Category » createJones Design Company

May

21

my favorite way to wrap a gift

A beautifully wrapped gift is always a pleasure to give and makes the recipient feel extra special.

I’ve noticed an influx of gift bags lately at parties and showers and I understand why … it takes extra time and the right supplies to wrap a gift the traditional way with paper and ribbon. A gift bag makes it so easy.

But I can assure you, this wrapping method is just as easy as those gift bags and costs just a few dollars.

It is my favorite way to wrap clothes, stuffed animals, a small stack of books – anything smallish and odd shaped.

Here’s what you’ll need:

:: gift

:: tissue paper {two large sheets}

:: roll of cellophane

:: scissors, tape

:: ribbon, stickers or gift tag for embellishing

STEP ONE: layer two pieces of tissue paper {this will make it less see-through} on top of cellophane. Cut cellophane slightly larger than tissue.

STEP TWO: roll up gift

STEP THREE: place gift upside down on the center of the tissue/cellophane and wrap up both sides, securing with tape.

STEP FOUR: tie ends with a pretty ribbon {see my favorites sources of ribbon here}

STEP FIVE: embellish

Grab a little helper to add a name with glittery alphabet stickers {found at the craft store}.

Simple, personal, and oh so cute.

And just in case you are curious about where the adorable swim suit and towel are from, here you go:

swim suit: janie & jack | mermaid towel: target

Happy wrapping.

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Posted by emily | 9 comments

Apr

09

painted house numbers

This is what our front door looked like Saturday morning:

and a few hours later:

The sun was out, the kids were happily bouncing on the neighbors’ trampoline and I had the itch for a quick project.

So I painted house numbers on our front door.

Of course I could have ordered vinyl stickers, but that would require designing and ordering them and when inspiration strikes, you just have to go with it. Plus, this method is free.

Here’s how to paint numbers on your front door {or anywhere, for that matter}.

What you’ll need:

:: numbers {download my template below or design and print your own with a font and size of your choice}

:: chalk

:: sharp pencil

:: paint & thin brush

:: tape and scissors

STEP ONE: rub chalk on the backside of your numbers along the outline of the number

Chalk is great if you are transferring to a dark surface so you can see the outlines. If you are painting on a light surface you can do the same transfer technique with pencil lead or graphite paper from the art store

STEP TWO: tape the numbers in place

STEP THREE: trace over the outline of each number using a sharp pencil.

When you pull off the paper, you will have chalk outlines transferred to your door

STEP FOUR: paint the numbers

I used a thin brush {#3} and leftover latex paint and did three quick coats.

Fun, right?

If you would like to do a similar project, I have created a template for the numbers for you. Click on the images below to download.

Ah, sweet Spring. I love how you inspire new house projects.

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Posted by emily | 36 comments

Mar

09

a wall of L’s

We have this random nook between the dining room and the staircase that fits our piano perfectly. The wall above the piano is one of the first things you see when you walk into our home, so while I want it to make a statement, I have never known quite how to go about it.

Last year, I put up a crazy bird collage {seen here}. A few months later, I took it down and added a silhouette painting I did of our kids {seen here}. At Christmas, we moved the piano and put our tree up in this space {seen here}, but once it came down the walls have remained bare and crying out for something new.

Graphic typography and monograms have always caught my eye and over the years I have collected a few L’s {my married last initial … my maiden name is Jones}. One day a few weeks ago, inspiration struck and I decided to group some of the collection and create a wall of L’s over the piano.

Here’s how it turned out:

Fun, right?

I’m really happy with it.

I kept with a gray/white/black/ theme to keep it neutral. Only a few of the letters were purchased {at the craft store} and the rest were made with things I had laying around the house.

Here are some close-ups:

descriptions from left to right:

1. fabric covered cardboard cutout {tutorial to come}

2. framed glitter letter with linen backing

3. wooden letter in vintage frame

4. watercolored L in large IKEA frame {one of the first projects I did when we moved into our house nearly 6 years ago … so many blank walls to fill!}

5. chalkboard painted board with handdrawn letter {this is acutally the back of a frame that was broken. I just tossed the frame and glass and kept the back, painted it with two coats of chalkboard paint and used the hanger on the back to hang it up. Super easy}

6. vintage linen hankie with layered scrapbook paper and a printed L {font: barocca monograms}

7. My favorite. I used the old cardboard backing from a vintage frame, glued on a cut out letter and wrote in No. 6 {for six people in our family}.

8. wooden letter and old playing card

9. framed book page monogram {tutorial here}

Not shown:

large cardboard letter from the craft store decoupaged with scrapbook paper

There are so many great ways to add a personal touch to your home and I think adding your family initial is one of my favorites.

And I’m hoping this wall display will stay for a while.

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Posted by emily | 48 comments

Mar

05

vintage baby shower invitations

Even though my business has moved away from doing custom invitations, I love being able to do a few projects here and there for family and friends.

My dear friend Julia is pregnant with her third baby {the first girl} and I was the invitation-creator for her upcoming shower.

She is one of those friends who makes yummy homemade meals and gives the most thoughtful gifts and so I wanted to reciprocate and make the baby shower invitations special, thoughtful and unique.

She has a love of vintage things, likes sweet but not too girlie, and is definitely not into pink. And she comes from an Italian family {hence the baby amore}.

I think the combination of the cursive font, scalloped edge, linen, vintage lace, trim and stitched top give it the feminine, vintage feel I was hoping for.

The cards are petite and when put in the envelope there was a enough room to be able to stitch them closed.

Did you know you can sew paper?

Simple handmade invitations. And a pretty keepsake for the mommy-to-be.

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Posted by emily | 35 comments

Feb

24

decoupage light switch plates {tutorial}

When your walls are painted a dark color, what do you do with the white outlet covers that become so obvious?

The walls in our living room are this deep slate gray which makes the random white switch plates dotting each wall really stand out {and not in a good way}. Someone suggested painting them to match the wall color, but I was a little concerned that the paint would not adhere well to the plastic {has anyone tried this? Does it work?}.

Then yesterday I had a moment of inspiration and decided to decoupage them with a fun scrapbook paper to make them blend, but also add a touch of style. I know this has been done many times before, but I thought I’d share with you how I created mine anyway. It was a super easy project and you could come up with some great ways to either hide the covers or make them pop, depending on what works for your room.