Shooting for a $3,000 Wedding

Rings, Candles, Mr & Mrs- Kiss The Bride!

2011-11-21T08:02:00.001-08:00

To stay with the storyline, I've included some phtos of a couple of ceremony events. Like his adorable ring bearer grandson bringing us the rings, the ring exchange, the unity candle lighting,and the "it's official" joining of our hands by the minister.
What? We can what? We can KISS now? =) Finally! The moment I've been waiting for. The first official kiss as HIS MRS! YAY!!

My goodness! Get a room you two! Do we look happy, or what?

Here Comes The Bride....ME!

2011-10-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

It was so cute to see my Mr-To-Be waiting for me at the end of the aisle.....a big smile plastered on his face, a camera ready in his hand. And as I approached closer, tears welled up in his eyes that went along with a nervous laugh. It was beautiful. My dad passed me over to my soon to be husband, and as we stood with our backs turned to our guests, he started snapping pictures of us and we could hear our family and friends laughing. But this is who we are......and it was all good because they all knew this.

photo credits: Sweet As Pie Photography, Yvette (my daughter) and Peter (my husband)

Has It Been That Long?

2011-10-11T07:25:00.000-07:00

OMG......has it really been almost a year since my last post? I never did finish with my recaps....not sure if anyone's still out there to see them either. IS anyone out there???

Recaps- Ceremony Part 1

2010-10-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

Although it was a gorgeous day, waiting outside in the heat with my dad was not very pleasant. Sweating was not on my itinerary! But there we were....hot in the sun. I only stood outside, because if I had stood in the entryway, guests would have been able to see me.
We were using a small boom box for the music. That's what the church uses. I guess because it's a stone structure, the acoustics sound really great and they've never had a need for any type of sound system or P.A. We made a CD that consisted of only 3 songs, and simple directions on when to start and stop playing each song was told to my husband (by me) about 8 or 9 times so that it could be drilled into his head (he's a bit A.D.D.). The directions were also posted on the CD cover and on his son's itinerary with special instructions (he was to be in charge of this). I even asked my husband to please, PLEASE allow his son to read directions on CD and itinerary and not to try and explain them to him himself. You see, my honey is HORRIBLE at directions, and there's a 90% chance of him getting things completely wrong. Well.......things did go badly as far as music and queuing people on when to start processional. My honey (I love him to death) got everything wrong, even with engraving things into his brain. He didn't even allow his son to stop and start the music....he did it HIMSELF! ay,ay,ay! So basically, that is why we stood outside in the heat for so frickin' long. But when we finally got on with it, things went great. (Well, besides the sweat factor!)

In the above picture you will see my honey waiting to take pics of everyone as they walked up.
All the guests are patiently waiting (especially because of the music and queuing issues)........
First my mom and step father........followed by flower girl, flower girl's escort and ring bearer. Really in no particular order.....we're just lucky there was cooperation with them all going up the aisle! My flower girl (granddaughter) was completely against having any part of being the flower girl. She even threw a couple of petals....wow!
We were very proud of them. Of course, I didn't get to see until late that evening from the video my honey (and his daughter) made. You can see his daughter in the second set of pictures maneuvering the camera.

Part 2 will be "Here Come's the Bride". ME! =)

ReCaps- DIY Bouquet and Boutonniere

2010-10-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

In this next collage you will find my DIY bouquet and DIY boutonniere.
The bouquet had a blend of silk dark purple flowers, brooch pieces, feathers, and various handmade flowers from different materials. I also made pom pom "dandelions" from yarn which you will later see incorporated into other decor. I made the handle wrap from a small lace cloth table runner I found at a generic dollar store. I cut it in half, then folded that in half, then wrapped it around the base. I then added a wide ribbon at the base of the flowers, and crisscrossed a thin decorative ribbon along the handle. I used a "silk bouquet foam top" handle.....it had fake stems built in. You just add silk flowers. To make it cost me about $20. This was not my throw away bouquet. The throw away was real flowers.....the ONLY real flowers that were in any part of our day. I'll have pics of that in a later post.
My "something borrowed" was the dragonfly pin at the top of the handle that I borrowed from my mom.
I made the picture charms (my first and only attempt at these thus far) which included, from top to bottom, my husband's mom (who passed away almost 2 years ago), my father's mom, and my mother's mom. I REALLY love the way these came out! I feel it's my best project ever. Maybe because it's such a sentimental thing.
You know, handmade "fake" flower bouquets are not for everyone. We all have our preferences, likes, dislikes and attitudes & such. When I first told my sister that I was making a bouquet from fake flowers (I already knew she had attitude against fake flowers) she scoffed. When she finally saw it on my wedding day, she said, "I take it all back". That made me smile. Not that I really cared what people thought. After all, it was MY wedding, and MY bouquet and I wanted things MY way. But like I said, I know that everyone has their own preferences, and I don't think anyone should be knocking other people just because they don't like the same thing they like. Individuality.........it's part of what makes life so fun! OK....so let's continue.
I made bouts for my Mr., my dad, and our ring bearer. They're all basically the same with the exception that the ring bearer's is smaller, and my Mr.'s has a little something extra in it.
My mom's corsage was on the last post I shared.
~~~~CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW TO ENLARGE~~~~

pictures taken by: Sweet As Pie Weddings

ReCaps! Finally.......Prep Before Ceremony

2010-10-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I know it's been a very long time since I've actually blogged, and all I can say is I'm sorry. This here is my first recap of the wedding. I didn't really know where to start, and I will probably be all over the place with this, but for this first post I will be recapping the church set up (the day of) and getting ready for the ceremony. I really didn't feel the need to go into make up, hair, etc. because I did my own at home in a big rush! More about that later.
I've gotten a bit lazy when it comes to blogging, so I've arranged the pics as collages.....I hope you don't mind. OK....so let's start. We were married on September 18, 2010. The weather was a very nice and comfortable 86 degrees.
We were married in a very old stone church that my dad's side of the family has attended for generations. In fact, my grandmother lived right next door to it.
The church has been there since 1888.
The Pastor was to meet us at the church to let us in to decorate at 2:30. But I think he didn't show up until about 2:55......right about the time I was scheduled to start getting ready. But ok......it's a good thing I had minimal decorations for the church. My 28 year old daughter met us there and was able to help out decorating. Thank goodness! And of course she brought her 4 year old daughter (my flower girl/granddaughter) and I of course brought my 13 year old daughter/granddaughter (I adopted her when she was 2). She was appointed as the Flower Girl's Escort. Such a prestigious title. ha! We just needed to ensure that the flower girl would make it down the aisle. You see, when I first asked my darling granddaughter to be my flower, she was animatedly against it. I told her she would be wearing a beautiful Cinderella dress, I showed her videos on YouTube of flower girls walking down the aisle, I begged and pleaded, tried guilt trips.....you name it! And still....NO! I don't want to be a flower girl! So I basically had decided that we would have to trick her. Long story short, she did wonderfully and had full knowledge of what she was going to do. YAY!
~~~MAKE SURE YOU CLICK ON PICS TO SEE LARGER~~

So in the above pic, you can see her sitting on the bench and waiting to get changed into her dress. But first, setting up. You can see my 13 year old putting the signs on the pew bows. I really didn't spend much time or effort on the pew bows. I just bought the Dollar Tree bows, and added lavender tulle to them. The signs were very simple.....card stock and ribbon. My Mr. ran the simple runner that I had gotten from LinenTablecloth.com down the aisle.
While they did that, I was decorating the entryway.

I put out the layered programs that I made, the bubbles I had decorated, the Tears of Joy tissues I made, the guest book I had made at Photoworks.com. They had a coupon last year for a free book, so I jumped on it! I also put out pictures of our grandparents and parents on their wedding days. I especially love the one that has my grandmother and grandfather exiting this very church on their wedding day back in 1927. After decorating, we headed to a small church reception area to get dressed. It was just a few steps away. When we walked in, we noticed that it was set up for some sort of reception. I wasn't told about this. All of the areas I was planning to have photo ops in were completely changed. There had been a perfect corner in which to take pictures, but now that was gone. Oh well.....

So Alayla quickly got dresses in a corner....hiding from everyone. She's so cute, and she actually really seemed ready for her part! So now it was my turn. My daughter and Mom helped me with a few things.
Ah....I feel like a princess! Good thing I brought a small mirror......hey, ya gotta make do with whatcha gots! lol
I made my necklace, by the way. It was during crunch time, so nothing fancy. Seeing as I had never made any jewelry before, I thought it came out pretty good. I had planned to do a much nicer one, but I'm lucky I made one at all. I really don't even know why I was so determined to make my own.....darned blog world!
I made my shoe clips, but somewhere, somehow between the ceremony and reception I lost one. grrrrrrr........you can see that I had lost one in the Mr & Mrs Shoe Shot (coming later). Grrrrr.....
Well anyway, I added little blue beads to my garter for my something blue. My 13 year old (Sunshine) helped put my shoes on while Alayla sat patiently with "Baby", her giraffe that she never leaves home without. After I was ready, we had time for some pics. My sister and nieces joined us.
You can see the corsage that I made for my mom. I used a lot of the same elements for the corsage, boutonnieres, and my bouquet. Yup, I made my own bouquet too! I think my next post will be closeups of my bouquet, so it won't be as looooooooooooong as this post.
Sorry about that, but you seemed bored. hehe

pictures taken by: Sweet As Pie Weddings

Yes, I did end up hiring a photographer after all. I got a great deal.....all pics shot, unedited, all on dvd. So, in other words......I had to do any enhancing, color adjusting, etc. that needed to be done on the pics (which I love to do anyways!).

WOO-HOO! The winner...................

2010-09-13T18:29:00.001-07:00

...............of the die cut business cards from Uprinting is Shanna (Miss Arkansas Bride) who said, "I would probably use them for photo sharing cards at our wedding.".
Congrats to you Shanna! You should be hearing from Uprinting soon.

UPrinting Die Cut Business Cards Giveaway

2010-09-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

Wow! Now these business cards are so cooool! Don't you just love them? Uprinting is offering these awesome die cut business cards to ONE lucky winner! Be sure to visit Uprinting's site to see all that they have to offer.
Since I will also be receiving 250 of these for hosting this giveaway, I will definitely use these for my Etsy business. How about you? Business? Calling card? Cards to direct your wedding guests to your photo sharing site? Well, whatever you decide to use these for, here are some details.

