Damask Suite

{Vintage Marquis by Paper Source}

I love damask.  I have loved it for so many years before it was popular for weddings.  I remember doing a project in 2003 using some vintage red damask wallpaper.  Even after putting as many damask elements into my wedding last June, I still love it.  I even try to incorporate damask wrapping paper at almost any occasion that requires a gift {and even ones that do not}!

I am excited to see all of these great pieces from Paper-Source!

home office storage

{Timber Buffet from Target}

I have been wanting a piece of furniture to house our printer, laptops, mail, etc.  for a while now.  After much searching online and locally I finally decided that our best option was the Timber Buffet from Target.  The biggest downside is that I had to order online so it still has not arrived {I ordered it January 3rd}.  The space below is perfect, or at least the measurements seem perfect, for our printer and 2 laptops, our external hard drive and other items.  The space above will be perfect for some basket to organize the mail.

I am getting the space ready as it currently contains a super amazing antique travel trunk that I acquired from my grandparents who got it from another long ago relative. I love this trunk!  It just is not practical for anything other than putting things on...So the trunk was holding many, many magazines, mostly wedding magazines.

I love these magazines and am having a hard time parting with them, so I am going through and removing my most favorite pages and then will reuse the mags for an awesome project at work.

I cannot wait for the furniture to arrive, just another step in my quest to become organized!

Day 11 Tasks

What a busy day. I survived the CRAZIEST storm that I have even been out in. I got lots and lots of wedding stuff accomplished too!

The main gift for the Bridesmaids were wrapped today!
Purchased gifts for our Greeters
Purchased frames for family photos at the reception
Worked on music for DJ
Purchased new MAC lipstick
Ordered potential Rehearsal dinner shoes from Zappos
Gave final count to Catering St. Louis for the Rehearsal Dinner.
Went tanning AND whitened teeth at the same time (LOVE IT)

I am VERY excited about the frames. I loved this frame from Target, but did not purchase as I did not have a reason. I know, it is NOT like me to purchase responsibly. SO....when I decided to display some photos at the reception, not just any old frame would do. I was so bummed that I could not find this frame again at Target.

{Frame, Target}

I looked so many places....Hobby Lobby, HomeGoods, TJ Maxx...and no luck finding frames with this vintage modern feel. I bit the bullet and went to Art Mart...not wanting to pay a bajillion dollars for one frame. I found two fabulous frames....made by Umbra. A wee bit pricey ($18 for a 5x7) for my project, but oh well. The sales guy at Art Mart was very nice. I decided to rush home and google Umbra and find more fab frames. Low and behold, my coveted Target frame is made by the same company! Woot! So in the end, I was able to score some great frames that I will love to decorate my home with. AND they fit the feel of our reception so they will be perfect for my photo display! eeeeee! I cannot wait to see how it turns out. Now, I just need to get prints made of the vintage family photos!

Tasks for Day 10:
I decided to put these in writing so I stick to them!

Ok....Tasks for Day 10:
Finish stickering candy bar take-out boxes and tin tie bags
Get prints of family photos made
Soak rehearsal dinner branches (so excited)
Clean house
Get flower girl and ring bearer gifts together
Work on reception layout
Finalize Father/Daughter song
Finalize wedding day accessories-finish bracelet, decide on hair accessory

oh boy....that is a lot to do! Another post coming tomorrow!

vintage fab

{via Perfect Details}

I love the look of these shoes with the brooch looking detail....

eye candy

I am making am effort to keep my personal laptop's desktop clean...a rather unruly task as I love to take screen shots as I pop around the net. While organizing my junk, I came across some rather fab "all things wedding" shots...check them out!

I wish I knew where I got this shot. Wedding heaven!

One bow...

Two bows...Three bows! Did you know I love bows? Wonder what my wedding cake will look like? Heh! ;)

why DIY. why. II

Here is the sitch. I had a brilliant idea. I could not find, within my budget, what I wanted to wear in my hair for the big day. I decided to order some materials thinking I could create the assymmetrical swarovski crystal with vintage brooch headband of my dreams. Hmmm...ended up not having everything that I needed so off to the bead store and Michaels and spent MORE money....I do not want to even admit how much I have spent. I have also put in hours and hours working on this project...and made many, many, options....but would have to take apart because HELLO! did not have enough beads to make the 20 or so options that I was considering...and it does take time to create.

But now this project has cost me more than if I would have just ordered a headband. A really beautiful couture headband. sigh. so incredibly sad. I do have a working model of my headband and I am not sure if I will end up wearing it or ordering one. I should have known better! This is why I am not doing many DIY projects! I know I am totally capable, but seriously my time is worth something! So if I ever say I am going to DIY another BIG project to save money....please stop me! You will actually save me some money. Now for pics of the bling. she needs a name...any suggestions?

feeling crafty...the results continued

Saturday on my way home from working out with trainer Megan, I stopped by Anatol's to seek out the perfect fabric for ring bearer pillows. I searched and searched the store and then I found just what I was looking for! The fabric for the pillow is a satin off-white damask.

