Give a Little Bit

(image via hello lucky)

Today is going to be a long day. I am up extra early and am probably going to have something with a shot of espresso in it shortly.

In wedding related thoughts, I've been looking into sites like this. You can register through them at various stores and you can pick from tons of charities who get a percentage of the sales.

Question: Are guys all registering? Where? And for what?

I never claimed to be a good photographer

So as brides.com keeps reminding me I have 350 days left until the wedding. I worked on some crafts this weekend ( not as much as I had hoped but I always seem to set ridiculous goals for myself which are not actually doable in the set amount of time).

I made a small garland to try out the colors and see how it would look hanging.





My main issue is how see-through some of the fabric is. I'm not sure if anyone else notices those things but me though.



Also, I thought this way pretty creative/$$ saving idea. I wanted to make flags to have people wave after the ceremony and when I was cutting the fabric for the garland, there were little triangles left and I thought they made sweet little flags.



I think I want to make some kind of bridesmaid thing with these. They are yellow silk flowers I bought at Michaels with crafts leaves. I also am thinking of investing in some fun feathers for them too.

Below is the ring pillow I made.





I am pretty happy with it. I like how the felt flowers came out.



I was going to attempt the cake toppers this weekend too but I was thinking I should probably wait until I know how I am wearing my hair and what Ry is wearing.



I am making boutonnieres with these. I am trying to figure out if I am going to use any fake greenery/craft leaves with them or just add pins and ribbons. Your thoughts?

Now off to see a matinee!

Happy Friday!

(image via awkward family photos)

Goals this weekend:

*Don't leave the house
*Sleep
*Clean
*Make Crafts

Almost Friday

It's time for 'stuff i like thursday':





Don't you just love these headbands? The ruffles especially tug at my heart. You can buy this and more awesome accessories/paper goods at HeartofLight's etsy shop.


I like this idea more than the price. I feel kinda bad saying that since it is for charity. I'm sure you've seen the tom shoes ads ( i think it might be within a cell phone ad). For every pair of shoes you buy, one is donated to someone in need. They are now making wedding shoes but they are $54. I feel the same way about these shoes. I love the idea but I maybe don't see myself wearing gold slippers down the aisle (relaxing in them or going to target is a different story). However, the sseko shoes would be adorable bridesmaid shoes. What do you think ladies??



Oh Martha! Such an excellent idea! Then when you have leftover radicchio, you can make this.

P.S. What are your thoughts on this?

***Important Update: this totally works with a bunch of celery too (i found this out much to my delight when I was cutting it into sticks!)***

procrastinating is my specialty

I'm glad we're halfway through this week because it is kicking my butt. I'm exhausted every night by 9:00. Work has been crazy. I've eaten birthday cake almost everyday since Friday. This weekend I am for real hoping to start making some wedding crafts (I know, I know). I have been making lots of other crafts but I need a break from those. For one, I want to take a break and start wedding stuff and secondly, project wedding keeps emailing everyday with a countdown and it's making me bite my nails a little.



Please check out the rest of this wonderful wedding here. I love the little details of those hearts. And the bride is too cute.

Also thanks to Miss Catherine for this:


The shoes look kind of like the anthro ones but are only $20. Fabulous! They remind of the shoes in the Smitten article but I know they cost less then jcrew flats too. How about them? Are they wedding-y enough? I could always bedazzle them.

Hair-Dos, Hair-Don'ts

So I think I have decided that I want my sister to do my hair and make up for my wedding. She is sort of awesome at it and I would love to have that time with her before the ceremony. So as of late, I'm been looking at many hairstyles:



(both images via green weddings shoes)

I have to say I'm a sucker for the little braid. I like these styles but may make the braid smaller if I use any of them.


(image from here)

Who knows if my hair would even do this but I sure do like it. I may have fallen victim to liking a hairstyle because the woman the hair is attached to is gorgeous. I had the same trouble when looking at dresses.

Thoughts? Likes/dislikes?

I don't like Mondays

Its only Monday morning so I have nothing new. So here is some inspiration to start your week off right!





(both images via i-diy)

2 good envelope liner idea. Good to know I am not the only one who thinks about this stuff.


(image via once wed)

Love those pictures in a picture.


