merry A HANDMADE SUMMER GUIDE SUMMER 2015
2 PHOTO BY MAYA VISNYEI
merryCONTENTS4 THE MERRY TEAM GOOD EATS MERRY BLOOMS & COOL TREATS6-13 Summer Flowers 56 No-Churn Ice-Cream A MERRY HOME 58-61 Homemade Popsicles16 Country Chic 62 Split Pea Bruschetta Dining Room Makeover 63 Strawberry Basil Salad20 Nursery Tour 64 Summer Cakes24-27 D.I.Y. Cheerful Home Art POP, FIZZ, CLINK28 Custom Art from Minted 68-73 Summer Cocktails BACKYARD LIVING 94 STYLE CENTRAL32 D.I.Y Outdoor Bar 76-83 Summer Date Style 84-91 Summer Weekend Style34 Playful Patio Makoever 92-95 D.I.Y Style Projects36 Outdoor Furniture Makeovers SUMMER SOCIALS40 A Bohemian Affair46 Colorful Custom Table Setting48 Ice-Cream Shoppe Party50 Outdoor Movie Night52 D.I.Y Summer Party Decor 3
MELISSA DIRE NZO • THE SWEET ESCAPE EDITOR’S NOTE After such an overwhelmingly positive response to Merry Holiday (a million thanks!) here we are in full bloom with another issue full of handmade inspiration to keep you busy this summer. As you can tell by the title of the magazine, I wasn’t thinking beyond the holidays when I decided on a whim to pull together a team of talented creative bloggers and create a magazine of fresh handmade inspiration. It’s not because I’m not an optimist but I tend to just dive into a project and go. I love how things work themselves out because once I decided that we definitely want to keep sharing the handmade love I realized that Merry is still the perfect name. There’s so much time, effort and love poured into these pages that you can’t help but feel merry. Like the last issue, our purpose is to motivate you to get away from the stress and screens of our everyday lives and spend time with friends, loved ones or solo time to create and express yourself. You’ll find lots of colorful inspiration for your home, D.I.Y projects, outdoor living, entertaining, food & drink recipes, and some great summer style inspiration. You’ll see some familiar faces as well some new talented contributors on our growing and ever changing team so there’s lots of fresh ideas to wow you. Sit back, pour yourself a refreshing drink (see page 66) and take it in, then get ready to get your hands dirty and create something! We would absolutely love to see anything you create from these pages. Tag any of your creations with #MerryMagSummer on social media so we can spread the handmade love. Have a very merry summer! Melissa [email protected] twitter: @_the_sweetest instagram: @sweetescapecreative4 PHOTO BY MAYA VISNYEI
AMY KIM • HOMEY OH MY GEMMA BONHAM-CARTER • THE SWEETEST GIFFIN • THE BLON VIRGINIA FYNES • FYNES D ! DIELOCKS ESIGN KAYLEE DIGS MAE SMITH • THE CRAFTED LIFE SHANNO N ACHESON • AKA LIDY DIP ERT • HELLO LIDY KRISTEN SANGER • STORE FRONT LIFERACHEL DESIGNRENEE E LLIOTT • RE: CREA MARIE • ASHLEE M STEPHAN IE LEE • MAKE AN HALLOWS • ONESWEET APPETITE TIVE ASHLEE ARIE .COM D TELL JESSECASARAH K HANDJIAN • SARAH HEARTS HNSON • CLASSICALLY QUIRKY M J • PAR S CAELI HUNTER • PERSO NALLY ANDREA BREE JO ANDREAJERAN M cCONNEL • OLEANDER AND PALM EMILY AR BOUR • CHEERFU DANA BU ENO • DANA BUENO KAIT KUC Y • YUPPIE LOVE LLY MADE 5
blomoemrrsy From delicate wildflowers to the boldest of blooms, fresh flowers instantly transform your tabletop into something truly special. Make your summer soirees really splash with unique arrangements of freshly cut blossoms using a variety of vessels and vases. Here are seven extraordinary ways to showcase your favourite blooming varietals all summer long.6
WREATHSTO WELCOME YOU PEONIES FOR DAYS by Rachel Mae Smith 7If Instagram has taught me anything within the last few weeks, it’s that peony season should be year round. Really, I don’t know if there’s ever been a more beloved flower on social media. Before those beautiful blooms go out of season, you’ll want to follow these five simple steps for making your peonies last longer. That way you can be sure to enjoy (and photograph) them enough to tide you over until next year! click here for tips on long lasting Peonies on The Crafted Life
CHEERFUL MINI SUCCULENT GARDEN by Melissa DiRenzo I was at my local Home Depot recently looking for something very uninspiring like screws when I came across rows of cheerful plants and it put a smile on my face so I decided I needed to take some home. I thought a cute mini garden would be the perfect pop of cheer for any space, indoor or out. I added a four legged friend for an extra element of surprise and delight. click here to visit the The Sweet Escape for the full tutorial8
PAINTED WOOD VASES by Sarah Khandjian I just love the look of these vases and have them throughout the house. This project can bedone in about an hour and makes it so easy to create something that looks high end and not so handmade. Win, win, right? click here to visit the full tutorial on Sarah Hearts 9
