This is something a little different that what you guys are used to from me – but it has a purpose!
Sometimes I get into these really happy praise moods and this wallpaper is the result of one of them! As I read through Isaiah this morning
Browsing Tag
essiedoessummer
Hi everyone!
This year I’m especially thankful for the support and love I’ve received on the blog and the Insta!! To say thank you, I’m having a Black Friday sale.
Shop at my Etsy shop using the code ESSIETHANKS25 to get a 25% discount off all items in store. Hurry while stocks last!
I have mixed feelings about the Thanksgiving season because it makes me miss my family in Ghana, but then I also know that should we be given the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving – we for sure will NOT lol. It’s not a Ghanaian holiday. I do love me some Turkey though!(not the bland kind, please keep that away from me ugh)
I know I’m getting ahead of myself with this Thanksgiving Dinner cocktail but I’ll do anything for Pimm’s. Speaking of Pimm’s, America, let me introduce you to Mr. Pimm’s. It’s a very popular liquor in the UK (my bestfriend buys it anytime he visits from London – shoutout to the real MVP) and it’s hard to imagine why it’s not a big deal over here too. Anywhoo, it’s really good. More like amazing. And you can get it in some liquor stores in the US!
I have a very serious fixation with triangles. It’s something even my mother noticed when I was a child. But it’s a very valid fixation – triangles are a creative’s best friend. The clean lines and sharp angles make any design look 100x better – case in point, these freebies.
Both of these feature my new favorite saying, “Carpe the damn diem, girl.” (This may or may not be my email signature).
*This iPhone wallpaper is available at my Etsy shop ($1.99) it is no longer free for download 🙁 (It was for one day only on 11/16)
The To-Do list is a great way to get organized for the day – print 2 copies on one A4 paper and enjoy using the to stay organized! Unlike the iPhone wallpaper, this printable will be available for download any time. Click here to download.
p.s. This week I’ll be doing a DIY post on how to make the geometric mug you see in the picture above – so dope, right?
I hope you enjoy these – I know I will. Show them off on Insta/Facebook with the hashtag #essiedoessummer and I’ll show you some social media loooove.
I’m not a fan of the rush into “holiday season” right after Halloween. Like, let me enjoy Thanksgiving for a sec before we start singing ‘All I want for Christmas is You’, yes? But also I like to be what I call ‘seasonally prepared’ so I understand why people get started so early. So for the first time ever I’m doing my first Christmas DIY in November!!
I’m trying to switch things up by sending out more thoughtful cards/notes for Christmas to my friends and family, so what better way to do this than by hand making my cards. It’s a very nice personal touch. I’ll be making a variety of cards so I’ll be sure to share the how-to for each one! Read to the end to find out how much this project cost me.
What you need:
- Blank greeting card
- Green cardstock in 3 shades
- Brown cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Marker/calligraphy pen (not pictured)
Cut 3 different sized triangles out of the green cardstock. Cut 3 different sized rectangles out of the cardstock.
Stick the brown cardstock on your blank greeting card first, then the triangle – so that they look like teeny christmas trees. The tree in the center should be the most prominent.
This is optional but you can also cut out a star (or a circle like I did) from gold cardstock and place it at the top of the middle tree.
Write ‘Merry Christmas’ – or your message of choice – on the front of the card. Letter your card in a style that’s easy for you.
And that’s it! It’s super easy and the tutorial gives room for your own personal style.
How much this project cost:
I had glue and scissors lying around (and this is assuming you do too!) so the real cost came down to the cardstocks.
-Green cardstocks = 60 cents each ( I bought them in a pack at Michaels)
-Brown cardstock = free, yes FREE. There was brown paper in a package I’d recently received so I used it for the project. Look around your home for pasta boxes, brown envelopes etc.
-Blank card = $1.00 from a paper shop in New York
-TOTAL: $2.80
Are you making personal gifts this season? I’d love to hear them in the comments!
There’s nothing like a handmade greeting card to make someone feel special. When I have nothing else to do I (let’s face it, I mean procrastination) I make cards and wait for an occasion to pop up where I can send one to somebody. Speaking of pop-up, these cards were inspired by a sweet little card I saw in a bookstore near Columbia University.
This is an easy DIY and it’s pretty much zero effort if you additionally have an electronic cutter. I recently got myself a Cricut machine and I’ve been going crazy with it. I’ve cut out about everything from all colors of paper – sue me.
Anywhoo, in this tutorial I’ve included some FREE printables that will help guide you if you do not have an electronic cutting machine. I’ll be showing you how to make a whopping TWO cards so Go on and get to creating!
What you need:
-Cardstock (preferably something with much more weight that ordinary paper)
-Exacto knife – you won’t be needing this if you have a cutting machine
-Glue
-Colorful gift tissue
-Large hole paper punch
-Gold paint
-Small paint brush
Step 1:
For card one (left in the image of the two cards), click here to download and print your free cutout file. This card is the pop-up card.
For card two (on the right), click here to download and print your free cutout file. This is the confetti filled-card.
Step 2:
If you have an electronic cutter, go ahead and use to downloaded files to make cuts, no need to print.
If you don’t have a cutter, this is where your elbow grease will be required. With card 1, cut the entire ‘YAY’ shape out of your yardstick by following the outline. With card 2, cut ONLY the black lines printed on your cardstock. This is so that you have a foldable side on the bottom of the letters.
Step 3:
Get rid of unwanted pieces. Fold card 2 at the bottom of the letters (the area you left uncut) so that they pop out of the card
~~~
The next few steps will be specific to only one of the cards so make sure you’re working on the write one – although there are pictures to guide you so you know.
Card 1:
- Put a small amount of gold paint on your brush and paint your pop-out letters in faint strokes. You want to leave some of the white areas showing for that “paintbrush effect”.
- Allow to dry for 10 mins and voila, you’re done!
Card 2:
- Punch out holes in your gift tissue with the hole punch.
- Write whatever message you want inside the card.
- Paint glue on the inside of the card as close to the edges as possible. Don’t use too much glue or you’ll create a mess when you seal the card!
- Place the confetti inside the card, avoiding the glue on the edges.
- Seal the card. You want the card recipient to have to rip the card open – this is what makes the confetti jump out at them!
Whether it’s for a birthday, to say congratulations or just because these cards make an excellent and thoughtful gift. I can’t wait to make more variations and send them to everyone I know! I might be listing these in my Etsy store also, depending on response so watch out for them.
Spread the confetti.
xoxo,
Essie
I’ve been trying to get back on a regular schedule of making DIY tutorials and set a goal for myself, but this thing is HARD yo! School always takes priority for me so I find that the times I am most unproductive on my website are often the times I’m most stressed at school. I’ll try to do better y’all – I know how much you guys love the DIYs.
Greetings everyone!
I’m back in the U.S. after my too-short trip to Ghana. It was eventful, it was relaxing, it was everything! And for the first time in my life…IT HAPPENED. I met someone at a party and introduced myself to her, and she immediately said, “Don’t tell me you’re Essie Does Summer!”. I wish it was appropriate to have done a dance when she said that, or I’d have done it. Life achievement unlocked!
After coming back from such an amazing stay, the last thing I wanted to put up with was negativity. Now New York isn’t exactly the place to be if you want to avoid negativity – and people had already stated to annoy me. So I took the decision to JUST DO ME! Not everyday other peoples’ melancholy, sometimes good vibes.
And maybe you needed this reminder today. It’s a wonderful thing to put others before yourself but once in a while we all need to be selfish. Sometimes unplug and focus on you. It’s necessary!
Keep doing you, homies,
Essie