tipsandsolutions

Four Useful Ways To Use Stickers

Stickers are wonderfully versatile embellishments! They come in a variety of styles, themes, and textures, and they stick to just about anything: paper, wood, or metal. Here are just a few sticker ideas to spark your creativity. There are so many interesting ways to use stickers, so pull out your scrapbook supplies and start sticking!

Checklist

• A Lifetime table
• A Lifetime chair
• A variety of stickers

Steps

1. Use letter stickers to add words to your layout. Create an eye-catching title, include a decorative drop cap at the beginning of your journaling, add a simple monogram, or position a word across a photograph. For my layout Those Eyes, I mounted letter stickers on square epoxy stickers to make my title really pop off the page.
2. Anchor stickers for added stability. Try mounting stickers on tags or cardstock and attaching them to your layout with brads,eyelets, or ribbon, as I do in my layout A Merry Little Christmas. This prevents stickers from looking as though they are floating in space.
3. Use stickers printed on clear poly to avoid white outlines. Some companies print black words and images on clear poly, allowing you to create accents that match any page. Adhere these stickers to patterned paper, ribbon, or metal embellishments-the possibilities are endless.
4. Add dimension with textured stickers. Try using epoxy, cardstock,canvas, and other textured stickers. This will add depth and interest to your pages. If you don't have textured stickers, mount flat stickers on cardstock and adhere them to your layout with dimensional adhesive, as I do with the boat and button stickers in my layout Those Eyes.

Those Eyes by Angie Randall Supplies: cardstock by WorldWin and Bazzill Basics; patterned cardstock, letter stickers and boat stickers by Doodlebug Design; epoxy stickers and pen by EK Success A Merry Little Christmas by Angie Randall Supplies: colorblocked cardstock by All My Memories; patterned paper and stickers by O Scrap; letter stamps by PSX; epoxy letter stickers by Creative Imaginations; brads by Scrap Arts; chalk and pen by EK Success; tags

Host a holiday feast with classic style and grace.

Now that you’ve decorated the tree, it’s time to decorate the table! Whether you’re planning a Christmas feast for two or twenty, this party plan is a sure ticket to dining in elegance. Invite your guests to a holiday dinner that welcomes the spirit of Christmas with class, style, and grace. Most of the materials can be purchased at a building supply or home improvement store and your local department store. The glass architectural blocks form the shape of a Christmas tree and have a wonderful effect—your guests will think you’ve gone to the work of sculpting a tree out of ice! Along with the tall candles, the ice blocks give the table dramatic height, and a sophisticated look. 

Checklist

• Lifetime banquet table
• Lifetime folding chairs
• A red silk tablecloth and white linen napkins
• 21 glass architectural blocks
• Earthquake or museum wax
• 11 glass votives and glass balls
• A wreath and small weight
• Artificial snow
• Tall red or white candles and candlesticks of various heights
• White Christmas lights
• ”Christmas tree” napkin rings: Paper towel rolls (1 or 2), a variety of small green beads, and rubber cement or hot glue gun
• Red Christmas ball ornaments
• Glass bowls (fish bowls work nicely)
• Small white flowers, preferably with flexible stems or vines
• Clear or red berry wreaths (one per glass bowl)

Steps

1. Place red silk tablecloth and white linen napkins on your banquet table.
2. Make the “Ice Block Christmas Tree” – At the back edge of the buffet, line up 6 glass blocks, end to end, placing earthquake or museum wax in between each block. Next, center 5 glass blocks on top of the first 6, affixing with wax. For the next layer use four blocks, then three, then two, and finally one block. You now have a Christmas tree shape made out of glass blocks with five small ledges on either side. Remember to affix each layer and each block with wax.
3. Place a small glass votive candle holder on each ledge and top with a red glass Christmas ball. Surround each with a sprig of holly. Place a final glass ball on the top of the Christmas tree. You will need a total of 11 glass votives and glass balls.
4. To hang a wreath in the center, tie a wreath with heavy weight fishing line and thread it in between the top two glass blocks. Tie a weight onto the end and let it hang. This will hold the wreath in place.
5. Surround the glass Christmas tree with artificial snow, more glass balls and red candles.
6. If you want the glass tree to sparkle from behind, tape a string of white tiny Christmas lights to the backside of the tree and plug in.
7. Make “Christmas Tree” napkin rings: Glue the ribbon onto the cut towel rolls. Allow to dry, and then glue beads and sequins onto the ribbon in a ½ inch circle, layering it to cluster and form a Christmas tree shape. You may have to do this in stages, allowing the glue to dry before adding another layer. The idea is to make a 3-dimensional “tree,” with a chunky, clustered look. The more layers you make, the more chunky the tree will look. Allow to dry overnight. Glue a sequin “star” to the top of each Christmas tree.
8. Set the glass bowls on top of the clear berry wreaths, and bend the white flowers so that they fill the glass.

