PopSugar

DIY: Wine Glass Candle Lampshades

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:00:22 -0700

In your blog travels, you may have come across the Dekoop Gorgeous Helen Wine Shades ($20), which tops off your wine glasses to make easy votive lamps for your parties. I couldn't get them off my mind for months when I first saw them; I thought they were so clever. Then, lucky me, I came across a DIY to make them. The project is fairly simple, and allows a lot of room for creativity. You can leave yours as plain vellum, or punch decorative holes in them, screen-print them, or even paint them! It's up to you, but regardless, this project is fabulous, inexpensive, and perfect for that wedding you're planning! And for all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.

Supplies:

8-1/2" x 11" sheets of vellum (one per lamp)
Scissors
Decorative bladed scissors
Decorative paper punch
Glue pen
Wine glasses
Tealights or a LED battery-operated tealight
Candle putty (floral clay)

Here's how, from Save On Crafts:

Download and print out this lampshade pattern.
Trace the pattern onto your vellum sheet. Cut out the shape with your regular scissors. If you want, you can use decorative bladed scissors along the bottom edge to add another element to the shade.
If you like, use a paper punch to punch holes evenly or haphazardly throughout the shade, as shown in the PDF.
Using the glue pen, apply a thin line of glue to one straight end. Wrap the other end over the glued end, and adhere together, forming the shade.
Secure the tealight with the candle putty, and set the lampshade on top of your glass. Fini!

Source

2-In-1 Votive Decoration/Favor

partysugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 13:11:19 -0700

If you are looking for a way to cut costs on your wedding think about using a favor that doubles as a decoration like these fabulous frosted beaded tea light holders. They come in a variety of colors and can add a touch of glowing light to a table. Place each one on the guests' plates and they will know that when the night is over they can blow the candle out and take the votive home. A useful favor that both you and your guests can enjoy. Or if you prefer to give out other favors arrange these candles around a vase filled with flowers on top of a mirror for a beautiful and simple yet stunning centerpiece. Can't afford tons of flowers for each table, create the same effect with the mirror and votives and scatter rose petals (which you can get day old from the florists) in between the votives.

Beachy Candle Is an Elegant Summer Centerpiece

YumSugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 03:30:14 -0700

Recently, my honey and I had dinner at a restaurant that specialized in coastal American cuisine. While the succulent seafood was the real takeaway, I also made a note to replicate the beach-inspired candles for my next dinner party.

At the center of our two-top table was a nostalgic, uncomplicated piece: the flame of a single votive, flanked by beach sand, inside a short bar glass. This shockingly easy and inexpensive decoration would be perfect for a Summer pool party or even a beach-themed rehearsal dinner.

Have you ever created something similar?

Oprah Gets Jay-Z to Laugh and Talk Beyonce, Just a Little

Molly — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Jay-Z isn't a man of many interviews, but he's been making the selective rounds promoting his album Blueprint 3, which comes out on September 11. He recently opened up a bit on Real Time With Bill Maher and now he's in the upcoming issue of O Magazine. He met up with Oprah in his old Brooklyn neighborhood to talk a little about his upbringing, wedding to Beyonce and the most influential books in his life. Even Oprah gushed a little about how good he smells. There's more to come when the magazine is out, but for now here are highlights:

On why he was the one from his neighborhood to succeed: "There's the gift, there's the spirit, and there's the work - all three have to come together. If one of those things is off, it can stop you from becoming who you were meant to be."
On using the N-word in his lyrics: "Nothing is necessary. It's just become part of the way we communicate. My generation hasn't had the same experience with that word that generations of people before us had. We weren't so close to the pain. So in our way, we disarmed the word. We took the fire pin out of the grenade."
On his wedding with Beyonce: "Late planning! ... Very few [people knew]. The sad part is that we offended some. But people who love you understand. Because at the end of the day, it's your day."
On his favorite date spot: "I'm gonna get killed for this, but I'll tell you anyway. There's a great pizza spot we go to every Sunday. It's our tradition. It's a small place in Brooklyn, you can bring your own wine, and there are candles there. It's a nice date."

