Tag Archives: Last Minute

Easy DIY Rainbow Napkin Rings Tutorial & Free Sky Printable Card / Invitation Craft for All Occasions Including Parties & St. Patrick’s Day

2030Leigh

This easy DIY rainbow napkin rings tutorial is perfect for many types of parties including St. Patrick’s Day, and my free printable all occasion sky card is a great craft for making matching invitations. The card can be made with or without the addition of a rainbow, and so it’s useful for many other purposes… such as sympathy, get-well, congratulations, good luck, missing you, birthday, et cetera. Is there ever really a bad time to send a rainbow as the symbolic harbinger of hope?!

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Let’ make the rainbow napkin rings first. To begin, you’ll need a pale color base ribbon and a sheer rainbow ribbon for the top. I used a vintage soft pink satin for the base, because it really brought out the rainbow’s beauty. Just make sure both types of ribbon are the same width.

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Cut 6 inch lengths of each type of ribbon for every ring you want to make. Next, hot glue the short ends only. Make sure to press the ribbon ends together firmly before the glue dries… using silicone finger protectors of course. Now glue one short end to the other, overlapping them slightly. Again, press them together firmly.

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These rings are so quick and easy to make that they can be crafted at the last minute before a gathering. Who said procrastinator’s can’t have fabulous decorations?!

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Let’s make the sky card now. You need to print one page for every card you wish to make. I like to make extras during each crafting session, in case I have an unexpected need for a last minute card. (Note that my free printable is for your personal use only… not for commercial purposes.) If you want to add a rainbow, you can use any variety of colorful ribbon you like… striped, thin, checked, thick, solid, translucent, plaid, paper, plastic, or gossamer fabric ribbon like this one that I found on clearance. You can even use a pretty washi paper tape if you like.

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Simply right click on the small image above, and select print. Be sure to choose the photo setting for the finest image. It’s best to use a thick cardstock to make a nice card.

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Cut out the rectangle with the logo and sky image together, and then cut out the cloud image. If you want to add a rainbow, cut a 5 inch length of ribbon on the diagonal (like this /__/ ).

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Next, fold the rectangle in half to form the card. Add the rainbow by gluing the ribbon down to the top left corner, and then attach the other end. You can either glue the cloud on top of the ribbon directly, or use dimensional foam stickers to add height to the cloud. Try to place it under the sunrise just above the card opening.

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The perfect St. Patrick’s Day greeting card contains a classic Irish blessing such as this one:

“May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.”

♣ Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh (Happy St. Patrick’s Day!)

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

P.S. See more of the rainbow napkin rings in action here: Meet me at the End of the Rainbow Tablescape Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day Party Décor!

Love Letter Themed Tablescape (Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Romantic Date Night, or Anniversary Dinner)

This love letter themed tablescape make’s the perfect setting for Valentine’s Day, a romantic date night, or even an anniversary dinner. I find that in the modern era of effortless texting, emails, and social networking, that it can be a lovely quixotic gesture to turn back to the sentimentality of a handwritten letter on actual paper. Then to go further back to capture the romanticism of script, drafted with pen and ink well on paper that’s been sealed with wax… so that none other than the intended may lay eyes on the heartfelt content. Call me old fashioned if you will… I’ll just take it as a compliment.

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“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:”

Verse spells its way across a love letter inspired cloth is laid upon a greater midnight black tablecloth.

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“Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:”

Six ravishing red roses rise from a vase overflowing with soft petals. A boundless array of them blankets the table.

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“Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed;”

Luminous brass sextuplet candlesticks cast a romantic golden glow over the tablescape. Beneath them lies a once live rose plated in brilliant 14 karat gold. Gilded studs enhance burgundy pillar candles set upon stacked vintage candlesticks that playfully generate light and shadow in the background.

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“And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed;”

Encircling tuxedo black napkins are love letter symbolizing napkin rings trimmed with faux wax seals. Golden utensils bearing wooden handles represent the pens of yesteryear. Waiting to be filled are vintage ruby glasses trimmed with rings of gold that are flanked by golden flecked midcentury champagne vessels.

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“But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st, Nor shall death brag thou wand’rest in his shade,”

Beneath a resplendent tree sit black ladder-backed chairs cushioned with sumptuous garnet pillows.