Giveaway Prize:
250 Die Cut Business Cards for One (1) Winner

2 x 3.5”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.75 x 3.5” (slim card)

Die cutting options available: Rounded Corners, Leaf, Rounded One-Corner, Half-Circle Side, Circle

Paper Type: 14pt Cardstock Gloss, Matte, or High Gloss; 13pt Cardstock Uncoated

Color: 4Color Front, Blank Back; 4Color Front, Black Back; 4Color Both Sides

Limited to US residents only 18 years old and above

All you have to do to enter is let me know what you think you will use these for. Make sure you leave an email address so that Uprinting can contact you if you win. If I can't get ahold of you within 2 days after giveaway ends, I will have to choose an alternate winner. Pretty simple.....only one chance to win on this giveaway.
Last day for entries is Sept. 9th.
Good luck!

The Winner of the 18 x 24 UPrinting Poster Giveaway is...............

2010-08-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

...........Shanna who said, "I would use this to blow up one of our engagements for our reception."
Congratulations Shanna! =)

I Want One!

2010-08-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

SILHOUETTE Machine Guest Giveaway!

What I Will Be Selling..........after

2010-08-20T04:41:00.000-07:00

One of my wonderful readers (Amanda) asked what I will be selling after the wedding. I don't exactly know EVERYTHING I'll be selling right off the top of my head, but here are a few things that I can think of right now.
my dress
fabric tablecloths (round and rectangular) lavenders and purples
table runners (gosh, I think they're white)
fabric napkins
centerpiece parts
some of the signs I made
photo booth props
bird cage card holder
tiara(s)
veil (which I decided not to wear after all)
unused garters
crinoline(s)
pretty pom pom decor
16" paper lanterns
4 white chair covers with lavender sashes
plastic pitchers (purple and clear)
glass salt & pepper shakers
jewelry
hand made bouquet (maybe)
flower girl dress (if she doesn't thrash it!)

Of course when I officially post they will include pictures. If there's anything you think you might be interested in, and would like to see pics, just let me know -belsilva64(at)yahoo(dot)com - and I will do my best to send some pics your way. I'll try and give you a quote on what I think I may sell it/them for also. You will need to leave me your email though.

UPrinting Poster Giveaway!

2010-08-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Yes....yet another giveaway for a fabulous 18" x 24" poster from the wonderful online printing masters, UPrinting.com! It's a great place to find cheap poster printing as well as other stuff like menus, canvas prints, postcards, vinyl banners, greeting cards and so much more. All these things can be used for your wedding too!

How about one of those movie posters with the two of you as the stars? Too cute. You could post it somewhere at your reception, or even at your bridal shower.
Or the ever so popular fingerprint tree guest book? There are so many fun things you could do with this....and it doesn't even have to be wedding related at all! A cool poster for your child's room? A family picture for your den? So many possibilities.
Now, since I will also be receiving one of these posters for hosting this giveaway ( disclaimer), I think I will be designing some sort of sign for above our "sweets" table. But seeing as how my wedding is less than a month away with still SOOOO much to do, I really won't have time to post my draft of this poster......so all updates and pics will have to wait until after the wedding. So keep an eye out after September 18th to see the results of "Shooting For A $3,000 Wedding". Did I make my goal? Well, I'm not sure yet. I still have to tally everything up and see what I can sell after the wedding. Keep an eye out for that too! Lots of stuff will be for sale, and I will be selling the stuff dirt cheap! I'm not trying to make my money back.....just lessen the blow! I love a great bargain, and knowing how tough the economy is, I will love passing down great bargains to others who are in the same boat as I am in.
Well anyways....back to this wonderful giveaway.

The Giveaway Prize:

18x24 Poster Print
Semi Gloss / High Gloss
Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above

TO ENTER:
FIRST ENTRY: (mandatory)
Leave a comment letting me know what you think you will be using this poster for.
This entry is MANDATORY for the second entry to count.
BE SURE you leave a way to contact you in both of your comments. This is important....because if you are the winner and I can't get ahold of you within 48 hours, I will have to choose another winner.

SECOND CHANCE ENTRY:

Become a follower publicly (I will need to verify this) and leave a separate comment letting me know that you did
OR
leave a separate comment letting me know that you are already following me publicly (I will need to verify this also).

So......two chances to win......good luck! Last day for entry is Thursday, August 26th!

The Winner of The Rolled Canvas Print From Uprinting is......

2010-07-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

Kristal from My Life As A Wife!
Congrats Kristal.
And a BIG thank you to Uprinting!

My DIY Pinwheels To Top The Kid's Pencils

2010-07-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

I wanted to add some more fun to the activity booklets I had made for the kids attending our reception, and decided to put pinwheels on top of the pencils I had bought for them. I think the pictures say it all as far as my process went.

I used some pretty thick double sided card stock. But I think thinner paper will work just as well.
Make sure your hole on your hole punch is smaller than the head on your pin. (see #7)
The (4) hole punches will go on the straight cut edge. Of course, you can also always skip the zigzagged side and just keep all lines straight. I just did the zigzag for an added pizazz.

I actually ended up gluing the four pieces together.....putting a dab of glue stick around each hole as I folded each down..........then held in place for a few moments......

I know the pencil doesn't exactly match up with the paper that well (pencil is actually dark purple, but looks brown in pics) but that's ok. It just makes it all that more fun! =)
I also need to concoct a way to make 2 of these pinwheel pencils without actual pins for our two smaller kids. All the rest of the kids are over 10. I'm working on it!
And here it is with the activity booklet and the pillow box I made for the crayons. The pillow box actually just started off as an experiment. I was originally going to just tie some crayons together with ribbon, but then thought that I wanted to put them in some sort of container instead. I tried a few different things, then when I began the pillow box, there was no stopping me. I made them all without a single pic being taken. =(
But I'll make one more for tutorial sake.....soon.
I love the way all the papers match.
I'm still trying to think of some more ideas for the kids. Any thoughts?

My DIY Kid's Booklet

2010-07-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

I decided to make just a small kid's booklet for the children that will be at my reception. If all that were invited come, there will be a total of twelve. I started by scouring the internet for templates of coloring and activity pages (wedding related). So I Googled "kids wedding activity book" under images. So I copy and pasted 4 coloring pages and 3 activity pages. On my own, I also created a word scramble with the theme of things you might find at our sweets table, along with another 2 pages of "how many four letter words and higher can you make from the words "PETER AND BELINDA". I put 2 pages per sheet to be printed out, then used my handy dandy cutter to trim them down to the size I needed. (4 x 8)
The picture above is a bit blurry.....but you get the idea.
I then stapled the 10 pages together.
Next, I got the photo cards from SeeHere.com I had made last year......there was a freebie special going on at the time, and I was thinking ahead. lol This is to be our cover for the booklets.
In fact....if you're interested in getting 25 free photo cards from them, they are running a special right now, and all you have to do is pay for shipping. You get (25) 4" x 8" cards in whatever design you choose, to be used for whatever you would like. Just enter this coupon code at checkout: cards-36. This special ends on 7/17/10.
So anyways.....I hot glue gunned the cover to the stack of papers by putting a thin line along the top..........
.......and there you have it! A little time consuming, but it basically cost me nothing but time. (Last year they even paid for shipping on photo cards!) =p

On another subject...........
I sent my invites out in 2 batches......one batch on Thursday and one batch on Friday. Unfortunately, I didn't take pics of my assembly process as I was in SUCH a big hurry to get them out. As I may have mentioned in another post, I've been so busy with Etsy, that time just flew right by me. I wanted to get them out really early so that when the response deadline came up, I could call the people I hadn't heard from to get the count. Then, send out more invites for any open spaces I might have. You see, because of budget AND reception space we had to cut our guest list WAY down low, so I figured whoever couldn't make it on our first wave of invites, maybe people from a second wave could. Make sense? Well anyways....I'll try and take pictures and share from my second wave. How's that?
Did you or do you plan to do anything similar?

I've Been Waiting SOOO Long For This Rolled Canvas Giveaway From Uprinting!

2010-07-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

And I'm sure you can see why. Who wouldn't want their favorite picture on rolled canvas? I've heard from many other bloggers that Uprinting's printing on canvas came out just beautifully! Eeeeeek.....I can't wait! Although, I'm still not sure which picture I will use.

This printing company, Uprinting, is one of my favorite printing companies ever! They are such a BIG part of my wedding. From monogrammed stickers on the bags for my "Sweets" buffet, thank you cards for after the wedding, my response postcards, some extra favor cards and many others.

OK....so here are the details:

Giveaway Prize:

16x20 Rolled Canvas Print
Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above

MANDATORY FIRST ENTRY
All you have to do is leave a comment on which picture you think you would use if you won. This is mandatory in order to enter, and you must leave a way to contact you or you may forfeit your prize to someone else.
SECOND CHANCE ENTRY
Become a follower of my blog and in a separate comment, let me know that you have and leave your user name, as I will be checking. Also, don't forget to leave a way to contact you if you should win.
If you are already a follower, you can also leave me a separate comment letting me know that you are with user name and leaving a way to contact you.

Easy Peasy! Just be sure you enter by Sunday, July 25th.

Good luck!

The Winner of the 18x24 Wall Graphic is.........

2010-06-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Shanna who said, " Engagement photo!". Congratulations Shanna!
And a big THANK YOU to LargeFormatPosters.com for giving us all such a wonderful opportunity to win such a wonderful product!
Watch for more giveaways soon! =)

Giveaway for an 18 x 24 Custom Wall Graphic!

2010-06-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

I am sponsoring this giveaway for LargeFormatPosters.com.
They have a great assortment of things from vinyl clings to family portraits, event banners, outdoor signs, large wall graphics and much more!

Giveaway Prize:

18x24 Wall Graphics
Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above

MANDATORY FIRST ENTRY
All you have to do is leave a comment on what you would use this for if you won. This is mandatory in order to enter, and you must leave a way to contact you or you may forfeit your prize to someone else.
SECOND CHANCE ENTRY
Become a follower of my blog and in a separate comment, let me know that you have and leave your user name, as I will be checking. Also, don't forget to leave a way to contact you if you should win.
If you are already a follower, you can also leave me a comment letting me know that you are with user name and leaving a way to contact you.

