Wheat Blossom

Upholstery 101, possibly 99

2011-08-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, my beautiful mama visited for a couple days to help me tackle some projects around the house. At the top of my list was creating an upholstered headboard for our master bedroom. It was actually the only project we tackled, because it ended up being a bear. It wasn't crazy difficult, it just took a little more time than I expected.

{step one}

The day before my Mom arrived, Nate and I headed to the hardware store and purchased a sheet of particle board. He used a jig saw to create the curves, and some other saw to cut it down to King head board size. It ended up being about 6'2" long and we kept it's original height of 4'.

{step two}

After much debate at the fabric store about whether to stick with the beautiful fabric I originally bought from fabric.com or to go with a simple linen look without a print, we decided to go the more complicated route and stick with the original. Isn't it pretty? We also bought some batting and foam rubber for padding.

{step three}

Next we created a pattern to help us cut the foam rubber to the shape of the particle board. We taped some craft paper to the headboard and trimmed the excess off.

{step four}

I didn't want a lot of bulk around the curves of the board, so we traced the pattern for the foam rubber about 2 inches in from the edge.

so the new pattern looks like this!

{step five}

Next, we placed our new pattern on top of the foam rubber, traced it with a sharpie, and cut it with scissors. We then sprayed the wood down with adhesive and placed the foam rubber on top and let it dry for 30 minutes.

{step six...and seven and eight}

After letting the adhesive dry, we decided to take another look at the fabric. We realized that in order to make the fabric long enough for the pattern to make it across the length of the board, we would need to cut 6 inches off the bottom of the board, then cut the fabric in half (vertically) and sew three panels together. This meant we had to match the pattern back up after cutting. This would be the step that put the other projects on the back burner. It was a doozie.

{step nine-ish}

Once the panels were sewn together (which probably deserves it's own separate post), we brought the board in and placed it foam side down on top of the batting. Then we pulled the batting tight around the edges, stapled it all around, and trimmed off the excess. The staple gun is my new favorite toy.

{step ten}

There was no time (or patience, to be honest) left to take pictures during the next step, which was stapling our newly reconstructed fabric to the headboard. Since our fabric was patterned, it was important to keep it centered while stapling. So instead of laying the board down on top of the fabric on the floor, my Mom propped it up and kept the fabric in place while I stapled.

First we found the top center of the board and the fabric and started stapling there on the back of the board. We did most of the top, then found the centers on the bottom and stapled there while pulling very, VERY tight on the fabric to prevent any sagging. We worked our way around and had to do some strategic cutting and pulling around the curves. Between the tugging, heavy duty stapling, and tripping over the dog into a pile of sewing pins, we definitely burned a few calories during this step. By the end we were very pleased with the final product.

Master bedroom pre-headboard:

and the after!

It's still propped up on the mattress, but the plan is to add some brackets to the back, lower it about 6 inches, and hang it on the wall. I really like the headboard, but I'm not sure I love it with our bedding. It feels like the tufting on the duvet/shams is competing with the pattern on the headboard. Maybe we just need more pillows. Suggestions are welcome!

While the cat is away, the mice will...

2011-08-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

install hardwood floors! While I was on my European vaca, Nate was installing hardwood throughout our main floor. Let me tell you, next to his handsome face, that was quite possibly the best thing to come home to! Since we moved in over a year ago, we have been dreaming of this installation. The carpet was by no means awful, but next to our Bleeker Beige {Benjamin Moore} walls, it left the main area of our home feeling, well, like a big beige box. And the light color wasn't exactly great at camouflaging dirty little puppy paw prints.

Our first step was to find some inspiration, so I did some browsing on Pinterest and a few of my favorite blogs. Here are a couple we loved the most.

{pinterest, originally from countryliving.com}

{milk & honey home)

After we figured out what we were looking for {dark, rustic, and a little "knotty") we headed up to Lumber Liquidators in Spokane and decided on a handscraped, engineered birch:

{lumberliquidators.com}

We loved it's handscraped finish and random imperfections, and lucky for us they had enough in stock to take it home that day!

Now for the before and afters. Before I left for my trip, our living/dining room area looked like this:

Well, not exactly like this. This was actually the day we moved in. So no furniture or bleeker beige yet.

Another view...

And a pic of the lovely linoleum in the kitchen.

I have definitely seen worse linoleum, but I was still pretty excited to get rid of it.

Now for the afters (taken at my friend's baby shower, hence the extra decor and seating)...

No more beige box, I'm loving the contrast! The dark gray fireplace wall adds some depth to the room too. Things are coming together :)

Europe lovelies

2011-08-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

Finally! A little sample of my trip across the pond.

lovely London town

view of Neuschwanstein Castle from our hike in the German Alps

The Duomo in Florence

Fira on Santorini, Greece

For my first trip to Europe, I am so glad I got a little sample of four different parts of the continent. However, I must say that Italy was my hands-down favorite spot. You can't go wrong with that combo of sun, beach, gorgeous design, pasta, fish, oh...and the wine.

Next up, a peek into what the Mr. was up to while I was away. Hint: he got some serious good husband points :)

Design Sponge at Home

2011-06-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

Have you pre-ordered your copy yet?

http://www.designsponge.com/

It will be on my doorstep September 12th. While I was at it, I added this one to my shopping cart too.

amazon.com

How could I not? It was suggested after all, so I pretty much had to comply. It's like shoe shopping at Nordstrom. You ask to try on one pair, and the handsome salesman brings you 3 more "because he thought you might like them too". I usually do. Tricky bastards.

While we're on the subject of books, I just picked this one up for some beach reading on my vaca.

I've heard it's pee-your-pants funny. Can't wait to start reading!

Wood you rather...

2011-06-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

hardwood or carpet? While I'm away taking in the sights across the pond, Mr. W will be hard at work installing our new hardwood floors...something I've been dreaming of doing since we moved in. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have a man who enjoys a good DIY project, and is good with power tools. Love him.

While I enjoy the warmth and cush of carpet, I really prefer the rich, classic look of hardwood floors. They are incredibly versitle, working with so many different styles and time periods. I tend to lean towards darker/rustic looks. Here are a few shots from my inpsiring pinterest board...

This might actually be the exact floor we decided on...might be a little darker but that texture is spot on. The depth between the boards just does it for me.

pinterest via isabellaandmaxrooms.blogspot.com

Love the knots in these boards. That rug ain't half bad either.

6th street design school

Dark and gorg.

pinterest via country living

This look completely steals my heart.

And the winner is....

2011-06-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

neither! Not long after posting the final purse contenders for my Euro-trip, I noticed a Free People ad sitting in my inbox. I'm usually quick to delete my daily advertisements but I thought I might as well check it out, and when I did, this is what I found:

She meets all of my size/cross body/color/price requirements so I snatched her up right away and she was in my mailbox 4 days later! So quick! And in a very cute paisley patterned package to boot!

This word art was recently featured on the fp blog, and it could not be more perfect for my upcoming adventure.

Oh my goodness. I can't wait. 8 days :)

Battle Royale

2011-06-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

I started mentally packing for my Euro-trip the day after baseball season ended. My mind had been so consumed with their travel plans that I really didn't have time to get excited about my trip until I could put all of that in the books. Now it's pretty much all I can think about. My pinterest addiction is no help.

It's really unfortunate that I "need" to buy a new purse for this vaca. I've been told by many a world-wide traveler that it is important to have a cross body purse so you can keep all of your valuables as close as possible. I've narrowed my choices down to these two beauties from Urban Outfitters, which also happens to be one of my favorite decorating resources.

{Option A}

I love this little guy because it is simple enough to look nice with anything I might wear. I've spotted top handle bags everywhere lately and I'm loving their vintage feel.(Side-note: My packing list is still in progress, but I'm thinking there will be a lot of sundresses considering space limitations in my carry-on...did I mention we're not checking any bags for a 2+ week vaca? I pack 2 weeks worth of clothes for a weekend trip. It's gonna be interesting.)

{Option B}

I like that this one is a little less structured and an inch or two shorter. I'll be toting it around everywhere we go so it can't be too bulky. It's a bit slouchy too. I'm not sure why that seems like a perk, but it does. It's also less expensive ($39!) and would probably work with most outfits as well. The only downside I see here is it's color, could get a bit dirty.

Either way, I need to make a decision today since we're leaving in 15 DAYS! Holy Moses, that's fun to say/type outloud.

Any travel/packing advice would be much appreciated!

Mantel Inspiration

2011-06-13T23:22:00.000-07:00

Since slathering our fireplace wall in Dragon's Breath by Benjamin Moore, I've been dreaming up ways to further beautify the space. Here's what has been on my mind...

Would love to do something rustic like this for the mantel, and I'm loving the fresh flowers bunched together in simple little vases.

{milk & honey home}

I think the antique gold of this mirror against the new deep charcoal gray paint would look beeeautiful.

{anthropologie}

This guy would add a little personality, and he might add a masculine touch for the Mr. There's no way his real version is making an appearance in our living room. He's lucky to have found a spot in the garage.

{urban outfitters)

I like how the giant monogram is the same color as the wall behind it. Subtle. And I want this book. Real bad.

{amazon}

One or two of these throws would look super cozy draped across my new/old wooden ladder antique store find. It's currently leaning up against the fireplace wall, but it looks a little naked.

Pretty little jar.

{anthropologie}

I love lamp. I mean lanterns.

{pottery barn)

Pinning. Please do not disturb.

2011-06-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

Currently scheming a way to make pinning my full-time job. I know I'm not the only one. Baseball season is over, and I have a lot more time on my hands. But there are few things I would rather do with my time these days...does that make me lazy? I don't care. Time for yoga? Sorry, I'm pinning. 10 minutes late for dinner? Well, it'll be at least 20 more. It's a half hour past happy hour? Yeah...that one might win.

Anyway, while I've been slacking on the blog front, I have been quite ambitious on the pin front. If you're not following me yet, what the heck are you waiting for? Check it. www.pinterest.com/mrslw

You'll find awesome pics like this that inspired me to surprise attack my fireplace with a gallon of paint 2 nights ago...

