Summer DIY Projects!

I have a REALLY fun DIY tutorial coming up in just a bit – but I was looking around our DIY project archives and realized that there were a lot of projects hidden in there that are just perfect for summer! So before we jump into this brand new project, here are a few DIYs that you might want to try on one of these long and warm summer days!

Summer DIY Projects / Oh So Beautiful Paper

1. Color-Dipped Picnic Bottles: Still one of our most popular DIY posts, and one of my personal favorites! We STILL have these bottles and use them all the time to bring pre-mixed drinks to summer BBQs and picnics.

2. Tropical Palm Frond Ice Bucket: Ice buckets are a MUST for summer entertaining! Why not jazz yours up with some DIY vinyl decals in the shape of palm fronds??

3. Watermelon Serving Tray: Watermelon will forever epitomize summer for me. This watermelon tray is the perfect entertaining accessory for summer parties!

4. Printable Hologram Foil Ice Cream Cone Wrappers: Hologram foil that you can DIY at home! And ice cream! Need I say more??

5. Hand Lettered Dinner Plates: These plates couldn’t be easier to make (seriously), using either your own phrase in a favorite font or our free printables!

6. Summer Air Plant Wreath: How cute are these little air plant wreaths?? Love these for summer parties – or even a summer wedding!

7. Black and White Napkin Rings: All you need is a bit of embroidery floss and some beads and you’re good to go!

8. Printable Tropical Envelope Liners: Okay, so technically you can use these printable liners all year long, but summer is really just the perfect season for these beautiful illustrated envelope liners with tropical and ocean-inspired motifs!

Inspired By: Enamel Pins

Normally when I write these posts, I’m focusing on a particular design theme or color palette. But after seeing so many enamel pins EVERYWHERE over the last few months, including at the National Stationery Show from some of my favorite stationers, I couldn’t resist doing a little round up of some of my favorite enamel pins! I’d wear all of these myself, but it would also be fun to pick a few of these pins up as gifts for friends!

Trendspotting: Enamel Pin Round Up / Oh So Beautiful Paper

1. Ban.do probably has the single best collection of enamel pins, including this exclusive I Am Very Busy collaboration with Valley Cruise Press

2. How can I resist an iridescent glitter unicorn from Little Arrow? Answer: I CAN’T.

3. + 4. The Good Twin has so many great pins from their pin + postcard collections! These are two of my favorites, but I also love the pug and cat pins, the city pin + post series, and the new zodiac pin and post series!

5. Emily McDowell just released a collection of enamel pins at the National Stationery Show – and I can totally get behind this particular pin

6. Watermelon enamel pins are always a good idea, from Georgia Perry

7. A fun heart-shaped lollipop pin from Tuesday Bassen

8. This little Good Egg pin from ilootpaperie just makes me smile

9. Totally obsessed with the darling little animal pins from Tiny Deer Studio, especially this little swan

10. For all the cat ladies out there from Leah Goren

11. Tropical vibes in this monstera pin from Oelwein (I also like this version from We Are Out of Office) 

12. Cotton candy! And lots of other fun food theme enamel pins from Felt Good Co.

13. Well, of course I couldn’t resist this sweet postage stamp-inspired pin from AdamJK

14. The power of positive thinking with Valley Cruise Press

15. Love this collection of whimsical enamel pins from Hello!Lucky

16. Fingers crossed from People I’ve Loved

17. You just can’t go wrong with a rainbow enamel pin, also from Georgia Perry

What do you all think about the enamel pin trend?? Are you into it, or not so crazy about it?

A Sparkling Manhattan

Last week, we carbonated a Daiquiri using a handheld carbonator. And we loved it – easy, fun, (a little dangerous), and delicious. So we decided to try it again this week with another classic cocktail, this time a Sparkling Manhattan. I suspect we’ll be doing this a lot around our house from now on. –Andrew

Sparkling Manhattan Cocktail Recipe / Liquorary for Oh So Beautiful Paper

A Sparkling Manhattan

2 oz Rye Whiskey
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine the whiskey, vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass and stir well with ice. Strain into a handheld carbonator like this one. Charge it with carbon dioxide per the carbonator’s instructions. Pour into a flute glass and garnish with a candied cherry. Enjoy!

Sparkling Manhattan Cocktail Recipe / Liquorary for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Sparkling Manhattan Cocktail Recipe / Liquorary for Oh So Beautiful Paper

A Manhattan is a glorious drink, rich with oaky, spicy flavor. Carbonating a Manhattan isn’t something I’d do every day, but it is a fun spin on the classic drink. Since carbonation creates carbonic acid, a sparkling Manhattan will be a bit more acidic, a bit drier than usual. Think of this like the dry champagne version of a fruity white wine. Effervescent, light, and very fun.

Carbonation works best when liquids are very cold, so you could keep your whiskey and even your vermouth in the freezer for a bit before you mix this up. We’ve also found that it can take a couple of CO2 canisters to fully carbonate our Manhattans, which we mixed up in a big batch in order to fill up the bottle that came with our carbonator.

Sparkling Manhattan Cocktail Recipe / Liquorary for Oh So Beautiful Paper

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Glassware by Liquorary

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Happy Weekend!

Yay Friday! Can you believe we only have one week left in June?? Now that school is over and summer has officially kicked in, I’m trying to make summer vacation plans. We hardly ever take vacations (other than going to see family), but I want to make sure that we actually enjoy our summer! I’d love to take the girls to a beach and Sophie has been asking to take a plane trip somewhere, but that’s about as far as I’ve gotten. What are your summer vacation plans?? Any suggestions for a family with two kids under 4? I’m all ears! But in the meantime…

Peaches Illustration by Brainstorm / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Peaches illustration by Brainstorm via Instagram

…a few links for your weekend!

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

That’s it for me this week! Check back in a bit for this week’s cocktail recipe, and another recap from NSS 2016! I’ll see you back here on Monday! xoxo