Looking for some pretty ways to show your patriotism this Independence Day? Well, thank your lucky stars and stripes, because Elfster has a handful of helpful hints. This weekend, we’re celebrating the land of the free by rounding-up a few complimentary party-planning ideas to help make your Fourth of July sparkle.

Take a look at these great tips and tutorials from our favorite holiday events bloggers, and feel free to join the blog party by adding your own ideas and links!

Pretty Printables- Sparkler Holders

Porch Decoration- Patriotic Bunting

Party Favors – Let Freedom “Ring”

3D Cookie Cupcakes- Tutorial

Berry Lemon Napoleon- Dessert Recipe

Polka Dot Tablescape

Star Medallion- Tutorial

Pennant Banner Printables

Pie Decoration and Party Ideas

Tee-Shirt Pom-Poms- Tutorial

Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

Red, White and Blue Kabobs

Confetti Popper Rockets- Tutorial

Photo credits: Lisa Storms , Simply Creative Insanity

We love how PubliQue Living transforms plain sheets of recycled paper into charming table pieces for every occasion. (Check out the products on their website.) But in the Pilgrim spirit of “making do,” this Thanksgiving, we just had to try the idea ourselves… DIY-style!

We armed Intern Steph with some Bristol Paper and an X-Acto knife, and told her to re-create the Mayflower for our Thanksgiving table… After a good cry, she got right to work and this was the result!

Say what you will of her historical accuracy (or the judiciousness of giving an intern a knife), we think Stephanie did the pilgrims proud on this one, and here’s how you can create your own!

Materials:

• Large sheet of bristol paper or poster board
• X-acto knife
• Pencil
• Silhouette drawing or clip-art

Instructions:

First, draw or trace a simple line rendering onto your canvas, using your imagination or clip-art. Position the image somewhere around the corner of the page, an inch or two from each edge.

When creating your image, be sure to account for “negative space” by drawing closed, polygonal shapes within the overall outline.

Next, carefully use your X-acto to cut out these interior shapes, little by little, with a cutting board underneath.

After the interior shapes have all been removed, trace the overall outline with your X-acto, leaving the image’s bottom horizontal line uncut.

Finally, fold the image upward (along the bottom horizontal line) to bring your pop-up to life!

Materials:

• Empty aluminum soda cans
• Self-adhesive magnets (or double-sided tape)
• A strong pair of scissors
• A mechanical pencil

Start by carefully cutting the tops and bottoms off of the soda cans and flattening out the remaining aluminum.

Next, draw an autumn leaf pattern onto the material with your mechanical pencil. This can be done free-hand, or by tracing actual leaves you’ve collected from the neighbor’s yard. (Only kidding!)

Now, cut out the pattern and engrave your leaves with life-like veins by retracting the lead in your mechanical pencil. Using the point to draw lines from the tips of the edges to the base of the leaf, you can achieve a deeper grove if you place a towel under the aluminum while carving.

Finally, stick a self-adhesive magnet, or some double-sided tape, onto the back of your leaf. Make as many magnets as you’d like, arranging them in a whimsical wind-swept pattern across your fridge.

Now you’ve got yourself a sustainable fall fridge-scape, made faster than you can say “cranberry sauce”!

• Boniatos make beefy bodies for these little imps. With their irregular shape, and natural divots and dimples, it isn’t hard to picture these potato-like roots as tiny trolls!

• A Yellow Squash might not look appetizing with a case of the warts that would make a toad blush, but that very quality makes it all the better for Halloween decor. Just turn the squash upside down, and voila! A knobby stalk becomes a crooked nose. Half of the work is done for you!

• Baby Sweet Potatoes also make excellent schnozzles for these grubby grumps. And for lips that say “Boo!”, just cut a round sliver or two.

• Pearl Onions are truly nature’s “googly eyes” and should be used as such whenever possible. The roots look like natural pupils, but to enhance the surprised look, simply glue a black paper hole-punch in the middle.

• Mini Indian Corn Cobs, though hardly substantial enough to eat, sure make great teeth for these garden goblins. The husks can also be used to portray mischievous mustaches and eyebrows!

• Ginger Root really reaches out and grabs you when used as a pair of calloused “monster hands”. It will also make your gnomes look like they’ve dug themselves up from the grave!

• Finally, match sticks bring the whole project together. If you’re like us and can’t bear to bring a knife to your adorable creations, just use these tiny dowels to attach the parts.  (They also add a spark of whimsy to your little buddy’s custom-made propeller hat!)

This Halloween, for guilt-free decorating, take our advice.  Try your hand at no-knife crafting… And no one gets hurt!

The wine duo includes a bottle each of Andretti 2006 Montona Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Andretti 2003 Montona Reserve Zinfandel Port (375ml), marked down over 50% when purchased as a pair! They hail from the legendary Napa Valley, on Mario Andretti and Joe Antonini’s Old World Italian vineyard. The Sauvignon marries notes of blackberry, cassis, rhubarb and cranberry, while the limited edition Zinfandel Port captures dark chocolate, blackberry and caramel.

Photo courtesy of Andretti Winery

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Pop open a bottle and sit back with these custom hand-painted wine glasses! Providing an alternative to generic wine glasses, HuePhoria offers hand-blown, hand-painted, dishwasher safe stemware with a unique painted ball design. Your guests will never lose track of which glass is theirs from now on! They offer a grand selection of wine and martini glasses, salt and pepper shakers, and decorative ornaments as well!

Photo courtesy of HuePhoria

Note: This post includes products provided to us by the brands and/or their representatives.

Tree ornaments? Nope.

Decorative solar lamps? Nope.

Glass icicles? Nope.

These are glass water globes for automated plant watering… You do not have to be present to use. The hand-blown stained glass ornaments can be put in soil and will only water what the plant requires – this makes them eco-friendly as well.

The big perk? They’re $9.99. For two! Now that’s a killer gift if you’re on a budget.

This is one of the coolest gifts I’ve discovered this year. A flower growing kit that comes in a tube, and it requires zero skills to grow! That’s a nice, safe gifts for anyone. I particularly like the fact it can be given as a great business gift, as well as a personal one. Biotech Blooms does not need attention, except to be admired. No water necessary because the biotechnology does the work for you. When the plant reaches the top of the tube, simply transfer to potting soil. $30

I’ve always been a fan of these glass teapots, ever since I’ve seen them introduced at the MOMA more than a decade ago. I’m glad they’ve come down in price (back then they were $150 for one). They are especially perfect for flowering teas (next post). $23

Numi makes some of the most beautiful, drinkable flowering teas imaginable. They’re so lovely, it’s almost a shame to drink the tea, because eventually you’ll have to discard of the flower. Flowering teas make great hostess gifts. $15 ]]> http://www.elfster.com/blog/flowering-tea/feed/ 0 http://www.elfster.com/blog/owl-styling/ http://www.elfster.com/blog/owl-styling/#comments Sat, 05 Jan 2008 21:36:58 +0000 elfster http://blog.elfster.com/?p=106

Also one of my favorites,the Regal Owl-Style Paper Clips can hold more than most of the smaller paper clips. I like the simple geometrical shape. I must admit, I never noticed they looked like owls before. They’re $1.38 for a box of 100. They look a lot more expensive, don’t you think?