Olio in Iowa

My must-see vendors at Renegade Craft Fair Chicago

I’ve written about my love for Renegade Craft Fair before, and this weekend I’m headed east for a quick stop in Chicago before heading on toward Connecticut. Coincidentally, Renegade’s September market will be taking over Division this Saturday and Sunday so it only makes sense to make a trip before I leave town.

While I’m a sucker for Black Dog Gelato, there’s also quite a few vendors on Renegade’s fall roster whose work makes me swoon. Before I hit the streets to (most likely) spend any of the money I managed to save over the summer, here’s a look at a few of the vendors I’m most excited to see:

1. Alisa Bobzien

AlisaBobzien

I’ve loved Alisa Bobzien’s works since I bought one of her Ruth Bader Ginsburg Valentine’s Day cards for a friend earlier this year. Did I mention she also has Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman cards? Yeah, pretty fantastic.Continue Reading…

DIY: Tassel Garland

All Rights Reserved Megan BannisterEven after about nine months in my apartment, I’m still figuring out the best places for things and how to style my space. While I still haven’t decided on a whether or not I want a headboard (today I’m leaning toward yes), I recently found an easy—and crazy inexpensive—DIY to spruce up the blank wall above my dresser.

You’ll find tassel garlands of varying sizes all over Pinterest—from birthday parties to home decor—these crete creations are everywhere. I settled on a more scaled down version that matched my other bedroom decor and affixed the garland to my wall with matching washi tape I found at Target.Continue Reading…

DIY: Valentine’s Day Tea Bags

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

I’m not necessarily a huge fan of Valentine’s Day—besides the increased amounts of chocolate and adorably themed decorations at Target, that is. I am a fan of surprising the people I care about with sweet treats though, especially in the spirit of Galentine’s Day.

For those who don’t know, Galentine’s Day is the creation of the one and only Leslie to honor her favorite lady friends. Or if you’re more inclined to relate to another favorite NBC lady Liz Lemon, these tiny tea bags are perfect to share with your gals on Anna Howard Shaw Day.

So in honor of Leslie Knope, Liz Lemon and celebrators of Galentine’s Day everywhere, now you too can gift festive, handmade tea bags.Continue Reading…

DIY Eats: Peppermint Marshmallows

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

I’ve been dying to try these peppermint marshmallows forever. Since I got a candy thermometer for Christmas (dream big, you guys), I decided our recent polar vortex was the perfect time to do a little marshmallow making.

I may have even put a marshmallow or three in my coffee the next day…Continue Reading…

Last Minute DIY Gifts for Everyone on Your List

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

I’ve found that most people fall into one of two holiday gift-giving camps—either you’ve had the perfect gifts for everyone on your list since mid-October or it’s a week before Christmas and you’re still scrambling to find that special something. While the latter occasionally applies to me, I hate feeling like I’m rushing to get my holiday shopping done.

So in the hopes of making everyone’s holiday a little bit easier, here are eight easy DIY projects to consider for any last minute gifting situations that may arise.
Continue Reading…

DIY Eats: Fudge Ecstasy Cookies

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

I’ve never been much of a talented baker, but ever since I can remember, my mom has always been able to come up with incredible, delicious baked creations. These fudge cookies are one of her latest marvels and I’m slightly obsessed.

Especially in this holiday season of baked goods and tasty treats, these cookies are quick, easy and perfect for gifting to anyone on your holiday list.Continue Reading…

DIY: Photo Coasters

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister Lately I’m in full DIY mode—especially considering Des Moines had its firs substantial snowfall of the year on Sunday—and there’s no better time for lots of crafting than around the holidays. I absolutely love the idea of these photo coasters for a holiday gift—they’re wonderfully customizable and extremely affordable.

What you’ll need:

  • 4-by-4 inch ceramic tiles — Easy to find at hardware stores like Menard’s or Lowe’s for about 16 cents each
  • Printed photos
  • Mod Podge
  • Small foam brush
  • Valspar gloss sealant
  • Adhesive felt pads

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister The first step of this project is to choose the photos you’d like to turn into coasters. I’m a big fan of Walgreens app for printing photos—especially Instagram photos—directly from my phone. They have a 4-by-4 inch photo option that is perfect for this project in particular. (Plus you can use the code RMN34 through the end of 2013 to get 34% off all photo orders!) I decided to trim my photos so the coasters resembled Polaroids, but you can really cut as little or as much as you’d like. If you’re interested in the Polaroid look, I trimmed by photos to 3 3/4 inch width and 3 1/4 inch height.

After applying mod podge to the back of each photo and placing it on the ceramic tile, let dry for at least 30 minutes. Next I covered each tile completely with mod podge, letting each coat dry completely before applying another. In the end, I found that three coats was enough to secure the photos.

When mod podge is completely dry, spray coasters with high-gloss sealant. Be sure to do this in a well-ventilated area and give tiles at least an hour to dry. Depending on desired effect two coats of sealant may be necessary. After tiles are completely dry, flip over and attached felt pads to each corner of the tile to prevent scratching and increase stability.

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

DIY: Typography Coasters

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

Lately I’ve been all about making my tiny apartment feel a little more like home. Though I’ve lived in my current building for almost six months, it feels like I’m just starting to get settled. As I’ve decorated my new space, one thing I’ve struggled to find is a good set of coasters.

While I really like the aesthetic of the Scrabble coasters I made awhile back, the super glue doesn’t hold up so well for wet or sweating glasses and causes the tiles to move and buckle—not ideal for coasters. So when I saw these corkboard coasters on Pinterest, I knew I could make a set of my own without too much trouble.

What you’ll need

  • Cork board
  • X-Acto knife
  • Printed templates

Once you get started, these typography-themed coasters are actually incredibly easy to make. The most difficult parts—at least for me—were finding the correct size for my templates and carefully separating the cork board. Choosing which font you’d like to use is also a major decision—I picked Times New Roman.

After trying out a few different sizes, I settled on size 300 bolded type for the larger icons—@ and &—and size 450 for the #. Once you have your icons printed, overlay them on corkboard and carefully cut with an X-Acto knife. After you’ve traced the entire shape, remove the paper stencil and retrace the lines cut into the corkboard. Be very careful when separating your coaster from the extra cork—this is where you’ll have the most trouble with breaking or crumbling.

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

Halloween DIY: Blossom

Blossom For about a year now my friends have been fairly opinionated when it comes to my celebrity doppelganger. While it originally started with comparisons to Amy Farah Fowler from “The Big Bang Theory,” looking back at some of Mayim Bialik‘s earlier TV appearances it was pretty clear that I could also pass for Blossom, ’90s sitcom tween (and lover of ridiculous hats).

So when my friends and I decided to celebrate Halloween at a ’80s & ’90s themed party—at one of my new favorite places in Des Moines—it didn’t take me long to come up with the perfect costume.

Growing up my mom made every single one of my costumes. Now that that’s no longer the case I still can’t bring myself to drop major cash on a Halloween costume that I’ll wear once and likely never look at again. So I raided by closet for the perfect Blossom outfit—using the photo above as inspiration.Continue Reading…