Tips

• Glass Blocks can be found at any home improvement or building supply store.
• Make a dessert table using a 5 foot round Lifetime table, covered with red silk, velvet, or felt fabric. Arrange the desserts on additional stacked glass blocks, adding height and interest to the table. Surround with candles and artificial snow.

Free Downloads

• Printable recipe: Christmas Gift from the Kitchen.

Ring in the New Year with flavor from the Far-East!

It’s time to table your traditional New Year’s Party and try something from the Far East. Whether you celebrate Chinese New Year, or you just want to put a twist on your New Year’s celebration, you’ll love this party plan. Send out these interesting invitations to pique interest, then impress your guests with rich and elegant Chinese décor—all with minimal effort. In a quick trip to the Chinatown in your area, you can get most of the materials you need to get started. Chinese New Year’s Eve is translated “Change Eve.” Embrace change with this fun and unique party!

Checklist

• Two 8ft. Lifetime Tables. Put them end to end to form one long banquet table.
• Lifetime folding chairs: enough for each guest
• Red Doupioni silk fabric, large enough to cover your table and go to the floor.
• Inexpensive black or red Chinese silk pillow covers. (Go to your local Chinatown, they usually come with a tassel on each corner and measure about 15 inches square.)
• Handmade invitations: Mailing tubes, Red and Gold paper, Gold tassel, Feng Shui coins (one per guest), Glue stick, Fortune cookies (optional; 2 per guest), printable Chinese Luck symbol.
• Chinese chopsticks
• Shiny red plastic cylinder vases
• Chinese decorations (paper fans, Chinese lanterns, figurines, Chinese robe, etc.)
• Red Gerber daisies and green berries
• Either all black, white, or red dishes

Make Invitations

1. Cover small round mailing tubes with red and gold paper.
2. Print out downloadable Chinese Luck symbol from your computer using red, white, and black Chinese-themed paper.
3. Glue it to the center of the tube.
4. If you'd like, glue a Feng Shui coin at the top (for extra luck!).
5. Thread a small gold tassel through the lid opening, attaching the invitation to it so when the recipient opens the mailing tube, the invitation comes out attached to the lid!
6. You may want to put a fortune cookie inside, as well, or better yet, write your own fortunes!

Set the Table

1. Cover your Lifetime Table with red Doupioni Silk. You may have to sew two pieces together to make a cloth large enough to go to the floor.
2. Use the inexpensive black or red silk pillow covers as your placemats. Simply lay them flat on the table.
3. Put the Gerber daisies in the cylinder vases filled with water and set them in the center of the table.
4. Add atmosphere by setting out the Chinese decorations on the table or hanging them from the ceiling and walls.

Tips

• To get wrinkles out of your pillowcase placemats, simply lay them on a flat surface (other than your silk table cloth) and mist with a spray bottle filled with water. As they dry, the wrinkles will start to disappear.
• Use your Lifetime Table as a workspace to make the invitations. Have all your materials ready before you start.
• Give them an authentic experience! Fold the table legs under and place your table on 2 ft. high blocks of wood, cover with the silk fabric, tucking the ends under the table. Place cushions or pillows on the floor around the table and invite your guests to sit and dine!
• Try printing the menu on your computer and placing it on the table. Use a font like Copperplate or Kunstler Script. Dress up the menu with a motif (perhaps a Feng Shui coin theme) that matches your party.

Quon Mon's Asparagus Beef

Serves 4

• 2 cups fresh asparagus (cut diagonally into 1/4 inch slices)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 4 T. peanut oil
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 lb. flank steak (cut diagonally into 1/8 inch slices)
• Chinese salted spiced black beans
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. Hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• asparagus liquid
• 1 T. cornstarch

1. Place the fresh asparagus into a saucepan of boiling water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove asparagus and retain the cooking liquid.
2. Heat the peanut oil in a wok until smoking. Add the flank steak, season with sea salt and quickly sear the meat. Remove meat from skillet.
3. In a bowl, mash together the black beans, garlic, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, and ginger. Place mixture in the wok and add a cup of the reserved asparagus liquid. Cook for about 4 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with a little bit of cold water, then add to the black bean mixture and stir until sauce is thickened.
4. Add the beef and asparagus and cook for about 1 minute. Serve on top of hot steamed rice or noodles.

Free Downloads

• Printable Quon Mon's Asparagus Beef recipe.
• Printable Chinese Good Luck Symbol.
Posted by Charly
Tables and chairs, celebration