Request an invite today. You'll love/hate me forever.

3 things I love today...

2011-05-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

This style blog is lovely - weddings, interiors, design. Erin is a girl after my own heart.

Love this look. And Rachel.

Kate does it right everytime. This would be a lovely anniversary gift...HINT, HINT.

And the winner is...

2011-04-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

Sabah!

And the best part? It was a mutual decision by the Mr. and I. It was a truly shocking moment. I laid them all out in front of him, and he picked this as his fave before I even had a chance to force my opinion upon him. Now if I could only change his mind about an exposed brick wall...I'll take what I can get.

The only downside is Sabah is back-ordered until a yet-to-be-determined date. Kind of annoying.

On another note, I bought these shoes:

Aren't they amazing? Just wanted to share. They're Classiques Entier from Nordy's.

On yet another note, have you watched Design Star winner Emily Henderson's show, Secrets of a Stylist yet? Love. Her. And her show. It is really inspiring. I just watched all 5 of the DVR'd episodes and fell for some custom curtains {among other things} she did for one couple's living room using a ticking stripe fabric. I think I might copy her.

image via Pottery Barn
That's all I have for you; a random compilation of the things I'm loving right now. Have a lovely week!

You know it's baseball season when...

2011-03-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

...you get one post a month out of me! That's right kids, baseball season is in full swing - lame pun intended - and I am a busy little bee. I haven't had a day off since sometime in early February, but I'm loving every minute of it! I'm traveling a ton and getting to know the state of California on a whole new level, speaking of, could you Californian's order some sun?! That's why we come to visit you! I'll be back again on Wednesday so go ahead and take care of it by then, please and thank you.

Anyway, while the job is a blast, I have had some serious design cravings over the past few weeks. For example... it was a Thursday. We had returned home from a trip the previous Sunday, and I had been working furiously in the office preparing for the next go around. At approximately 1:30 p.m., I had this vision of our master bedroom in a darker paint color... and I could not shake it. Seriously. I wasn't getting any work done because I couldn't stop thinking about the perfect taupe-gray-with subtle hints of brown that needed to be on my wall right that instant. So I acted very professionally/rationally and waited to go home until my work was done...

OK fine, no I didn't. I packed up my things, strutted to the parking lot, headed straight to the paint store, made a bee line home and slapped 3 different shades up on my bedroom wall...and none of them were freaking right. I have been very upset about this since last Thursday. But I realized about an hour ago that I probably shouldn't pick a paint color before I pick fabric for the headboard anyway, so I ordered some swatches...about 15 minutes ago. This impulsive behavior is not normal for me! The cravings are taking over. Anyway, here's what I purchased:

bedazzle

carmen

kamala kilim

sabah

spicer hvy basket

villa medici

I can't wait for them to show up! All are from Lewis & Sharon Textile Co. I'll post some pics when they get here, but you might have to wait another month...fair warning ;)

Vavavooom

2011-02-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

It's almost Valentine's Day... some love it, a lot of people hate it. I'm not too opinionated about this certain Hallmark holiday, but I do love one thing that comes along with it...lingerie. Whether you're happily married, dating, single, or maybe it's complicated, don't you just feel prettier when you're sporting a cute pair of panties?? Even if you're the only one who sees them?? You know you do, sassy pants.

Anyway, I came across the Frou Frou Fashionista blog while reading the lovely Rue magazine the other day, and just had to help spread the good word. Mother/daughter team Gail and Alison Rubke opened Faire Frou Frou in 2005, and I'm a little jealous. I would looove to own a boutique filled to the brim with lacy, silky, girly pieces. Take a peek at one of their rompers below, paired with some more v-day inspired lovelies.

Clockwise beginning with super-cute romper: {faire frou frou by Stella McCartney}, {chaise lounge from Urban Outfitters}, {Perrier Jouet via elitechoice.org}, {champagne glass from anthropologie.com}, {cocktail ring from Betsey Johnson)

Can't stop thinking about....

2011-02-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

DIY headboards. I've been wanting to tackle one since I found this DIY not long after we moved into our home, last spring. Time to get on it.

This color board has been sitting in my "bedroom inspiration" file for a while now. I of course lean toward these neutral colors, but all of those textures and patterns make it interesting and lovely. And the wallpaper headboard? So crafty.
{http://www.designsponge.com/}

I really like the shape of this one, and the nail head trim. I've heard that stapling the fabric to the back while working around lots of curves can be the hardest part, so this seems less intimidating.

{http://www.inthefunlane.com/}

And this is the fabric I stumbled across last night. I like the modern ikat look, but the colors (or lack of) give it that rustic feel that I love. It is $49/yard on-line, but the upholstry fabric at Joann's is always on sale in store. Might try to fanagle a better price out of them in person.

{http://www.joann.com/}

Have a great weekend!

She's a brick....hoouuuse

2011-01-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

I have a thing for exposed brick. It's almost as intense as my thing for doilies...almost. I've been on the fence about doing an exposed brick wall in our master bedroom. I'm a sucker for that New York loft look, so cool and chic yet cozy at the same time. I just picture myself hanging out in my super chic bedroom, hair in a messy bun, glasses on, reading wedding magazines - because I'm still obsessed - just looking so city girl with my exposed brick wall. Simple dreams I have people, simple dreams.

I made up my mind a couple weeks ago that it was a no-go. A combination of self doubt/expenses/big project/resale value/hubby thinks it's a terrible idea woes had me flip flopping. But when I run across the pics like I'm about to share, my heart starts to pitter patter and I feel like I must give it a second chance. First, a pic of our room as is:

You can't tell by this picture, but it's really quite large, we are super lucky. Two huge, organized(!) closets and plenty of space for our King size bed. Can't you just picture it?! Here's my vision: I would take out the backs of the bookshelves on either side of the bed, add an upholstered (DIY) headboard, add a new light fixture (current one is simple, flush to ceiling), install hardwood, find a bench for the end of the bed, and bring in a flokati to anchor it all together. I just think it would be lovely. Check out some of the spaces that have been inspiring me...

Kind of starting to dig colored window frames due to spaces like this one.

{Apartment Therapy}

This totally plays into to my girly girl ways.

{theoneinpink.com via pinterest}

Shut the front door...so rustic and romantic.

{27.media.tumbler.com via pinterest}

Love those mismatched mirrors.

{Anthropologie via pinterest}

What do you think? Does adding a brick wall limit potential buyers down the road? We aren't planning on selling ANY time in the near, or distant, future, but it is something to consider. Ok, one more pic, just because I like to end on a positive note.

Get. In. Ma. Bedroom.

{sfgirlbybay via pinterest}

Word Up

2011-01-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

Like many newly weds, the majority of the art on our walls consists of wedding pics. Don't get me wrong, love them, but we're starting to feel a bit vain. It feels like Mr. & Mrs. W shrines are lurking behind everyone doorway. So I'm feeling the need to add a little variety with some other pieces.

Word art is a fun way to spruce up your walls while putting your personality on display. Here are some ideas I'm loving right now.

An original DIY project from Kara Paslay, such a great saying.

I've professed my love for this print from Jen Ramos at Made By Girl many a time. My favorite sister in law just happened to purchase it for me for Christmas. Love her. Just need to find the perfect frame.

And my latest obsession, this gorgeous piece from Anisa at Milk and Honey Home. A rustic canvas of old book pages with a touch of glitter is right up my alley. The frame is perfect.

The Doors

2011-01-26T12:01:00.000-08:00

Nope, not the band. Just another post about doors. One of the first things we knew needed to be updated when we moved into our house were the doors. I'll let the pics speak for themselves...this is also before we had painted anything. Yikes.

Flat, brown, blah.

A trip to Home Depot with housewarming gifts of those lovely orange giftcards in tow (thank you friends and fam!) was in store. As we headed to the depot on that fateful Saturday morning, we had one plan in mind: white six panel doors. So close-minded my friends. Little did we know the options that lay ahead.

The classic 6 panel...

the throw-back 5 panel...

the funky 3-panel...

and, ladies and gentlemen, I give you, this sweet little 2-panel. I instantly fell in love with the beadboard, "cottagey" insets, and the Mr. was pretty smitten too.

Here's a peek of what they look like for realsies:

I love them. They bring so much light to our hallway and rooms. We decided to go with dark, antique brass hardware, even though our light fixtures are brushed nickel. We're crazy like that.

On another note, I need to work on my photography skills. Do not judge. Please and thank you!

27

2011-01-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I turned the big 2-7. So not a milestone, but I think I like that number. Some dread getting older, but I love birthdays...everyone is especially nice to you. I didn't really make any New Year's resolutions, so I decided to make a birthday resolution instead: do something each day that is just for me. So selfish, right? :) Mostly, I just want to motivate myself to work on this blog, create, do projects around my house...things that I love that I can share with others. So it's really not that selfish after all. And, if I follow through with it, I will have more blog material. Perfect.

So, I started with my blog header. I've been trying to teach myself how to use PhotoShop, clearly I still have lots to learn, but it is a really ~~frustrating~~ fun program to play around with. I love my old one (thanks, Allison!) but this blog is morphing from wedding planning/design to design in general, which I love. I guarentee it will change again, I am one indecisive young lady.

Did I mention I'm taking my first European vaca this summer? Yes, it's really happening. The flights and hostels/hotels are booked, but it still doesn't feel real. Can't tell you how lucky I feel, knowing that I get to see sites like this with my own two eyeballs...

pic a' la davesworldtravel.com

Those colors are gorg.

When one door closes...

2010-12-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope you're having a great week and finishing up all of those holiday tasks!

When we first moved into our house, some friends were nice enough to pass along a few new white six-panel doors they had bought while renovating their house that they didn't end up needing. We were more than happy to take them off of their hands since we were rocking some sweet flat panel wood grain doors circa '78, but unfortunately they were the wrong size.

