Decoupage

This is my new favorite thing.  My soon to be amazing SIL, Melanie, told me about decoupaging awhile ago and I had never heard or seen of it.  Well, it's pretty cool.  Basically, you cut out pictures; you glue the pictures onto an object; and then cover the object and pictures with a few coats of glue/decoupage medium to protect it. Check out this website if you want to see how many projects you can really do and all you need is the glue, Mod Podge.

http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com/

We had a bunch of coasters laying around from when O's dad was redoing the tile in their house so I decided to test it out.  I just cut out my favorite pieces of scrapbook paper to fit the tile and started glueing away...

Melanie & Craig just moved into their new place so I made them a little housewarming present

 Plain tile

 Different scrapbook pages with a few layers of mod podge

Finished product!  I also added a protective water sealant on top of the coasters so cold drinks don't bleed through the paper.

Some signage I made

Bri is letting us borrow her card box & I dressed it up a little

The first thing the guests will see is the gift/card table so I made a welcome banner to match the card box letters

We had so many left over fabric circles from craft day I got little 2" styrofoam balls & made the flower balls to save money on real flowers

 Rough draft of Mr & Mrs signs to hang on the back of our chairs at the reception

What do you think?

Flower Friday

I know I've found the "perfect bouquet" like 1,000 times but this wildflower bouquet really is it!  It's simple, chic and rustic. 

source

And, of course, I LOVE the lace.

Tutu's for adults!

source

I don't think my bridesmaids would be too happy :)

100 days left til the wedding!!!  Tomorrow we'll be in the double digits! :)

Flower girl dress shopping this weekend!

I am so all over the place with the flower girl attire vision in my head, seriously on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.  I'm pretty sure I don't want a poofy white dress for Gracie.  If we did a white, "normal" flower girl dress, maybe something like this:

Target $39.95

Macy's $69.99 

We could always dress up a plain white dress with cute shoes & a cute bow or even a pink little sweater

Macy's $78

I think this dress is adorable and the shoes below SOOO cute!  Kind of vintagey with the floral pattern.

 See, I go from thinking like that to this little sassy number with fun shoes :)  Maybe not typical flower girl but still very cute and Gracie's a fun girl!

 I could totally see her rocking these shoes

 And here we go, totally different look but I LOVE it, in fact this might be my favorite!  Why are all the cute dresses online and you can't try them on in the stores?!

$50.99

See, I'm all over the place :)  Well, we're going shopping this weekend so hopefully we'll find something for the lil cutie

HAVE I GOT SOME NEWS FOR YOU....

What do you see here? 

A girl so tired from working the graveyard shift & frustrated she can't get good sleep in during the day?  A girl who feels like she has aged prematurely and gotten more wrinkles than she normally would've gotten in the last 15 months?  A girl who no longer gets to enjoy time with her girlfriends and a glass of wine on a week night?  A girl who only gets to fall asleep with her fiance at most twice a week?  A girl who can't get any sleep without her eye mask and earplugs? 

That my friends, was ME.

I say was because.....

I GOT MY DREAM JOB!!!

I can not even begin to tell you how happy it makes me to know that in 2 weeks I will no longer be working the graveyard shift that I have been working for the last 15 months.  I will still be employed with Sharp, but at an outpatient center working (get this!)

4 10-hour shifts, no weekends, no holidays!!! 

I will no longer be a vampire up all night and attempting to sleep during the day. 

No, it wasn't always horrible on graveyard.  I actually take it as a blessing because 

1)The $4/hr shift differential has managed for me to save an additional $640 (before taxes) each month for the wedding

2)I have literally done ALL of my wedding research, gotten ALL of my ideas/inspiration, searched countless wedding blogs ALL on my graveyard shift (when it's slow, of course) :)  I honestly don't think I could have put all that I have put into our wedding if I didn't work that shift during the past months

and,

3)I am thankful to have even been given the job I got straight out of school, working at a Level 3 Trauma Hospital in a busy ER, it;s an experience that I know has shaped me into a better Ultrasound Technologist. 

Anyways, the person I really need to thank is my loving fiance that has put up with countless grumpy nights for no reason at all other than that I have to go to work at night when most people are going to bed.  For ALWAYS being supportive of my schedule and always looking out making sure I get decent sleep.  For being quiet as a mouse if he comes home when I'm sleeping, wearing headphones while watching TV or listening to music, yet when I come home in the morning I always wake him up.   For having more confidence in me than I do in myself, knowing that hard work and lots of patience will pay off. 

These last 15 months working graveyard have not been easy, but I know it could have been a lot more difficult.  Thank you babe for all your love and support, I couldn't have done it without you (while keeping sane).  You are constantly supporting me and our future together and I have no doubt that it will be a bright one.  Once again, another reason why I can't wait to marry you, the love of my life. 