(image via black eiffel)

This made me think it would be very cool to have us standing before a wall and drawing on a veil and bouquet and maybe a top hat. Wouldn't that be great?!?


(image via once wed)

Her blue dress is fantastic.


(image via black eiffel i think)

I love the wonderful simplicity of this invite.

Can we discuss how awesome this is??????

All images via Cheap Chic Weddings. All dresses made of toilet paper!!!!

Still Anxious After All These Years

(image via black eiffel)

Question: Am I a slacker because I have no new wedding stuff to report and my wedding is under a year away?

I saw some of the extended family today at a cookout and everyone asked me about the wedding and it was making me a little nervous to have nothing new to report

Another thing freaking me out: Etiquette

I mean seriously. Stressing out about how to word the invites? Stressing out about ( i mean losing sleep over) the guest list? I realize I am overly anxious person but is this how everyone feels???


(image via ritzy bee)

This picture is starting to sum up my thoughts on perfect decor. Am I a nut for loving the haystack seats??

And now for some super awesome links!

Gift (welcome) basket ideas
Shower favor idea
DIY timeline
Bulk flower links (in some news I suppose: my aunt who knows everything there is to know about flowers (also my godmother) has offered to help me figure out the floral madness that goes along with weddings. excellent!)
Great thank you gift
Gorgeous engagement photos
Another great article on size 10+ brides
idiy does it again!
I am beginning to adore queen anne's lace as a bouquet option
More gorgeous photos
And you should probably check this excellent site out. Thanks, Offbeat!

p.s. why do i want excellent to be spelled with an a? spell check went crazy after i wrote this

Happy Friday!

today is my fiance's birthday!

I am so excited to be his wife in less than a year (holy moley) and I hope we have kids that are even half as cute as this.

Ode to Liz

My best friend is amazing. We met in junior high band. She is my moral compass, helping me solve such dilemmas as "is it okay to buy maternity shirts if they only cost $1 and I am not pregnant?" or "am I a bad person if i go to bed at 7 pm?" today she sent me an awesome etsy site. because she rules. her ridiculously cool sense of style/craftiness is one of the many reasons i am so happy that she will be my maid of honor.




(can be found here at ballandchain's etsy shop)

I love faux bois. On pretty much anything. Could this be a wedding band? It would be awesome I think.

Your thoughts?

Deep Breaths

(image via le love)

So I was feeling a little down in the dumps this morning. Stomach cramps = no treadmill. I also think I am a little overstimulated by wedding things right now and maybe need a little time to decompress. My next few weeks are busy and I'm thinking that stressing out over the future, the wedding or money will do nothing but wear me out. Also its crazy humid and I'm sweating to death.

What do you guys do to relax during wedding stress/everyday stress?

I Can't Believe It's Only Tuesday

(image via once wed)

Day 2! Did the treadmill. Did a preset workout "rolling hills" and it didn't kick my butt like I thought it would (it was the preset I used to do when I used to work out everyday). Should I up the ante already??

Found both of these shopping on Nordstrom last night:



Both are under $100 which is good but I have no idea why i thought it was a good idea to go to their site. I think some shirts at Marshalls are too expensive. Also I saw wonderful brands with $400 price tags (mostly kate spade) so why tease myself?? I also made a wishlist on Anthropologie of dresses I like that are too expensive. Also, I'm already brianstorming Christmas gifts and I've been looking at baby crafts online too. What is wrong with me????

Success!

Day 1 of plan! Woke up and did the treadmill for 30 minutes at various inclines. Is it a bad sign that my arm hurts but not my legs?? Do I burn extra calories because this horrific humid weather made me sweat buckets? Did I burn any extra calories chasing my cats around the house trying to prevent them from catching/killing a mouse?

That's a lot of questions for a Monday morning.


(image from here)

You Got to Rock Yourself a Little Harder

So I have to say I have had a pretty productive weekend! Lots of car rides with the beau listening to Josh Ritter's The Animal Years. Yesterday morning I went to TJ Maxx to spend my gift card and actually bought some wedding related items.

I picked up:
*yellow candy
*bridesmaid gifts
*apothecary jar

and some random stuff for myself. I spend some kind of embarrassing amount of time there but I am a very thorough shopper who rethinks all her purchases.