We were just about to send them to the dump, when I envisioned a new life for one of them...as a headboard! I have seen this done before and just love the idea, so I put my lova to work. He's always looking for an excuse to use his power tools anyway :)

First, we decided to even out the look of the door by cutting off the top two panels. The lucky bed receiving this brand new headboard is just a Full size, so it didn't need to be very big.

Once we cut into it, we realized the door was hollow. We obviously already knew this, but hadn't really taken it into account when we decided to saw off the ends. So we cut off a really thin piece at the very top (of the piece we had just sawed off) to glue to the new edge, covering up the hollow cave.

We ended up doing this on both sides since the bottom needed some shortening as well.

Another little obstacle we encountered was the hole for the door knob. Since we planned on making this the bottom portion of the headboard, I wasn't too worried about it. But Mr. W is a bit of a perfectionist, so he cut out a circular piece of door from the top scrap to fill it in.

Next, I sanded and painted it. I mostly just sanded the edges where we glued on the new ends to hide the seam that the glue left. These doors weren't previously painted, so two coats covered up the white just fine. However, the garage was reeeally cold when I painted, so it took a lot longer to dry. So I needed a glass of red wine to stay warm. Just a tip for all of you Northwest winter DIY'rs.

We decided the easiest way to hang this sucker would be to treat it like a picture frame. So Nate used some tools I know not of, and put some nails in the studs behind the wall...

...and then attached some brackets to the back of the headboard...

and stuck some of these fuzzy stickers on the corners to avoid scraping up the wall.

The finished product!

I love it! It makes the room so much cozier. We still have a lot of work to do in there, the white walls are driving me loco, but this definitely warms things up.

If you don't happen to have a couple of lonely doors hanging out in your garage like we did, check out your local thrift/antique stores. I always see old doors with lots of personality at those places around here.

Framed!

2010-12-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about living in a small town is being surrounded by even smaller towns... smaller towns with cute little antique stores. A couple weeks ago, I went on a mission for old, empty frames and I found these little beauties at one of my favorite spots in Uniontown, WA.

The one on the left cost me $10 and the other two were $5, score!

I love the nail head details on this guy...

...the floral imprints on these corners...

...and the ornate carvings on this oval lovely.

Since we've been decking the halls for Christmas lately, I decided to spray paint two of the frames with Krylon's Cherry Red. Remember, if you're going to paint or re-stain wood frames, be sure to clean and/or sand them first. These were pretty nasty after sitting in someone's attic for who knows how long.

For the rectangular frame, I decided to turn to an Ashley Ann project I bookmarked a while ago and stapled chicken wire to the back of the frame. I love when materials you wouldn't otherwise deem attractive end up turning out just that. Chicken wire...who knew?! I'm planning on using it to display Christmas cards from friends and family once they start rolling in...hint, hint. For now it holds some pics from past Christmas'.

SIDE NOTE/BRIDE TIP: This would also make a great display for your place cards, pictures from your parents/grandparents weddings, or well wishes from your guests!

We haven't had a chance to build a mantel around our fireplace yet, so the frame added a lot more interest to this normally very blank wall.

I had planned on sticking chicken wire in the oval frame as well...but we ran out of staples and I got a little impatient. I made this sign at a pottery painting store a couple months ago and decided this would be a good spot for it.

I love our little banquet nook, and this frame adds a nice little pop of color!

This was a really easy/inexpensive project! Stay tuned to find out where I put the last frame :)

Holiday Magazine Round-Up!

2010-12-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! Sorry I have been so absent this week! We have been working on lots of fun holiday projects around the house that I will be posting about very soon, including a DIY headboard for our guest room, repurposed antique store frames, and yet another use for doilies :)

After posting about Creature Comfort's holiday mag Gifted, I came across a whole gaggle of on-line magazines dedicated to all things holiday, design & decor. I can't keep you in the dark any longer! Here's a list of the reading material that has inhabited my computer screen for the last couple of weeks, prepare to be inspired!

1. Gifted - As previously stated, this is the go-to place for pretty much all of your holiday inspiration needs, DIY projects and free print outs galore!

2. Rue - The whole publication is fun, but be sure to check out the photo special with The Girls With Glasses shot at Elvis' Honeymoon Hideaway... serious vintage Christmas eye-candy

3. Lonny - For all whom are still mourning the loss of Domino, this is the interior design spot for you.

4. Sweet Paul - If you only have a second to browse, you need to check out the homemade pendant light - made of an industrial size wisk - and a cheddar chive cupcake recipe to drool over.

5. Dujour - Super femme/indy styling makes this puppy easy on the eyes. And I love how many great Etsy finds are featured.

6. adore Home - For all of you sunshine kids who are already sick of the snow and mistle toe, adore just published their Summer issue. My favorite feature is on blogger Sonja Bouw's nursery for her brand new baby girl!

Happy browsing! And because I don't like to leave a post picture-less, here's a pretty print from papermoth on Etsy I'm kind of geeking over. Somehow it looks sparkly, right?

Have a lovely weekend! And Happy Apple Cup... Go Cougs!

Quick change!

2010-11-23T16:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday! Isn't it great when you make one simple little change to a room and it makes you love it so much more? Well, take our basement guest room for example...

A tad bit drab, right? Well, check out what just a simple change of sheets can do....

I love how much they brighten up the room! And they are such a cute paisley print:

There are still lots more updates I would like to tackle in this room, but I think this is a great start! I'm really trying to open my mind to more prints and colors.

When it comes to my decor aesthetic, I tend to lean more towards neutrals. Love me some greige {that's grey + beige for all of you newbies}. This rings true for my wardrobe as well. But my lovely friend Molly is getting married on New Year's Eve (how fun is that?!) so I'm thinking that is the perfect excuse to break out of my brown and tan rut and get something fun to wear. Take a peek at what I've been oogling over...

Te Amo dress from Mod Cloth - just posted today!

Green Mesh Dress from Victoria's Secret

"Nayla" by Charlie Jade at Nordstrom

and my favorite find so far, this glittery gold number from Top Shop

Where's your favorite spot to buy dresses?

Cheers...

2010-11-19T10:05:00.000-08:00

it's Friday! What better way to celebrate with your lova than with these adorable highball glasses from Mrs. Lilien's shoppe?! This pair would make a perfect shower gift for your engaged pals, or a hostess gift for all of those upcoming holiday parties. I know a certain someone who might be finding half of this pair in their Christmas stocking ;)

photo courtesy of Mrs. Lilien

Tis the season!

2010-11-18T12:06:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, my lovely friend Sarah introduced me to this adorable inspirational blog called Creature Comforts. First of all, how presh is that name? This sweet little spot offers lots of fun DIY projects and pretty photos that will get your mind reeling with design ideas. But it doesn't stop there.

Since this is the holiday season, Creature Comforts created an amazing on-line magazine dubbed Gifted. Here are just a few things that you will loooove about Gifted:

1. The styling - I have virtually flipped through this puppy about 5 times now just in awe of the pretty.

2. Gift ideas - ideas that you will actually love and shop for...possibly for yourself. Like this set of coasters from uncommon on Etsy...yes, those are doilies. It's like they know me.

photo courtesy of etsy.com

3. DIY up the ying-yang - seriously, so many crafty ideas to deck your halls and transform your home into a winter wonderland.

4. Party ensembles - fabulous outfit ideas for all holiday events from your boss's Christmas party to that New Year's Eve bash.

Go check it out!

Pretty Table Tops via Apartment Therapy

2010-11-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

One of the simplest ways to transform your reception venue from banquet hall to dream wedding is creating a pretty table top. Even if you only have the funds to go crazy with your head table, the extra effort really goes a long way in making your day feel more like you.

Check out these fun, simple ideas from Apartment Therapy. I have put myself in charge of table top decor for Thanksgiving at my Mama's house (while leaving the cooking up to her, of course!) and this pretty picture is my inspiration:

photo courtesy of apartment therapy

I have some burlap left over from my wedding banner project for the runner and I've been collecting all of the used pasta sauce jars from dinners over the past few months - I love mason jars! Throw in a couple candle votives and some fresh flowers and I think we'll be set!

Lindsay Loves!

2010-11-08T22:13:00.000-08:00

It has been a looong time since I've shared with the world what I'm lovin' these days, and since I'm sure you're dying to know, let's get to it!

I may have mentioned a time or two that the Mr. and I purchased our first home a few months back. That being said, again, much of my time has been spent stalking home decor blogs, scoping out dream pieces for each room. This would be one such piece - the Antoinette Fainting Couch from Urban Outfitters.

UO strikes again with this "coiled side table". Loving the whimsey...

I've been obsessing over this print from Jen Ramos over at Made By Girl, one of my go-to blog stalkees. It would look perfect in my craft room/office!

Chandeliers take a close second to doilies on my current obsession list, and since we aren't made of Benjamin's, this wall decal version from walldecors on Etsy definitely does the trick.

Normally when browsing Etsy, I stumble across something I didn't even know I was looking for. These light switch plates from loxlee are no exception.

How cute are these patterns? And doesn't the one below resemble, ahem, a doily? This is getting out of control.

So, what are you all loving these days? Any fun holiday gift ideas? Less than 2 months to get that shopping done you know!

And the photo credits go to...

Urban Outfitters

Made By Girl

Etsy

Love on a Photog Blog!

2010-11-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

Sis-in-law Sarah's wedding photographer Jean Marie gave me a little shout out on her blog! Thanks for the love! Take a peek at Sarah & Adam's beautiful autumn wedding here! You can check out the burlap banner in all her glory.

DIY Doily Runner

2010-11-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

Remember this post from about 20 years ago? The one where I obsess over Ashley Ann's doily table runner and promise that I will replicate it for sis-in-law Sarah's autumn wedding? Well, I did it! I actually made 3 of them to cover her 24 foot long head table. Here is one of them. As you can see, it has made itself right at home on our dining room table.

Now I'm trying to think of something crafty to do with the other two runners. One can never have too many doily decorations, just ask my Grandma. She's a smart lady.

Have a lovely weekend!

