Wedding Wednesday: Adorable DIY Favour Ideas!

I think that favours are probably my favourite wedding element. They not only help you personalize your special day, but they're also a lovely way to thank your guests for making it so special. I have compiled a few of my favourite wedding favour ideas from my favourite wedding bloggers.

This first idea combines my love of favours with my love of terrariums. It would be simple to do with some fishbowl vases from your local craft shop and some succulents from your local garden store. Throw in a few shells or river rocks, and voila! I was considering this as an option for my own wedding, but I think it would be really well suited for an eco-conscious wedding or a woodland theme. Find out more from Martha...it's her idea after all!



This lovely idea would be the perfect way to showcase fabric or paper that incorporates your colour palette for your day, and as a bonus, it would double as a centrepiece...just be sure there's one per guest (vary the height and volume for visual interest) and be sure guests know they're meant to take them as they leave. I found this idea at I Do It Yourself...check out this resource...it is amazing and invaluable with tons of free printables and great ideas.




These DIY ice cream favours from Style Me Pretty would be perfect for an outdoor summer wedding.



These matchbox covers are a classic idea...You can find the template here and you can mix and match computerized fonts and designs or you could go really wild and calligraph your own..hooray for typography!



Finally, since the importance of presentation cannot be overstated, I have found some lovely cut and fold boxes (including the butterfly one below) here to put something lovely into...like, oh, I don't know...some truffles or Parisian macarons...



Happy crafting!

Simple and Delicious: My Mom's Apple Crisp

Nothing warms a home like the smell of cinnamon and apples baking away in the oven. I sincerely love making apple crisp...especially this recipe.

For the topping you will need:

1/2 c all purpose flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1/3 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c cold butter cut up

For the filling you will need:

6-8 Granny Smith apples (enough for about 2 inches of apples in an 8 inch square baking dish)
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp butter (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the topping except the butter and stir to combine.



3. Add in cut up butter, and using your hands work the butter into the ingredients until it is well-integrated. The topping should form pea-sized crumbs.



4. Set the topping in the fridge until you are ready to use it.



5. Peel the apples (bonus points if you can peel them in one coil...it's a game I like to play...I know...but I can't help it)



6. Core the apples. I use a melon baller for this task...waaaay easier.




7. Slice the apples, and in the baking dish, toss them with the sugar, flour cinnamon and nutmeg meant for the filling.



8. Dot the apples with the butter for added richness...or skip the butter...it's optional. Sprinkle the reserved topping on the apples.



9. Bake at 350* for 50-60 minutes



10. Enjoy!



This is delicious served with vanilla ice cream as a simple dessert. It's also stellar for using up apples that are too soft to eat out of hand...I've been eating it for as long as I can remember and it never gets old.

Welcome 2011

I must admit, I am sad to say goodbye to 2010. With a wedding, honeymoon, new job, lots of new friendships forged and the acquisition of a soda stream, it will be hard to top. I am moving forward into 2011 with the sole resolution to get more organized...luckily for me, an unfortunate NYE accident has rendered me house-bound, so I'll have a lot of time this weekend to put my plans into action. Lots of closets to clean out, and unused items to give away.

As you may know I love to meal plan, I am currently using this lovely scribble menu planner from the lovely, artistic folks over at Ollibird.



I am planning to make it more permanent by printing it onto magnet paper and laminating it, so it can hang out on my fridge.

This lovely alternative option offers a bit more space and more organizational possibilities.



Click here for the link to download these yourself and laminate them or throw them into picture frames to track your own meals. Also, visit Ollibird for more cool downloads (free!) and tutorials. Their Etsy shop Loveland Miscellany by Ollibird is also worth a visit...it has some super-cute, unique and affordable art prints for sale.