DIY Marbled Indigo and Gold Place Cards

I’ve been wanting to try paper marbling for so long – and I finally did it! I just love the soft swirls and unique patterns in marbled paper. Marbling is a beautiful (and easy!) way to spruce up your table décor for the holidays, or really any time of year! I put these marbled holiday place cards together with blue food coloring and a bit of liquid gold gilding, and I absolutely LOVE the way it turned out. I can’t wait to use these to set our holiday tables, but they’d be a wonderful addition to any dinner party throughout the year!

DIY Marbled Holiday Place Cards / Oh So Beautiful Paper for eBay

DIY Marbled Place Cards / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Supplies

  • Blank Place Cards
  • Foam Shaving Cream
  • Food Coloring
  • Liquid Gold Gilding
  • Gold Paint Pen
  • Paintbrush
  • Paper Towels
  • Washi Tape (optional)

DIY Marbled Indigo and Gold Place Cards

To make the DIY marbled indigo and gold place cards:

Step 1. Add a thick layer of foam shaving cream to a bowl or rectangular baking dish (I used a disposable baking pan). Then add a few drops of food coloring in your color choice. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the food coloring around the shaving foam, creating soft swirly patterns.

Step 2. Press a place card into the shaving foam, making sure that the place card makes as much contact with the shaving foam as possible. I chose to only press the front side of my place cards. You could also use washi tape along the top middle edge of the place card to create a crisp line between the marbled and non-marbled section.

Step 3. Gently lift the place card out of the shaving foam. Set the place card on a work surface covered with paper towels (food coloring will leave stains!). Use a ruler or knife to scrape as much of the shaving cream as possible off the place card onto paper towels. Use a fresh paper towel to blot away any remaining shaving cream and set aside to dry.

Step 4. Once the place cards are dry, use a size 14 round paint brush and liquid gilding to paint the front bottom of the place card. Write the name of your guest using a gold paint pen – and voila!

DIY Marbled Indigo and Gold Place Cards

DIY Marbled Indigo and Gold Place Cards

DIY Marbled Indigo and Gold Place Cards

DIY Marbled Indigo and Gold Place Cards

DIY Marbled Indigo and Gold Place Cards

DIY Marbled Place Cards / Oh So Beautiful Paper

 

DIY Marbled Place Cards / Oh So Beautiful Paper

There you have it! Super easy, with a vibrant pop of color and a bit of shimmer! What could be better??

p.s. How to make marbled paper and printable hand lettered wedding favor stationery

This post was created in partnership with eBay. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!

“Dinner With Thieves” Menus and Paper Goods

Well, these are super cool! Shanleigh of August & Osceola created these beautiful paper goods for a mysterious dinner party, including menus, questionnaire cards, and event calling cards. The menus feature gold foil on black paper and were individually hand washed and distressed for an even more mysterious vibe and unique texture!

"Dinner with Thieves" Menus and Paper Goods by August & Osceola / Oh So Beautiful Paper

From Shanleigh: I love when a client has a vision that really challenges me creatively. Jessie (House of James Parker) and Heather (RTTO Events) were looking for custom paper goods to accompany their design of a “Dinner with Thieves.” Picture an evening with an abundance of delectable meat platters and a mysterious vibe. The paper elements had to be the perfect complement: masculine yet intricate; refined yet worn-in. 

"Dinner with Thieves" Menus and Paper Goods by August & Osceola / Oh So Beautiful Paper

I posted a picture on Instagram a while back of my business cards that had taken a trip through the washing machine — a happy accident. We used this as inspiration for a menu design that was heavy on texture and full of character. Each menu was foil stamped in gold and then very carefully washed and distressed by hand. The process left the paper feeling like leather and looking like it had been around for years. In addition to the menu, we designed questionnaire cards for guests to fill out and contact cards that were edge painted in gold. These were a labor of love.

"Dinner with Thieves" Menus and Paper Goods by August & Osceola / Oh So Beautiful Paper

"Dinner with Thieves" Menus and Paper Goods by August & Osceola / Oh So Beautiful Paper

"Dinner with Thieves" Menus and Paper Goods by August & Osceola / Oh So Beautiful Paper

"Dinner with Thieves" Menus and Paper Goods by August & Osceola / Oh So Beautiful Paper

"Dinner with Thieves" Menus and Paper Goods by August & Osceola / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Thanks Shanleigh!

Photo Credits: August & Osceola

Party Paper: A Pie Baking Party

My family loves pie. So much so that we even eat it for breakfast on occasion! When the holidays roll around, we bake a lot of pies. Rather than slaving away in the kitchen by yourself, make it an occasion by hosting a pie baking party! – Annie

Party Paper: Pie Baking Party / Oh So Beautiful Paper

1. Slice of Pumpkin Pie Card from Hartland Brooklyn

2. Fancy Fan Mini Banner from Oh Happy Day (Don’t they look like mini pies?!)

3. Tags and Twine (to label your pie) from Oh Happy Day

4. Glitter Server from LEIF

5. Kraft Star Plate from Shop Sweet Lulu

6. Recipe Card from Sugar Paper

What to Grow in a Cocktail Garden

It’s no secret that food and drinks taste better with fresh ingredients – and that goes for cocktails as much as it does for anything else. Growing your very own cocktail garden is the perfect way to make sure you have your favorite ingredients on hand at all times. And you don’t need a huge amount of space to grow a cocktail garden. A kitchen window is all you need to grow a few favorite herbs, while berries and citrus can be grown in pots on a patio or balcony. Here’s what to grow in a cocktail garden!

What to Grow in a Cocktail Garden / Oh So Beautiful Paper for eBay

1. Mint
If you only have room for one or two herbs – perhaps even just on a kitchen shelf or window – go for mint. It’s a classic ingredient in everything from Mojitos to Juleps and makes a wonderful garnish even if not directly called for in a particular recipe. Mint thrives under most conditions and spreads easily, making it the perfect candidate for a kitchen window garden or outdoor container garden.

2. Basil
Basil is an underrated ingredient in cocktails – and one of my personal favorites. Sweet Basil is the most well-known variety, but there are several other varieties that do amazing things in cocktails including Opal Basil, Sweet Thai Basil, and Lemon Basil. Basil grows quickly and can easily be grown indoors – and it’s well worth the effort.

3. Rosemary
While mint and basil are staples of summer cocktail recipes, I love mixing sprigs of rosemary into fall and winter drinks. Rosemary pairs wonderfully with whiskey and bourbon – two spirits that I associate with cooler weather.

4. Sage
Sage has such a wonderful and subtle flavor profile – and it’s so versatile! Pair with fresh fruit for light summer cocktails or savory spirits like whiskey and bourbon for the fall and winter.

5. Citrus
If you have the ability to grow any type of citrus where you are – DO IT. Lemons, limes, and oranges are all cocktail staples. And if you aren’t able to grow citrus outside you could always try a potted tree inside!

6. Berries
When the weather gets warm I want nothing more than to pack my cocktails full of fresh seasonal fruit and berries. Blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are fantastic in everything from muddled drinks to summer sangria!

This post was created in partnership with eBay. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!