I think I will be using mine for a bridal shower game I posted here awhile back.
This giveaway ends on Monday, June 21st. Good luck!

The Winner of the Sticker Giveaway!

2010-05-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

It's Sarah M who said, "I would use them for the OOT bags/boxes/packages for my August wedding."
Congrats to you Sarah! =)

Who Can't Use Stickers? A GIVEAWAY!

2010-05-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

This giveaway that I'm hosting is from Digital Room, and it is for 250 stickers/labels! There are just so many things you can do with these. Let's see.....address labels, event stickers, use them to promote your business, put them on thank you cards, use your monogram and use them for everyday use! And if you're having a candy/ sweets buffet, you can put them on the bags....that's what I'm doing.
You get to choose from 3 different sizes.

OK....so here are the details for this giveaway prize:

*250 Stickers/Labels
*2x3.5; 2x4; 3x3
*70 lb Label Matte coating
*Full Color Front and Blank back (4/0)
*6 Business Days Turnaround

*Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping

*Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

To Enter:

1) MANDATORY entry: Tell us what you think you would use these for, and be sure to leave a way to contact you because if you win and I can't contact you, you will forfeit prize and it will be given to someone else.
Second way to enter, but only after mandatory entry is completed:
2) Become a follower (publicly) or let me know that you are already following. I will be verifying these.

And...that's it! Good luck to you! =)

This giveaway ends on Sunday, May 9th.

For My Mom.....From Etsy

2010-04-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

Isn't this such an awesome idea? I found the sweetest angel on Etsy who made this for me. Carrie from SweetAngelLove at Etsy did a FANTASTIC job on this photo collage for my mom for Mother's day. And because my mom has so many grandchildren, she even made me a larger print than her listing was for ( her listing was for an 8 x 10) to accommodate and only charged a few extra dollars (she made me a 16 x 20). She is so wonderful that I just had to mention her on this wedding blog of mine, even though this isn't wedding related. But..........it actually could be wedding related, as she also has a listing for custom wedding photos. You should go take a look! You could get something wedding related......and I'm not sure, but it might be too late for Mother's Day, but you could always give Mom or Grandma an awesome gift for their birthdays!
Well, just thought I'd share this awesome find with you. (5 of those kids are MY grandkids, and my 2 daughters!).
Thanks again Carrie! You're the best!

Winner for the Uprinting Vinyl Banner!

2010-04-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

Drum roll please...........it's chocoholic who said, "I would use this as a sign to let people know where the wedding is as we have ALOT of out of town guests."
Congrats to you chocoholic! WOO-HOO!!!!!

How Does A Vinyl Banner From Uprinting Sound?

2010-04-22T02:22:00.000-07:00

Yes! Something different.............a vinyl banner from Uprinting. How incredibly cool is that? And if you use it for your wedding, it makes a fantastic keepsake.
If you've never had dealings with Uprinting, you should really go check out their site. They have everything!

Business Cards
Calendars
Canvas Prints
Door Hangers
Envelopes
Greeting Cards
Hang Tags
Labels / Stickers
Letterhead
Menus
Postcards
Posters
Vinyl Banners
Wall Graphics
Window Cling

And that's just to mention a few of the many things they offer. Choose from their templates, or design your own! Uprinting is a fantastic resource for you brides-to-be.
Make your invites, thank you cards, save-the-dates, menus, programs and decor there. And the quality is fantastic!

Here is what you will get if you are the lucky winner of this giveaway.

Giveaway Prize:

(1) 24x36 Vinyl Banner w/ Grommets

Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

To enter:
Simply tell me what you will use this banner for.....it doesn't even have to be wedding related. But this is a mandatory entry.....and be sure you leave contact info (email) because if you win and I can't get ahold of you, I'll have to give the prize to someone else. And that would just be sad.........so don't forget! I need an email or a way to contact you!
Additional entry:
Become a follower of my blog (publicly) or let me know that you're already following. If I don't find you on my list of followers, this entry won't count.

This giveaway contest ends Wednesday, April 28th! I can't wait to see what type of ideas and plans you all have for this wonderful banner. =)

And The Winner is.....................................

2010-04-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

chocoholic......who said I haven't started DYIing yet but I will be making wreath centerpieces and making "snowstorms" (http://www.craftstylish.com/item/28838/how-to-make-a-snowstorm)
for the windows of my reception venue since its a December wedding. I may also be making cupcakes as favors for my guests and put them in baby chinese take out style boxes. That ones still TBD.
Congrats to you chocoholic!

The Winner Of The UPrinting Postcard Giveaway!

2010-04-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

So sorry this is late. I've just been soooo busy and spinning, spinning, spinning (don't ask) lol! But here is the winner of the UPrinting postcard giveaway......it is Bicoastal Bride who said, "Great giveaway! We’re using postcards as table name cards, so we could definitely come up with some creative ideas!".
Sounds like a wonderful idea!

Congrats to you Bicoastal Bride, and my apologies to you and everyone else who was waiting to hear the results.

UPrinting Postcard Giveaway!

2010-03-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

I am once again hosting a Promotional Printing giveaway from UPrinting! POSTCARD PRINTS! Who couldn't use these great quality postcard prints for recipe cards, thank you cards, invitations, save the dates and much, much more?!! UPrinting has everything you need for all of your Postcard Printing needs.

Here are the details:

Giveaway Prize: 100 4 x 6 Postcards for One (1) Winner Paper Stock: 14pt Cardstock Gloss Specifications: Full Color Both Sides; 3 Business Days Turnaround Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

Last day to enter is March 28 at 12 pm PST.

To enter:

Entry #1-Just leave a comment saying what you would use these for, and make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.
Entry #2-Become a follower of my blog and leave a separate entry letting me know that you are now following (or are already a follower) and be sure to leave a way for me to contact you.

That's it! Pretty simple, huh?

Good Luck! =)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T08:38:00.001-08:00

My wish is for all of my friends out there in the blog world to have a very beautiful day with their significant others.
'Tis a day of L-O-V-E. Enjoy!

Need Table Linens?

2010-02-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

I'm sure I've told you all before that my venue doesn't supply linens, and that I was supplying my own (ummm...or maybe I didn't). Well, they aren't and I AM. I already bought my round tablecloths and linen napkins quite awhile ago. And then there's that special I jumped on a couple of months ago from LinenTablecloth.com. In fact....all but my napkins are from LinenTablecloth.com. My round tablecloths I bought through their ebay site. And I just recently received $50 worth of merchandise from them so that I may review their products and blog my opinion on them. So here I am!
Now, what I got with the $50 was (1) 14 foot polyester white table skirt, (4) of their new white satin universal chair covers, and (1) each of 14" x 108" silver satin and lavender satin table runners.
So let's start. The picture above is 2 different chairs. One is a wooden folding chair, and the other is a rounded top dining room table chair. The following picture is the side view of the folding chair with the satin universal chair cover.

Then a picture of it from the back.
Next is the side view of the larger chair..........

....and from the back. So as you can see, they truly are universal. I love the satiny material! I only bought 4 for the head table.
These are some sashes I bought from linentablecloth.com....before the $50 was offered to me. Above it is tied in a bow.......
......and here in a simple knot. I can't wait to decorate the real thing!!!! 7 months-6 days and counting!
These are the table runners......same color on the lavender sash as on this table runner. I also received this silver one, but it seems to look kinda white in the pic.
Here it's draped across my coffee table, but tons of material hanging off the sides, of course! It will look much better when it's steamed and wrinkle free ( they also sell a portable steamer at linentablecloth.com which I am planning to purchase). =)
Here's a close up of this very pretty material. Feel free to click on the pic for a closer look.
And last but not least, here is my humongous white polyester table skirt. It is constructed so well! And the pleating is awesome! I don't know if you've ever seen pics of people's wedding tables where the pleats around their skirt are kinda pleh......well, the pleats on these babies are sharp and defined....and pretty stiff. So I know it's gonna look great at our table....no "pleh" here!
So.....am I happy with linentablecloth.com's products? Well, duh! I wouldn't keep going back for more if I wasn't! And not only the quality...but the price!!!! I have SCOURED the internet to find something less expensive, but my searching always leads me back to linentablecloth.com. Always! They are constantly having special deals, daily twitter contests, and are currently adding more to their inventory and doing their best to make their site the best that it can be....for who? For me and you, of course! Us future Mrs's. (lol) So if you're looking for great, affordable linens.....even rather than renting.....I highly recommend linentablecloth.com. If not for them, I'd be having "like-linen" tablecloths......thank you Linen Tablecloth!

Oh, and reading this back....I realize I sound like a fricken' commercial, but I swear......I'm not getting paid to say these things. I had their permission to write my true opinion on their products.....good or bad. And this IS the most inexpensive place I've found for linens. I love 'em!

The Winner of the Online Poster Printing Giveaway.......

2010-02-11T20:12:00.000-08:00

......is Brittney from Sunflowers and Sand Dollars who said, "I was just thinking tonight how much I would like to blow up and frame one of our engagement photos...".

Congrats to you Brittney!

I'm Sorry.....

2010-02-11T05:36:00.000-08:00

I've been so very busy with jury duty, but will get a break from it with the weekend and holidays coming up. I promise to post the winner of the Poster Giveaway tomorrow....PROMISE! I'm so behind on everything....you should see my house! I haven't been able to make things for my Etsy shoppe either, as I had planned......=(. Oh well, you know how it is when duty calls!

LAST DAY,,,,,,,,

2010-02-09T19:01:00.000-08:00

..........tomorrow ( Jan. 10 @ 5pm PST) for the Online Poster Printing giveaway. Don't miss out!

(CLOSED)Online Poster Printing Giveaway!

2010-01-27T19:16:00.001-08:00

Yup......it's a poster giveaway from Online Poster Printing.

Here are the details.
Giveaway Prize: A Rolled 18" x 24" Poster Print for one (1) lucky winner
Paper Stock: High Gloss or Semi Gloss
Specifications: 1 Business Day Turnaround
Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping
Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

Aren't these movie posters cool? If you win, you could design your own, throw it on a poster and display it wherever you would like.

They're a big trend in the wedding world, and you can see why.
Or here's another big trend.....I'm sure you've seen these. The Fingerprint Family Tree Guestbook. You could design one of these..........

......and even frame it.
There are so many things you can do with your win. Make a poster of the family.....use it for your business......give as a gift.....use at a baby shower....bridal shower....birthday party......get creative! At Online Poster Printing you can get your digital photos on posters and digital photo enlargements in a snap!

