if dreams are like movies, then memories are films about ghosts

One of the things that most people want on their wedding day is to be surrounded by all of the people they love most (and whom love them the most).  For most couples this is not completely possible...we wanted to find a way to have our loved ones not only in our heart but also symbolically at our wedding.  We had seen dedications in programs and memory candles but I wanted something a little bit more. I know after a quick search of Google images that this wasn't my original idea-- however I had seen a lot of escort cards on trees and wish trees but not any memory trees at weddings I'd attended.  

I wanted the names of all these people to be somewhere tangible...and so I got a branch from the tree in my front yard, a various supply of scrapbooking kraft paper tags, baker's twine, wood veneer birds (by Studio Calico) and borrowed my best friend's penwomanship and it was complete.  It was a last minute project but one of my favorites and it sits in our hallway on our bookcase today, because I haven't the desire or heart yet to disassemble it.  

linking up with Sugar & Dots and Crazy Cute

title courtesy of Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows: Mrs. Potter's Lullaby

but you go on

Oh October, you always grab me and shake me and tear me open.  October has been a month (since 2001) that has meant so many joyful and heartwrenching things to me that it is difficult for my brain to sort out all that my heart feels. 

I am never sad to see it go. 

My best friend and I were recently having a discussion about October, and if it would be a good time to have a baby.  She remarked that it wouldn't because the baby would be born on my exhusbands birthday (with my luck).  But I said that it would.  No matter what, I am so conflicted about October.  I try to add happy occassions back into the month that has an opal as it's talisman. 

linking up with Stephanie

Fall, my favorite season. 

One of the best months in 2000 when my college boyfriend spent tons of time with me in a tiny apartment on the top floor of a house on Bluemont street

blueberry muffins and carmel lattes at Java

The song "This time of year" by Better than Ezra

political campaigning

sweet & sassy Mindy Reese

The song "Ghost" by the Indigo Girls

Annika Noelle

extravagant gifts and celebrations and surprises I would plan for my (eventual) exhusband

the year that Breann and I made the fairy costumes

meeting K

my play was born

Rocky Horror Picture Show

taking maternity photos in st. joseph at krug park with the leaves in my hair

Spaghetti Sloane

our wedding

You'd think that would be the ultimate trump card.  One of happiest days of my life...but it will take a lifetime of more happy things, until then I will just keep adding them one by one.

lyrics from October by U2 (it will haunt you-- no pun intended)

If I could catch the world in an hourglass

The wedding is over (sigh of relief & happiness).  I still have so many projects to document, but I thought I'd post a few of the preview photos from my photographer. 

my mom made the cake, all the sugar cookies and chocolate cookies too...delicious

all my lovely friends in jewel tones

sitting in a candy apple red 1956 Cadillac

my sweet little flower girl

Do I look as freezing as I was? Chilly day, warm hearts...

My sister did a loofah beehive for the occasion

Mr.&Mrs.

my take on a brooch filled boquet, brooch-dazzled shoes and my grandma's travel case

plus a couple of candids...

Our father-daughter dance was ALL fathers and daughters

Listening to the toasts...

title lyrics from the first dance song: Until by Sting

And I see love/When the world's on a string

I took a slight break from creating for my own wedding to do a little DIY for my step-sister's wedding next week.  At her bridal shower I volunteered to make the "ribbon bouquet" or "bow-quet" for the rehearsal night.  The tradition is that it is good luck to save the ribbons and paste them to a paper plate and carry them down the aisle on the rehearsal.  I am not sure how long this tradition has been going on, but it has hit a speed bump:  the gift bag.  Hardly anyone truly wraps presents anymore.  We are a gift-bag and gift card culture. 

I still wanted my step-sis to carry something fun and full of sentiment down that practice aisle-walk.  So I enlisted the help of one of her favorite things:  candy.  I used blow-pops as stand-ins for flowers and deconstructed the few ribbons that she did get and curled them, attached a small loop of floral wire and stuck the ribbons into the premade bouquet form I purchased at JoAnn fabric (with a coupon of course). 

It turned out fun...and bonus: edible!

I let those ribbons cascade down from the center and cut them into different lengths

I also worked on my own wedding a tiny bit, repurposing more baby food jars into little vintage favors.  I have had fun filling each and every one.

This filled me with joy recently....

Hooray!  My invitations are designed, now just to print and send

Meanwhile, this filled my tiny tot with joy as she screamed "Beebs" in the mall and was all too happy to pose with him.  She also told everyone later who she saw at the mall. 

I thought the corny paint drawing complimented the poor mall lighting and huge flash just right

linking up to my Wednesday favorites: Ginger Snap Crafts Family Home & Life  My Girlish Whims   Crafty Texas Girls

title courtesy of Our Lady Peace: World on a String

They chalk it up to my anger, / And never to their own fear.

I picked up a couple of things at the thrift store recently that I will be using for chalkboards at the wedding. All of these were possible with a lot of masking tape and Krylon chalkboard spray paint. 

I got two of these for .49 each



These frames made perfect chalkboards!