The middle jar is the one I got yesterday for only $5! They also had a bunch for $10 but I might shop around for cheaper. The two smaller glass vases I got from my office because they were going to toss them.



I bought a couple packages of these too. The sticks are a good bargain because they are about 0 ina pack and I can use them for the candy cones I want to make with the whirly pops. I probably have to invest in more soft lemon candy since I don't think I bought enough to fill anything. I'm a sucker for this sweet packaging too.



These are just very cute bride and groom (cups?) that my boss gave me. I love how dapper this duo is!!

Also:

Good laugh

Great sandals, good cause

I love how cool this bride is

Honey Buns

(image via black eiffel)

Last night, I went to my bosses for dinner and was pleasantly surprised with an impromptu engagement celebration for me & Ry. Mosquito bites + delicious food + gifts+ laughs= fabulous friday night. Also all the food had a honey theme (as in me and Ry are honies, how sweet is my boss? Also did I just accidentally make another honey pun??). If I did not have that to go to, I would probably have gone home and gone to sleep at 8 pm. It is always nice to get gifts you should probably own but you never got around to purchasing (nice oven proof ceramic bowls with lids, nice cutting board, etc.). Everytime I opened something I was like " wow! a new set of plates! I will so be throwing out my plastic melted plates from ocean state now!' But the gift I am super jazzed about this morning is the fabulous $50 tj maxx gift certificate. what what.


(image from here)

Also, this is the cake my bosses' husband make for us. What? How rad is that????

I have a party later but this gift card is burning a hole in my pocket. Must spend cash....

P.S. 1 Year, Baby!

Happy Friday!

(image via le love)

Have a great weekend everyone! Are the next couple weeks as crazy for you as they are for me? Mid-September I am going to sit back, relax and do nada.

Bonus! Some good links:

Love these outdoorsy details

More good details

Affordable Vintage Jewelry!

Mid Week Slump

Lets sum up Wednesday:

cake + no sleep + love blogs = me sitting in my sweatpants watching some trashy mtv show

I have been crafting up a storm (however not wedding related) but it is getting me in the crafting mood. I have made several baby gifts ( stuffed animals & more!) and I made dog toys late last night for my co-workers birthday today ( she has 3 dogs whom she adores).

This weekend I am again busy so I'm thinking I may get around to making wedding stuff come September. Also, I was going to go check out wedding cupcakes the other day but the bakery was closed.

So heres some things I like:

(image via anthropology)

shoes I can't afford but adore ( picture me cursing and shaking my fists)

(image via you are my fave)

Ever since eating a s'more last weekend I have fallen back in love with them. I saw these a while back in a wedding and then I saw them again the other day. I also know Miss Pickles Press makes outstanding packages for 'wedding s'mores'. So cute!

(image via with this ring)

I like the fabric backdrop idea. But I am also still in love with doing some kind of 'sweet stuff' banner between jars. I could probably do both without being crazy. It may work better since I don't know if I will have more than one cupcake displays to hang from.

I want to go to there:

Paper hearts

Fun wedding

Things on My Mind

Sorry about all the lists but it is how I operate

1. lets get in shape already! I admit some of my pants are feeling looser but it is because I am eating less not working out. So here is my goal and maybe if I type it it will become real: in a week when my summer schedule ends ( I work extra during the week with Mondays off, going in at 7:30 instead of 8:30 with a short lunch), I will continue waking up early and do my treadmill in the morning.

2. how sweet is this? I am picturing those cute raccoons announcing a wedding :)


(image via mint)

3. this is definitely making me re-think my hair idea. Really re-think them. Your thoughts?


(image via cup of jo)

3. Sigh....Just very nice, nothing else


(image via with this ring)

Go to these!!!

This whole wedding is amazing

Great article. I can sympathize since when I went dress shopping my size was the biggest size at the store. I'm sorry, no one above size 12/14 gets married???? The best part was when they also told me the dresses ran small. Jeez Louise.

So this wedding is really cute but the music is the best part!!!! friends with stephen merritt? how do i do that? please seriously!!!

Hot dog carts at a wedding? Yes please!

Red penguin strikes again! Love it.