Here's what you have to do to enter: (Make sure that there's a way for me to get ahold of you if you win, because if I can't, the prize will go to an alternate winner)

MANDATORY 1st Entry- Leave a comment on how you think you would use this poster if you won.

ADDITIONAL Entries: (Leave a separate comment for each entry)

1) Publicly follow my blog and leave your user name so that I may verify. If you are already a follower, leave a comment stating that you are, along with your user name also.

2) Follow me on Twitter and leave your user name so that I may verify.

3) Blog about this giveaway including a link back to this page and send me the link in a comment showing your blog. ( This one is worth 2 entries)

Entries will be accepted starting NOW until February 10th at 5 pm PST.

So on your mark, get set, aaaaaaaand......GO! Good luck everyone! =)

UPrinting Giveaway Winner........

2010-01-26T03:43:00.001-08:00

................is Thelma who said, "I would use these for my thank you's."
Congratulations Thelma! Uprinting will be contacting you via email by January 29th.

Another Alternative To The Wedding Cake.....

2010-01-24T18:36:00.000-08:00

(source)
It's a "shooter" cake. Now THAT'S different! Nothing I would consider, but pretty cool if you ask me.
Speaking of, we had our cake tasting this weekend. Out of the 4 different flavors we tried (rasberry, lemon mousse, coconut mousse, cream cheese mousse)....all were white cake with buttercream......we chose the cream cheese mousse filling. It was heavenly. Because it was a mousse, it didn't have a bite to it. Just smooth and mellow. So yay! One task down. We've still lots of time before we put our order in, but at least we know what we want.
Since we'll be having a small 2 tier (for show and for cutting) and the sheet cake for the guests, we will probably make the 2 tiered with 2 different flavors. The coconut and the lemon.....also very mellow and yummy. =)
What are your favorite flavors, and do you have any flavors that you just can't stand?

Last Chance! UPrinting Postcards

2010-01-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

Last day to enter is tomorrow (Saturday) at 5 pm PST. HERE

Just Got My Winnings! Earrings!

2010-01-22T09:45:00.001-08:00

And they came wrapped in a box with a pretty pink bow...all the way from Canada! I won these on a giveaway that Chic 'n Cheap Living hosted.

Aren't they puuurty? These were made with tender loving care by Kim from A Little Bit Of Pretty (etsy shop). And she has FREE wordlwide shipping! So go check out her shop....you're sure to find something you'll fall in love with.

And I got a greeting card with it to boot! She's a sweetheart.
How cute is the card? Right?
Well, just thought I'd share.
Thanks Chic 'n Cheap Living and A Little Bit Of Pretty.

Latte or Cappuccino Decor!

2010-01-20T05:58:00.001-08:00

Aren't these so incredibly cool?
What a great idea for a sweet message.

I found these on CoffeeStencil's shop on Etsy.
Hey, I can do this! Oh no....there I go again....but I can.....I CAN do this. OK...I won't.
But it's a cute idea, yes? =)

LOVE Is ALIVE - Tear Jerker For Sure

2010-01-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

You have to watch this. Remarkable.
A woman was found alive after six days, trapped under the rubble of a collapsed bank in Haiti.
A man in Haiti refused to believe that his wife lay dead underneath the rubble of her workplace. He placed his ear to the debris every time heavy equipment scraped away a layer. Finally, he heard a voice. It was his wife. http://cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2010/01/19/neely.haiti.wife.alive.itn

UPrinting Postcards I Actually Won!

2010-01-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

So this is the second set of postcards I've received from UPrinting. The first set I got was from hosting a giveaway, and this set here was from me entering on another person's blog. As you can see.....I won!
I needed a simple design (and my Mr. agreed) because these will be used for my RSVP's, but seeing as I don't need 100 RSVP's, I designed them so I could use them for other things. They're basically blank (no wording), which makes them multipurpose!
My plan is to make a sticker with the RSVP wording printed on it and place it on the left. That way, all our guests have to do is check off the appropriate box and throw it in the mail.
The following pics are the designs I sent in to Uprinting.
This picture of us (just the black/white pic) is the pic that is on our invites, so it will match great with our RSVP's.
And if you look closely at our unity candle, you'll see this dandelion on it too.

I'm hosting yet ANOTHER postcard giveaway from UPrinting! I have absolutely NO idea what I will do with the postcards I get from there. I didn't host it to get more, but more to give you...my readers....another opportunity to get some for yourself.
So good luck if you enter! Deadline to enter is Saturday, Jan. 23rd.

My DIY Unity Candles

2010-01-17T20:28:00.000-08:00

I bought my "not so perfect" candle holder from Party City on clearance. I saw that it desperately needed a paint job, but for $2.00 I couldn't resist.
I painted her up a bit, bought some white candles and decorated them with vellum I ran through the printer......
.....and ribbons.
Piece of cake! One of my easiest DIY's.
Breakdown: Candle holder (Party City) $2.00
Pillar (Michael's) $3.99
Tapers (Dollar Tree) $2.00
Ribbon ( Michael's) $1.00 ( lots left over)
Vellum (already had) 0
---------
$8.99 TOTAL (not including tax)

The Winner of the UPrinting Business Cards is............

2010-01-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

.......excuse my baby's chipped fingernails....lol......New Mexican Bride who said "oh I would use them for STD's as magnets! Perfect size too!!" Congratulations! Can't wait to see what you do with them!

Yet Another UPrinting Postcard Giveaway!

2010-01-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

Another chance to win! Uprinting Postcards.
PRIZE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE

100 Postcards for one (1) lucky winner

Size: 4x6; Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss; Printing: Full color both sides

Shipping: Sponsored bloggers and Winners have to pay for shipping

Offer Valid for UNITED STATES SHIPPING ONLY.

You can use these for invites,
R.S.V.P.'s, which are much cheaper than sending cards with envelopes. .28 to be exact!
Thank you cards.
Save The Dates. You choose. You can customize these to be anything you want. And they in no way have to be wedding related either. Do you have your own business, a small business on the side? Promote yourself with postcards!
Here's what you need to do to enter this giveaway:
MANDATORY 1st entry- leave a comment telling us what you would use these for.
For EXTRA entries you can leave separate comments for each of the following:
1) Become a follower of my blog and leave your user name so that I may verify. If you are already a follower, leave a comment stating that you are, along with your user name also.
2) Follow me on Twitter, and leave your user name so that I may verify.
3) Blog about this giveaway including a link back to this page and send me the link in a comment showing your blog.
LAST DAY TO ENTER IS SATURDAY, JAN. 23 at 5 pm PST.
( Please be sure to leave a way for me to get a hold of you if you're the winner)
So that's a possibility of 4 entries! Good luck to you!

(I will also be receiving 100 postcards for hosting this giveaway) =)

I'm A Grandma Again!

2010-01-15T08:20:00.000-08:00

Nooooo....not kitties!
My oldest daughter (who lives in a different state) =( has been in the hospital for about 2 weeks now. She was pregnant with twins that wanted to make their grand entrance early, so we've had tons of people praying for her and the babies.
Well, they were born this morning 2 am(ish) at 28 weeks and are doing well. Two boys weighing a little over 2 lbs each. Welcome Babies!
Just had to share!

Why Am I Drawn Into All This DIY Stuff?

2010-01-15T06:07:00.000-08:00

Ok....so I've seen these little individual tissues done as favors for the guests during my quizillion searches through the internet for anything wedding, and thought "totally unnecessary". Nope....I'm not gonna do it. So then, I just recently saw a tutorial on BP Wedding's blog site on some that she had made, and I thought her's came out so cute that I suddenly had tissue envy. Aaaargh! Nooooo. Don't do it Belinda! It's a trap. Remember BUDGET? $3,000???? Although this project is a very inexpensive one, when you put together 20 different little projects it certainly adds up! And with a budget like $3,000....yikes.
Well, I talked myself out of it and was very proud of myself for doing so. Even though I was "watching" some glassine envelopes on my Ebay (hey, it made me feel better....like "if I wanted to I could" lol).
Then I went to Big Lots. That was the end of my fighting it. I found these eyelet confetti pouches from Martha Stewart and thought "these look like the perfect size for tissues, hmmm". And since they were right there in my grasp.....not something I would have to actually order off the internet....it made it so much easier for me to cave in. So I bought them (pkg of 20/$2). So I bought 2 pkgs. I then went to a dollar store and bought 2 three packs of Kleenex.

The first thing I had to do was empty the confetti out of the packages, so I carefully opened each one as not to destroy the eyelet sticker that sealed the bags............
.....then poured the vellum flower and punch dot confetti into a ziploc baggie.
Once that was done I got 2 of the Kleenex tissues (as Bee had done) and stuffed them (nicely) into the envelope.
Ta Da! Now we just need to dress it up a bit.
I made some labels on my computer using Picassa, as I do not have any programs like Illustrator, PhotoShop, etc. I'm just a baby when it comes to creating things on the computer...I have very little knowledge besides things that I just basically learned on my own (no computer savvy here). So don't laugh!! =p
I then got some scrapbook paper I already had (in 2 designs) and cut them into strips. I wrapped it around the envelope (around and under the flap...I just slipped it through), and there it is. Above is a pic of back and front.
I like Bee's way better, especially with her pretty ribbon and special stickers she ordered, but what can I say...I'm the "roughin' it" kinda gal.
So 40 of these I did make. I know it would have been cheaper had I bought the glassine envelopes on Ebay, but I WASN'T going to make these! Here is the breakdown:
$4/40 envelopes + $2/tissues=$6 $6/40= .12 1/2 each

Whatever! I'm still mad at myself! And I'm NOT doing Flip FlopS (even though I already ran over to Target)! I'm NOT!
I really need to stop reading blogs..........
Luv ya Bee! ;)

Aren't They Adorable?

2010-01-14T15:12:00.000-08:00

Awhile back...in December to be exact....I won a giveaway for a dozen cupcake toppers from Graceful Correspondence. The giveaway was hosted by Ashley, from Bride on a Budget.