I had seen vintage suitcases used for all sorts of things on Pinterest for weddings recently, but I thought why not tear our the lining and make a chalkboard in there as well?

going somewhere?



isn't she divine?  this will house the wedding programs...after: chalkboard vintage suitcase

 linking up to my Wednesday favorites: Yesterday on Tuesday Ginger Snap Crafts Family Home & Life  My Girlish Whims  Sugar and Dots Crafty Texas Girls and The Sasse Life 
title courtesy of ani difranco, not a pretty girl

I wanna hear you laugh like you really mean it

It's wedding Wednesday and I got a lot checked off of my list today.  The most important being the tent-- the tent is reserved and ready to go up (in roughly 99 days). 

I ordered a striped one-- dark purple. Think less like circus and more like Jacqueline Bouvier & John Fitzgerald Kennedy's reception.

via

If I only had the Kennedy budget so I could swing that flooring. 

A few weeks ago I ordered some adorable vintage labels from WonderlandRoom on Etsy. I just couldn't figure out how I would incorporate them into the wedding.

Then I thought of putting them on baby food jars.  I saved all of Sloane's because I made my own food for her, so if you do have a baby before your wedding, or know someone with a baby this can be the perfect size little favor jar.

The etsy labels were self adhesive so that was easy as can be, I took the food labels off with Goo Gone spray gel and adhered the new label distressing it a ltitle bit with my paper folder to make them look a little more authentic. 

I plan to fill each of them with something that (loosely) corresponds to the label and let people carry home one that strikes their fancy.  I bought the mini dominos at an antique thrift market and the war bonds jar has some pennys in it. 

I have been enjoying finding little treasures to fill them, like these vintage match books. 



Some of these beauties will fill the jars, and some of them will be stored in an ash tray near the candy cigarrette station. 

Next up on the list, another brilliant idea from my bestie (seriously, I can't think of anything on my own, that's why I have Pinterest and Breann). 

When my sister found out she was pregnant last fall we realized we would need to change our wedding date, I had already ordered my save the date postcards and was just about to recycle the whole lot. But instead Breann suggested I use them for confetti or a garland. So I put my circle punch to work the other night while watching the new HBO series The Newsroom (I'm gonna give it the old college try). I plan to mix in the new ones as well since I have the sihlouette on a peacock blue background and the LOVE is printed in bright gold.  Can't wait to grab some twine and ribbon and make this up.  Stay tuned.

linking up to: Ginger Snap Crafts Family Home & Life  My Girlish Whims  Sugar and Dots Crafty Texas Girls and The Sasse Life  and Her Library Adventures 

title courtesy of Snow Patrol: Hands Open

Intertwining like a ring around the finger of a girl

It's wedding Wednesday and it feels like crunch time all of a sudden.  I have been so busy with life that I rarely notice the time just ticking by...(it could be that a large portion of my free time was spent voraciously reading the Hunger Games trilogy). 

So today for wedding Wednesday I am deciding to focus on something old.  My friend Breann and I created this garland out of old cds, scraps of scrapbooking paper, a couple yards of ribbon, packing tape, glue, some alpha stickers and some ink.  I use this particular garland to adorn the door of Sloane's nursery.  However I am thinking of making a garland for the kids area at the wedding. 



It was seriously easy.  I snagged a few "mix cds" that I made a long time ago for things like working out to the tunes of Justin Timberlake.  I have nothing against Justin or working out (well maybe a little against working out) but I feel a little ridiculous trying to bring sexy back at this point in my life.

 

We stuck the scrapbook papers onto the cd with scrapbooking glue, tacked on the alphas using my xyron adhesive sticker maker (you could do a layer of mod podg over the top to assure the adhesive quality, especially if you want to use anywhere with humidity- like outside, bathroom or a kitchen).  Then we inked the edges with a small ink pad just to give it a little more dimension and attached the ribbon loops to the back of the cds using packing tape, then you can adhere another circle of paper over the evidence of the tape and in case you have it freestanding then both sides are decorated. 

Easy little project.  

linking up a few places today:  Ginger Snap Crafts  Family Home & Life   My Girlish Whims  Sugar and Dots  Crafty Texas Grils  The Sasse Life

title courtesy of Jason Mraz, Bella Luna

step by step, heart to heart...

It's wedding Wednesday-- this post is brought to you by the local thrift store where I picked up an ugly old brass candle stand for 99 cents and I found the most lovely orphaned Homer Laughlin plate for 1.99. 

I know it could be considered criminal to apply glue to a vintage piece of Homer Laughlin, but there was only one of them (I scoured the entire dish section for more than an hour trying to find more) and I just knew I could make it into a lovely cake stand. 

So some Krylon ivory spray paint and a thin ribbon of E6000 glue later I have this romantic little beauty for the reception:

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways...

Also crossed off the proverbial list...we hired a photographer.  And Keenan bought his suit. 

Lately while mommy crafts, and prepares for a yard sale the little one does this...



In a row


Wednesday is a popular day around the blogosphere for crafting.  Although my craft is less than original (you see these cake stands everywhere these days, I do think mine is particularly lovely) I am linking up to a few places that are full of inspiration:  Ginger Snap Crafts: {Wow me Wednesday}, My Girlish Whims, Sugar & Dots , Crafty Texas Girls and The Sasse Life.