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“When in eternal lines to Time thou grow’st. So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

Italian countryside plates from Mikasa are topped by red dishes resembling wax seals. They obscure all but rings of gold from the gleaming mat chargers below them.

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh & William Shakespeare’s 18th Sonnet

P.S. Click here for my Easy DIY Valentine’s Day Countdown Calendar / Treat Bag Banner & Love Letter Napkin Rings Craft Tutorials.

Easy DIY Valentine’s Day Countdown Calendar / Treat Bag Banner & Love Letter Napkin Rings Craft Tutorials

1661Leigh

This easy DIY Valentine’s Day countdown calendar plus treat bag banner and love letter napkin rings craft tutorial comprises three of my favorite things to make… banners, napkin rings, and advent calendars. The latter project arose from the questions, “Why are countdown calendars typically made for Christmas advent and not for other holidays?” and, “Why not expand the celebration with 2 weeks of excitement leading up to Valentine’s Day?” This works well for either children or adults depending on what’s placed inside the bags. As for the love letter themed napkin rings, they perfectly fit a romantic Valentine’s theme… though this one is for adults only!

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Let’s begin with the napkin rings. You’ll need a roll of Offray Brand Ribbon in a script pattern. (I purchased this ½ price with a coupon from Joann Craft & Fabric Stores. There’s a link for them in the sidebar.)

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You can make 12 rings and still have enough left over for a gift package bow if you like. You’ll also need either hot glue or liquid fabric glue and fabric paint in red (because it works on so much more than just T-shirts).

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Measure and cut a 6 inch length of ribbon for each ring you wish to make (use sharp sewing scissors to prevent fraying ends). If using hot glue, bond the ends with one side overlapping the other and press them together tightly. For liquid fabric glue, use a plastic clothes pin as a clamp or secure with a straight pin… and allow them to dry completely.

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Next, make a faux sealing wax impression with the red paint. Either use the fabric paint tip to draw a circle and fill it in, or just squeeze some onto a plate and use a brush. Allow these to dry completely before handling. (Hot sauce bottles, glue bottles, and paint tubes placed inside the rings will prevent rolling and paint smears.)

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These napkin rings were so quick and easy to craft, and they were a great little touch to add to the Love Letter Themed Tablescape (Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Romantic Date Night, or Anniversary Dinner).

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Now let’s make a Valentine’s Day countdown calendar and treat bag banner. (This is an easy enough project for the kiddos in your life to make too.) Begin by purchasing 14 mini clothespins complete with chalkboard hearts (these were 12 for $1 at the Target bargain bins). You can also buy the clothespins plainly and easily attach small flat wooden hearts with wood glue or hot glue… yes, hot glue does work on wood. Then all you need to do is paint the hearts with chalkboard paint. (All of the major craft stores carry the hearts. There are sidebar links for my favorite stores that carry coupon codes with them!)

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If you like, paint the remaining portion of the clothespins in your choice of red or pink… though the natural wood tone would look fine with the paper bags if you’re short on time. (I used dark scarlet multi-surface acrylic paint from DecoArt, because it matches my spice racks.) It’s easiest to clip them onto cardboard and just paint one side, leaving them to dry before flipping them over and completing the opposite side.

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You have the option of writing the 14 day numbered countdown with actual chalk (so that they may utilized in another capacity after the holiday) or with a permanent chalk marker that can’t be rubbed off.

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While those are drying, decorate your treat bags. (These plain little sacks were purchased cheaply for ½ off, but you can purchase printed ones if you’d like to speed up the process.) I used a red bingo marker to stamp dots in a polka dot pattern. (See more about this, along with other project ideas in my article on Fast & Easy DIY Hand-stamped Polka-dot Gift Wrap & Matching Gift Crafts.)Let these dry completely before the next step. (You also have the option of stamping a pattern onto the bags with ink or paint.)

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Next, cut out hearts from black chalkboard paper, or use a paper punch in any shape you like, or speedily use readymade chalkboard sticker labels.

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Here is my handy little template to print free at home then cut out to trace around. It’s an easy way to make the same exact heart shape repeatedly. (Just right click the small image above and select print.)

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Adhere the paper hearts onto the bags with a permanent glue stick. Then run a strip of matching washi tape along the base for easily added flair.

