First, who out there likes to feel stylish at a BBQ or picnic during the summer? Me too! Today I have a new tutorial that is just in time for those outdoor summertime meals.

The second thing I’m excited to tell you about is….. well, you’ll have to keep reading to find out!

Let’s begin the fun tutorial! Today’s pretty craft is a DIY Picnic Utensil Holder:

Isn’t it a fun idea to dress up plastic utensils? I think this is great if you are throwing a country style soirée or a BBQ on the beach.

They are so colorful and the looks you can create are endless. So whatever the occasion might be, decorating an outdoor eating area with these DIY Picnic Utensil Holders is sure to be a hit with your guests.

Here are the supplies you will need:

2 pieces of scrapbook paper with different designs

Scissors

A pink ruler (P.S. pink rulers measure better, it’s a fact)

Double-sided tape

The first thing you want to do is cut out two shapes with different patterned paper.

One shape needs to be a 5.5″x5.5″ square. The other shape needs to be a different patterned paper and measure 5.5″x8″

Step two is where your pink ruler comes in (or is it just me that keeps an awesome pink ruler on hand?).

You need to use the straight edge of the ruler to make a crease on BOTH sides of your square.

Note: the crease needs to be 1/2″ thick, so it’s best to sketch a little pre-measured line where you need to make the crease. The benefit of using a ruler to make a crease is that you will get a much sharper fold as opposed to trying to fold it free hand. You might notice that the back of my flowered paper has that pretty black and white stripe design. I actually picked out a double-sided scrapbook paper for this project:)

On to step three. After you’ve made even creases on both sides of your square, you will now slide the rectangle paper into the creases of your square paper (this is why the measurement of your crease is so important!).

Here again you can see that the scrapbook paper I used is double-sided and has the stripe design on one side and the flowery design on the other.

Step four is where the double-sided tape comes in. I love double-sided tape! I don’t love it more than my Lucky Glue Gun, but that’s because my glue gun is just that….lucky!

Enough about lucky glue guns, back to the directions-

Secure the two sides AND the bottom together with some double sided tape. This kind of tape is strong enough to hold the plastic utensils. As you can see below, I manipulated the tape so that it’s not showing (and let’s face it, if your guests can’t tell that you used tape, they’ll be even more impressed with your paper masterpiece!).

Step five is completely optional.

I cut out strips from both patterns of paper that measured 5.5″x 1″. Using that same crease-with-the-pink-ruler-technique, I secured them to the center of the paper holders using a little more of the fabulous tape. Personally, I think this extra little step gives you a look of coordinating perfection!

There you have it friends!

Slip in a matching paper napkin and some plastic utensils and you’ve created something to feel proud of when you’re entertaining outdoors this summer!

Remember that I mentioned I had TWO exciting things to share with you?

Well, one day a little while back the Senior Style Editor of All You Magazine in New York contacted me about having one of my DIY projects published! GASP! So, the magazine had my pretty lil’ project shipped over to New York for a professional photo shoot and you can see it in the magazine out on shelves across the country right now!

Plus, there’s a little voting process going on and I would love (and I mean just LOVE) for you to vote for me.

Wouldn’t you know it that my project is made of roses…….I mean……how perfect is that considering where you find me today?!?!  Check it out on All You Magazine’s website!