There was some sort of misunderstanding as far as correspondence from the winner (me) so it took awhile to get the ball rolling. But this is them! Aren't they great? I haven't actually received them yet, but they're on their way! I can't wait. They came out so very cute.
I told her my colors, she designed and sent me proofs, and the next morning they got sent out! Lightning fast!
I will be using these at my "sweets" table. fun, fun, fun

Be sure to become a fan of Graceful Correspondence Totally Custom Paperie on Facebook for a chance to win on her Sunday Giveaways!!!!

I did....so let's see if I can score on some more of this beautifully fun paperie!!

LAST DAY To Enter- Friday the 15th@ 5pm PST

2010-01-14T05:59:00.000-08:00

So don't miss it! Just like the postcards, you can certainly think of some creative things to do with these business cards. And the fact that they come in four different sizes (including a 2 x 2 square) is a definite plus. That would be perfect for favor tags!
So hurry on over to HERE get the details and enter.
Don't you just love UPrinting?

My UPrinting Postcards Have Arrived!

2010-01-14T05:27:00.001-08:00

And I am very happy with them. Now, I designed these postcards to not be actual postcards, but instead more of favors for our guests.
On the front of the postcard is a picture of us, and a thank you for being able to join us.
On the back is a bit of a timeline of our relationship. So you see, if you get creative, you can do all sorts of things with these. The above are pics of the actual postcards received, and below............
.....are the designs I sent in to UPrinting. I only posted these in case you couldn't really see or read the ones of the pics I took. I think they came out great, and I'm very happy with them.
So there they are.....awesome Uprinting postcards I received for hosting a giveaway. Thank you UPrinting! You're the best!
And guess what!!?? I'll be having another giveaway for postcards from Uprinting starting this weekend! So keep an eye out, and use that imagination of yours to come up with some creative ideas on how you could use these.

To Tackle A Necklace-DIY

2010-01-07T08:09:00.001-08:00

My next upcoming project will be an attempt to create my own necklace for my wedding day. Now, keep in mind.....I've never made any type of jewelry. I have been very lucky in finding some really great, inexpensive jewelry pieces, but I have not bought (or even looked for) a necklace because I've known from near the very beginning of my planning process that I wanted to make one myself.
I'll be using fishing wire for the cord, as I will be using the fishing wire for many other projects for the wedding (including hanging paper lanterns). I also tossed in a couple of bracelets I already had in order to maybe incorporate the pearl beads from them into the necklace. Also (not shown) are pliers and a beading board. I forgot to take a picture of them. =(
The only thing I need to run to Michael's for is a bead crimping tool. And how do I know this??? Well, from watching jewelry making videos on YouTube, of course!
So, I don't know exactly when I will get to this project, but it's sitting there waiting for me to play with it and hopefully I'll have accomplished a beautiful necklace before the end of next week. That's the plan, anyways. Wish me luck!
Is anyone planning on making their own jewelry?

Not Just Business Cards.....Another Giveaway! CLOSED

2010-01-06T08:47:00.001-08:00

I'm hosting another giveaway from UPrinting everyone! This time it's for business cards.** Here are the details:

Giveaway Prize: 250 Business Cards for one (1) lucky winner

Size: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)

Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock

Shipping: Sponsored bloggers and Winners have to pay for shipping

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs.

Of course, these can be used as custom business cards for your business or side business, but you can also use them for............

....custom escort cards to match your theme , writing your guest's name and table # in after.
Or you can use them as mini Save The Dates..........

......or how about to give to your guests for your photo share site? The possibilities are endless! How about tags for favors? Just use that imagination of yours.
So anyways, this giveaway ends Friday, January 15th at 5 pm PST.
You will then be contacted via email by Uprinting on January 23rd.

To enter, each comment should include your email address so that I can contact you if you should win. Your mandatory first entry must include a comment sharing what you plan on doing with these business cards if you win.

For additional entries, you may:

1) Become a follower of my blog (be sure to leave your user name)
2) Become a follower on twitter "luv2luv226Bride" (leave your user name from twitter)
3) Blog about this giveaway (leave a link to your post)

Happy creating, and GOOD LUCK! =)

**For hosting this giveaway I will also be receiving 250 Business Cards from UPrinting.com

For The Bride With Comfort In Mind.......

2010-01-05T10:29:00.001-08:00

I don't know.....so what do you think?
Something you might consider for the sake of comfort.........
.....with the added benefit of height?

These "comfort" shoes are offered at The Lovely Bride....also in metallic and suede.

Any thoughts?

Ring and Bracelet For $1 Each???

2010-01-04T08:16:00.001-08:00

That's right...it's true. I found this beautiful ring and bracelet for $1 each at a dollar store by my house.
The quality is great and it is glass....not plastic! This is really wonderful costume jewelry, and I just may wear these both for the wedding.
I really truly always feel as if I just found a treasure chest full of gold when I score on something like this. Just thought I'd share. Oh, and pay no attention to my ugly old hands..... =(

The Winner Of The UPrinting Postcard Giveaway!

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

My baby (she's 12, but will always be my baby) was very excited to be the one chosen to pick out the lucky winner from this basket............
....so I had to be sure to.......
......take plenty of pics of her........hands.....lol.....
......congratulations to Cupcake Wedding who said, "I would like these for thank you cards or RSVP cards. Happy New Year's!"

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T08:10:00.001-08:00

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year. May we ALL be blessed and have a better year than we did this year. YAY 2010!!!!

LAST CALL!

2009-12-31T07:58:00.001-08:00

Last call to enter my postcard giveaway. Ends at 5pm PST tomorrow....January 1st.

Season's Greetings and Horchata!!!

2009-12-24T06:34:00.001-08:00

Season's Greetings from our family to yours! I hope you all have a wonderful hoiday/Christmas and weekend. We will be having my family over today on Christmas Eve. My mom will bring tamales (purchased from a restaurant that makes them....we used to, but don't anymore) and I will be making rice, beans, carnitas and potato salad. I will also make horchata. No, not from scratch...sorry....I don't know how. I actually don't even really like horchata. In fact, I just found out from my 12 year old a few days ago that it's a rice drink. I know, I'm really bad at this kind of stuff.
I found this packet of horchata at Walmart that you mix with water. How easy is that? I hope it tastes good to everyone that knows what it's supposed to taste like. ........
.....and this is what I'll be serving it in. Isn't she beautiful? I just got her this past weekend from Target. She was actually purchased with "wedding" in mind, but I figured....why not break her in a little? =) And it's the perfect occasion.
Tomorrow my Mr's family comes for his famous homemade menudo (uh, which I also don't like). I'm so bad! So I will be eating left over carnitas....AND I found a mix to make tamarindo too (I'm not sure if I like that). He said tamarindo will go better with menudo than horchata would. OK....what do I know? It's a good thing I have people around me that know what the heck is going on! lol
So, 2 fun filled days with family! Yay! And hopefully a relaxing weekend. {{sigh}}
Have fun everyone!!! =)

Just Thought I'd Share My Tree

2009-12-22T06:14:00.001-08:00

Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas with your families!

LinenTablecloth.com- NOW Is The Time To Buy!

2009-12-21T05:43:00.001-08:00

This is such a fantastic sale at LinenTablecloth.com! 50% off of selected already clearance items! Thanks Brittney from Sand Dollars & Sunflowers for the heads up on this great deal!
Well, since I had already bought my round tablecloths and napkins quite awhile ago, I ended up buying my aisle runner (white)75.5 feet long with polyester on one side/satin on the other, one purple polyester 108" long table cloth (for either my cake table, guestbook table or some other table-lol), and 9 white table runners for my round tables. All came out to $37.39.....not bad at all....free shipping!

Don't 4Get To Enter My Giveaway!

2009-12-20T13:20:00.001-08:00

Postcards are a very economical way to send things out. Only .28 to deliver! You can use these babies for your very own personalized thank you cards.................

.........Save the Date cards are very popular.............

.........and even wedding invitations!

(front of invite)

(back side)

Or use them for whatever else you can think of! The skies the limit!

Enter my giveaway of UPrinting postcards here . You can win 100 of these 4 x 6 postcards and they are glossy full color on both sides!!!

(photo images were found on Google search-please let me know if any of these are yours and if you would like me to remove them)

{CLOSED}My First Giveaway! 100 Postcards From UPrinting!

2009-12-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited about being able to offer this fantastic deal to you from UPrinting.com.
Giveaway Prize: 100 Postcards for one (1) lucky winner
Size: 4x6; Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss; Printing: Full color both sides
Shipping: Sponsored bloggers and Winners have to pay for shipping

The great thing about postcards is that they only cost .28 to send them out, and we all know that every little bit helps. Great for save-the-dates, invitations, announcements, shower invites and thank you notes. But there are also so many other possibilities for these. It doesn't even have to be wedding related! Use for your business, or as a generic everyday postcard.

To enter:
(MANDATORY first entry) Leave a comment below on how you are planning to use your postcards if you win.
Be sure to leave a way to contact you for each entry/comment by leaving your email address or your blog link.

After you've completed your first entry, leave separate comments for each additional entry listed below:
* Become a follower of my blog
*Follow me on Twitter and leave a separate comment including your Twitter user name
*Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to it (worth 2 additional entries)
That's a total of 5 chances to win!

(This giveaway ends on January 1, 2010 at 5 pm Pacific Time. Happy New Year!)

And for hosting this giveaway, I will also receive 100 postcards! I'm not quite sure how I will be using mine yet...I'm thinking something generic to use for everyday. I can't wait to hear all of your ideas ladies!

A Bride All Lit Up Like A Christmas Tree?

2009-12-08T08:11:00.001-08:00

There's no use in thinking "I thought I'd seen it all", because there will always be something out there that will either dumbfound you, make you dream, or have those three little special initials pop into your head....WTF!
These dresses come from a web store called Enlighted. And they don't just have wedding dresses. They have vests, capes, jackets, bras, hats, shoes, belts....you name it!
So what do you ladies think of this dress?

Here's a youtube video of the light show in action:

Ghost Chairs- WOW!

2009-12-06T07:40:00.001-08:00

What an awesome idea! I just barely saw these for the first time today. Of course, we couldn't possibly afford to rent these for our reception.....but I can dream, can't I?
So beautiful.....
So clean and elegant..........
I really do love the look..........
......and there's absolutely no need for chair covers!

These chairs are manufactured by Kartell and designed by Phillipe Starck. There are actually 3 different styles of chairs like this. The first is called the Kartell classic Louis ghost ($410 to purchase!) , the second is called the Victoria ghost chair ($330), and the third is the La Marie ($305!).