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String the dry clothespins onto ribbon, string, jute, cording, twine, or yarn. (I used yarn that looks like twine because three times the amount can be purchased for ⅓of the price.) Once again, use either permanent white marker or actual chalk to write on each heart.

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I chose to write “Be my Valentine!” but “Valentines Day!” or “Happy Hearts Day” would also have fit on the 14 bags. You can also write the names of individual recipients like friends, classmates, or even alternate the names of family members.

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Fill the little bags with anything you like… you can make it as inexpensive or extravagant as you like.

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For kiddos: try candy, stickers, stamps, tiny toys, erasers, inexpensive jewelry… or silly printed jokes you won’t mind hearing over and over again. On the 14th day, think about directions leading to a larger gift like a stuffed animal.

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For adults: try printing faux fortunes, poems, romantic quotes, movie or event tickets, or even homemade coupons for “honey-do” chores or special treats. On the 14th day, think about directions leading to a larger gift like a dozen roses, box of chocolates… or something uber masculine like the latest power tool at home depot.

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This makes a super cute banner decoration as well, and it can be strung just about anywhere using either tape, 2 extra clothespins, or by tying knotted loops at each end of the string.

I ♥ Crafting… Don’t you?!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Feather & Vegan Leather Napkin Ring Craft Tutorial + Easy DIY Centerpiece & Fall Place-card Holders for Oktoberfest

070LeighMaking your own feather and vegan leather napkin rings is an inexpensive way to bring an element of elegance to any gathering, but especially an Oktoberfest celebration of German heritage. Use a stein as a vase for feathers and fall foliage along with feathered wooden acorns to transport your guests to a fanciful fairytale version of a Bavarian hunting lodge. Then reuse the rings and acorns with a different centerpiece for Thanksgiving!

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Start with finding a remnant of realistic appearing vegan leather and feather ribbon trim (these are available from Le fidèLe Design’s fabric affiliates whose links appear in the sidebar). Use a pen to mark the underside of the fabric into 6 inch long strips that are about 2¾ inches wide (vary according to the width of your feather ribbon). Cut them carefully to make a smooth self-sealing edge.

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Cut the feather ribbon into 6 inch strips as well. (If you’re feeling super-crafty… you make this from scratch by gluing individual feathers onto a strip of ribbon, overlapping them as you go.)

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Use fabric hot glue to adhere one end of the vegan leather to the other end, forming a ring.

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Lastly, glue a feather ribbon strip around the middle section of the ring you just made. (How easy was that?!)

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This would’ve cost so much more if purchased from a department store or boutique!

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Next, make place-card holders using simple decorative acorns. (I found these carved wooden types in a 6 pack at 40% off this summer.) I’ve seen various types from burlap and fabric to glittered and beaded… just pick those which suit your linens and dishware best.

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Use a punch cutter to make small gift tags from a parchment-like cardstock, and punch a hole in them (or just buy readymade tags). Use a brown calligraphy pen to scroll on the names of your guests.

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Use a few inches of jute cord (I get mine super-cheap at the hardware store) to tie the name tag and a small handful of feathers onto the stem of the acorn. (Think about adding brighter feathers to the typical fall colors… so that your ensemble doesn’t resemble mulch. I included some teal feathers to tie in with my other décor.)

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Set them into place, and you’re done! The best part is that they can be reused with a different theme because the feather decoration and tag slip right off… however, feel free to glue them into place for a permanent set.

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Make a centerpiece by simply using a steinkrug in place of a vase. (I used my grandfather’s, but a new one would look great too!) Fill it with a few boughs of natural or faux fall foliage and some gathered branches. Tuck in long feathers from the local craft store.

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I set this onto a faux horned tray and placed shorter candles around it. (I got the tray 90% off because it had some broken tips which were easily camouflaged with paint.) Any decorative tray can visually contain the elements into a cohesive appearing centerpiece.

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I then distributed feathers around the outer edge of the tray to coordinate with the others. (Look in the children’s craft section of your local craft store to find a larger quantity of bagged feathers much cheaper than those in other aisles.)