Also I wasn't too late to the party to share this on Family home and Life: Wow us Wednesday!  Thanks Connie!


title courtesy of Toy Soldiers: by Martika

save the last dance for me

Today marks the triumphant return of Wedding Wednesday...

I've been busy lately--shopping. 

via

They look so adorable in person. I ordered 2 sets (140)....now--- what to do with them!

via

These will be at the bar--next to a recipe for a corresponding cocktail.  I am excited to do a little research (and watch more Mad Men of course) to get some fun (and tasty drinks)...

I have also decided to do a semi-potluck dinner.  I will be asking a few members of my family/friends to contribute dishes rather than gifts and I took the whole week before the wedding off and will be cooking up lots of dishes myself.  The food was where the theme broke down a little...until now.  I have these three titles on their way to me.



Betty Draper's staple-- Betty Crocker's Hostess Cookbook (via)



via-- Who doesn't need thoughts for buffets? 

via  It's a wedding people--it's supposed to bring the romance out in you!



via

 Also I have been thinking about the music. Keenan wanted to do all period music and at first I was resistant, but I think I could be swayed. So I ordered a little something to change my mind. We'll see if it works.




I think this should set the mood around the dancing area and above the bar...


via

The Save the Dates are out....and I have also picked up a lot of serving trays, utensils, glassware/barware and constructed my own cake plates...but I have saved those pictures for another day...

Things are coming along!

title courtesy of The Drifters- Save the Last Dance for Me (number one song in October 1960)

don't give up on me, I'm about to come alive

Lots of multitasking lately has lead to some mistakes.  I think I need to trim back the quantity of tasks I am doing at once.  This installment of wedding wednesday is brought to you by the letter B. 

Blonde.  I am on my way to blonde again.  I am so sick of having to dye my hair so often and seeing my blondish roots peeking through my brunette hair (and the grey invaders that I have gotten just add another thing on the list).  I figured it is time to get back to my roots.  I am not as blonde as I was as a kid, so I figured I would need to do an ashy light brown.  6 hours (most of it under the dryer) later I am a light brown and my real roots are exposed.  I couldn't get to this change in one appointment.  My hair was one level away from black (no thanks to home dyes and beauty-school drop outs students in Kansas City).  It took quite awhile and lots of hair trauma and then reintroducing protein and conditioner into my hair to get the dark dark brown to lift.  It's far more golden brown than I prefer right now but I am on my way to walk down the aisle as a blonde(ish). 

Brighten.  The other thing I hate about my appearance is that I need my teeth professionally whitenened and my dental implant on my front tooth replaced (thank you swinging on the stall doors at church when I was 10 years old for this one).  Back when they did the implant in 2005 the implant colors (cream-white) were different than the new implants now (they are apparently blue-white now).  So I am so happy to start the process of having my teeth bright and white and lovely.  Thank you cafeteria plan.  


Baby-no-more.  We officially have a walking toddler.  She couldn't be more proud of herself.  We agree with her.  It's pretty spectacular.  So we have lift off-- for the flower girl who we can now imagine walking down the aisle.   

always crosses those ankles...little lady

title coutesy of Train: I'm about to come alive

Self-appraisal often makes me sad

When I think about my wedding I think more about what I don't want (and admittedly what I did before) than what I do want.  The thing I am most careful with in my mind is color.  I wanted this to be a non-issue (repeating the sins colors of the past) but then after some unavoidable scheduling changes we ended up planning our wedding for the fall (different month than my other wedding but same season).  And there it is again-- "fall colors".

So we went shopping this weekend, and while Sloane snoozed in the stroller I picked up this flower girl dress.  And immediately the gold/champagne/ivory laden thoughts entered my mind.  But what other neutral can a girl use in fall-- surely not pink or white- those are too spring/summery, black & grey are too depressing....So I am hoping that the cranberry and peacock really take over the gold/ivory neutrals (I must strike champagne though, it simply has too much baggage) and add that panache to show that fall isn't just rust/pumpkin/chocolate.

So I agonized for a moment and then rang it up and I am so happy that I did, this picture truly doesn't captrue the adorable crochet on the bodice. Also I told myself I won't let the ghosts of colors past ruin the present. 



via Dillards.com

    
I admit...it's a little elegant for a tent.  So I thought I needed something for Sloane and me, to make us look a little more "at home wedding".  I settled on my favorite accessory of my day to day life.  The bridal party will be in hues and prints of cranberry and peacock but Sloane and I need a different color to add to our ivory/gold.  I finally settled on this look that I saw on stylemepretty.com .  Perfection.



enter the mustard yellow cardigan



In other news, I found my dress. I can't post it here though--- that would be too risky. I am hoping these sneak peeks will suffice.

from the top of my head...(minus the feather, with a mustard rosette in there via this seller on etsy.com)



cap sleeves, I've always wanted them, it's shown in white I am getting ivory



the inspiration--it's pretty close to a match-- miss hepburn in funny face

I would LOVE  NEED suggestions on shoes!

title courtesy of lyrics of Fred Astaire's funny face