Here's a place I found in California that rents the Louis version of these gorgeous chairs for $12.00 each:

Baker Party Rentals

So what do you think? Cool, right?

Picture credits: Pure Contemporary, TaylorCreative.com, Manolo for the brides, bryanjeanphotography.com

I Made One Myself!-DIY

2009-11-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

(above pic from Martha Stewart)
You remember my posting about these creative little centerpieces (here) ? Well, in it I stated that I would be alternating these luminescent photo frame centerpieces with the original ones that I planned on doing (simple floating candle centerpieces). Well, I have finally tackled that project and made one! Woo-hoo!
I started with some 4 x 6 silver frames that I found at The Dollar Tree. I also bought more of this same type, some unfinished wood frames and some silver 5 x 7 frames, but have only actually completed one centerpiece to share with you. You start with removing the backs off of these and only using the front frame and glass. The backs can be discarded, or you can actually use them for something like signs.
Since these frames were silver ( one of my wedding palette colors) I didn't have to hassle with painting it.
I then went on Picasa (I don't have Photoshop or anything like that) =(
I placed the pictures so that I could fit 2 pictures per sheet of vellum....'cause it's kinda expensive paper. I got mine from Michael's....a package of I believe 100 at half price with a coupon. woohoo!
Here's are a few of the sheets I've printed thus far.
After printing them out, it's time to cut.
I used the insert that came in the frame for a template for cutting.
When you're done, place the pics in the frames then attach the frames to each other. I used duct tape (from a 99 cent store), which holds very well. I've also read other directions that said you can use epoxy. I really like the duct tape because it's clean....no muss, no fuss, and no waiting for anything to dry.
And here's my photo frame with a candle placed in the center (in a candle holder high enough to keep flame protected).
I love it! And it was SOOOO simple to make. I only bought one set that I will have to paint.....or maybe I'll just find another set that I won't have to paint. =)
Is anyone else planning on using this idea? You know, you don't even have to use these as centerpieces. These would be great at a remembrance table....for those that have passed and couldn't be with us to share in the celebration.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-11-26T08:27:00.001-08:00

Hope you all have a wonderful day with friends and family. We will have much of our family missing from our get together this year for various reasons, but they will be in our hearts and in our thoughts. ~~~Happy Thanksgiving~~~~

My DIY Map Printed On Photo Paper

2009-11-23T19:37:00.001-08:00

Do you remember the hand drawn map I made? Well, I just thought I would share the printed out view of it. The colors came out much darker in the printed out form.....which is totally fine with me. I really didn't need a map anyways, but I thought it would be a fun project (and it was!). =)

My Sweets Bags Display-DIY

2009-11-22T09:49:00.001-08:00

So, I've shown you how I was going to use my monogrammed stickers that I got from UPrinting (here). They will be used on the purple cellophane bags for my "sweets" table. Now here is the way the bags will be displayed......
I made this mock up really quick just for blog posting purposes.
I have 2 tall cylinder vases like this that I will be using. It's not exactly the way I want it.....the word "enjoy" will be in different writing. I used a stencil I had for the letters on this, and I am not impressed at all with the results. I think it would have come out much better freehand. But other than the font on the tag, I think they will work out just fine.
I got the template for the tag/label here . (Wedding Style Guide)
You are able to type into the blank space directly onto the downloaded template, but I felt the lettering was too small for my taste. Template comes in paled colors of purple (shown), yellow and green.

Square Cupcakes?

2009-11-21T08:02:00.001-08:00

Can you believe I had never seen these before yesterday? Do I live under a rock, or what? They are so freakin' cute! Especially because they're not your regular run of the mill round cupcakes.
I wouldn't mind having these at our wedding. I was watching the Martha Stewart show yesterday (on destination weddings) and they showed these square cupcakes. I immediately looked them up online. They also go by "mini cakes", but I'm not really sure that they are one in the same.
Very pretty, but not sure if these can only be done in fondant..........

Pic sources: cakethat.com, photobucket

Thee Stickers Have Arrived!

2009-11-20T20:00:00.001-08:00

Here they are....just arrived yesterday. My monogrammed 3 x 3 stickers from UPrinting and Sand Dollars & Sunflowers (thanks Brittney, you rock!). They're pretty BIG! I wasn't sure if they would look okay on my "sweets" bags for my Sweets Buffet.......
...but I think they look alright. I'll try and post a pic soon of the way my bags will be displayed.
BTW....I got my bags from a dollar store by my house(30 bags/ $1). NOT BAD! =)
Anyone having a candy or sweets buffet? What type of bags will you use (if any), and how and will they be decorated?

Monkey Tails?

2009-11-19T07:59:00.001-08:00

You remember my post on the awesome bout I fell in love with? If you don't remember, you can look here. I really like it because it has a "manly" masculine look to it, don't you agree? Well, I found out a few things about the dark swirly thingy that's in it. It's called a Fiddlehead Fern, but also goes by the name of Monkey Tails, Uluhe Ferns and False Staghorn.
I was thinking of incorporating this "monkey tail" into my bouquet. I think just a few speckled around my bouquet would be enough. But I don't really plan on making my own bouquet (though, that can change), but I am definitely planning on making a DIY bout....ok, not definitely...more like probably. hehe
Here is another bout I found using this strange fern.......
....and more.
Here, they've used them in their centerpieces. They look interesting, but as centerpieces they sorta creep me out. They somehow remind me of venus fly traps, even though they look nothing like them....hmmmm?
Here's a whole family of them. =)
A bouquet with them. This is about how many I think I would use in a bouquet....maybe a little less considering the least expensive you can probably find these for is about $1.50 a piece! Expensive little suckers!
I also found out that these are edible! They are, from what I understand, a unique
delicacy from northern New England, particularly prized in Maine and New Hampshire. They are also very rich in vitamins A and C. Whoulda thunk?
And here's yet another bouquet with these whimsical, strange and expensive (maybe even yummy?) little guys.
Anything a bit "unusual" you'll be having in your bouquet?

Pic sources: marthastewart.com, camflor.com, sherrilee.wordpress.com, jesse leake photography, photobucket, petalsedge.com, visionart and wedding day photo

2010 Mini Photo Calender Templates

2009-11-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

This is so cool, and just in time for the holidays. You can get these templates for free....exclusively from Shutter Sisters. These are great for gift giving, save-the-date cards, or even in place of sending out Christmas cards. Favors for an upcoming wedding? They are sized to fit into a cd jewel case.....so many possibilities. So go get your free template now!

UPDATE: SeeHere! Don't Miss Out On This!

2009-11-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you've already heard or not, but SeeHere.com is giving away 50 photo cards....AND free shipping! So you pay absolutely nothing! No obligations to do anything!
But this offer ends this Saturday, so hurry on over. This is for ANY 4 x 8 photocard....perfect for your Save The Dates, Holiday cards, bridal shower invites.....anything goes!
Oh, and you don't have to get all 50 in the same style either. You can get 10 of these, one of these, 22 of those....so forth and so on. What a deal! But wait, that's not all. You also get ENVELOPES for these.
So my UPDATE....I forgot to post the coupon code you will need to enter at checkout for this special offer...DOH!
Here it is: freebies4mom-1109

(Courtesy of freebies4mom.com)

8 Wedding Songs To Skip- from the knot

2009-11-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

The knot just posted this article: 8 Wedding Songs To Skip- written by Bethany Porter

We're not saying we don't like these songs (okay…we don't like the "Chicken Dance"), but we think it's time to reconsider whether these really are wedding music essentials. Here are eight songs you might want to add to your "do-not-play list."

1. "YMCA" -- Village People

Why to Skip It: The fact that everyone knows the words, everyone knows the dance, and that this song fits lots of occasions -- between innings at a baseball game, for instance -- does not automatically qualify it as a must at your wedding.
2. "Chicken Dance"

Why to Skip It: At a wedding, everyone's dressed to the nines and feeling festive. Is this really the best time to flap your arms like a chicken in front of that cute bridesmaid/groomsman/new spouse? Didn't think so.
3. "Stayin' Alive" -- Bee Gees

Why to Skip It: There aren't too many people who know more than one line and one dance move to this song -- leave "Stayin' Alive" to the Saturday Night Fever reruns.
4. "Every Breath You Take" -- The Police

Why to Skip It: The Police are legendary, but the tune is a little high school dance-ish, and the line "Every move you make…I'll be watching you" is a little stalker-ish.
5. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" -- Bonnie Tyler

Why to Skip It: This song is worth skipping if only to avoid any guest from reenacting the profanity-laced rendition made famous from Will Ferrell's wedding in Old School.
6. "Macarena" -- Los Del Rio

Why to Skip It: You may know how to do the dance -- but do you really want to? Besides, everyone has a few certain relatives they'd rather not see get down with that hip swivel move.
7. "My Heart Will Go On" -- Celine Dion

Why to Skip It: We're not passing judgment on Celine Dion, but Titanic propelled this song into the realm of romance cliche. Besides, remember that Leo died in the movie -- a bit tragic for a wedding.
8. "Mony Mony" -- Billy Idol

Why to Skip It: Not sure what Billy Idol is singing in this song? Most other people don't know, either, and when that's the case, a good 10 percent of sing-alongers will find a way to say something objectionable.

-- Bethany Porter

Our Wedding Recessional Song

2009-11-16T06:34:00.000-08:00

We just began last weekend thinking of the songs we will incorporate into our wedding.

We definitely decided on our recessional song, which will be "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. I love this song so much...it gives my soul a lift, and puts a big smile in my heart and on my face. What better song to end the wedding ceremony with?
I remember the first time I heard this song....it was on my daughter's myspace page (when she had one). Love at first sound! I'm soooo glad that my Honey also loved it the first time I played it for him. It was meant to be played at our wedding.

Thanks Born to be Mrs. Beever, for giving me an idea for a post today. Like I told you.....I was having a tough time thinking of what to write about today....hope you don't mind.

You see, I have to post everyday during the month of November because that is what I commited to. (NaBloPoMo)
I think I've done very well up to this point, although I did have a few days where I just sort of put "whatever" type of stuff up. Oh well, at least I'm writing, right?

