Shower Thank Yous: Check!

So after an unsuccessful Saturday of not getting as much as I wanted to get done off my to do list, on Sunday I woke up and cranked out the rest of Jaclyn's bridal shower Thank Yous.

Huzzah!

We invited about 45 people so I made an even 50 Thank Yous just in case she messes up writing one, or needs an extra envelope...you know how it goes.

Showed J&A some calligraphy samples and I might have the job! :P There's a chance my aunt might have them sent out to be done by someone else, but we'll see what the final verdict is. I personally wouldn't mind writing all the envelopes out by hand but I can understand wanting a "professional" doing it. I guess it's all about the Benjamins. I'm cool with the decision either way.

As for me, not too much is happening. Jason got a job offer down in Virginia so within the next few weeks he'll be moving down there. I'm not so excited about the distance, but we've already proven we can stand it. It's a 6 month contract job and it's actually in his field! I especially don't mind that he'll be leaving his job at Subway making sandwiches to go do something he actually went to school for. This might just be the break he needed to get his foot in the door in his industry.

But ahhh, Virginia till January! Not looking forward to a 7 hour drive to visit him...

DIY Shower Invitations & Decor

As I've mentioned before my sousin Jaclyn is getting married in October and my sister and I are co-maids of honor. The other wonderful bridesmaids and the two of us decided to throw Jaclyn her shower in July and I've been crafting ever since.

It started with the invitations. I had an idea in my head and managed to get it into paper form pretty easily. (Some personal information is blurred out.) I bought the purple cover and matching envelopes from envelopemall.com. From what I've seen they have the best prices on envelopes out of any online store out there and have an excellent selection of colors and brands. I've ordered samples from them before and their customer service personnel are all very friendly and accommodating.

The ivory paper is actually some resume paper I've had forever and the ribbon came from Michael's. Each of these invitations fit into a long policy 10 envelope. I liked the different shape of the invitation and knew that this was a chance for me to do something creative since J&A decided to get store bought wedding invitations.

Two weekends ago Julibean and I started working on some decor elements. We're hosting the shower in our backyard, so we wanted to add some simple pieces to the canopies and to the trees in the yard to bring some of Jaclyn's favorite color (purple) into the space. We searched around for ways to create pretty and simple centerpieces and decided to make luminaries.

We bought small glass filled candles at the dollar store and wrapped vellum around them. Then we decorated them with the same cut outs that I used on the invitations. I don't have a photo of one while the candle is lit, but trust me, they look very pretty and were really simple to make.

I also came across these fabulous easy to make paper poms from Martha Stewart. You can actually buy kits to make these at Michael's since they carry her craft line there, but we were able to make them ourselves at home without the kit.

We wound up making about six or seven of these poms in different sizes and shades of purple. They look a lot better hanging up than sitting on a table. I hung one from my chandelier to give you a feel for them. When a breeze hits them and they spin a little they look soooooo pretty. And they were really simple to make and despite the fact I have tiny shreds of tissue paper on my floor we definitely had some fun putting them together.

So we have paper poms, little luminaries and we've gone ahead and purchased Jaclyn a fantastic tiara she can wear because obviously the shower is all about her. :)

I also decided I wanted to make Thank You notes for Jaclyn as part of my shower gift to her. I know she'll use them and I had plenty of purple cover paper left over so I got to making them this weekend. We've invited about 45 people to the shower, so I still have quite a few to make, but I'm getting there.

I designed them to match the invitations and go along with the whole fun little flower theme we have going on. I found a set of cute little stamps that said things like "Thanks a bunch!" and "I really loved it!" and those little messages are the kinds of sentiments that Jaclyn would definitely like to impart on her friends and family.

So once I finish the Thank You cards, which I made to fit into A2 sized envelopes, then I just have a few more poms to create and we are set for decor!

Then all I have to do is practice my calligraphy a little more. I'm going to hand address all of the wedding invitations for Jaclyn & Andy. So I've been working on exactly how things should look and how certain letters should connect into others. Calligraphy is definitely a dying art and it has long been something I have had a passion for. I haven't pulled out the stops yet, since my different pen nibs are in need of a cleaning, but it's interesting how your medium can change your end work. Same name with same style of writing in a regular marker, a ball point pen and a special calligraphy marker...all have a different kind of attitude to them.

We'll see which style and which pen the bride and groom like the best, I can adapt to a certain degree with my handwriting. I'm excited to get going with more wedding craftiness, but my hand is definitely tired from just the practicing. When you've spent the past four years typing everything instead of writing it by hand, writing a lot suddenly is really a pain :P

Always in 3s

This week has been horrible when it comes to the loss of celebrities. On Tuesday legend Ed McMahon died and then just yesterday we lost Farrah and Michael!

I hardly have words to describe what amazing entertainers they were. It's just so sad to have so many amazing people die at once.

Why is it that celebrities always go in 3s?
May you each find peace.

Sending sentimental fuzzies and happy thoughts to your families, close friends and fans.

It's the little things...

Remember how I was swooning over something fantastic last week? Well check out what Amanda gave me:

FIESTA!

I was telling her and Jason all about my love and want for Fiestaware and lo and behold, there in the dinning room were two plates she had mistakenly yoinked from the dinning hall at school and brought home.

First of all, how gorgeous are these colors?! Secondly, how utterly amazing is it that Amanda's college dinning hall had Fiestaware?!

The collection begins...

Please disregardful the quality of the cell phone photo...I know you love my little Outback Mate!

Ode to the US Open

A Haiku:

Dear US Open
Gone you are, but traffic still!
Exit closures suck.(Photo taken by m'Dad at Bethpage Black. US Open Practice Round.)

The Wedding Date

A few weeks ago, my good friend Matt asked me if I would go to a wedding with him. I love weddings and even though I knew I was a replacement date I couldn't have been more thrilled to go. It actually isn't the first time a friend of mine had a date cancel at the last minute and I love meeting families and seeing the different traditions people incorporate into weddings.

Matt and I have been friends since freshman year of college. We met at an a cappella workshop before classes even started and I wound up going to Six Flags with his family later that week on a whim. Since Matt's family lived in the area I got to see them frequently and always enjoyed the time spent with my surrogate family. Also, I had met the bride on a few occasions prior to the wedding so I didn't feel too awkward going.

The ceremony was wonderful. It was short and sweet, outdoors by a little stream, and the Appel Inn in Altamon is just adorable. I love small weddings. I think sharing the moment with the people who matter most and not throwing a party for your cousin's boyfriend's vegetarian yoga instructor is the way to go.

The reception was intimate and the ceiling of the "Gathering Space" is goregous!

Most importantly Beth and Dan looked so happy and the day was simply fantastic.

Soon to come...

I haven't been able to get a chance to upload some photos off my camera yet, but once I do expect to see lovely pictures from a wedding I went to last weekend with Matty and all the arts and crafts I did with the Beaner this weekend.