CITRUS FLORAL CENTERPIECE by MJ Kocovski Some of summer’s best treats come in the warm temperatures, the sun-kissed colors, and the gorgeous florals. Using two glass vases of similar shapes, you can create a lovely combination of all the bests of the season. With a mixture of grapefruit, orange, and lemon slices, the walls of the centerpiece become a showcase of citrus. Pair these circular slices with voluminous peonies for a blend of beauty and a delight for all the senses. click here to visit the full tutorial on Pars Caeli10
HERB BOX CENTERPIECE by Kristen Sanger 11Summer is the perfect time to invite friends and family over for an intimate gathering on your patio, deck, rooftop or yard. The shared food over dusk, the candlelight, the smell of grass and earth and dew, mixed with good conversation, laughter and carefree joy. That is the best of summer captured right in your own backyard. Skip the stress and keep the decor simple. Instead of adorning your table with fresh cut flowers, try taking your herb garnishes, dropping them into cute table appropriate vessels and put your decor to work! click here to visit the full tutorial on Storefront Life
SIMPLE RANUNCULUS, POPPIES, AND KUMQUATS ARRANGEMENT by Amy Kim Say the title of this post 5 times fast. What a mouthful! These guys sure are popular in the floral design world, and when I saw them at a recent pop-up farmer’s market, I jumped at the chance to design with them myself. click here to visit the full tutorial on Homey Oh My!12
FLOATING FLOWER CENTERPIECE by Melissa DiRenzoI’m calling this the easiet centerpiece ever, because you know it’s easy when it happens by accident. I was working on a flower project and had some random stemless blooms left over when I was done. It seemed like a crime tothrow them out so I put them in a shallow bowl with some water and bam! I had a super pretty flower centerpiece. Doesn’t get much easier than that! click here to visit The Sweet Escape for the full tutorial 13
mhaoemrrey In the summertime, your home is truly a showcase of all of the hard work you do all year long. It is also the perfect time to spruce things up around the home. Take advantage of the long warm days to finish up all of those DIY projects you’ve got on your to-do list. And then sit back and soak in that sunshine and admire your beautiful home. You deserve it.14
15
cheerfullymadE OVER BY EMILY ARBOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH EVANS I have always wanted to have a home I could be proud to entertain in. So, when we moved into our new place earlier this year, my first priority was to transform a drab, dated dining room, into a cheerful, eclectic hub for family and friends. This gorgeous floral wallpaper proved to be the perfect starting point. A modern take on your grandma’s floral walls, it combines bright, bold (hand printed!) flowers with just a touch of metallic gold; elements that I included throughout the room to create a cheerful, yet sophisticated space. BEFORE16
merry HOME 17
18
merry HOMEWhether we’re entertaining friends,or gathering as a family at the endof a long day, our new dining roomis functional, spacious and entirelyelegant. Exactly the room I’vealways dreamed of having.Click here to visit Cheerfully Madeto see the full makeover story andDIY tutorials 19
sfamwosarpeyaeacte BY GEMMA BONHAM-CARTER Designing kids rooms is so ridiculously fun. When you might hold back on certain things in other spaces (like for instance, painting closet doors bright mint), in a kids room, it’s more like “why WOULDN’T we paint the doors bright mint?!”. This room for my sweet little daughter Maya was all about cheer. I wanted something bright, that made you feel totally happy the second you walked in. Keeping the walls and trim white, and adding in a pink accent wall with ice cream cone decals started us off in the right direction.20
merry HOME 21
Next, I furnished the space with IKEA finds and GIVEAWAY! a dresser I painted (scored off Kijiji), and then added the accessories. DIY embroidery hoop art, Enter for your shelf ledges for her favorite books, shadow boxes chance to win painted mint, DIY felt clouds and raindrops, and of course, the mint closet doors, all brought the happy a print! into the space. The verdict? Squeals of delight (even including (click here) some twirling) from Maya, and one happy mama. Visit The Sweetest Digs to see more of the makeover PLUS a giveaway for a print designed by Gemma!22