Born to be Mrs. Beever also committed to this, and I believe already had a whole months in drafts waiting to be posted. Good idea! I wish I had that many ideas in my head. Most of my thoughts right now are about getting projects that are half done or not even started, DONE. I'd like to put all this craft stuff put away once and for all, especially since Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve will be here at our house.
OK...I've begun to rant......so......

What songs have you decided on for your processional and recessional? I'll write about our processional tomorrow.....gotta spread this out, you know?

I Can't Wait Til They Get Here!

2009-11-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

The sticker design has been sent in and approved, and now all I have to do is wait for their arrival.
Thanks so much to Brittney from Sand Dollars & Sunflowers for having her giveaway for 250 labels from UPrinting!
I will be using these for my sweets buffet bags. And since there are so many, I may use a few for the outside envelopes of the invites....if they don't look too big on the envelopes, that is. I ordered 3 x 3 stickers, so we'll see.
Hurry, hurry, hurry! Oh...I can't wait to see them.

Have You Gotten Your Man's Ring Yet?

2009-11-15T08:20:00.001-08:00

Aren't these just gorgeous? And the price....wow! These rings are from Titanium Kay. This is where I bought my Mr.'s ring, which was also only $99. I got the Tungsten Greco Carbide style.
But these.....wow....I really like these.
I had a really great experience with Titanium Kay. They tell you on their site exactly how to measure for their rings (it's a little different than the usual way) to ensure the best fit. I followed their guidelines and it was a perfect fit! And I received it in something like 2 or 3 days!
Have you gotten your Mr.'s ring yet? What kind was it?

Cupcakes, Cake or Fake Cake?

2009-11-14T11:02:00.001-08:00

So I am now considering going with :
a) a cupcake tower, with a small cake on top for us to cut -OR-
b) a partially fake (DIY) cake with the top tier real for us to cut and sheet cakes in the kitchen for the guests

My Mr. found a friend of a co-worker who does cakes, so I will email her with what I want (my original idea of a small real 2 tier cake for display and sheetcake in the kitchen). Depending on what THAT estimate is, I may have to consider these other options.
Has anyone else done the fake cake thing?

Totally NOT Wedding Related.....

2009-11-13T16:07:00.001-08:00

I love Fall! Leaves, leaves and more leaves! I was driving down a street today in the city next to mine. Street after street of beautiful freshly fallen leaves in many different hues. I thought, "I want to stop and grab some of these leaves". So I did. So now....what to do with them?
So I found a vase, then filled it with water so the leaves wouldn't dry and crumble.
So pretty.........but it needed something.
So I threw a brown lid I found (off of a chocolate candy box....well hey, it matched Fall colors!), then topped it with a scarecrow head I had pulled out of the abyss (our garage).
I really don't know how long the leaves will survive submerged, but for now I'm a happy camper.

I Just Did It! Our L.A. Times Announcement

2009-11-12T20:22:00.001-08:00

I had almost forgotten about this! The deadline for this FREE offer is only until November 30th, so I had to create this pronto before I forgot again!
So this is a limited time offer for an announcement in the new Together section of the Los Angeles Times. A regular $195 value!!! (which in my opinion is WAY overpriced)
So yeah....how very exciting. I really wasn't even considering doing this, but as soon as I saw FREE, I was THERE!
The latest it would let me post this in the paper is January 31, 2010....so that's the day I'll get to see it in print. I didn't want it to post too soon, seeing as we're not getting married until September.
So anyone in the Los Angeles area? Hurry.....like I said, it's over November 30th!
Has anyone else put an announcement in the paper, or planning to? And how much does it cost if it's NOT the Los Angeles Times?

Giveaway! 50 Thank You Cards WITH Envelopes!

2009-11-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

Yes....these come with envelopes! Mine didn't come with envelopes...maybe because I got 250! But that's ok....I know where to get the perfect size envelopes for dirt cheap! In fact, I have a bunch of them already that came in a bag full from a nearby thrift store.
Well, there's only a few more days left to enter. Katerina from Girl With A Ring is hosting this one....her FIRST giveaway! November 15th is the deadline. So hurry on over to Girl With A Ring and enter!

250 UPrinting Cards Have Arrived!

2009-11-12T07:09:00.001-08:00

So here they are. My winnings from the UPrinting giveaway. They arrived late afternoon yesterday. I heard the sound of the UPS truck parking in front of my house, then the thud of a heavy box hitting the concrete on my porch. It's them...I just know it's them. I rushed over to the door and quickly pulled the box in. Oh....I hope they came out ok.
So.....much different than the #2 card that won in the voting, but I think I like these. This being the front of the card.....
and this being the back. Yes....I think these will work out just fine. I didn't have the words "thank you" printed on them because I knew there was no way I'd be using 250 thank you's....probably not even in my lifetime! So I made them more generic-y. I told the Mr., "Yeah, we'll just get a bunch of different stickers and put them on....bunnies (Happy Easter), hearts (Happy Valentine's) and so on and so forth. Our family can get the same card delivered to them for every occasion! lol I know you know I'm kidding, right???
Well, anyways....thank you UPrinting and Bride On A Budget!

Totally Bummed...No Baker

2009-11-11T19:49:00.001-08:00

We had always planned on hiring a guy that works with my Mr. to make our cakes. He's a baker on the side, so slam dunk for us.
Well, we just barely started going back and forth with giving him ideas on what we would like, how many guests, etc.
Well, come to find out this evening, my Mr. was talking to him at work today when the date was brought up. Turns out he's going to be in Paris during our entire wedding week!
BUMMER!
We didn't have a Plan B! Anyone have suggestions on finding a very inexpensive baker? I will be looking on Craigslist to start.........

Quick Question

2009-11-11T08:10:00.001-08:00

Does anyone out there know if I can have a buttercream cake and still put a silk ribbon on it...like the pic above? Or does it have to be something like fondant or marzipan? I'm just thinking about the consistency of buttercream....will it be too "mushy" to hold a ribbon nicely?
So please, anyone knowledgeable in this field.... I'd really appreciate some insight.

A Secret Giveaway!

2009-11-10T20:37:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it's for, but I for one don't really care! Behind door #1, 2, 3 or 4! I'll take whatever you got! lol
So head on over to Ramirez Family and enter to win the big ????

A Previous Tragedy-DIY

2009-11-10T16:22:00.000-08:00

Ok...so those of you that have been with me awhile might remember my big tragedy that I was kicking myself in the head about. You know, the one where I whined "why, oh why, did I listen to other people" tragedy.
Well, in the end this is how I finished them up. Not the greatest.....but they are what they are.
I'm not even really even sure what I will do with these yet. Maybe hang them from the head table? I don't know.....any ideas?
These were plain hearts I had found at Dollar Tree and wanted to find some use for. I found the pearl-esque letters at Michaels for $1 each. I used my own scrapbook paper (same as on my pocketfolds) and Mod Podge on the hearts instead of painting them. I know that you can see the fishing wire, but in dim lighting (reception) you won't be able to see it.
I had deleted the tutorial I had blogged, but I guess I could create it again...or not. We'll see. Anyways, I'm not in love, but I'm okay with them.
Have you tried doing a DIY project that came out icky?

Girl With A Ring UPrinting Poster Giveaway

2009-11-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

Girl With A Ring is hosting a giveaway for an 18" x 24" Poster from UPrinting. Go to her site for details. Last day to enter is Sunday, November 15th.

Quick and Easy DIY Vase Makeover

2009-11-08T18:05:00.001-08:00

So simple and beautiful. Made with Mod Podge and handmade paper. See full tutorial on how to make these at Natural Home Magazine's article.
I really love the paper they used for this picture.

What Type Of Icing Did You Have?

2009-11-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

So I know there are many different options for the icing on the cake. There's buttercream, whip cream, fondant, marzipan and a few others. So what did YOU use on your wedding cake(s), and how did it turn out for you?
I've been planning on using buttercream, but just found out that my honey's friend, who is tentatively going to be our baker, hasn't worked much with buttercream. He normally does whip cream topping. He said he can practice with the buttercream, but....idk.
So I'm just wondering what eveyone else has already had experience with. I've heard that fondant doesn't taste very good.
Your experiences will be very helpful. Thanks! =)

#2 Won, But Can Never Be

2009-11-07T07:02:00.001-08:00

NOPE! This will not be the design printed on my UPrinting cards afterall. =(
You remember #2 sample from my poll to select your favorite of my card designs? Number 2 ended up being the favorite by far, so that is the one I sent in to UPrinting. Well, they emailed the proof, and said that the picture was blurry. They wrote I had to either fix it, send in an alternate, or approve it as is.
I wasn't about to take the chance with 250 cards coming back to me blurry and non-usable, so I tried to remedy the problem. I sent it in again, to no avail. It came back again saying the same thing. The prepress team gave me a call and discussed how I could fix this. It seems that the background I had found online to use on my card was the biggest problem. The resolution just wasn't good enough. They told me that when I create a design to send in to them, to double check it by zooming in on it 500X. Yup, a 500X zoom. They were very helpful.
So I went back to my other samples to see if they would work. Number 7 was the runner up, so I zoomed in 500X on it, and no way. Super blurry!
I went back online trying to find a nice "wallpaper" looking background and zoomed in, only to find that this was really not working out. I then decided to get my own purple scrapbook papers and take a picture of them. I uploaded, zoomed....and nope! Still not good enough. I was really tired of stressing on this, so I finally said screw it.....no background. I designed a card with just plain color background. I zoomed...looks good. Sent it in.....came back a-ok. So now I'm just crossing my fingers that I like them when they come in.
I'm not posting the "plain" design on here....you'll just have to wait and see it when I get them in the mail!
Has anyone else used UPrinting for anything? What kind of design did you use?

My World Turned Upside Down

2009-11-06T08:39:00.001-08:00

It's funny how just one little grain of sand in the whole spectrum of an hourglass can flip your world upside down. That's exactly what just happened to me last night. I'm not ready to go into details, but everything I thought WAS, is NOT. A future laid out and planned has now seemed to change course in such a drastic manner.
I sit here, tears rolling down my face, in anger, confusion, sadness, shock....typing away to total strangers just to get my pain out there into the universe.
But one thing I know for sure, is that I am is a survivor. So this too shall pass.
Thanks for letting me vent.