View 2 Photos ›

Inedible Flower Cake Is Sugar Free and Delicious to the Eye

partysugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:15:19 -0700

My girlfriend Melissa's sister is diabetic and has to really watch her consumption of sweets. That's why Melissa decided it would be best not to serve cake at the 30th birthday brunch she was throwing her sister. However, no birthday is complete without some sort of candle and singing ceremony. This is where Melissa got creative: she created a cake entirely out of flowers! It's inedible, but beautiful to look at and incredibly thoughtful. Here's how she did it:

Start by purchasing a round cake-shaped floral foam at your nearest floral or craftshop. Soak with water.
Get a bouquet of colorful blossoming flowers. Cut them down to have a stem that is 2-3 inches long.
Insert the blooms into the foam. Get as artistic with the design as you like.
Insert birthday candles. Use longer candles to ensure that the flowers don't burn or get waxy.

Without the candles, the flower-shaped cake would make a great simple centerpiece to a wedding or shower. What do you think of this innovative idea?

Bringing Sexy Back: Romancing the Home

babysugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Don't want to spend $100 on dinner and then fork over another $60 for the babysitter just to have a few hours to yourselves? Then plan a date night at home. When the kiddies are tucked in bed and mom and dad are all alone, turn up the heat with some of these easy ideas.

Set the table with the finest dinnerware. Pulling out some old china may remind couples of their wedding and all the hoopla that accompanied it.
Light some candles around the house instead of using regular lights.
Set up a picnic blanket and have dinner and wine on the floor.
Make popcorn and cuddle up to classic old movies.
Pour some champagne and fire up a big bath tub full of bubbles.

To see some more home date night ideas, read more.

Buy some massage oil and get to rubbing.
Cook dinner together.
Face off in a board game challenge.
Make sundaes for dessert. Don't forget the whipped cream!

Source

Registry Roundup: A Splendid Table

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:00:55 -0700

If you've chosen the right kitchen registry thanks to YumSugar's tips, you're well on your way to having a beautifully dressed dining room for future dinner parties. But don't stop there - you must be sure to register for beautiful table linens, candlesticks, candles, and other essentials to have your table looking its best. If you're not sure where to even start when it comes to registering for your wedding, take a look at my downloadable registry PDF. Check out all of the Sugar network’s wedding coverage here.

Source

Geeks We Love: Kevin Hall of Dvice

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:25:24 -0800

I check in daily with Dvice, not only because of its gadget coverage, but also because of its sweet sci-fi influence. So just in case you aren't familiar (and if not, why?), let me introduce you to one of Dvice's endearingly geeky contributors - and one of this year's Geeks We Love - Kevin Hall. Recent Brooklyn transplant, this geek hottie has traveled the world, seen (almost) everything, and can still say that robots are his favorite thing . . . ever.

GS: Pretend I'm a total stranger (and let's be honest, I pretty much am), and tell me a little about yourself.
KH: Well, I'm a 24-year-old freelancer living in Brooklyn, NY. I'm a transplant, though - I was born in La Jolla, CA, and have lived in Indonesia, Pennsylvania, London, and Texas. After graduating from college, I knew I wanted to write and heard NYC is the place to do it, so I moved here. I was lucky enough to get a shot at blogging for Gizmodo, then started writing for DVICE, and editing a SCI-FI channel blog called Visions For Tomorrow. That's all rather boring stuff, I suppose. What else? My favorite color is orange, I love eating at all of New York's fine burger spots, and I'm probably more into robots than anyone made of flesh should be. Seriously, if technology made it possible to implant my brain into a robotic shell, I'd totally do it.

To see how Kevin appreciates old(er) school technology, what gadget is on his hot list, and why I'd go on a Valentine's date with him any day of the week, just read more.

GS: Are you strictly a gadget type of guy, or are you also a sci-fi nerd and/or gaming geek?
KH: All three, I'd say, though mostly a sci-fi and gaming geek. I love gadgets, but I don't camp in lines for the latest thing. In fact, I've got a fat, old Samsung clamshell for a cell that's maybe 4- or 5-years-old now, and the same 3.2-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot that I had in high school. And when it comes to science fiction, all of my favorite shows have come and gone - Star Trek: TNG, Space Above and Beyond, Cowboy Bebop, Futurama, and Firefly. I do enjoy the new Battlestar Galactica, of course, and I still love Star Wars, despite my love of Star Trek. If it's in space, I'll probably love it. I read more sci-fi than I watch.