I then need beads, sparkling beads! A trip to Michaels Arts and Crafts would provide me with the perfect colors of Swarovski crystals.

The finished result! I added black ribbon and a vintage bow brooch for extra bling.

After finishing the main pillow, I made a second one for the other ringbearer.

ring pillow...

I love visiting Etsy and looking for treasures. I found these lovelies while perusing the "pillow" section under the "Wedding" heading.

All pillows are from Etsy Seller EmiciBridal

{Tahitian Pearl Hand Beaded Ostrich Feather Rhinestone Wreath Ring Bearer Pillow}

{Vintage Silk Satin Damask Ring Pillow}

This is one of my favorites! So beautiful. I would like this design with a horizontal black ribbon around the middle of the pillow with the bow on top. seems like it would finish it more for my taste!

{Simple Ivory Sand Silk Pillow}
Gorgeous dupioni bow!

{Black and Ivory Silk Silver Leaf and Pearl}
Love this large black dupioni silk bow...

crystal tree decor...

{Cristalier}

I am not doing hardly any DIY wedding projects, however I am going to begin to take on some of it so I can save some dough.

The rehearsal dinner is at the gorgeous Spink Pavilion at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. We will be doing a cocktail/heavy apps party so there will not be a ton of tables for sit down. I think this is a perfect event to do some DIY centerpieces. I have been wanting to use chandelier crystals somewhere.....anywhere! I love them.

Enter crystal tree idea...

{Wild Things}

I love how the crystals hang from this tree! So cool that is it white, bendable (obviously fake manzanita), and comes potted...but it was too pricey for my project.

{Nettleton Hollow}

These manzanitas are so cool! They look like they are being blown by wind. They have such unique qualities to each branch. The hanging votives are so pretty.

{Flowers and Supplies}

This is a manzanita with its leaves...pretty.

{Nettleton Hollow}

Love, love, LOVE this tree. So cool in every way.

{Nettleton Hollow}

This is Mitsumata. Not as common for trees and Manzanita...or at least it is not as documented as much as manzanita. I ordered several bunches of this. Here are the advantages of this type of branch:
1. it is a bleached wood in creamy white color. so very elegant
2. it is cost effective for price and shipping....
3. it can do very cool things!

If you soak the branches, they suck up water like a sponge and then you can mold them however you like. Since they are very compact when shipped, it reduces the shipping cost. So my wheels start turning since I have chandelier crystals from the jewelry that I am making....and then I remembered that I have these!

{Illuminations}

I have seven hanging tealight holders that I purchased from Illuminations a VERY long time ago. I always wanted to hang them over a dining room table or somewhere but never have. So needless to say they have been packed up. There is a third style not shown that I got with these.

So here is the plan. One large display on the buffet table having the most crystals and hanging votives....also having flowers in some of the holders like little vases...on the rest of the sit-down tables, there will be less ornate arrangements on those tables. I really hope this works! I will post after I get the branches and create a sample!

if it exists, its on etsy!

I was thinking that it would be so fun to have an anenome flower pin to add some sass to basic outfits. My love of anenome's is definitely expanding from the bridal bouquet to everything else. heh. So where do I search first to find one? Will I even find one? Well as the title of this post claims, it it exists, it is on etsy.....and yes virginia, they do exist! (or is that the line from the m&m's commercial? anyway...)

{etsy Smitten}

Here she is....her name is Gilda and boy is she purty!

chandelier...

I decided that I did not want to wear a necklace on the wedding day that was rhinestone-y. I randomly came up with this crazy idea that I was going to find vintage chandelier crystals to create a necklace...then saw the most gorgeous necklace worn by Ellen, an stlwed.com bride.

{We Dream In Color}

I so love it. So after I decided to investigate the chandelier idea, Ellen sent me the above website. I was so excited to find something so beautiful! BUT I had already found chandelier crystals and ordered many.....so many that the bridesmaids are getting earrings and bracelets out of chandelier crystals to wear too... Below is my "rough draft" of the necklace.


In October, I brought the necklace to try on with the sample dress and my mom *HATES* it. Oh yes...hates. what to do. She hated my blue shoe idea, my bird cage veil idea, and now my necklace. Is she just right, or too old school. not sure.

There is the chance that the necklace may be too much. I really will not know until the dress comes. Advice? Anything like this happen to you?

something vintage...

Since there is a lack of sparkle on the gown, I will be adding a vintage Weiss brooch that I purchased on ebay. The swoops on the brooch appear in the invitation design. They will also appear on the cake in some fashion. I do have to do a little repair work to the brooch. I am sure that will all work out though!