Love,

your babers

3 1/2 Months...Update on To Do List

LESS THAN 1 MONTH COUNTDOWN! ! !
Less than 6 4  3 1/2 months to go, I need to start making some update my lists!! :)

DONE:

• Save The Dates (all have been mailed)
• Venue/Alcohol
• Caterer
• Photographer Kristina Cazares
• DJ
• Ceremony decor (ribbon wands, pomander balls, maybe 1 more thing)
• Centerpieces, candles, table #'s, etc
• Scheduled my dress fitting (already arrived and being kept at Bri's house!)
• Hotel blocks Hilton Garden Inn Hotel Blocks
• Invitations (just received them!)
• All bridesmaid dresses are in!  There are 5 different dresses for 7 girls & I love them all
• Passports!  We already  had this done since we needed them for Justin & Cherish's wedding last Oct

TO DO (APRIL):

• Meet with travel agent, Mom's friend Karol (scheduled for 4/16)
• Meet with Dad & Kelley's pastor who will be marrying us so him and Orrin can meet and we can discuss the ceremony (hopefully do this on Easter Sunday)
• Meet with Matt, the musician I want to play our ceremony music acoustically Check his music out! Not in the budget :(
• Make 2nd payment to Orfila (scheduled for 4/23...yikes!  Double yikes because I just had to pay $500 for my car to get fixed :/)
• Set up Registry (Macy's & Bed Bath & Beyond, maybe a PayPal or honeymoon one as well)-going on Sat!
• Pick out & purchase Orrin's suit
• Pick out some options for bridesmaid shoes
• Book honeymoon & put deposit down!

TO DO (MAY):

• Very Soon- Ask Gracie to be our Flower Girl
• Buy LOVE mugs from Anthro (put on wish list at Anthro)
• Find a creative friend that wants to address our invitations because I have chicken scratch & can't afford a caligrapher :) My mom offered :)
• Give Amy & Kelley guest lists for both bridal showers
• Register, register, register!

TO DO (JUNE/JULY/AUGUST):

• Meet with Alisa and her biz partner to discuss flowers
• Make up trial I looooove the make up artist I found, Karina at L' Pretty! 
• Figure out who's doing hair for bridesmaids & myself (if they want it) 
• Finalize groomsmen attire and inform them what to do & when
• Pick out groomsmen shoes & ties (gifts)
• Go w/ dad to pick out his attire (doing this Sunday)
• Pick out wedding bands for both of us (ordered O's, don't think I'm getting one til after the wedding)
• Talk to Gma Bub about cake
• Go shopping with Nannie & Gracie to find our flower girl a cute lil dress
• Reserve bridal suite for wedding night (free if we book 20 rooms!), room for me (and MOH) night before wedding and room for O (and BM) night before wedding  We're already at 10 rooms!
• Order envelopes for invitations (really don't like the plain white ones I have) & address when mom is here in July
• Engagement pictures June 16th!!!  Get outfits, props, etc ready!
• Go to swap meet, thrift stores to look for more milk glass vases, or clear that I can spray paint white or anything else cool that I can find...any excuse to go.  I know, I'm an old lady :)
• Research where to find the cheapest drinking size mason jars for cocktail hour and purchase Heck ya!  Becky's sweet sister Lauren just got married and is letting me borrow her mason jars! :)
• Finish jam favors
• Finish all crafts
• Have Megan use her pretty writing for signs
• Walk thru at Orfila with day of coordinator
• Pick out wines to be served
• Finalize all music so we can be assured the DJ will not be corny!
• Set up some sort of honeymoon fund

MAKE:

• Seating chart display board
• Tree guest book (get ink pads) or another possible idea... not happening
• More chalkboard signs; 1 big one for menu and 1 big one for ceremony info (not doing programs)
• Felt pink and white hearts for gray and white cocktail straws
• Programs, menus, signs with chosen monogram (buy a printer!)  not happening
• Shutterfly guest book with engagement pics
• Paint the shutters (to display family pics)
• Cake topper
• Wedding day timeline (Cherish is helping me with this soon)

START THINKING ABOUT:

• Bridal shoes/jewelry  ordered jewelry online, hope I liiike
• Transportation to Orfila for wedding party, free shuttle (that only fits 7 at a time) or something else?  If we have a lot of people staying at the hotel they said they can arrange a bigger bus or more shuttles
• Specific songs: dad/me, O/O's mom/O, cake cutting, bouquet/garter toss, first dance, ceremony music, etc.
• Plans for rehearsal dinner Thank you Orrin & Julie-Ann :)
• Asking family for wedding pics so we can display on the shutters
• Make a photo list for photographer of must take family pictures.  Maybe assign a family member to make sure we get everyone..

WISH LIST:

• Videographer  (I know I might regret not having a videographer, but really don't think it's in the budget) --not happening
• Candy Bar -most likely not in the budget, heard candy can be expensive --not happening
• Arranging other transportation.  Hilton RB Garden Inn provides a shuttle to and from the winery...that shuttle fits 7.  Yes, 7 people.  They said if there's a lot of people staying there they'll look into providing us something bigger.  not happening...there's one shuttle bus...that fits 7.  I wish we could afford to hire a shuttle company at least just to make one drop off and one pick up.
• Photo booth (Would love it like no other but for $1,000--not in the budget)  --not happening
• White chairs instead of wood  (Ahh, I think-actually, I know-the white chairs for the reception would look better with our color scheme than the wood but for $2.50/chair, I don't know...)  NOT HAPPENING :(
• Dance floor or cement  (Apparently, half the people get the dance floor and half don't, personally I think a dance floor would be 100% better than dancing on the cement but for $400 we have to think about it)  At this point we got our dream venue and everything else, sadly, might just be "extras" we can't afford.  ...NOT HAPPENING :(

FAVORS:

• Orfila gives us 1 complimentary wine pass for each guest to come back and enjoy a free wine tasting. 
• Possibly make jam favors?? ...in 8 oz mason jars.  YES!!!  Kelley & her mom have done this LOTS and definitely want to do it so we'll be making pomegranite jam, yummm!  Not sure when yet, if anyone wants to help I will let you know when :)