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Time to go download some “oom-pah” music… so kidding! (Click here to see more Bavarian Oktoberfest Party Décor Ideas for a Fall Tablescape)

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

 

Simple Origami Lotus / Waterlily Flower Arts & Crafts Tutorial (Perfect for Pan Asian Themed Décor, Place-cards, & Chopstick Rests)

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This arts and crafts tutorial for an origami lotus flower, also known as a waterlily, is really very simple. I first learned the method from a book in elementary school, and I’ve been making them ever since. I’ve been known to leave them as calling cards, get well messages, love tokens, etc. They also make elegant yet inexpensive table décor because they can be upcycled from any paper. Just write a name on a petal to use them as place-cards then allow them to double as disposable chopstick rests… but expect some to be taken home as mementos from the evening.

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Use any paper you like from traditional origami paper from the craft store, to economical white printer paper like this. (Read my origami crane tutorial to read how to use wrapping paper.) Fold one corner over until it meets the opposite side, and press the crease down flat.

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Cut off the uncovered portion of paper cleanly, using the folded paper’s edge as a guide. You have just made a perfect square without using a ruler.

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Unfold the triangle you’ve cut free, and then refold it using the opposite corners. Now unfold it, you should see an X crease into the square of paper.

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Next take each corner and fold it into the middle, using the X crease as a guide. You just made a smaller square shape.

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Repeat this 4 corner folding again, making an even smaller square.

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Repeat this again, making an even tinier square.

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Now flip it over, and then repeat the 4 corner folding into the center one last time.

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This is the tricky part… place your thumb into one corner of the square, and place the other fingers under the lipped point underneath it. Push in the corner with your thumb while gently pulling the underneath point out. It will flip up and over into a sort of petal. (The right petal in the picture is only halfway done. You can keep pulling gently until it looks like the left petal.) Stop pushing and pulling once the petal has a solid form with a rounded outside edge. Repeat this petal making on all corners.

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Now pull out the four hidden points from beneath.

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This is what it’s supposed to look like, but it may take a few blooms to get the hang of petal pulling.

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This is what the underside should look like. (It’s the perfect place to write a little message.)

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This is one of my origami waterlilies being used as a place-card holder/ chopstick rest. See it in action in my Pan Asian Inspired Indigo Shibori & Wooden Themed Tablescape (Perfect for Luncheons & Informal Dinners).

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Bloom where you are planted!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Pan Asian Inspired Indigo Shibori & Wooden Themed Tablescape (Perfect for Luncheons & Informal Dinners)

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This Pan Asian tablescape makes the perfect theme for the fall transition when hot outside air temps still feel like summer. It was inspired by thoughts of wooden fishing boats sailing upon cool serene indigo waters. Make my Pan Asian Rice Noodle dish as a centerpiece, or just use a small lamp as ambiance for takeout. With origami waterlilies serving as décor, place-cards, and chopstick rests… it’s easy and inexpensive to put together a last minute luncheon or informal dinner.

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The traditional Japanese method of hand-dying cloth with indigo, known as Shibori, has produced a lovely piece to represent serene waters stacked with wooden dishware symbolizing hand hewn boats delivering the sea’s bounty. The vintage carved salad bowl was laden with Pan Asian rice noodles with veggies and creamy coconut milk sauce with cod fish (find my allergy-friendly recipe here). This was set into a blue and white ceramic bowl layered with folded white cloth placed upon an upturned wooden plate as pedestal. A large carved wooden vintage fork stood ready for serving.

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White cloth napkins rested out-of-place inside vintage Philippines carved wooden dolphin napkin rings. The pristine cloth squares also functioned as placemats. Square wooden plates from the same region held lotus blossom and fish plates softened with dyed cloth coaster napkins signifying blue waters. Small vintage crystal glasses with sides that undulated like waves crackled with patterns that emulated the splash of tides.

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Vintage wooden handled forks were presented as an alternative to the colorfully painted chopsticks that rested upon origami lotus / waterlily blooms (see the craft tutorial here) that were marked to double as place-cards.

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Blue patterned and lidded tea cups were transformed into sauce containers when fitted with small wooden spoons and once infusion cups were removed. These were each placed upon small wooden plates as coasters. Oven-baked spring rolls were offered from a ceramic lotus bowl resting upon a batik box fit into a small wooden plate. Blue patterned serving chopsticks were placed horizontally (to avoid the suggestion of funerary incense). Crunchy wasabi peas were cradled by a carved Philippine fish bowl over more cloth coaster napkins layered upon an oblong wooden plate.

