good day sunshine

advent calendar tutorial {via the ardent sparrow}

how amazing is this do-it-yourself advent calendar from the ardent sparrow? it definitely beats anything i've seen in the stores this season!

you can see the full tutorial here.

if i can do it.. {fall-ish candles}

i feel like i keep out-doing myself when it comes to the word easy. not to mention, quick! at this rate, y'all are going to expect how-to's that you can do with one hand tied behind your back, in your sleep, and under a minute. but seriously.. this is the easiest tutorial yet. grab a clear glass vase, a chunky candle, and a few handfuls of assorted whole nuts. voila! you're totally done. and doesn't it look perfectly fall-ish and like you'd want to put one in every room of your house? oh yeah.

if i can do it.. {festive fall hanging flower ball}

hey.. that rhymes! i'm all about super easy tutorials, and here's one that literally takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. and it's inexpensive, too!

what you'll need: {one} a small styrofoam topiary ball available at michael's.. i used one about 5" in diameter {two} ribbon or twine {three} scissors {four} fake flowers from your local craft store

first, measure your ribbon according to the length you'd like the ball to hang. cut it accordingly and tie it around the middle of the topiary ball. because of the texture of the ball, it tends to cling, but if you'd like a little extra security, you can run a bead of glue along the equator of the ball. the fake flowers i chose easily pulled off from their long stems, but if you need to cut yours, simply use your scissors and leave about a half inch end as shown.

next, simply poke the flowers into the topiary ball and keep going until you've filled up the entire thing. the amount of flowers you'll need will depend on the size of the flowers as well as the size of the ball itself.

when you can no longer see the surface of the ball.. you're done! hang it from a chandelier over a festive table setting, use it as a different kind of door "wreath", place it in a large bowl as a low centerpiece. heck, you could make a bunch of little ones and hang them on your christmas tree as an unconventional ornament! they're super lightweight, so they won't weigh down your branches!

this will last you forever since it's made with fake flowers, but you could absolutely use real ones with a ball of floral foam soaked in water and fresh cut flowers {inserted with toothpicks}. make it your own! if you decide to make one of these festive flower balls, share your photos with me on the good day sunshine flickr stream!

if i can do it.. {faux washi tape}

sure, there are plenty of places online to buy decorative tape, but if none of those happen to suit your fancy, why not make your own? this tutorial comes from the lovely heidi, who runs the etsy shop, marmalime.

what you'll need: masking tape, wax paper, mod podge, paint brush, scissors, and thin paper {such as sewing patterns, crepe streamers, or tissue paper}

first, lay a piece of wax paper on your work surface and attach strips of masking tape. make sure you leave space so there is room to work on each piece individually. second, paint a think layer of mod podge that evenly covers the entire strip of masking tape. carefully attach a section of pattern paper, tissue paper, or other thin paper. {the green in the image is a leftover crepe streamer from a kid's birthday party and has a fun wrinkled texture when it dries.}

smooth out the paper so there are no air bubbles. use your finger, a brayer, or just the roll of tape to press it down evenly. repeat for all the tape strips. another layer of mod podge can be added over the top of the paper to seal it, or you can just leave the natural paper texture. stamps and markers can also be used to decorate the tape and make it a little more colourful. if you do plan to write on the tape, i recommend sealing it because markers can bleed and look messy. once the mod podge is dry, flip the wax paper over so that it is easier to see the edge of the tape strips.

use scissors or a rotary cutter and ruler to cut the tape out. make sure you leave some wax paper on the end of the strips so that it is easier to peel the tape off later. and now you have your own diy washi tape!

look at all the uses heidi came up with for her faux washi tape! labels for tiny bottles, an extra decorative layer of binding on a notebook, a pretty envelope and clothespin, a colorful package {made with the crepe paper streamer shown earlier}.. the possibilities are truly endless!

thanks again to heidi for the instructions and photos for this awesome tutorial! make sure to stop by the marmalime etsy shop to see all of the beautiful upcycled and recycled goods she offers!

if i can do it.. {fruity flower arrangements}

who knew a piece of fruit could make such a cute little vase?! these simple and quick arrangements will add color and whimsy to your dinner table.. and you can totally eat them afterwards!

