Flippin Dip

Before you think I've lost it, let me explain my thought process in deciding this title.

We'll be taking an every day household item and making it useful for something else...

                                                        -> Kinda like flipping houses (sortof)

We'll be using the household items to hold veggies & dip...

                                                        -> Flipping the household items for dip =

                                                                  FLIPPIN' DIP 

....Not to mention that it sounds more dangerous...more edgy & we all need a little bit of that in our lives. :p 

With 4th of July right around the bend, you probably have plans to head to the lake, go on a picnic or just cookout in the backyard. You want to make the set-up look festive & fun but don't have the serving dishes to do that or the funds to raid Macy's Martha Stewart collection. What do you do? 

Use whatcha got! Here's a simple project that anyone can do with items they have around the house. We'll start with the "after" then dissect it from there. Can you guess what this is comprised of? (It's very sad when you think "comprised" is a big word. Which I just did, in my mind. I almost put "SAT word" then I realized SAT words are probably much larger than that one. :p)

I decided to start with the finished product...then "undress" (I know...you didn't realize you were reading such a provocative blog, did you?) the veggie tray.

Sorry for my caption that you probably didn't find funny. I felt like I needed to give these guys a voice. Somehow, I imagine their voices would sound similar to Zach Galifianakis. 

The cute blue gingham wraparound is just some scrapbook paper that I got for $0.59 awhile ago & it was in my stash. I just measured the correct height & it took me less than 5 minutes to cut it out, wrap around & tape. This would a perfect way to incorporate a pattern/color/theme throughout your food display.

See that pretty leafy stuff hangin out the side? That's Kale. Kale is like the flowers of the food group. It just makes things pretty. AND...umm...I have been thoroughly enjoying kale chips lately. Quick, delish & healthy with a capital H. 

It's like I just stripped off the mascara. :p Are you starting to see my madness method? See the bottom there? A pie pan. However, I really wished I didn't have the little handles on the pan. In my mind, it was going to be a perfectly round platter but the "love handles" on this here pie pan weren't cooperating with my plan. (Side note - I have nothing against love handles. I understand why they are named that & I agree. Nothin but love for handles. the end)

Pie Pan + these clear plastic glasses = Veggie Platter

I'm sure you could use any cups you have around the house. For a kids party, those cute little dixie cups would be great. I took 5 of these cups, set them inside the pie pan, stuck one more cup in the middle & then filled them with carrots, tomatoes, squash, broccoli, celery & a dip I mixed up with sour cream. 

Here's the whole gang, exposed. Sorry. I couldn't help one more reference. 

And all together. 

That cute little 4th of July sign is courtesy of TomKatStudios. If you click on the name, it will bring you to the blog & links to the etsy shop where you can buy one too. I actually got mine from a cute magazine called Celebrations. They had the cutouts in the back section. TomKatStudios has really cute party things & inspiration. 

I hope you are inspired to use whatcha got this 4th of July...and beyond. You never know what you may create. Here are a few more examples of usin whatcha got -

Cute little treat stand using plates & candle holders from thecraftingchicks.com 

What a great idea from creativepartyplanners.net for keeping food warm. 

I know we've got a ways to go before Halloween but this great idea from marthastewart.com could also translate into a hollowed out watermelon! That would be soo cute!

Another great idea for old cans...using them to hold breadsticks...or pretzels or just the silverware. 

Do you have any tricks for displaying food using whatcha got? 

Baby Diaper = Party Favor?

A baby diaper can be made into a party favor? Oh yes & I'll show you...just keep reading. (such a tease, I know) Well...after I posted my wedding favor last week, a lady asked if I had any ideas for baby shower favors. Here are a few that came to my brain. The first one, I know has been done before...the other two...I'm not sure.

The first one begins with this little guy...you probably recognize him. He's the one that always seems to stare you in the face when you have guests over & can't march your naked behind across the hall to get more tp. OR when you stop on that 10 hour road trip & have held it in for as long as humanly possible (maybe even longer) & finally...relief...go to grab some toilet paper...and...dun, dun, dun, dun...This handsome fella is staring you in the face. Please tell me there is someone else out there that has frantically looked all over the floor for some decent looking pieces that were left behind. :p Look...I didn't have many options. Lesson learned - add tp to my already bulging 10 lb purse. Anyways...sorry for the tangent...

Pick out tissue paper, wrapping paper or even scrapbook paper of your choice. I got the one below from one of the most awesome stores in the world...Paper Source. I heart it...the paper & the store. 

Cut the paper so there is enough at either end of the tp roll to tie with a ribbon. 

Stuff the TP roll with candy-coated almonds, mints, an assortment of candy or anything your heart desires. 

You could double this favor as a place setting too by writing the name of the person in the middle of the roll. 

The second favor is super cheap & easy as well...and it's useful for the person receiving it. Raise your hand if you can never find the snack clips when you need them??? Me...me...me. Always. The sock thief must also like snack clips. :-) 

Honestly, I apologize for my picture. None of my owl clip pictures turned out & I think it's because I was doing this in between commercial breaks of the Bachelorette & I had had a little wine. Anyways...here's what I did. I stole  got some clothespins from Mike (my fiance) & painted them a blue color to match my owls eyes. I wanted to do an owl b/c they're so popular now & I think adorable for a baby shower. I decided to make my own owl so I sketched a couple & cut out paper from this...

Who can NOT like this store when they have adorable bags like these? It was so cute so I used the different stripes to create my owl. Let's call him Owen. (creative, huh? ;p)

Once Owen was created, I glued him to the snack clip with my glue gun. 