I heart banners

2010-11-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I told you all that I was gonna get all Martha on you and create some cake table banners using her fun iron-letter-stamps-on-velvet-technique. Someone should tell her that finding letter stamps in small-town USA is nearly impossible. She would then probably tell me not to procrastinate, do my homework, and find them on-line. You win again, Martha, you always do.

Needless to say, I ended up going a different route for my banners, but I'm still pretty happy with how they turned out. Here's a scrappy little DIY lesson if you'd like to try this at home.

First, I headed over to JoAnn's Fabrics and chose this black and charcoal gray damask print for the main part of the flags. I borrowed my MIL's pinking shears to cut out the shapes, I think they ended up being about 7 inches long by 6 inches wide.

I left about an inch at the top of each flag to later be folded over the hemp rope I used to hang the flags on.

I haven't been near a sewing machine for a while, so I stuck with liquid stitches to do any adhering. I ran a bead of glue about halfway up the inch I left at the top, stuck the hemp on, added more glue to the very top, then folded it over and pressed down.

I repeated this process until I had enough flags to spell out "love is sweet"..."love is" on one string, "sweet" on another to be tied below.

Next, it was time to cut out the circles that the letters would be painted on. I cut out a larger circle from basic white fabric first, to be placed behind the fabric with painted letters. I did that since both of my main fabrics had patterns, just wanted to break it up.

Next I cut out smaller circles from my printed apple green fabric. Penny had other plans for it.

I used acrylic paint for the letters and drew them on free hand. I have pretty nice handwriting, if I do say so myself, but I would not suggest doing this because it was pretty hard to make the letters look uniform.

Next, I glued the white circles onto the flags, then the letter circles onto the white ones, and voila! Don't mind Penny.

I did a similar banner for my sister-in-law's wedding with burlap and one fabric layer for the letters using the simple white fabric again. I also used a stencil for the letters and I looooved the result.

A note about burlap: it has holes...lots of holes. Regular old stitching glue doesn't do the trick, so I had to use my trusty glue gun to create some more tackiness. This wasn't the easiest option either, considering the holes allowed the glue to leak through to my tender little fingers that were holding the fabric down. Ouch. But the rustic quality of the burlap combined with the industrial look of the stenciled letters makes my calloused finger tips totally worth it.

I will post pictures from the weddings soon!

*This probably goes without saying, but all photos were done by moi

Bridesmaid Beauties: Kathlin Argiro

2010-11-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

I was so honored when contacted by Kathlin Argiro's intern requesting that I do a little post on their bridesmaid line...ummm, yes please! I hopped on over to Ms. Argiro's site to ooh and aah at the many lovelies laid before me and immediately recognized this article from The Knot which features the Hilda dress:

photo courtesy of KathlinArgiroChic .com

I just love the mermaid silhouette combined with the feminine, floral print. Perfect for any spring or early summer fete.

Kathlin Argiro’s dresses are classic, yet modern. These dresses are semi-custom made, which allows you to choose your silhouette, fabric, color, and trims that suit your individual taste, shape, and size! Here is the best part; each dress is made as a ready to wear dress that can ACTUALLY be worn again. Fear not showing up at a party wearing your Kathlin Argiro bridesmaid dress, it’ll be our little secret.

photos courtesy of Kathlin Argiro

Don’t forget to try the Brides n’ Bubbly in a Box package for a fun way for the bridal party to choose their dresses and sip on champagne without having to make the trip to New York!

See Kathlin Argiro’s complete collection at Kathlin Argiro. Wheat Blossom Blog readers will receive an extra 15% off!!

Be still, my beating heart...

2010-10-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

The color on these walls next to the off-white crown molding in this room makes my heart palpitate.

photo via apartmenttherapy.com - thanks!

That light fixture ain't so bad itself.

Yep, my palms are truly sweating. Must find a room for this color. Is it blue? Is it gray? It must be gray-blue. Must.find.the.name. Off to do a little research...

Help! To fan, or not to fan??

2010-10-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

I know this is not wedding related, but I'm in crisis here people. I need your thoughts on ceiling fans, and I need them now. Do you think they're an eye sore? Does it matter considering their utility? What do you think? I know that these are big grown-up issues, but my indecisiveness is taking over my life in a big way. I need to decide pronto if I want to have one of these monsters in our master bedroom, and possibly the guest room. Thoughts???

For your consideration, the exact model of debate:

Love it or hate it?

UPDATE: It's a no-go on the fan, friends. The reason is two fold....

1) Our ceiling in the bedroom is just not high enough, I feel like it would take over the room, like a helicopter coming in for landing.

2) I just realized I refered to ceiling fans as "monsters" earlier in this post, which should have been some insight into how I was really feeling about them. Done and done.

Crafty Signage

2010-10-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Ok, this idea is Martha Stewart Circa 2009 (gasp, I know, an entire year ago) but I'm thinking of incorporating it into some signage for a cake table design. And these colors are so autumn chic, love!

photo via marthastewartweddings.com

This Sunday I'm locking myself in my mess of a craft room and putting the finishing touches on next Saturday's wedding. Instead of wrapping the velvet around vases, I'm going to cut black velvet into flag shapes and create a cute banner by imprinting letters rather than numbers. Cross your fingers that this works! Check out Martha's complete DIY here. Pictures and details to come!

I owe you an explanation...

2010-10-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I hope you haven't abandoned me due to my pathetic posting as of late. Please stick around for my lengthy explanation....

For the last 4 years, my full time job (yes, wedding planning was my happy side gig) has been Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and consisted of days that looked something like this:

1. Arrive at stereotypical office setting around 8:15 a.m.
2. Unlock office doors to those who have jobs superior to mine.
3. Water the plants/feed the fish of those who have jobs superior to mine.
4. Make coffee
5. Check the calendars of the aforementioned, make necessary plans
6. Copy something
7. File something
8. Draft an e-mail about something I care/know nothing about
9. Repeat steps 6 and 7 (sometimes 4) until 4:55 p.m.
10. Lock the doors and get the frack out of there!
11. Return home and drive my husband crazy with complaints about how boring and sad my days are

Now, I understand that this is where many, if not all, of us start off. And don't get me wrong, I was incredibly grateful for the paycheck. However, I craved something more. I NEEDED something more. And, up until recently, I got that something from this little blog. So what's the change?

Well friends, I got a new job! Is it wedding planning? No, it is not. But it does involve my alma mater (Go Cougs!), sports (I love me some competition), travel (yes, please!) and event planning (perfection), so I'm pretty darn happy. And did I mention I don't HAVE to work 8 - 5? Praise Jesus! But I do have a very busy schedule now, including work on many weekends...especially in the Spring...not exactly condusive to wedding planning.

So, moral of the story, I'm currently not taking on any more weddings. I am bummed. But I just don't have the time. However, I do plan on keeping this little blog going with DIY's, tips, pictures, etc. so I hope that you'll keep visiting :)

Happy Friday lovas...

2010-08-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have the kind of Friday when even the tiniest things make you happy and grateful for the day....

image via thxthxthx.com - thanks livelovechic!

Ha! I love it. It's so true, those darn shirts, socks, panties, etc. require so many washings. Here's to pants! And Fridays :)

xoxo

Pepe + Veronica...Spokane, WA Wedding

2010-08-26T22:46:00.000-07:00

Pepe & Veronica's wedding was almost two months ago now (?!), but their beautiful day is still very fresh in my mind. Maybe it's because their venue choices of St. Al's Cathedral at Gonzaga Universtiy and The Davenport Hotel were perfection. Or maybe it was the mariachi that led the most amazing reception entrance I've seen to date. Or, maybe it was just because these two were so obviously, sweetly, head over heels for eachother, that while my 3 years of high school Spanish didn't translate every vow during the ceremony, I knew exactly what they were saying, and how much they meant it.

Take a look at their lovely day, captured by the very sweet and talented, Angie Azzinarro.

My favorite things about the day...

Veronica was the most laid back bride, you could tell she was just really enjoying her day

The candy bar with traditional Mexican treats

Have I mentioned their was a mariachi band?

Their guests blew bubbles and shook maracas during their church exit

They also shook maracas when they wanted "besos" from the bride and groom

Pepe & Veronica's friends and families were so sweet, they pulled me (literally) out on the dance floor at the end of the night :)

Mr. & Mrs. S, thanks for being such a sweet, fun couple to work with!

You can also check out their beautiful day on the fabulous Spokane Wedding blog Apple Bride,tomorrow morning. My first feature! Thank you to all of the talented vendors I got to work with, it was a blast.

Photography: Angie Azzinnaro
Flowers: KC's Floral Design
Cake: Sue at Creative Cakes
Stationery: AK Graphics
Ceremony: St. Aloysius, Gonzaga University
Reception: The Davenport Hotel

Promises, promises...

2010-08-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

Blog update...tomorrow night. Be there or be square. It's gonna be a good one, for reals.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-07-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

There is a reason behind this posting drought, promise.

This past weekend wrapped up my work on Pepe & Veronica's beautiful Mexican wedding. On Saturday at their reception, I came to this conclusion: entering your reception with a 9-piece Mariachi band blasting behind you is the only way to enter your reception. Period. Oh, you're Swedish? Don't care. Just do it. It was awesome. I will post some pictures by the very talented Angie Azzinnaro of Joyful Photography in the next couple weeks.

In other news, I'm thinking I will be changing the format of this blog a bit. You see, wedding planning is a side gig for me. I would love to do it full-time some day, but it takes time. I have a day job, I'm decorating our first home, I hang out with my cute little family, and I ~~work out regularly~~ try to stay active. So I'm thinking this blog might be a bit more interesting if I shared more aspects of my life. Let's start now, shall we?

I'm going to start a segment called "Lindsay Loves...". As you may have guessed, it will focus on things/places/people that I love. I'd love to get some {positive} feedback in the comments section if you share my love for said things. Let's begin.

Lindsay loves...

{Arizona Diet Peach Iced Tea}
Very tasty & a great alternative to soda! And it's summery :) Yum! [Sorry for the pixelated image]

{Lonny Magazine}
Home decorators/enthusiasts rejoice! This on-line magazine is full of beautiful inspiration.