Oh, how I love video games. I'd say the titles that define my tastes would be Deus Ex, Myth, Shadow of the Colossus, Halo, Tribes, Guardian Heroes (for the Saturn), Everquest, Anarchy Online, EVE - now that I've started, I really could go on forever. The last game I played was Gears of Wars 2, and that was about 20 minutes ago. And now it's five a.m., so yeah, you can see how I enjoy my gaming!

GS: Do you remember your very first gadget? Mine was a pager. No, really.
KH: I think my first gadget was probably a Game Boy. Growing up overseas, most of the games we had access to were pirated cartridges titled something like "99 games in one," but each one would just have maybe five or 10 ripoffs of Mario and Pac Man and stuff like that. I think I've actually owned almost every iteration of the Game Boy, from the old beloved brick to the niche-y Micro. I guess I'm slowing down in my old age, though, as I didn't run out to replace my first-gen DS with a Lite.

GS: What gadget are you lusting over right now?
KH: Boring answer, I know, but the iPhone. I'm really impressed by it, especially now that the App Store has been blown wide open. I'm not hardcore enough to want a Blackberry, and I hate cellphones too much to be interested by anything else on the market. The iPhone seems to be a good blend of functional phone and handheld computer, and that really appeals to me.

GS: Dvice is a Sci-Fi owned blog, so you must get cool insider scoops, right? You know how Battlestar Galactica ends, don't you?! Tell me! Tell me now!
KH: We get our tie-ins and exclusive content, sure, but I can't say much more than that. The last thing I want is one of the Sci-Fi Channel's Terminators to return from the future and kill me in the middle of this interview.

GS: What would a geeky-cool guy like you want to do for your lady friend on Valentine's Day? Take us through your perfect date.
KH: Well, we'd start out by taking a newly constructed hover train from New York to Germany (yeah, doesn't exist, just roll with it - I love trains), and hit up this restaurant called Baggers, which has fully automated service. Then we'd fly over to Russia and hitch a ride up to the International Space Station for a flashlight-lit (I imagine candles would be dangerous) dessert in zero-gee and some stargazing. I think the brilliance of the Earth from orbit would make a pretty romantic backdrop, so we'd probably ride around for a full orbit, uh, "playing video games," and then it's back to Earth for us. Or - for a creepy alternate ending - she could reveal that she's actually a robot from an alien world and I'd follow her home. Or we could just go to Tokyo - it's my favorite place to visit and it's about as close as you can get to living in the future.

Open House: Wedding Décor DIYs

CasaSugar — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 05:04:35 -0700

As we skirt through wedding season, I've given you some DIY suggestions like wine glass candle lampshades and a DIY wedding book, but of course, I know there's plenty more to offer in that department. So for this Open House, I'd love to hear about any types of wedding décor you've seen DIY'd or that you've handmade for your own weddings.

Have you been to an entirely DIY wedding? Received any homemade goodie baskets? Did your friends arrange their own flowers at their weddings? Sew the tablecloths or napkins? Make their own candles? How about the invites? Were they handmade? I bet you've encountered some DIY wedding décor somewhere along the line. Tell me by commenting below! As always, check out IDoSugar for all of our wedding coverage.
Source

Sugar Shout Out: Track Your Budget With Savvy's Tracker

PopSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:55:00 -0800

Marc Jacobs Jean Footed Flare Posy Vase - $125.00	Sferra - $27.00
Maxfield Napkin Ring, Set of 6 - $30.00	Did Someone Say Drama Candleholder - $89.00
Octagon Napkin Rings by Aman Imports - $10.50	"Gaby" 3 Branch Candelabra by William Yeoward - $368.00
kate spade "Camelia Avenue" Pink Posy Vase - $25.00	Lalique - $199.00
Linen Cocktail Napkin Set - $39.95	Dragon Vase - $240.00
Celadon with Platinum Handled Hostess Tray (10.5-in.) by Noritake - $74.95	Ballet Table Linens by Waterford - $10.00
Simrin Solid Linen Napkins - $36.00	Unison - Porter Tablecloth - $64.00
Blissliving Home Maren Candlesticks White - $50.00	Orrefors Regina Medium Candlestick Pair, 7.5" - $150.00
Monogrammed Hotel Runner, White - $35.00