DIY Typography Decanter

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Nordstrom is one of our favorite places to shop. The shoes, the fashion, the return policy, the cafe – we love all of it! We noticed a fun Booze Decanter and Stopper throughout the holidays, and we never quite stopped thinking about it. Thankfully, we were able to re-create a DIY Booze decanter with our Silhouette cutting machine, and our minds {and bar} are at peace…at least for now.

Materials:

Instructions:

Assemble empty glass bottles you can transform into DIY typography bottles.

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Design your labels with the Silhouette software. Print according to package instructions.

Once the vinyl is cut, remove the excess vinyl around the words, and place Frog’s Tape over the words.

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Pull the tape up, and the words should be attached to the tape.

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Press the tape and words onto the bottle, and get all the bubbles out with a straight edge {we used a credit card}.

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Pull the tape up from the bottle, and the vinyl should stay in place on the bottle. You may have to use one finger to press down on the vinyl if the font is thin and it comes up with the tape, but we didn’t have to on this project.

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Once all the tape is removed, you should have a new DIY typography decanter. Fill with alcohol and say cheers!

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For this project, we took it one step further and got a little Typography happy! We couldn’t do just one bottle! This DIY project makes for a really fun addition to any bar, and a great hostess gift.

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Not only did we create several bottles, but we couldn’t have a bottle that holds alcohol without actual alcohol in it. With St. Patrick’s Day several days away, we ventured into making our own Bailey’s Irish Cream. My girlfriend, Kacey, made a delicious batch of our favorite Irish cocktail for a birthday brunch recently, and we couldn’t believe homemade Bailey’s could be so good. We’ve revamped a couple of recipes to make our homemade version, but most are similar.

Homemade Bailey’s Irish Cream
adapted from several recipes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon Jameson Whiskey
  • 1 pint half and half
  • 1 can Eagle’s Condensed Milk
  • 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 tsp. instant espresso mixed with 1 tsp. boiling water

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend. If you don’t blend for 30 seconds or more, we found that our Bailey’s had some chunks from the cream, so continue to blend until smooth.

Keep in a sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Give it to a friend as a gift this St. Patrick’s Day, too!

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Poke the Rainbow Activity for Kids on St. Patrick’s Day

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St. Patrick’s Day is a favorite among adults to raise a glass with Guinness or Jameson in hand. For kids, it’s all about the leprechaun, a colorful rainbow, wearing green and the gold. We made an easy, fun and non-candy Poke-the-Rainbow activity for kids on St. Patrick’s Day.

The rules of the game are simple. Each child takes a turn to pick one cup to poke through. Once the leprechaun is found, everyone can reach for the gold. The best part…everyone walks away with a treat. Who will be the first to poke the cup with the leprechaun?

Important side note: this game could be really fun and adult-friendly with each cup filled with a mini shot of Irish liquor. Cheers!

Materials:

  • plastic cups {white}
  • napkins in every color of the rainbow
  • pot and gold coins
  • white tissue paper
  • mini leprechaun or photo of leprechaun
  • non-candy gifts such as bead necklaces, buttons, bracelets
  • rubber bands
  • foam core board, white
  • hot glue gun and glue
  • stickers, shamrock cut-outs

Directions:

Randomly place the non-candy items in the cups. Pick one special cups for the leprechaun.

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Cover each cup with a napkin, and wrap a rubber band around the top.

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Once all the cups have colors, arrange in a rainbow-like pattern on a foam core board, and glue all of them in place. Glue the bottom of the cups so the top of the cup is facing outward.

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Make white tissue paper clouds, and glue them on the end{s} of the rainbow.

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Write, stencil, glue or stick letters on the foam board for simple directions.

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Set up in the classroom {this will be a hit if you’re in charge of this year’s classroom party} , or at your St. Patrick’s Day celebration, and make sure the pot of gold is under the rainbow.

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St. Patrick’s Day in a Box

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One of our favorites from Alt was Gilit Cooper, lead boss babe at Shoes Off Please and owner of The Bannerie. She recently hosted a Wayfair Homemakers Housewarming Party. Among the many fabulous ideas, our GF mini cheesecakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream made the roundup. Get your lucky on and see all the colorful ideas. If a cookie topped with a rainbow of fruit meets your fancy, you’ll love this.

In other St. Patrick’s Day news, we made a St. Patrick’s Day in a Box. I know, it’s semi-lame with no Guinness, Jameson or car bombs, but our husbands will take care of all that for us. We will enjoy our evening wearing tall rainbow socks, sipping on Bailey’s Irish Cream with a green and white striped straw, of course, and a DIY Slainte {an Irish Gaelic word often said during a toast, which translates as ‘good health’} in the background.

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For the banner, all you need is felt, Elmer’s Craft Glue or Beacon Felt Glue, a clover to trace, pom poms, a wood dowel rod and yarn. Cut, glue and hang.

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{images via j. sorelle}

DIY Horseshoe Coasters

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We had some extra Pony horseshoes from Jodi’s wedding, and since they are considered very lucky and a lucky holiday is coming up {March 17}, we made DIY St. Patrick’s Day coasters out of horseshoes. Luck and a cocktail – the perfect combo for St. Patrick’s Day! The DIY horseshoe coasters will be a staple in your home long after the green holiday…and make a great housewarming gift.

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You’ll Need:

  • Cork board
  • Liquid Gold paint
  • Horseshoes. We used Pony horseshoes, and found them at a local farm/ranch at a very affordable price, but you can find them online.
  • Gorilla Glue
  • Scissors
  • Clear, waterproof sealant
  • A cocktail. Our choice was Bailey’s Irish Cream. Yummy.

How To:

  • Trace the entire outer part of the horseshoe onto the cork board, then cut.
  • Trace the inside of the horseshoe 2 times, then cut.
  • Paint the top layer of cork the color/pattern of your choice. We chose gold.
  • Place the horseshoe on the large piece of cork board {which should fully cover the bottom of the horseshoe} then stack the two pieces of cork board in the middle of the horseshoe. The coaster should be completely level with the three layers of cork board.
  • Once all pieces are in place, add Gorilla glue to each layer. Be careful because Gorilla Glue expands 3-4 times as it dries. Stack books on top of the coasters, then let dry overnight.
  • Apply a clear, waterproof sealant.
  • Pour a cocktail and enjoy.

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{images via j. sorelle}