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An alternative to a family style setting with the main dish at the center is one with a simple matching lamp sitting as centerpiece. The cord lies hidden by a wooden plate beneath a serving bowl, so that it stays hidden even when the bowl is passed around. For elevation, the small lamp is placed onto a cloth coaster over upturned wooden plates as pedestal. (This kind of arrangement is great to have waiting for an after-work gathering fueled by everyone’s favorite takeout.)

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ありがとうございます。= “arigatou gozaimasu” (= thank you very much in Japanese)

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Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Pepper-Free)

This allergy-friendly creamy macaroni salad recipe is so tasty that no one will be able to tell that it’s vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, pepper-free, and gluten-free. It’s the perfect make-ahead and take dish for everyone to enjoy at picnics or pot-lucks because it’s vegan, celiac and allergy-friendly, and has no egg or dairy to trigger food poisoning… because who would want to be responsible for that!


Ingredients:

8 ounce box gluten-free egg-free elbow macaroni (try Andean Dream rice & quinoa pasta, or any variety)

1½ cups chopped celery (a must for crunch)

¾ cup diced leeks (or spring onions, shallots, red onion)

¾ cup diced sun-dried tomato stuffed green olives (or pimento stuffed olives)

½ of my prepared Creamy Salad Dressing Recipe (For Green Salad, Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad) Gluten-Free, Vegan, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Pepper-Free (Click here to see it!)


Instructions:

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Gather, wash, and chop your ingredients while your pasta is boiling. (I like the Andean Dream quinoa pasta for this recipe, because it doesn’t get mushy when sauced. Follow the package instructions carefully for boil time to keep it al dente.) Rinse the pasta with cool water in a colander after cooking.

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Prepare a ½ portion of my Creamy Salad Dressing Recipe (For Green Salad, Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad) for this macaroni salad. (For a larger crowd, use a whole recipe of dressing with a double recipe of the macaroni salad.)

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Mix everything together well. (Use a soft silicone spoon with a folding motion to prevent pasta tearing.)

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Make both my macaroni and broccoli salads using just one recipe of my creamy dressing. Pair them with a baked chicken breast for a complete meal.

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Make the broccoli and macaroni salads the day before a gathering for even greater flavor as the ingredients have had time to meld… and so you can indulge in more sleep the next morning.

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Take any of my allergy-friendly salads to picnics and pot-lucks, and be assured that no one will go home sick by your hand. (Egg-based mayo + outdoors = food poisoning threat… so not fun for anyone.)

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Remember to keep calm and picnic on!

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Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Creamy Broccoli Salad Recipe with Vegan & Turkey Bacon Options (Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Pepper-Free)

This allergy-friendly creamy broccoli salad recipe is so tasty that no one will be able to tell that it’s vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, pepper-free, and gluten-free. Make it vegan friendly or add turkey bacon to punch up the flavor, and you can even chop the broccoli smaller to disguise it from picky eaters. It’s the perfect make-ahead and take dish for everyone to enjoy at picnics or pot-lucks because it’s celiac and allergy-friendly, and has no egg or dairy to trigger food poisoning… because who would want to be responsible for that!


Ingredients:

1½ pounds fresh broccoli tops (blanched for color & health)

1⅓ cup golden raisins (or purple raisins, or craisins)

1 cup diced leeks (or spring onions, shallots, red onion)

¾ cup sunflower seeds / kernels (raw or toasted)

½ of my prepared Creamy Salad Dressing Recipe (For Green Salad, Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad) Gluten-Free, Vegan, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Pepper-Free (Click here to see it!)

* Optional: ⅓ pound chopped turkey bacon (or vegan bacon, bacon bits, regular bacon)


Instructions:

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Gather and wash your ingredients then dice the leeks. Blanch the broccoli tops in boiling water for a few seconds… or quickly microwave them, I won’t tell. Chop the broccoli into smaller pieces to get your picky eaters to devour their veggies… but you might just want to call it “creamy salad”! (Bagged broccoli tops are an easy shortcut. I used half of a 3 pound bag from Costco.)

