Another Pending Project DONE!-DIY

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)

Dollar Stores!

Aren't these adorable? I found these at a nearby dollar store for $1 each. I just had to have them. I don't know exactly what I will do with them, but here they are.
Maybe use them somehow at our Jack and Jill shower?
Well, just thought I'd share..............

A DIY Snap Station....How Cool!

I saw this project and said, "Wow". What an awesome idea. I won't be doing this exact project, but what I was originally thinking of doing as far as cameras go, was to put several cameras on each table. But this project is having me consider putting all the cameras on one table, and making a large sign similar to the one in the pictures.
I really love the look of the variety of vintage cameras, but again, I will probably just get the regular disposable 35mm wedding cameras that you can get at The wedding channel store on sale for like $2.50 each.

For this project, she labeled each camera with the brand, a little info and/or what effects it has.



All photos by: Jess Epstein
DIY Snap Station creator: Hillary Burgess

Isn't it just so original?
Are you having cameras for the guests at your wedding? If you are, how will they be displayed?

Another Fab Find At The Thrift Store!

I went browsing the thrift store by my house yesterday, when I stumbled upon these beautiful treasures. Intricately wired ornaments that latch shut. They were 12 for $2.95....so about .25 a piece. I bought a total of 48. There are just so many possibilities for these things! AND they match the little baskets I previously bought from this same store.
See! They match pretty well. (I still haven't painted this....)
I made some paper tissue pom poms to see how they would look dangling inside the ball.....I think they look absolutely perfect. I can hang them from the back of guests chairs (but I'd have to go buy more NOW, before they're gone)...I could string them and drape them across different areas (like above the cake table), I could hang them from the pews down the aisle, and I could also hang them in the various trees in the reception courtyard (or along the walkway entrance of the courtyard). So many possibilities!
But whatever I end up doing with them, I will be sooo happy that I found them.

An Awesome One Dollar Find

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this at a new independent dollar store they opened near my home. It stands just shy of 16" and has a place to put a picture with glass protector over it.
When I saw this I thought, "Wow, this might make a good centerpiece....and even double as a table number. I could make the table numbers with our pics smaller and square and put some flowers around the base!" I went to the Mr. who was looking at paper supplies at the store and told him my idea. Mind you, I had already bought all the stuff for my other centerpieces months before. Well, needless to say, he did not like the idea. He said that they were too tall and big, and they would interfere with the guests talking to each other across the table. I laughed at the thought and put the item in front of my face and pretended as if I couldn't see through it to talk to him. He's so funny.......but bottom line was that he did not like the idea. I'm kind of glad, mostly because I didn't want to feel as if I wasted money on the other ones. But I did manage to buy one to use ......SOMEWHERE. ........maybe on the guest book table. And of course, I will be painting it silver.
Just wanted to share.....

Incredible Finds For My Wedding At The Thrift Store

Aren't they absolutely beautiful? I occasionally wander into the thrift store to see if there are any great bargains that I can use for my wedding. On this particular visit, I think I scored!
In the first picture is a heavy wire metal heart shaped basket that I will probably use for napkins at my cake table. I don't know....what do you think? It stands about 9" high, and cost me $1.95.

I will of course paint both items pictured in silver to match my decor. Right now they are both an antique gold color.
In the second picture is the beautiful bird cage I found (same visit) and it stands about 18" tall without the hook and cost me $5.95. I don't know what I will do with the colored gems on it....the colors don't exactly match my color scheme.....but I'll figure something out. I also don't exactly know what I will use it for....maybe a card holder? Or maybe just a decoration for the guest book table? I don't know....any ideas?

I will post another pic later after I've painted them. But it may be a while before I get to that!

Paper Lanterns!

Don't you just love the look of paper lanterns? I do! In fact, as soon as I started searching online for anything that I could lay my eyes on about weddings, I saw these and fell in love. I knew immediately that I would HAVE TO have these romantic, whimsical, floating colorful paper balls at my reception. Besides my dress, they are one of the first things I bought.
I researched high and low to find the best price I could possibly get. Then I bought them. From ebay. These....in the picture on the very top....are not my actual paper lanterns, but the same color scheme. I've just added one extra color to the scheme....mulberry. The mulberry paper lantern in the picture all by itself is mine. Oh, I can't wait to see them hung up at my reception....but alas, I must have patience.
I LOVE PAPER LANTERNS!

Shooting For a $3,000 Wedding

Peter and I have been planning our wedding since the start of April of this year (2009), and we knew from the beginning that we did not want to spend a lot of money. Money that we don't have. I lost my job of 8 years just 5 days before Christmas (2008) due to the economy, and am still currently unemployed. Money is just so tight, and to be completely honest, if not for wanting so much for our family to share in the joy of our most special day, we would probably have just run off somewhere by ourselves to get married. But having the people we love there is very important to us. So now we're faced with how to keep from going into debt to accomplish this.
I jumped into researching all sorts of things related to weddings on the internet. I found out that the average wedding in the U.S. is from $15,000 to $25,000! I can't even begin to imagine spending that much! So I picked a doable number......$3,000. This will not include our wardrobe or rings. It will be for everything but those. Now whether or not we will meet that is something else. I'm researching everything myself and making a lot of the stuff myself. As you can see on my previous blog, I already bought my dress. I also got my shoes, crinoline, veil, tiara, garter, table covers, table centerpieces, favors, paper for invites, paper for programs, thank you cards, place cards, buffet plates, cake plates, plastic cups (wine, champagne, drink), plastic eating utensils, napkins, balloons, reception decorations, guest book & pen, printed pics for display and frames, wedding banner, pew bows & clips, petals, unity candle & holder, candles, and basically all other table decor. This "unemployed" status is definitely paying off in this way. I've been able to get lots accomplished that I would not have been able to if I were working a full time job.
I don't know exactly how much I've spent so far. I am keeping track, but just haven't added everything up yet. In a future blog I will give my itemized totals. Cross your fingers for me! I already know the most expensive thing will be the food for the reception. I have started investigating that, but will look further into it when the date is a bit closer.
Unfortunately, because of budget and size of hall, we will have to exclude many friends and family from the wedding. My immediate family alone (Mom, Dads, Brother, Sister and their families, Daughters and their families) is 19 people. And Peter's family is humongous! So yeah, cutting is inevitable. Our max is about 80 guests.
Well, that's all for now. My shopping time has recently come to a halt, seeing as the only things really left are food and drinks, reception hall, dress alterations, grooms clothes, brides bouquet, DJ, photographer, fresh flowers, cake, disposable cameras (which only have a shelf life of 6-12 months), and security (mandatory for the hall I'm renting). So all of this will come later....closer to the wedding. Time for me to find a job now, huh?