merry HOMEDIY DRIFTWOOD HANGERBY Gemma Bonham-CarterI’m always on the look-out for eye-catching ways of hanging necklaces,scarves, and other favorite things.I had a piece of driftwood laying aroundthat I knew would make a perfectdisplay piece. This is one of those crazyeasy DIY’s that allows you to customizewith the colors and look you want.I stuck with a white, gold, black, teal,and pink scheme and had fun paintingmy driftwood, and then screwing in thehooks. Rather than just being storage,it totally turned into a piece of artwork!Click here to visit The Sweetest Digsfor the full tutorial. 23
24
merry HOME(left)WATERCOLOR ART WITH KIDSBY Emily ArbourI’m always on the lookout forprojects I can do with my kids. Mydaughter particularly likes to getin on the action when I’m in DIYmode. This time, when I was trying tocreate something perfect for MerryMag (& found myself coming upempty) I thought I’d look to the kidsfor answers. I’m thrilled with howadorable this piece turned out.Click here to visit Cheerfully Madefor the full tutorial(right)DIY FAUX CORALBY Shannon AchesonSummer decorating for me meanscool breezes from open windows,fresh neutrals and beachy accentslike shells, flowers and sailboats.These DIY Faux Corals fit right inand are inexpensive and easy tocreate - even if you don’t craftmuch!Click here to visit AKA Designfor the full tutorial 25
To dye for26
merry HOMEDIY INKODYE STRIPED NAPKINSBY Amy KimSummer means more time spentin the sun, so why not use it for oursummer crafts? What’s specialabout dying these napkins is thatthere’s no dipping, no binding, nobands, and no clips required. Justsome Inkodye, a simple foldingtechnique, and the sun to dye thefabric makes this a very easy projectof personalizing your textiles forthose summer get-togethers. Tryit on table cloths, table runners, orclothing- anything made of naturalfibers will work!Click here to visit Homey Oh My!for the full tutorial 27
TOP ROW : 1. In The Flowers by Lori Wemple / 2. Jardin De Fleurs by Jennifer Wick / 3. Bucket List by Joanne Williams / 4. Dream BIG by guess what? / 5. Greatest Adventure by Alethea and Ruth MIDDLE ROW: 1. Ocean Whale by Creaform Design / 2. Super Imagination Boy (Girl version available) by Grace Kreinbrink / 3. Whiskers by j.bartyn / 4. Night Time Garden by Karidy Walker / 5. Birth Order Favorite by Alston Wise28
merry HOME FJOURSTYOU Trains and bicycles and birds – oh my! The custom art from Minted is the perfect addition to your mini’s nursery or bedroom. With something for everyone, your little one will have a piece of art personalized just for them – a bright and poppy heirloom for them to take with them as they grow. (click to order your favorite piece of custom art from Minted)BOTTOM ROW: 1. Dreamcatcher by Red Impressionz / 2. Little Explorer by JoBeth Fink / 3. Vintage Bot by Olivia Raufman / 4. Workstation by kat bison / 5. Bundle of Joy by Tara Lilly Studio / 6. Pink Lemonade by August and Oak / 7. Woody by Creaform Design 29
lbivyaiacnkrgd The dog days of summer are finally here. The warm sun on your skin, the bold blooms showing up on every corner. The lure of ice cream cones and weekend BBQs; it only makes sense that we’d want to spend every waking moment outdoors. After all, summer only comes but once a year.30
31
HDH.OAI.PUYPRY32
DIY DROP LEAF CEDAR BARBY Kristen SangerSummer is a season that never lasts long enough.To take advantage of every single summerentertaining moment, we worked with Home Depotto craft a backyard bar built for showing yourfriends a good time. The Home Depot team madesure we had all the materials and helpful tips tomake this project a big success and make sure itlasts for summers to come.This multi tasker has a drop leaf top to save onstorage space, and doubles as a prep or space forBBQ’s. When the sun goes down, the cocktails comeout and the party gets started. When done, the barcan fold back up and move out of the way, ready tospring back in action when needed.Click here to visit Storefront Life for the fullstep by step tutorial. 33
34
merry HOMEPPatliaoy PLAYFUL PATIO MAKEOVER BY Lidy Dipert It’s officially summer and that means spending as much time outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather as possible! It also means sprucing up our outdoor space after the long winter. I teamed up with The Land of Nod to give our pathetic patio a playful makeover! Before, it felt so drab and obviously neglected. By bringing in some pops of color this space feels like new again! Click here to visit Hello Lidy to see the before photos and more of this playful makeover. 35
RETRO METAL PATIO SET MAKEOVER BY Sarah Khandjian I’ve always adored vintage patio furniture so when I spotted this chair and table combo at a local antique store I knew it had to be mine! The price was great and it was in overall condition was good though it has some areas of rust. With a little elbow grease, and a lot of spray paint I transformed this set into a fun, statement piece for our backyard. I just love how to color and pattern mimic the style of the 1950s! Click here for the full tutorial on Sarah Hearts BEFORE36