{Dry Shampoo}

Washing your hair everyday is a pain, no? Well guess what? It's also not good for your tresses. I've started using this dry shampoo by Batiste every other day... it's like a spray powder that soaks up excess oil - a must for all of us fine-maned ladies. I get mine from NW Beauty Supply, but you can google it and find it everywhere on-line.

{West Elm}

Pottery Barn's cuter cousin. I particularly love this duvet/sham set. It's on our bed in that oatmeal color. So plush and easy to design around!

What are you loving these days?

Images courtesy of (top to bottom):
glucoholic.com
thegoodelife.typepad.com
buy.com
westelm.com

Not your grandma's doilies...

2010-06-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a couple of DIY's I am working on with my sis-in-law for her wedding coming this October. Both projects include one of my favorite ruffly little friends, the doily.

{luminaries}

We decided it would be cute to place some paper luminaries on the steps of Sarah & Adam's ceremony location, but we kicked 'em up a knotch by doing a combination of red and natural colored bags to incorporate the autumnal color scheme we have going on. We also placed a doily inside to add some more interest...

We found the luminary bags online at LumaBase.com. Here's a link to the red ones. Warning - Obvious statement ahead: It is probably best to use battery operated tea lights unless you are using flame resistant bags. Wedding day fires are frowned upon. Consider yourself advised.

{table runner}

I got the idea for this next project from Ashley Ann Photography. She has a sweet little blog that features not only her beautiful photography but some super creative DIY's as well. Here's the adorbable table runner she made for her dining room table:

PS, don't you just love Ashley's kitchen? So country-cute. Anyway, here's a link to the DIY how-to. The runner I am making is for the head table at the reception, which is 24 feet long. So far, I have 14 doilies. I need more doilies, people. The 14 I do have came from an antique store in Uniontown, WA. I'll post some pics when I start construction.

Any more fun doily decor ideas out there? I have one more in mind that I'm going to toy around with this weekend... should be cute, might be tragic. I'll let you know either way!

Photo Credit (top to bottom)

Sis.In.Law

Ashley Ann Photography

Custom Jewelry by Kendra Scott

2010-06-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

I am a frequent reader of The Glam Girls Guide To Sports Blog by Angie Meyer. It's like a Vogue'd up version of Sports Illustrated and has quickly become my favorite source of current happenings in the wide world of sports. When you're the kinda girl who refers to uniforms as "outfits" and you're married to sports fanatic/freak with a capital F, Angie's words are an important part of your everyday reading.

Anyway, Angie recently pointed out that there seems to be a serious shortage of cute, non-chincy team jewelry. So true. Pretty sure the last time I walked into my university bookstore, the only crimson and gray jewelry I found was made of sculpting clay (Fimo anyone??) or cheapo plastic. Well, enough is enough - Angie has found the key to the cute-team-jewelry highway...

Kendra Scott Jewelry. They offer a stunning line of bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings and there is even a section dedicated to all of you lovely brides. But the feature I love most about their website is the color bar where you can pick from 11 different earring designs, silver or gold metal, and 20 different gem colors to create your own custom piece - SO fun! Stylish sports fans and brides-who-crave-jewelry-that-matches-their-wedding-theme, rejoice!

Here's a peek at one of the color bar DIY designs...

And I am drooling over this gorgeous aqua bib necklace from her Bridal Collection. You must check out the Kendra Scott site to see the rest... you'll be dropping your honey *subtle* gift hints in no time!

Photo Credit:

Bonanzle.com

Strapless dresses - friend or foe?

2010-06-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, the strapless dress. Quite possibly one of the most flattering necklines out there. They make broad shoulders look delicate and create some serious shape for those of us who are a little less endowed, shall we say. But what is the one pesky little thing that can turn any strapless dress from fab to, well, flab? Just that. The dreaded armpit flab.

Yep, I said it.

The thing is, even the most svelte of frames can fall victim to this enemy of the underarm. All figures look different in different cuts so often times it is more an issue of garment fit than body tone.

But, if you are hoping to tighten up this tricky little region for your walk down the aisle, may I introduce you to my friend, and personal booty kicker, Ms. Sarah. Sarah is a personal trainer AND bride to be! When I told her about my personal battle with the flab, she assured me that with a little persistence and a couple lifting weights, this would be an issue no more. Check out her blog post dedicated to the pits here. She has lots of great work out and nutrition tips, so check her out. And since posts aren't nearly as pretty without a picture, here are a few of my fave strapless numbers for the season...

sarah seven

melissa sweet

vera wang

Photo Credit (top to bottom)

SarahSeven.com
PriscillaOfBoston.com
VeraWangOnWeddings.com

Inspired...

2010-05-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

Just had to pass this along... I love this quote, and when I stumbled upon it litterally 25 seconds ago, I felt compelled to share it with you...

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Words to live by my friends. By the way, this inspirational post dawned on me while stalking one of my new favorite home design blogs, kara paslay designs. She and her hubby possess ridiculous amount of talent, and I day dream about stealing their DIY ideas often.

Excuses & A Pretty Dress

2010-05-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

So disappointed in myself, I can't even say out loud how long it has been since my last post... and it would be pretty easy for you to figure out on your own. I could ramble on about the many reasons I have been so absent, but I don't want to bore you... ok I'll give you just one. We bought a house! More on that later...

On to my current obsession: floral prints. They seem to be popping up everywhere! My personal style tends to lean towards the ultra feminine, so I'm pretty excited about this trend and I hope it sticks around for a while. I've been searching for a pretty "guest of wedding" dress for Ben's {my super-sweet cousin-in-law} wedding this July, so when I stumbled upon this little beauty from ModCloth.com, it took me about 2.5 second to whip out my debit card and make it mine...

Tres cute, no? Ben is getting married here in Pullman and the reception will be at Red Barn Farms, probably my favorite Summer venue in the area for many reasons -

It is literally a big red barn with rustic charm set in the beautiful rolling hills of the palouse,
indoor and/or outdoor seating for the ceremony and/or reception is available
you can bring in your own caterer/bartender {how rare is that?!},
there are very few decorating limitations since, hello... it's a barn! And,
bonus - If you're from around this neck of the woods, you know how gorgeous the fields are this time of the year, we are so blessed!

Can't wait for your big day Ben & Kelly!

Alice "Tea" Partay!

2010-04-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, my friend and I decided to throw a little "tea party" in honor of the premier of Alice in Wonderland. More than likely, this is not the first Alice-themed party you've seen in the last month or so, but I just had to share a couple of the decorations and recipes we used, just to show you how easy it can be to throw together a last minute fete... the party started at 7 p.m., and we got things rolling around 5.

We wanted the table to feel eclectic (think Mad Hatter), but we didn't have a ton of supplies on-hand so we brought out a various assortment of glassware and platters from our cupboards. This is when the random wedding gift of apertif glasses from Aunt Mildred comes in handy - that broad knows what she's doing.

These are miniature wine bottles I picked up at Safeway, they come in sets of four... too cute! I just cut up some squares of scrapbook paper and used double stick tape to cover up the labels. And of course we had to add a little "drink me" tag... Alice wouldn't have it any other way!

This brings us to appetizer #1 of the evening:

Prosciutto, Manchego & Strawberry Crostinis from The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site. {VERY IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: if you've been living under a rock and don't know who The Pioneer Woman is, do yourself a favor and find out here. Guarenteed new obsession - you will thank me, your boss may not.} Here's the recipe! Hint - manchego is not the easiest to find if you live in a small town with one grocery store... I subbed in goat cheese, which was mighty tasty.

Recipe #2 just happens to be my favorite appetizer of all time: Crab Cakes. I truly believe I was meant to live on the East coast, where all crustaceans and sea creatures are abundant and plentiful. I could eat seafood all day, everyday. Crab cake benedict for breakfast, a lobster roll for lunch, finished with a nice balsamic glazed salmon for dinner... but I digress. Crab cakes are actually pretty easy to make, but they are not cheap or tidy. Be prepared to throw down some cash for the lump crab meat, but don't skimp! I've heard horror stories of claw meat being substituted, and the result ain't pretty folks. Make the crab mixture ahead of time and fry them up right before your guests arrive...

Voila! So delish. Find the recipe here from Paula Deen via the Food Network site.

Thanks to my friend Abby for the pics!

Seattle, WA Wedding: Ryan Flynn Photography

2010-04-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't help but smile when I came across Ryan Flynn's blog a couple weeks ago. The first feature I found was this g.o.r.g.e.o.u.s. Seattle winter wedding, and then before I knew it, I had scrolled through the entire blog. All I could think was, I. Need. More! And I've been stalking ryanpflynn.com/blog ever since :) Enjoy!

Swooning? Yeah, thought so. Here are a few details I'm still obsessing over...

Ryan's mad skills... duh

The fish shot, I want a poster size

The amazing ceremony arch, dreamy and rustic - future DIY?

Tulips wrapped in birch bark

The last dance shot... you can't fake that emotion, it is pure bliss.

Ryan, thank you so much for sharing. Your work is fresh, yet timeless and I can't wait to feature more!

Engagement Party: Mad Men Style

2010-03-11T12:13:00.000-08:00

Love me a theme party. Really love me a theme engagement party. I love the idea of a tongue and cheek 1960's desperate housewife-esque shindig to celebrate your impending nuptials. Whether you plan on greeting the future Mr. at the door come 5 o'clock on a work day with a dry martini in hand or not, it doesn't hurt to let him dream :) Just add good friends, a splash of Goose, and shake...

per usual, made with the help of the dessy.com inspiration board creator

Photo cred:
Edie Sedgewick print... etsy.com by JesseMosher
Shades... nordstrom.com by Marc Jacobs
Dress... AnnTaylorLoft.com
Martini... Azia Restaurant
Perfume bottle... etsy.com from Penorus
Suit... EasyAndElegantLife.com
Heels... zappos.com by RSVP
Cocktail napkin... youneedadrink.com

Pocketful of Sunshine

2010-03-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, ya'll... gosh I wish I had a southern drawl.