simply choose a pretty piece of fruit {i used apples, oranges, and pears} and carve out a small hole in the top, big enough to fit a few stems inside. a small sharp knife works just fine, but a corer would probably be easier. select some flowers from your garden {or your local farmer's market or grocery store} that compliment the fruits or that match the color scheme you're going for.

cut the stems of the flowers so they're short enough to insert into the hole. one big flower looks great by itself, or if you've chosen smaller flowers or buds, you can use several to make it a bit fuller.

group them together on a plate for a dramatic centerpiece, or place one at each place setting for your next dinner party. they're great for seating arrangements as well.. simply take a piece of card stock, print or write your guest's name on it, tape it to a toothpick, and insert it in the fruit along with the flower{s}.

thinking about trying this? i want to see! take photos of your finished product and post them to the good day sunshine flickr stream!

if i can do it.. {decorative pie crust leaves}

here's another super easy autumn tutorial for you! these decorative pie crust leaves are rustic, colorful, and tasty! start with a simple pie crust. i used a store-bought one, but if you're a whiz in the kitchen, feel free to whip one up from scratch! cut out several leaves using a stencil and a knife or a cookie cutter.

next, make an egg wash by stirring together egg and water. {how many leaves you cut out will determine the amount of egg wash you need.. but a little goes a long way. typically, for each egg you use, add a tablespoon of water.} place your cutouts on a bit of parchment paper, and brush over the raw leaves with the egg wash. next, divide the egg wash into three small cups and add a few drops of food coloring to each one to make orange, red, and green.

this is a loose process similar to watercolor painting. brush each of the three colors on in layers, starting with the lightest {orange}, moving to the medium tone {red}, and finishing with the darkest {green}. move the leaves to a clean piece of parchment paper and put on a baking sheet. set your oven to 400 degrees and bake them for 8-10 minutes. check them frequently to make sure they're not burning. don't worry if they start to brown a little.. it just adds another layer of depth to their prettiness!

place them on a slice of pie to dress it up and make it a little more festive.. make them part of your tablescape by setting them around a pumpkin or a gourd. if you decide to make these for yourself.. take a photo of your finished product and post it to the good day sunshine flickr stream!

and as always, don't leave any excess pie crust! after you've finished cutting out your leaves, sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on the scraps and bake them at the same time as your leaves. that leaves a little snack for you to munch on while you're decorating!

if i can do it.. {pumpkin bird feeder}

introducing a brand new series here on good day sunshine! i always say, if i can do it.. anyone can! so, without further ado, here's a super easy tutorial for a festive fall {and all natural!} bird feeder. enjoy!

i used a small decorative pumpkin, but any type of gourd would work just as well! here's what you'll need to get started:

{one} large sharp knife {two} lollipop sticks or wooden dowels {three} string {four} pumpkin or gourd {five} birdseed {six} scissors

first, you'll need to cut the top off of the pumpkin using a very sharp knife. tip: don't grab the stem of the pumpkin because as i already found out for you {you're welcome}, it has thorns. they're tiny, but they hurt! use a spoon {or your hands!} to remove the insides. next, take your scissors and make a starting point to poke your sticks through. i used lollipop sticks {which were extremely inexpensive from michael's}, but you could use small wooden dowels if you have them available. this creates a landing perch for your birds. you'll need two fairly long sticks. make a cross in the center, with one inserted higher than the other as shown below.

now, to hang it! use any kind of string you have around the house. i had some hemp that i doubled and tied around each of the four perches. hold the pieces up and cut the excess, making sure your feeder is level. now all you have to do is find the perfect branch, add some birdseed, and wait for your birds!

just a day after i hung mine up, i was able to get this photo of a cute little chickadee enjoying the feeder! so cool. if you decide to make this for yourself and your birds, post a picture to the good day sunshine flickr stream!

oh yeah! and don't just throw away those pumpkin seeds! i roasted mine in the oven at about 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes {stirring occasionally}. you can flavor them any way you want.. i used a bit of olive oil and regular salt. yummm.

stay tuned.. the winners for last wednesday's giveaways will be announced in just a few hours! get your last minute entries in if you want a shot at the goods! 

{leen machine} {poz-art} {time passages}