SUMMmERakINeSPiItREHDOPALINITDEADY ARTFURNITUREBY Virginia FynesEverything about this makeover projectexcites me. The colors, the burst ofsummer, the vibrancy of each image, theway the sun was blistering the day I wasout painting. Summer was my inspirationfor this (trash picked!) painted furniture.If you’re not into summer yet this funfurniture is sure to bring you around!Click here to visit Fynes Designs to seethe full DIY tutorial. 37
stsiuomcmieamlser Well, it’s cocktail season, folks. Time to brush off your bartending skills and set up a calendar of patio parties for every single weekend. It’s time to get outdoors and string up those twinkle lights and pull out your favourite recipes to share with friends and family.38
PHOTO BY MAYA VISNYEI 39
Bohemian Affair 40
BY MELISSA DIRENZO & RENEE ELLIOTT merry SOCIALPHOTOGRAPHY BY SELINA WHITTAKERMy fellow Merry gal pal Renee and I decided to host a dreamyBoho inspired summer sunset affair on my very own rooftop patio.I’m an extremely lucky lady to have this spacious oasis above allthe hustle and bustle of the city. It makes staying in the concretejungle on weekends much more enjoyable, and a lot less traffic! 41
42
merry SOCIALHi Harper! For the decor we wanted it to be pretty relaxed and comfortable - like the Bohemians that we are (well on Saturdays). We took the Bohemian elements of Moroccan influence, a mix of patterns and textures and then took the color and kicked it up a few notches. We stuck with more earthy and simple flowers to balance out the color explosion. A space and spread like this is guaranteed to get you in a fun summer mood. 43
44
What’s a little party without food & drink?I think they call it a meeting. This was theperfect event to have a few friends over forsome summer sipping wine and a few lightappetizers to enjoy the end of a gorgeoussummer day. We chose Kendal Jackson’sVintner’s Reserve Chardonnay for theoccasion. It’s great for summer and pairedwell with our bites for the evening. Cheers tosummer rooftop parties!The light appetizer menu included:(click title or image for recipe)CREAM DILL CUCUMBER SALMON BITESMINI TOMATO SALAD PARMESAN BOWLSFRESH MANGO SALSA & CORN CHIPSClick here to visit the Kendall-Jacksoninspiration blog for more photos andrecipes. 45
merry TABLEservingupcolor COLORFUL MODERN TABLESCAPE BY Bree Johnson For this table I wanted the concept to be a mish mash of old plates, different seating and whimsy all put into a modern setting. After spending over two weeks searching for the perfect vintage plates in the colors I wanted with no luck it was Shutterfly to the rescue. I created my own designs and took advantage of Shutterfly’s amazing custom home decor options to get them printed as plates and pillows. I decided it would be fun to use the pillows as seating and make the plate and pillow the favour that guests could take home with them. The place cards were done by JDB Mercantile a fabulous shop on Etsy that does laser cutting. The colorful vases and flowers added lots of fun and whimsy. I love that it’s modern enough to be a party for adults but bright enough to be a party for kids. Click here to visit Classically Quirky to see the full colorful party and decor tutorials & tips.46
merry SOCIAL 47
merry TABLE48
merry SOCIALI SCREAMYOUSCREAMICE CREAM SUNDAE SHOPPE PARTYBY Virginia FynesCome on in for a scoop at the playhouse SundaeShoppe. This fun birthday party is servingthe yummiest treats around. The best part isyou get to decorate your cool treat with sometasty toppings... you’re never too big for extrasprinkles!click here to visit Fynes Designs to see the fullparty roundup. 49
ROOFTOP PATIO MOVIE NIGHT BY Melissa DiRenzo Something I’ve wanted to do ever since I moved into my place with a big rooftop patio is host a movie night up there. It only took 5 years but I made it happen! My short guest list were all music lovers so we chose the classic Almost Famous, which is a great summer flick. No movie night is complete without the snacks. It’s more like what movie will you be watching with your snacks, right? I set up my own little snack bar and even used some chalk board paint and an old frame to create a DIY movie night marquee. Gather up all your pillows and blankets or ask your guests to bring some. I found the beautiful and big rug at a thrift shop and it was perfect. Use a portable photo backdrop and stand or a big white sheet hung or taped to a wall for your big screen then get cozy and enjoy! click here to visit The Sweet Escape for more photos and resources50
Search