I don't know about you, but here in the Pacific Northwest we had a GORGEOUS weekend full of sunshine and warm afternoons. It was amazing, but now I need more. MUCH more.

This has been the Monday of all Mondays, and the nasty rain clouds outside are just the sour cherry on top. This morning I needed something, anything, to brighten my day... and I needed it NOW.

Enter: Jamie Delaine Photography Not only did her creative shots of beautiful people, scenery and fashion brighten my day, but her sunny disposition (which literally shines through all of her posts by the way) was just what I needed to put a little pep in my step! Do yourself a favor and hop on over to her blog, you'll be quite happy you did.

Speaking of sunshine... for you, from ananya on etsy :)

Fallin'

2010-03-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

A little early for a Fall wedding post? I think not. Just had to share this autumnal inspiration board I came up with for my beautiful sister-in-law's wedding next October. Can't wait to see that girl walk down the aisle...

made w/ love, with the help of the handy-dandy inspiration board creator over at dessy.com

Photo Credit:

bridesmaid dress... AnnTaylor.com

love ribbon... carol-hannah.com/blog

tree print... etsy.com by carambatack

pine cone place card holder... kaccents.com

festive confetti.... etsy.com by ThePaperAddict

rose centerpiece... marthastewartweddings.com

rings... etsy.com by MintyFreshFusions

Sneakie Peekie

2010-02-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

Not to worry, I haven't fallen of the face of the earth. I'm trying to reconnect with my crafty side so I started a little DIY project about 2 weeks ago... around the time of my last post. It wasn't turning out how I envisioned, so I have let it sit on our kitchen/craft table, waiting for tiny little gnomes to come finish it in the middle of the night. No gnomes yet, so it looks like I'm going to have to finish it myself. I have been scouring the internet, hoping for some inspiration and a stroke of genius when... Aha! Carol Hannah just posted a little sneak peek into her bridal collection. Hallelujah!

Just as I figured, I'm in love....

And here's one for the maids...

The full collection premiers in March, but for now you can oogle over a little sample of what's to come on her Etsy shop. You're welcome :)

P.S... DIY project to come soon... really.

Photo credit: etsy.com

In the words of Martha, a few "very good things"

2010-01-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! I didn't have a post planned for today, but I just happened to stumble upon something(s) wonderful and I just had to share...

Not sure if any of you are fan's of Project Runway, but I consider myself a bit of a fanatic. Last season, I was slightly devastated by the outcome because, in my very humble opinion, I thought that sweet little Carol Hannah Whitfield deserved the goods. But, unfortunately, first place ended up in the hands of "Mean-a Irina". {Irina may be a perfectly sweet human portrayed by Lifetime as a heartless villain, I'm just saying, I don't agree with the outcome, thank you very much}. Carol Hannah's designs are modern, feminine and completely wearable and I just adore her style. Cut to the story already, lady - ok. Carol Hannah is coming out with a line of wedding gowns! Color me excited. According to People.com, the line is due out in a couple months. I just cannot wait to see what she comes up with, be sure to check back because you know we'll have a little feature :) In the mean time, check out her other lines on her website here.

Another reason we "heart" Carol Hannah? Carol Hannah hearts Etsy. She featured this fun little vintage ring she bought from laralewis.

More laralewis l.o.v.e.

I love the cute little flower detail on the clasp of this bracelet...

I could seriously go on and on, this girl has a ton of beautiful vintage for a very tiny price tag. Any of her pieces would make great wedding day jewelery, bridesmaids gifts, or everyday wear, just beacause you're fancy like that. Time to get your shopping on, loves!

Photography Credit: laralewis on Etsy

Flat 4 Photography: Photo Booth

2010-01-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

How fun is this? In addition to already being extremely fabulous & talented photographers, Flat 4 has obtained a photo booth that you can rent out for your reception! Can you just imagine all of the wacky pics of your guests?

Oh the stories that photo booth could tell... Check out the info flyer below and more details on the Flat 4 website!

Thank you, AK Graphics!

2010-01-09T18:14:00.000-08:00

Hmmm, notice anything different? Just had to give a quick shout out to Allison from AK Graphics for designing my gorgeous new blog header! Love it?? I sure do :) You are so very sweet and talented Allison! THANK YOU!!!

Spokane, WA Photographer: Flat4 Photography by Whitney Tampien

2010-01-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

People, you're gonna love me for this one. I have been excited for weeks to feature Flat4 Photography by Whitney Tampien, a new photographer who just happens to live practically right in our backyard... ok, Spokane, but close enough. Whit and I have known eachother since the days of overalls & braces (a.k.a. junior high) and it is so fun to see her follow her dreams.

Check out this sweet "engagement" sesh she did for her friends Nicole and Marc. I love the images, and it doesn't hurt that this couple is stinkin' cute.

Whitney, you are truly talented and I can't wait to see where the next few years take you!

Be sure to check out the Flat4 blog here.

Shoot Location: Knapp's Farm on Green Bluff

Seattle, WA Wedding: Kristen Honeycutt Photography

2010-01-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

I have been blessed with some pretty incredible friends, two of which I am honored to feature in this very post.

First is the beautiful bride, Pamela. Pammy and I are sorority sisters and were roommates in Kirkland our first year out in the real world. She is gorgeous (duh, see below), hilarious, super laid back, and always 100% Pammy. The very first night she met Sean (the very lucky groom) at Wazzu, she came home and told us that she had met the man she was going to marry. Good call, Pammy :)

Second is the incredibly talented photographer, Kristen Honeycutt. Kristen and I also became friends at Tri-Delta. Her freshman year she met a cute Fiji boy, who is now her husband, and a couple years later she introduced me to his friend (another cute Fiji boy) who is now my husband... we still can't believe how nicely that worked out. Kristen started her photography business about two years ago, but when you look/drool at her work, you'd think she's been doing this since she could say "cheese".

Check out my amazing friends... how lucky am I??

Click on the image to view larger!

Check out Kristen's blog to see more pics of the beautiful couple and their amazing wedding day.

Photography: Kristen Honeycutt Photographer

Need more pictures of wedded bliss in your life? Not to worry, more fun photography features to come this week!

Tears of Joy

2009-12-30T12:53:00.000-08:00

This brings tears to my eyes...

And so do these...

So sorry I have been rather absent as of late, been enjoying some QT with fam & friends but I will be back at it very soon. I hope you all have a fabulous New Year!

Photo Credit: Kellie Kano (A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.)

Let's Get Crafty: Yellow Page Flowers by Jesi Haack

2009-12-15T21:52:00.000-08:00

I just adore Newport, CA based wedding planner Jesi Haack. I came across a gorgeous wedding she designed on the Wedding Chicks blog and I've been hooked ever since. Check out this fun paper flower DIY project Jesi featured on her blog a while back. She used pages from, well, the Yellow Pages and the result is stinkin' cute. Here's my version using last week's newspaper and some tissue paper from my craft closet...

These would be adorable strung across your head table, or dangling behind your desserts as a sweet, fluffy backdrop....

Check out Jesi's super-easy-how-to directions on her lovely blog.

Photo Credit: Wheat Blossom Weddings

Random Monday

2009-12-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Some good news: my camera has been MIA for the past 2 weeks, hence the lack of blog posts. On to the good news... it has been found! My God son has been holding it captive in Seattle... okay, he's only 8 months old and incapable of such things, but I did leave it in his home during our last visit :) I'm pretty sure we leave something behind everytime we visit their home, but usually its just a sock or something. I like to look at it as leaving a little piece of me everywhere I go, but I digress.

I was introduced to a new term in the wedding world the other day. It's a bit naughty so I will type it small in case you have little ones who enjoy sitting on your lap while you flip through your favorite blogs.... wedding porn! Hope you can read that, from now on I will refer to said term as "WP". Here's a definitition in case you're as concerned/confused as I was...

WP - magazines, web sites, and planning books related to throwing a wedding that are concealed from the unwitting intended groom, lest he freak out.

Let's use it in a sentence: "My boyfriend is coming down for the weekend, I'd better stash the WP under the bed"

Source: http://www.urbandictionary.com/

Thanks to my friend Molly for introducing me to WP. Molls and I have been good friends since junior high and has known of my WP addiction for years... thanks for feeding it, love!

Style Board: Sugar, Sugar

2009-12-08T21:01:00.000-08:00

Get your winter wedding wheels a turnin'...

{click image to enlarge}

Photo Credit:
Burlap Pillow: Alice's Looking Glass, Etsy
Joy Banner: Alice's Looking Glass, Etsy
Chandelier: Once Wed (Bonus: It's a DIY!)
Acorn Spools: Alice's Looking Glass, Etsy
Cake: Martha Stewart Weddings
Dress: Melissa Sweet, via Martha Stewart Weddings

Pretty little freeby from the Wedding Chicks!

2009-12-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

The Wedding Chicks are giving away a GORGEOUS honeymoon robe and babydoll from Cosabella! Cosabella is known for their sexy (yet comfy!) lingerie, swim wear and everyday apparel.

Entering the competition is simple: visit the Wedding Chicks blog and leave a comment about what you would love to have from Cosabella as a new bride. Enter as many times as you want! Oh, to be a bride again.... this is what I would pick:

Her name is Gretchen. She's simple, sweet and doubles as your (secret) something blue.

Photo Credit: www.abriefaffair.com

Cyber Monday!

2009-11-30T13:14:00.000-08:00

If you are an avid on-line shopper you are probably already aware, but today is CYBER MONDAY... a.k.a. the best on-line shopping day of the year! Lots and lots of on-line stores are offering great discounts from free shipping to 30% off your entire purchase, and possibly even more.

Here are a couple of my favorite participating addictions...

Banana Republic: 20% off your entire order + FREE shipping.

Maybe some pretty jewelry for you and your bridal party?

Ann Taylor Loft: 30% off your entire order + FREE shipping (on orders of $100 or more).