I shredded the rest of the paper bag, threw in the shreds to this bag & put a few owl snack clips in there. If you want to be really cheesy, you could write something like, "Don't touch my snacks, Owl be watching you." (I'm getting old...cheesy jokes now make me chuckle)

The moment you've been waiting for...

Baby Diapers = Party Favors? 

Yep...a loofah to be exact. How? 

Start by getting cloth diapers. I got mine at Walmart for $8.50/10 pack. I've also heard (thanks to my trusty facebook friends that you can get them at Target & Babys R Us)

Take the long end & fold it over about 2 inches or so. Then fold it the opposite way so you get an accordion style fold. (sorry...I misspelled accordion on the picture..oops) 

Once you've folded the entire diaper, it should look like the picture above. 

Like the picture says, fold it in half. :-)

You're getting good at this...how bout we do it one more time? 

I picked up this cord from the camping section b/c it is mildew & rot resistant. You may have an idea of something else that would work just as well. 

Tie the cord VERY tightly in the middle of your folded diaper. A little tip, you may want to go ahead & cut the "folded ends" before you tie the cord. I waited until afterwards but it may be easier to do it before. 

I cut just the folded ends carefully. 

Once you do that...fluff out the ends to make a "pom pom." I tied both ends of the cord together too so you could hang the loofah up in the shower. 

Hey...if it's good enough for a baby's bottom...it's good enough for mine. :p And it works great! I've tried it & so far it hasn't unraveled. 

Another big favor item these days are the pretzel rods that are dipped in chocolate & covered in sprinkles or whatever you'd like. They even have plastic bags that fit them perfectly at Michaels. Cute, delicious & cheap! If you're doing a bird-themed baby shower, jelly bellys are a great favor item as well. 

Have you seen a cute baby shower favor idea that's easy on your wallet? Feel free to comment with your ideas! 

P.S. Last weekend, I found a really cute drink dispenser at WalMart for...$5! Yes, $5. It's plastic, which I prefer glass but to carry to a party or even just outside...the plastic would be a better idea. I've already had a disastrous end to my lid for my glass beverage dispenser. It's okay now, I've had a chance to grieve. ;p 

Not bad for $5, huh? I just wanted to share that with you if you've been wanting one for your 4th of July cookout but didn't want to fork out $30-$40 for a glass one. 

Coming up either next week or the week after...I'm interviewing the manager for my most favorite restaurant here in Atlanta about how to set up a food buffet! 

A Cheap Wedding Favor that's...in the words of Paris Hilton "Hott!"

I hope you feel really special, honored, set apart...privileged.. because I'm letting you in a top secret wedding craft/plan. Shhh...don't let anyone else know. ;p Mike & I are planning a "his & hers" wedding favor. I'm not gonna reveal the wedding favor for the ladies until after the reception & you are going. to. love.it.

But...I'm about the reveal the wedding favor for the men. It is costing me less than $0.25/favor. Yeah baby!

And here it is...

Those are matchboxes made with pages of a book. And if you didn't know what the initials stand for...Mike & Heidi. 

If you want to try this...here's what I did...

I used the top of a matchbox to make a "guide" or template out of card stock. 

Then I used the guide to trace a box on the book page I was using. 

This was the book I used. I picked this one because it is one of our favorite authors & we have another copy. 

After I cut two rectangular pieces from the guide, I used a glue stick to secure them on either side of the matchbox. 

At first, I took a page, glued it on top of the matchbox & then trimmed the edges. I've got to do a ton of these, so using the guide seemed faster. 

I got these letter stamps from Michael's for a couple of bucks with a 40% off coupon & the stamp pad cost $0.99. 

Then I took the stamps & added our initials. 

Side note: I tried the book pages with both the words going from left to right as well as up & down. I prefer the up & down because it gave a contrast with the initials. 

I tied two matchboxes together & there is our cheap, quick & meaningful favor for the manly men. (Every time I hear the term "manly men", I think of Two & a Half Men...anyone else do the same? No? Okay...I'm alright with being a little "off" ;p)

I actually prefer this tied around the boxes over the rope. What do you think? 

Here's another angle...

I also wanted to see what it would look like if the book pages were darker...ya know...had more of an antique look to them. 

I started by dying them in tea (coffee would probably work too). To do this, I just heated a tea bag in 3/4c. of water for a couple minutes in the microwave. Then soaked the page for about 5 minutes. 

Then I let it dry. Well...I waited for about 20-30 minutes & it still wasn't dry so I used my hair dryer to finish the job.

Here is how it looks contrasted with the original page...

And here is the finished project, next to the original one. 

I like the dyed one but for times sake, I think I may stick with the original one. 

The cool thing about this is you could still end up with a cheap favor & used scrapbook paper in your wedding colors or even wrapping paper. 

What do you think? 

While we're on the subject of cheap favors, I came across and adorable favor for a kids camping party! 

This is from a blog called Three Pixie Lane. She did an adorable, penny-pinching outdoor party for her child & you will love it. 

The party favors were red bandanas with goodies inside tied around a stick! How cute, huh?

These were the goodies inside. Everything I'd need for a camping trip! :p 

Do you have any cute & p4p-worry favor ideas? (p4p = parties for pennies) 

Smorgasboard

Thank You so much for stopping by! You're probably looking for a post with all kinds of fun things like my wedding invitations and some other great party ideas! 

You can find it, by clicking here. It will take you to my blog that is now on Wordpress. 

Sorry about that but you'll find a lot more cool ideas on the new & improved Parties for Pennies page!