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If you’re using bacon… bake, grill, or pan fry it, and then chop it up. (It’s easy to split a recipe into two bowls… one for the vegans, and one for those who think no meal is complete without meat!)

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Prepare a ½ portion of my Creamy Salad Dressing Recipe (For Green Salad, Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad) for this broccoli salad. (For a larger crowd, use a whole recipe of dressing with a double recipe of the broccoli salad.)

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Mix everything together, and refrigerate until ready to consume. (This is such a great make-ahead and take dish.)

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Here is the broccoli salad in its vegan form… no bacon!

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This is the omnivore’s broccoli salad… bacon, bacon, bacon, and more bacon!

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Make both my macaroni and broccoli salads using just one recipe of my creamy dressing. Pair them with a baked chicken breast for a complete meal.

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Make the broccoli and macaroni salads the day before a gathering for even greater flavor as the ingredients have had time to meld… and so you can indulge in more sleep the next morning.

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Take any of my allergy-friendly salads to picnics and pot-lucks, and be assured that no one will go home sick by your hand. (Egg-based mayo + outdoors = food poisoning threat… so not fun for anyone.)

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So just keep calm and picnic on!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Creamy Salad Dressing Recipe (For Green Salad, Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad) Gluten-Free, Vegan, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Pepper-Free

088Leigh

This allergy-friendly creamy salad dressing recipe is so tasty that no one will be able to tell that it’s vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, pepper-free, and gluten-free. It’s the perfect touch for any combination of salad fixings, and a half-portion serves as the base for each of my broccoli salad and macaroni salad recipes. They are the perfect make-ahead and take dishes for everyone to enjoy at picnics or pot-lucks because they’re vegan, celiac and allergy-friendly, and have no egg or dairy to trigger food poisoning… because who would want to be responsible for that!


Ingredients:

1½ cups soy-free vegan mayonnaise (try the Follow Your Heart brand, or any mayo)

½ cup unsweetened vegan coconut yogurt (or any plain or unsweetened yogurt)

¼ cup lemon juice (or lime juice)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or stoneground mustard)

2½ teaspoons granulated sugar (cane, coconut, white, etc…)

2½ teaspoons sea salt (adjust for taste & sodium needs)

1 teaspoon celery seed (a great salad staple for a spice cabinet)


Instructions:

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Gather the ingredients, and feel free to make any substitutions you need to. (I used a healthier mayo and combined it with yogurt to add good probiotics. It also cut out some calories without cutting any flavor at all… trust me, my grandmother would definitely let me know if it had.)

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Mix the measured ingredients well, and feel free to add some of your favorite herbs to complement the salad fixings you’re pairing them with.

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I like using an elegant gravy boat to serve dressing on the side… it’s less likely to end up on your tablecloth!

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This particular salad contains organic romaine lettuce, heirloom cherry tomatoes, prepared beets, artichoke hearts, sprouted pumpkin seeds, dried parsley… and of course my creamy salad dressing.

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My Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Pepper-Free) uses a half portion of my prepared creamy dressing.

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Also using a half portion of this creamy dressing is my Creamy Broccoli Salad Recipe with Vegan & Turkey Bacon Options (Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Pepper-Free). Chop the broccoli into smaller pieces to get your picky eaters to devour their veggies… but you might just want to call it “creamy salad”!

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Make both my macaroni and broccoli salads using just one recipe of this creamy dressing. Pair them with a baked chicken breast for a complete meal.

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Make the broccoli and macaroni salads the day before a gathering for even greater flavor as the ingredients have had time to meld… and so you can indulge in more sleep the next morning.

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Take any of my allergy-friendly salads to picnics and pot-lucks, and be assured that no one will go home sick by your hand. (Egg-based mayo + outdoors = food poisoning threat… so not fun for anyone.)

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Just keep calm and picnic on!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

DIY Picnic Heart Napkin Rings & Customizable Banner + Pinwheel Craft Tutorials (+ Free Printable Templates)

Craft your own colorful indoor picnic party quickly and inexpensively with scrapbooking paper, ribbon, and dimensional stickers! Use them to create your own customizable banner and pinwheels with my free printable templates, and then make DIY heart napkin rings to up the ante…. taking your picnic from average to outstanding!