This would make a fun little rehearsal dinner get up...

Wedding Chicks Shop: 25% off your entire order.

The CUTEST line of personalized tanks, tees, totes & more for you and your bridal party.

Happy Shopping!

Photo Credit:

Necklace: Banana Republic

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft

Weak In The Knees...

2009-11-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

Grab your sweetie, cuddle up close and listen to the musical genius that is Ray LaMontagne. If this song doesn't make your heart pitter patter and your palms sweat, you may need a check-up... or at least a glass of wine. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I am SO incredibly thankful for all of you readers, you truly are making my dreams come true.

Great Find: Calla Bridal - Seattle, WA

2009-11-23T19:21:00.000-08:00

One of my very loyal friends and readers lives in downtown Seattle and passed along a great wedding dress store find: Calla Bridal. There are a number of bridal stores in the Seattle area that have an incredible selection of beautiful gowns, but Calla is the only salon in Washington State to offer one of my favorite lines to date: Reverie by Melissa Sweet.

Reverie features elegant, whimsical, fairy tale-esque gowns; often embellished with sweet little ruffles, ribbon and rosebud details - the ultimate girly-girl wedding gown fantasy.

For your viewing pleasure...

"Eze" from Reverie

Thank you for the wonderful tip, Ms. Bostwick! I can't wait to see all of the little beauties Calla has to offer for myself. Check out the Reverie trunk show at Calla on January 8 - 10 at:

561 NE Ravenna Blvd.

Seattle, WA 98115

Have I mentioned that I love my blog readers?? Another fabulous reader, Claudia, may have cured my Anthropologie registry (or lack there-of) woes. Check out MyRegistry.com to create your own personalized registry from any on-line store your little heart desires. May the cute kitchen accessory obsessions begin :) Thanks for the tip, Claudia!

Photo Credit: www.callabridal.com

New Obsession: Tinsel Trading Company

2009-11-19T22:35:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, I pick up a magazine that isn't plastered with wedding dresses and centerpieces. I've been told its a healthy thing to do.

The other day while flipping through the December issue of Lucky, I stumbled upon an article that featured the holiday "survival strategies" of the magazine's editors (check out page 74). The article featured a favorite cocktail dress, the perfect red lipstick, a great bottle of red wine, etc, etc, and then there was Tinsel Trading Company, a trimmings store in NYC. Check out some of the beautiful, vintage details from their on-line store. I could see lots of these little ditties sprinkled throughout your wedding decor...

Flirty little velvet flowers...

Super cute vintage paper featuring brides, grooms & semi-creepy kids wearing top hats :)

Beautiful ribbon embellishments...

To-Die-For metal lace... I want it everywhere.

Photo Credit: Tinsel Trading Company

Registry Love: Anthropologie

2009-11-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

Why Anthropologie doesn't yet offer an on-line registry service is beyond me. I realize you may not be able to furnish an entire home with sweet little butter dishes and frilly aprons that are cute enough to wear to brunch (if they had a back, of course), but you would have one pretty little kitchen. Please observe...

Exhibit A:

Joan Cleaver, eat your heart out...

These adorable flower bud measuring cups are sure to make your baking sesh just that much sweeter...

Key to your castle? Nope, just the cutest little bottle opener you've ever seen!

A sweet, patchwork dish towel... perfect for the new little love birds.

Kitchen frills are not the only goodies this wonderful store offers. Visit their website and create a little wish list of your own! You'll be dreaming of beautiful new home furnishings in no time :)

Photo Credit: anthropologie.com

Hometown Love: AK Graphics, Pullman, WA

2009-11-13T13:05:00.000-08:00

I have had the absolute pleasure of knowing Allison Kincaid of AK Graphics for the last 7 years. She is a fellow WSU alum who also ended up sticking around Pullman after graduation... Go Cougs! Allison started AK Graphics a few months ago and has become quite the successful entrepreneur in a very short amount of time.

A couple weeks ago, I asked Allison if I could feature some of her work and pick her brain about all things wedding invite. Our timing could not be more perfect as this evening she is hosting an Open House at her new shop to feature her new holiday card styles.

Enjoy the pics and her advice for all you lovely brides-to-be...

Ummm, how cute is Allison's office space??

WB: What advice do you give to your brides?

AK: Some general advice I tend to pass on to all of my brides is that they are supposed to be having fun! Friends, family and vendors are here to eliminate stress so the brides can focus on what really matters. It can be easy to get caught up in all of the planning and busy work and forget to enjoy this special time. We're here to do the work so you don't have to.

AK: After choosing your invitations, create a tentative timeline for yourself. A good rule of thumb is to plan on mailing out save-the-dates (if you choose to send them) up to six months in advance. The formal invitations should be sent out 6-8 weeks prior to the event. The earlier you can prepare and address the invitations the better; don't wait until the last minute!

WB: What are some of your favorite trends/color combinations you've been seeing lately?

AK: Two of the more fashionable color trends that I have noticed lately are definitely varying shades of green and pink. From sage to apple, green is gorgeous! Baby pink pairs fabulously with mocha while fuschia and black are strikingly contemporary. Traditional crimson/wine reds remain a clasically popular choice year after year, no matter the season.

AK: As far as design trends are concerned, popular paper textiles include metallic pearl and textered linen cardstock. Damask graphics and flourish-y designs add a "shabby chic" element for a modern/vintage look. Coordinating pocket folios serve as a trendy way to assemble multi-piece invites.

WB: What are some important things to keep in mind when picking out wedding invitations and stationery?

AK: The imporant invitation/stationery suggestion I give to my brides is express yourself! Save-the-dates and invitations are a great way to showcase yoru personal style as well as set the tone for your special day. Wedding stationery should convey your individual taste as well as appropriately set the mood (whether traditionally formal or contemporary and modern); they should be a reflection of you.

WB: What do you love most about your job?

AK: Where do I start... I am very fortunate to have a career I absolutely love! I am so honored when a bride chooses my designs to be a part of her special day. I truly look forward to coming to the office everyday and being able to have the freedom to be able to artistically express myself.

Allison, thank you SO much for sharing your talent. Your work is beautiful and we can't wait to see more. Everyone be sure to check out AK graphics website at http://www.kincaidgraphics.com/.

Lovely way to start the weekend, no?

Photo credits: Allison Kincaid

Sugar & Honey

2009-11-12T22:42:00.000-08:00

Move over Victoria, Etsy's got a pretty little secret of her own...

Meet labellefairy.

One of a kind, beautiful, handmade garments. As a bride you spend so much time picking out what everyone at your wedding sees you in, why not pay some special attention to what only the new Mr. gets to see? I'm just sayin' :)

Hometown Love: Paper Pals - Pullman, WA

2009-11-11T22:12:00.000-08:00

If you are a DIY bride, this post is for you. If you like pretty things, this post is also for you.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I stopped by the Big Event Bridal Fair last weekend to network with other wedding vendors in the area. But before I could spread my love for weddings with the great Palouse, I needed one little, yet important, item that all business people must have on them at all times: the business card.

Paper Pals is the best place this side of the Cascades for all of your scrap booking/pretty paper needs. I found the paper for my business cards there, here's a little peek at how they turned out...

I'm in love with the country-vintage feel of this paper, just the perfect fit for Wheat Blossom. Paper Pals has an insane variety of paper and a beautiful display of different possibilities for your wedding invites. The staff there are incredibly friendly/helpful/lovely and will be as involved in the creative process as you want. If you're like many brides and only have time to pick out the paper, they will do all of the cutting, gluing, sparkling, embellishing, etc for you.

Check out their wedding invite blog for some inspiration and stop by their shop at 1475 South Grand in Pullman.

Big Event Bridal Fair: Pullman, WA - SEL Event Center

2009-11-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a great, refreshing weekend; I sure did.

After deciding to persue this life-long dream of becoming a wedding planner, I asked some of my friends in "the biz" what the most important thing they thought I should do get Wheat Blossom going. Their number 1 answer: network, Network, NETWORK! And this weekend, I did just that...

Every spring and fall, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Event Center (that's a mouth full, we'll call it SEL for short) hosts "The Big Event Bridal Fair" where brides come to meet potential vendors for their special day. On Saturday, SEL was packed with flowers, caterers (with samples, YUM), cake bakers (more yummy samples), venues, photographers, videographers, invitation designers, etc... I was aboslutlely giddy walking around to each booth as I introduced myself as a new wedding planner in the area... my heart flutters just thinking about it.

I had two epiphanies during my little adventure:

1. This is absolutely, 100% what I am meant to do with my life
2. The Palouse is a FABULOUS place to get married! (this was more of a confirmation than an epiphany!)

Here is a link to the SEL event site where you can find a list of all participating vendors. I must say that I enjoyed my time at each of the booths I stopped by, but there were a couple in particular that knocked my socks off... and I will be featuring them throughout the week :) Stay tuned for details!

Wedding Chicks + Dessy + Pantone = Lotsa Love

2009-11-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

Here's the sitch: Dessy has teamed up with Pantone to create the most amazing, user-friendly style board program on the www. Pantone provides an incredible array of colors and Dessy has a great selection of all things bridal party. The Wedding Chicks are hosting a friendly little competition to see who can create the best style board and I thought I would share my submission... I mentioned that my good friend (we'll call her Sarah, because that is her name) is getting married next October. Sarah is going for an elegant apple green and black color scheme for her wedding, and I'm loving what we've come up with so far. Here's a little peek at our inspiration...

Photo Credits:
clutch: Dessy
monogram wreaths: Alea Moore
cake: Arden Photography
flower hairpieces: Chicallure on Etsy
shoes: L.A.M.B. on nordstrom.com
guest cards: Red Ribbon Studios
apple centerpiece: Jennifer Lindberg
table setting: Jennifer Skog
green dress: Vera Wang
white dress: Sarah Seven
black dress: Anthropologie

Wino Wednesday?

2009-11-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

This pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right now...

