian outfit with a “fur” hat for vodka, a Mexican outfit with little straw sombrero for tequila. If you have some other clever gift bag ideas, please submit them for publication. Take it from one who knows – it’s fun to see your ideas in print!