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My heart napkin rings utilize dollar bin dimensional chipboard stickers that were decoratively crocheted (which I actually purchase half-price at Le fidèLe Design’s affiliate Michaels). The scrapbooking section of your local craft store always has items such as these which are made with sturdy materials, whose pretty looks belie their price points.

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Find coordinating colors of wire ribbon and bias tape to tie together the set of differing stickers. (It’s like using different photos with matching frames to give a cohesive look to a home gallery.)

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Cut 6 inch lengths of both the ribbon and bias tape. (Bias fabric tape is a sewing product, but makes a beautiful trim for this project. You can also use a thin ribbon in its place.) Pull the sticky dots off of the sticker backs. (Place them on plastic packaging to reuse for dimensional card-making later.)

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Glue the bias tape across the center of each wired ribbon strip, making sure the tape doesn’t have a flap open… if so, glue it down too. Next, glue one end to the other by laying down a thin line of glue onto one short-side edge, and then press the other end onto it. (Press it down hard… using silicone finger cots if utilizing hot glue. I’ve use hot glue, fabric hot glue, fabric glue, tacky glue, universal glue… and it all worked beautifully.)

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Take advantage of the wired ribbon’s staying power to form perfectly round circles for your rolled fabric napkins to slide right into. (Wired ribbon is the perfect base as it has a clean finished edge without needing to fold and glue.)

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I made a set of 8 different heart napkin rings to mix and match according to my tablescapes (and it only cost me a few dollars).

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Here they are featured in my Colorful Indoor Picnic Party Tablescape Perfect for Rainy Days or Texas Temps, because in my world, a picnic is the perfect excuse for crafting! (Note the heart stickers were also placed on the drinking jars.)

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Make your own banners quickly using my free printable template to cut perfectly precise pennants from any scrapbook paper matching your theme décor. Finish them of with chipboard stickers like those I used on my heart napkin rings.

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Print the template by first clicking on the picture above. Next right click on the image and select print. Choose a text or black and white setting to conserve ink. Cut out the two triangles.

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Trace around the triangles with a pencil onto the back of the scrapbook paper. (Use them to conserve paper by flipping them until you maximize the number of triangles per sheet.) Now cut out these triangles. (Save the leftover bits for card-making later.)

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Glue a smaller triangle to the center of a larger one of a contrasting color. (A permanent glue stick works beautifully with less mess.) Punch a hole next to each top point of a glued pennant.

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Place a dimensional sticker onto the center of each pennant. (Try to use contrasting colors to make a more visually interesting combination.)

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Use any variety of string, twine, yarn, or ribbon to run through the punched holes. Knot each end into a loop to hang them by. (To do this, form a loop then make a simple overhand knot.)

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For additional flair, tie small lengths of thin ribbon in between each pennant. Hang it up for an extra dose of cheerful festiveness!

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Next, let’s make matching pinwheels for décor or children’s play.

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Either fold over an edge of scrapbook paper to form a box that can be cut out, or… print a template to quickly churn out pinwheel bases. (The templates are great to enhance a young kiddo’s tracing skills.) Click on the picture above, then right click on the resulting image and select print. Choose text or black and white settings to conserve ink.

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Cut out a single square from double-sided paper, or cut 2 squares of the same size for single-sided paper.

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If using single-sided scrapbooking paper, glue them back to back with a permanent glue stick. Or, you can do as I’ve done here by cutting one piece, gluing it to the plain side of another, and then cutting around the box… which I think is easier.

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Next use a ruler to draw a line with a pencil, from one corner across to the other. Cut along this line, but leave a half inch or so at the center making 4 flaps.

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Take the right corner of each flap and glue it onto the center. Decide if you want them to be functional or just décor. For décor, use cardstock and hot glue the whole thing onto a paper straw then glue a paper flower onto the center… and call it a day. For functional pinwheels, use thinner paper and weaker glue. Push a tack into a thin wooden dowel cut about a foot long… not pushing it in all the way in order to leave some room for the paper wheel to turn on.

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‘Cause nothing says happy picnic like a pinwheel!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

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P.S. See all of these projects in action in my Colorful Indoor Picnic Party Tablescape Perfect for Rainy Days or Texas Temps!