Waaaay too many chocolate covered macadamia nuts consumed in the past 10 days. Vacation was fabulous but I am so, so excited to get plannin' some weddin's! I am diving right into centerpieces, bridesmaids dresses and buttercream frosting confections for a college friend's wedding coming October 16, 2010. The bride and groom come from big wine enthusiast families so I'm thinking these little cork guest card holders would be delightful at each place setting. Did I mention they are expecting 250 + guests? I think we'll be drinking a little vino in the next year... its a rough job, but somebody's gotta do it :)

Photo Credits: Mindy Myers

Garlands, and banners and streamers, oh my!

2009-10-28T00:05:00.000-07:00

For the record, I just slapped my self on the wrist for you all... it has been far too long since my last post! If it makes you feel any better, I blame it on the fact that I'm on vacation... in Hawaii... yeah, that probably doesn't make you feel any better, but hopefully these fabulous finds will.

Martha's done it again with this sweet, simple garland. String it across your head table, over your dessert display or wherever else your little heart desires.

A DIY lantern project from the lovely Once Wed...

I absolutely adore these vintage paper heart cutouts, the red ribbon is just the perfect touch. Find them on Etsy by LoBoheme. Or maybe try a DIY project with sheet music paper, old book pages, etc.

Such a fun accent to your beverage table... Martha, you slay me.

Imagine this little pretty dangling across your ceremony alter. So sweet and delicate. By Poppylarity on Etsy.

FREE Magazine Subscription!

2009-10-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Get 'em while they're HOT! My fabulous friend over at Confessions of a Couponaholic just sent me a link to a FREE 2-year subscription for Bridal Guide Magazine! Thank you, Couponaholic! We just adore freebies :)

Freebies!

2009-10-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or are pinwheels popping up like crazy in wedding decor? (If it is just me... humor me anyway). This week Once Wed featured some adorable barn door monograms made out of bright, multi-colored pinwheels. And the ladies at 100 Layer Cake have a great DIY project for "Prize Ribbon Place Cards" for your guests. Their example features a ribbon project, but I think you could easily sub the ribbon with paper and get some equally cute results. "But how do I make such fun, unique creations?" you ask... Enter the Freebie!

If you are a siren of the sewing machine, you are probably already very familiar with Amy Butler. Her fabric designs define c.u.t.e. Besides showcasing products on the website, Amy offers one of my favorite freebies of all, templates. And one of these templates just happen to be, you guessed it, pinwheels.

Some more pinwheel ideas to incorporate into your wedding decor...

invitations
menus
garlands
wedding favors
centerpieces
pretty much any paper project you can think of :)

Happy Monday!

2009-10-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

I thought I would start the week off with a little treat for your feet :) You can find all of these beauties at nordstrom.com. If you're looking for something really special for your special day, right now is a great time to start the search since the holiday season brings so many fun embellishments and colors to fashion. Let's take a peek, shall we?

"Peony" by Bourne. Snake skin & diamonds? I'd like one in every color, thanks.

"Spicy" by Charles David... I couldn't agree more, Charles.

"Lesley" by L.A.M.B. I just love the feathers!

"Lavish" by Fergie. Classic & pretty in a gothic kind of way; I can just see these walking down the aisle of an old, dark, candlelit church.

"Carissa" by Betsey Johnson. Classic romance in a heel... love ya, Bets.

"Anita" by Glint. I love the mesh of architecture and soft, feminine ruffles here, no?

And, my personal favorite... "Carly" by Kate Spade. Big bow + sequins = true love in my book.

"Ohmygosh..."

2009-10-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

I had another post planned for today, but these were the only words/word that kept running through my head when I stumbled upon sarahseven.com today. My heart seriously just about jumped right out of my chest as I drooled over the romantic styles of this lady love. If I am a little behind on the times for just now discovering this little treasure, my sincere apologies. If I could go back and restyle my wedding weekend, it would look something like this...

Oh, hello. Welcome to my rehearsal dinner you saucy little mustard skirt...

And this is my bridesmaid, her name is Gorgeous.

And you can bet your toosh I'm partying mine off at the reception in this sassy little number. Sarahseven calls this dress "powdered sugar", I call it pure genius... to each their own :)

This is only the tip of the ice burg my lovelies. I am racking my brain for a reason to make a purchase from sarahseven immediately. Ah, that's right... I have a dentist appointment next month. Sold.

Freebies!

2009-10-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

If you haven't checked out the Wedding Chick's blog, it's about time you hop on the train. They feature gorgeous real weddings, sell the cutest line of wedding day "getting ready"/bridal party wear, showcase a plethora of DIY projects, and {my personal favorite} offer F.R.E.E. invitation, save-the-date & thank you note templates; just to name a few. Here's a little taste to get your wedding wheels turning...

So pretty :) It would be so easy to add a belly band or other embellishments to really make these unique to your personal wedding style. Check out the blog and indulge in the many beautiful styles of, ahem - FREE, downloads.

Also, FYI, I must mention that one of the two lovely ladies (I've never met them, but I can tell that they are lovely) who make up the wedding chicks, is also Joceybella Invites. If you think these downloads are somethin' special, you should check out her invite site. Such fun style and tons of custom options, love it.

Cheers!

2009-10-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

Check out these pretty alternatives to your everyday toasting flutes. I am a big fan of all things Anthropologie for your closet, home & why not wedding?

These tumblers could serve as sweet little vases for your centerpieces, no?

It's the little things...

2009-10-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

While searching for vintage table linens on Etsy last night, I ran across these little darlings...

These are cloth napkins screen printed with a recipe for Irish soda bread by artist Georgia O'Keefe... random? Uh huh, but what a fun party favor idea! How about screen printing them with an old family recipe? Or the recipe of your signature drink served during cocktail hour? They will give your guests a little piece of your family history and keep them neat and tidy :) I just love killing two birds with one stone, don't you?

Oh, Martha...

2009-10-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

She may have just cured my "summer time's over" blues. I could practically smell the hot, spiced cider while clicking through these delicious, autumn ideas for your October/November nuptials. Please enjoy... it's on me... and Martha :)

I love how this gorgeous bouquet is wrapped up in a ribbon so big it could be a scarf.

Such a fun way to incorporate some branches in your decor.

This is a great centerpiece idea if you are using long, rectangular tables at your venue, as opposed to the more traditional round tables. And I'm pretty sure I saw those exact same gold leaves at Michael's... just add a 2x4 and your handy dandy drill and I believe you've got yourself a DIY project, peeps!

Such a pretty, rustic alternative to a chandelier.

Charmed, I'm sure

2009-10-06T22:51:00.001-07:00

How about adding these little pretties to your toasting flutes...

And maybe these for your guest's glass of vino... sweet, simple little party favors...

Yes, please :)

For the love of Vera...

2009-10-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

Oh, hi there. I see that you're checking out the sweet little dresses below. Yeah, they're by Ms. Wang. What? What's that you say? Where do you find these gorgeous creations? Well, you could wander down to your nearest Vera Wang retailer, which, if you don't live in the big city, could be hundreds of miles away. OR... you could just order them ON-LINE. Yes, that's right ladies and gents, may I introduce to you... the Maid to Order collection from Vera Wang. With a few simple clicks of your mouse, you could be the proud owner of one (or many, don't let me hold you back!) of these lovely dresses. This is a great option for those of you who:

a. don't live in the big city

b. don't live near your maids

c. want a quality dress for your maids but don't have the time to be wrestling with racks and racks of frocks

d. L.O.V.E. all things Vera, or

e. all of the above

These colors just scream whimsical, autumn wedding...

Love the jewel tones for fall... don't you?

I like to call this one "champagne wishes & caviar dreams"... you should check out the precious little bustle detail on the back... I die.

Just be sure to order these early enough to give your maids time to make any necessary alterations. And, voi-lah! Bridesmaids, check!

Let's Get Crafty: Shadow Boxes

2009-10-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

Who says you have to stop the wedding crafts after the church bells ring? You have probably worked the equivalent of a part time job when you add up all of the hours spent on preparing for your big day, and those hours produce some beautiful souvenirs. So what to do with any left over programs, invites and party favors? Make them a memory. Creating a shadow box is a great way to display some of your favorite wedding day mementos...

Here is a program I embellished with some miniature brads.

A sweet, sparkly monogram I found at a local craft store and a ribbon from one of the Pottery Barn gifts we received from our registry.

Some fabric versions of flowers found in my bridal bouquet. I took out the stems and replaced them with brads to keep the petals together.

Wedding date stamped on some cute scrapbook paper, I burned the edges before I stamped to make sure the date would fit.

After gathering some pictures, I started by laying out the scrapbook paper on top of the shadow box backing, which pops right off the back of the box like the backing on a picture frame. The shadow box I chose came with a velvet back and a piece of velcro to secure the final product to the backing. Once I had all of the pictures and other elements laid out, I put some double stick tape behind each piece to keep them in place. Then I secured the final product to the velvet backing with the velcro.

Stick the backing in the frame and... tah-dah!

Here is a list of the materials I used to make this bad boy:

shadow box (which came with velcro/velvet backing)

wedding program

pictures (Traci Griffin Photography)

scrapbook paper

ribbon

double stick tape

fabric flowers

glitter letters

mini brads

photo corners

stamps

White Hot!

2009-10-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

I must need a vacation. Today is October 1st, which means I should be dreaming of big comfy sweaters and Pumpkin Spice lattes, but while perusing ETSY for a Wilma Flinstone Halloween costume (more original ideas welcomed), I stumbled upon this little beauty and could only think one thing: destination wedding...

by Nostalgia, on Etsy

Will someone please buy this dress for their destination wedding/sexy engagement shoot on the beach before I do? Trust me, you need it more. If it stays there much longer I may not be able to contain myself... and there's gonna be one stylish Mrs. Flinstone wandering the streets on Halloween.

And how about this little ditty? I'm thinking New Year's Eve cocktail wedding...Oh, how I love thee, Max Azria...

And I really wish I had known about this little gem before my nuptials... can we say after-party dress?? Another genius Max Azria creation. LOVE.