Print your own Post-it notes

Surprise somebody with messages left in drawers, stuck on mirrors, or hidden in suitcases with this printable template. You can print the page on colored paper and cut out the notes, or get fancy and turn these into custom Post-it notes.

Click to download the free template.

[Update! A revised version of printable post-its to use in the office.]

If you plan to print your own sticky notes, here's how:
1. Print the PDF on regular paper at 100% size.
2. Place a sticky note in each square and press it down firmly. Make sure corners are lying flat.
3. Put the paper back into your printer* and print the file one more time.

*ONLY TRY THIS if you understand how paper is fed through your printer. The top edge of the notes (where the adhesive is) should be pulled through the printer first or you're asking for a paper jam.

Fill in the blanks and leave notes throughout your house.

DIY cut-paper Valentine banner

Hi, Friend sent me a link to their free template to make this Valentine's Day fiesta banner. So nice! And so time-consuming. You'd better get out your X-acto knife immediately. Do it. Tell your boss you've got better things to do, go home, and start cutting right this instant.

P.S. This would be a great DIY garland for wedding receptions, too.

Oscar party decorating

If you need a quick DIY decorating idea for an Academy Awards party, you might like Ty's film-wrapped candles. This project uses old negatives wrapped around flameless LED candles. (Get them 3 for $1 at Dollar Tree.) Me, I'd be tempted to wrap film around the outside of glass candle holders and use real tea lights inside. I know you oughtn't, since film is flammable (as folks aggressively pointed out in the comments on Ty's project) but I like to live dangerously. I've got a million tea lights and zero LED candles.

Update: I wrapped some photo negatives around a glass votive holder and put a real candle inside to test it (see image). Burned it for over two hours. The glass got lukewarm to the touch, but nowhere near hot enough to melt anything. The glass was pretty thick, so that helps. I'm not telling you to do this. Don't sue me if you start your house on fire. I'm just reporting my experience; do with it what you will! And never leave a burning candle unattended.

Printable 2013 Oscar ballot and bingo game

The Oscars are on February 24th. Whether you're hosting an Academy Awards party or planning to lounge on the couch in your PJs, it's fun to mark predictions on a ballot and try your luck at Oscar bingo.

Folks at your party will be counting the number of winners on stage, hoping the presenters will botch their lines, and cheering for the orchestra when it cuts off a speech. Movie theater gift cards, boxes of popcorn, or little Oscar statuettes from a party store make good prizes.

A bingo refresher: The first person to mark off five squares in a line wins. It could be a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line, and the center square counts as a freebie.

There are 20 different game cards in the downloadable file. Save the PDF to your computer, open it in Adobe Reader, and print the number of pages you need at 100% size. (Then select the best sheet for yourself, of course.)

Download the Oscar bingo game
Download the Oscar ballot

Like every year, my standard disclaimer applies. It might be possible to get a bingo ten minutes into the telecast, or maybe your group won't have a winner at all because my psychic powers have failed this time.
Good luck!

To join the bingo mailing list for future years, sign up here.

Treat yo self to orange

Therapeutic benefits can be obtained from admiring pretty orange things. In case you need to treat yo self, to quote Tom Haverford, here are some orange ideas.

Treat Yo Self print, $24. (That episode of Parks and Rec cracked me up. Alex and I still enjoy saying this to each other.)
Dress, $74.99
Jute and leather wallet, $54
Striped sweater, $34.99
Personalized pencils, $7.50
Scalloped pencil case, $22
Paper clips, $4.50
Vintage mug, $5
Purse, $19.99
Cocktail shaker, $29.99

DIY geometric felt heart garland

I had some stiffened felt left over from this box project, so I cut out some quick, freehand hearts with an X-acto knife.

Geometric shapes are trendy right now. So are ubiquitous chevron patterns, but polka dots are going to overtake those zig zags soon, mark my words.

But back to the felt. E-Z Felt is stiff and sturdy, and about $2 a sheet at my local craft store. It's very forgiving to cut, since any slices that accidentally overshoot the corners of a cutout won't show.

Stringing these hearts on twine is easy since they're full of holes. Really big hearts could be used as trivets or coasters, too.

Wallpaper déjà vu

People who like black wallpapers with white scripty lettering: have another! I found a twin to yesterday's free download. Grab your complimentary tribute to java here at Dear Coffee I Love You, and adorn your desktop, iPad, or iPhone with lettering by Simon Ålander.

Hand-lettered wallpaper for devices

My current desktop wallpaper is this lovely creation by Dave Foster. Download your own copy for desktops, tablets, and phones right here from The Fox is Black.