Purple Pitchers

2009-11-05T05:51:00.000-08:00

I found these purple pitchers at a dollar store near my home. As soon as I saw them, I knew I had to have them. Even though they are plastic, how can you beat $1 each? And they're so pretty. I love the way they sparkle when light hits them.
I bought 9 of these (one for each table except ours) and figure we'll have them so that our guests can have water with ice close at hand. And can you believe that I grabbed the last 9 of these in purple? It was meant to be.
We are planning on hiring someone (hopefully a friend of a friend) to do things like pick up guest's plates, walk around and fill water pitchers, etc. I've looked on Craigslist, and have seen people who do this for $15/ hour. Not bad....we can deal with that. I really don't want my family/guests having to work at our wedding. I just want them to sit back and enjoy. We are having a taco buffet for food, thus no waiters.
We will have a glass pitcher at our table, which I already bought from DD's for $3.95.
Originally, we were going to buy water bottles, put a water bottle wrap on them and put them in a tub....but I think this new idea will be what we end up going with. Either that, or we will have the water bottles, and have guests use pitchers for punch/other drinks at the tables...? I don't know....we'll figure something out. I'm so easily confused.
How will your water be served at your wedding?

DIY- My Sweets Buffet

2009-11-04T06:14:00.001-08:00

I know that candy buffets are very popular these days, and decided I would like to have a "sweets" buffet that would include candy, pastries, nuts and whatever else we can think of. Definitely we'll have Twinkies (the Mr.'s fave) and Nutty Buddy's (my fave). I also will have candies in our wedding colors, and the Mr.'s own personal nut mix (he makes this and takes it to work with him daily).
Thus far I've bargain hunted for these plates/trays and scoops for our buffet. For the most part, these are thrift store finds. I'll try and introduce them in groups.
My raised platters/ bowls. I used various cups and candlesticks for bases, and bowls and plates for the toppers. I haven't actually glued them on yet, as I have been busy with other things, but I do have the epoxy ready to go. The one in the far back right is actually a cakestand I got free from freecycle.....if anyone's heard of that. The plates/ bowls shown here are from Target and Dollar Tree (all $1 ea.). Bases are from the thrift store except for the back middle candlestick (Dollar Tree). Thrift store bases were .45 each.
I am planning on putting silk flowers or purple/lavender paper pom poms under the cup bases for that extra lil touch.
These containers with covers were all from the thrift store $1.95-$3.95 ea.
These are all open containers. The purple cup was from Target for $1...I just really liked the color, and decided I will put Pixie Stix in it. All the rest but the heart (Dollar Tree) were purchased from the thrift store. I know that the bottom right one is a dip/appetizer dish, but it's perfect for candy! It was $2.95 and the other 2 glasses were .45 each.
These are 4 more bases I'm trying to find toppers for.....
OK....found one! The 99 Cents Store. Three more to go!
These are prongs and scoops. 4 pk of prongs for $1 at Dollar Tree and a 3 pk of scoops at Walmart for...I believe it was $3.95. Oh, and I totally forgot I had bought 5 mini plastic scoops at Blake's for .39 each.....now where are they? Hmmm....
And I also have 2 glass jars with tops from Ikea that I've had for a few years now.....I'll include those in my buffet too, if I need them.
And that just about covers my first phase of the sweets buffet. I really just wanted to round these up so I can pack and put them away. You see, I have ALL my wedding stuff in our bachroom, and I need to clear it out for Thanksgiving because we just might have Thanksgiving here this year...YIKES!! I just might post a pic of my backroom, but I really probably shouldn't. It is just so embarrassing! It's a wreck! So maybe I won't...lol!
Are you doing any types of buffets? Any creative or unique ideas?

Directions to Beautiful Napkins-DIY

2009-11-03T06:40:00.001-08:00

I thought that today I would share with you the site where I'm getting my ideas and directions for napkin folding. It really is an excellent site and has 27 different ways to fold a napkin. Like I said in my previous post...the "fan" design is not yet set in stone. I've still to play with a few more styles.
So anyway, the name of the site is, appropriately, NapkinFoldingGuide.com.
So if your venue isn't doing your napkins, or maybe they are and you would like to show them what fold you would like, then go check out this site for some fantastic ideas!

The Cutest Bridal Shower Game!-DIY

2009-11-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

I have just found the most cutest game EVER for a bridal shower! And I found it over at Kelly's @ Keg Design. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing this.
But isn't this such a unique and personalized idea? And so easy to do! I definitely want this game at my own bridal shower.
Go to Keg Design to find out what Kelly used and where she went to get this done.
Do you know of any interesting and unique game ideas for a bridal shower?

NaBloPoMo- No I didn't sneeze....

2009-11-02T08:53:00.001-08:00

It stands for:

National Blog Posting Month

I just joined up for the month of November. Thanks Cheap Wife for posting about this.
The goal...the commitment...is to post a blog every day for the month of November including weekends. Do you think you can do it? Go ahead....give it a try. I am.

Calligraphy Stamp GIVEAWAY!

2009-11-02T05:17:00.000-08:00

Get your very own personalized calligraphy stamp from Barbara Kua Calligraphy by going over to Always A Bridesmaid, Never A Bridezilla. Several styles to choose from.
But hurry! Contest ends Sunday, November 8 at 11:59PM EST.

Halloween With My Flower Girl

2009-11-01T10:18:00.001-08:00

My 3 year old granddaughter (aka flower girl) on the left, and my 12 year old granddaughter/daughter (I adopted her when she was 2) on the right. This was to be my little granddaughter's first actual experience saying trick-or-treat and opening her bag up for candy.
And boy, did she have a ball! A bit shy at first (like, just at the first house), but once she saw the pay-off she was off and running! Here's the gang at our first stop getting juicy's (my mom's). My youngest daughter on the far right (my lil granddaughter's mom). 4 generations of girls met here tonight. =)
I loved this beautiful walkway entrance these people had. Perfect for picture taking.
Me and my other "babygirl".
This is a new friend I met on someone's porch. He's a bit of a dummy though.
And of course, me and my HONEY!

Changed Our Bubbles-DIY

2009-10-31T08:10:00.001-07:00

So I decided to change up the way I decorated my original idea for my Dollar Tree bubbles.
I had bought a stamper with the letter "C" on it from Michael's for a buck and was anxious to use it on something. I had some paper I had bought quite awhile ago...just because it was purple....from Big Lots for a dollar also (50 sheets), and decided to cut little pieces of it to use as a wrap around my bubbles. I probably only used about 6 sheets TOPS for my 84 bubbles. So I got my new little stamper and stamped my little cut out pieces of orchid colored printer paper and used photo mounting squares to attach the ends together.
Oh, I also added little silver rings which I found at a dollar store (50 per pkg) and strung them onto the ribbon (from Michaels-2 for $1) which I changed from purple to alternating colors of white and lavender.
This was probably the most boring project thus far....well as far as sitting there and putting them together. I did a little at a time whilst watching TV. I'm just glad it's all over with!

basket from thrift store-earlier post)

Yay! Another DIY Checked Off The List!

2009-10-30T09:29:00.001-07:00

OK....so I'll have to give "Becoming His Mrs." some props for putting this idea in my head. She had gone to Michaels and found some Halloween directional signs for 1/2 off a few weeks ago and painted over them to create directional signs for her wedding. So............I also went to Michaels, but unfortunately they were not on sale at my store. Bummer. But then I thought, "Hey! Dollar Tree always has stuff like that for every season/holiday."
But before I bought any signs, I decided to head over to my reception site to see what kind/types my venue could use. I really only needed one for the gate entrance to the courtyard, as there are two different areas you can enter into. One of them being a Senior Center in which my guests could end up surrounded by seniors in yoga positions. Mmmhmmm.
So I took some more pictures of the outside of my venue and headed off to Dollar Tree. I found a very simple "spooky" sign, and bought it for a buck. Well, duh, of course! It's Dollar Tree!
Unfortunately, I did not even think of taking pictures of it for tutorial sake. My baaad. I didn't think of it until I had already spray painted with white acrylic, stenciled the design in pencil AND had started painting it in.....super my bad! Well, what's done is done. I've already forgiven myself.
So above pic is of the supplies I used......

This pic is when I realized I should have taken some pictures...........
....and this is my completed project! I am really happy about the way it came out. ESPECIALLY because I've never, as an adult, painted with brushes. Takes some getting used to! Oh, and I actually used a thin black Sharpie to write the Mr and Mrs line on the bottom, which I failed to include in my supply pic. I was NOT ABOUT to attempt doing THAT with a paint brush!
And I just thought I'd throw in the green fence where I'll be hanging my pride and joy.

( border stencil and spray paint from Walmart, letter stencil from a dollar store, brush on acrylic paints and brushes from Michaels, sign from Dollar Tree)

Yipee! Followers (20)

2009-10-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

Today I just received my 20th follower! It really made me smile to know that there are 20 people out there....strangers....that are keeping up with my thoughts, planning and projects. I get so much inspiration and so MANY ideas from the people that I myself follow. I hope that I, somehow, someway am able to help future brides out there that are on seriously small budgets like I am on.
That is my goal, because I really do believe that you don't have to go into debt to have a nice, memorable wedding experience with the people that mean the most you.
Thanks everyone for reading and for allowing me to stalk you too! =)

Another Pending Project DONE!-DIY

2009-10-28T12:25:00.001-07:00

Project complete!
If you'll remember awhile back, I wrote about some thrift store finds that were incredible deals that were gold in color, and I needed to paint them silver to go with our decor. Well, I finally did it!
1)Here is the birdcage I was transforming into a cardbox. ($5.95)
2) I started by covering the gems that went around the cage on top and bottom with masking tape to preserve them. I then spray painted the cage with Krylon.
3) Here's after I removed the tape from the gems.
4) Ta Da! A little lavender tulle, a sign and some flowers and I've got myself a cardbox Houston!

What are you using for your cardbox? Will it be DIY?

(cage from thrift store, paint from Walmart, tulle (about 10 yards for $2.95) from thrift store)

My Linen All Gussied Up.....-DIY

2009-10-26T12:21:00.001-07:00

I took one of my napkins out of its' wrapping, and started to play around with it. A fold here, a fold there. A fold this a- way, a fold that a-way. I think this might be the one I like best. A simple fan fold.
I added a wrap with our initials, a lil' flower, and wah lah! I like it. Of course this is just a draft, but I really like the look. I'm still experimenting here and there with other folds...in between other projects, that is.
So.....what do you think? Si, si or No, no.
What type of napkins will you be having?