Archive for July, 2010
Wedding Week III: Celebrating Our Third
As wedding week comes to a close, we’ll wrap up with the as-promised details of how we honored this year’s anniversary, including where we went, what we ate, what we gifted each other, and how we added to our collection of sweet mementos around the house.
First, we’re all about checking off some of photographic traditions of the day. Wednesday afternoon we took a trip down to Richmond’s Carytown district to pay a visit to our go-to photo booth at the New York Deli. It was Clara’s first photo booth experience and she loved it so much that we couldn’t resist grabbing a second strip. And now they both live on a shelf in our dining area with all of our other strips from big days gone by (which we shared in Wednesday’s post).
One thing we forgot to show you on Wednesday is that we have another collection of anniversary photos in our bedroom. On the ottoman near the mirror, we’ve got small framed pictures that we took on our last two anniversaries (we plan to add one each year – eventually moving the collection to a wall somewhere). In the left photo (our first anniversary) you can even see us holding the cupcakes that we froze from our wedding day to be eaten 365 days later, they were actually pretty good.
So to continue the anniversary “portrait” tradition, once we got home from our photo strip session we braved the heat to snap a few pics in the backyard – with Clara being an important addition to this year’s documentation (thanks to a tripod and the auto timer button on our new camera).
We especially enjoyed taking this one with the arch that we got married under in the foreground.
After that it was time for the all important anniversary meal. Since we had already recreated our wedding menu for year #1 and dined at our rehearsal dinner spot for year #2 (learn more about those adventures here) we decided to honor our Alaskan honeymoon this year by making some sort of salmon dish. And since I’m in the midst of cooking my way through Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (Sherry calls it my Johnny & Jamie project a la Julie & Julia) we plucked out a salmon stir-fry recipe that, despite Kroger not having all the right ingredients, turned out quite well. Yum.
Then after dinner (with Clara off to sleep) it was present time. Even though third year gifts are traditionally supposed to be leather, Sherry and I broke tradition and coincidentally each went the art route. She had 12″ x 12″ enlargements printed of two of our favorite pics of Clara from her newborn photoshoot with our friend Dana Duncan and hung them in our bedroom in inexpensive Ikea frames to surprise me (where one of our botanical prints had previously hung). I love that we can now admire our little girl even when she’s sleeping in her nursery across the hall – plus we couldn’t have planned our outfits better (they coincidentally match the color scheme in there perfectly). See the full sized pictures here and here.
And when it came to my gift for Sherry, I knew that we’d soon have a need for lots of postcard-sized art, so I channeled my inner graph nerd to make her a geeky-sweet representation of all of the things that Sherry has meant to me over the nearly six years that we’ve known each other (and the five that we’ve been dating/betrothed/married). I got to work in a lot of sweet things (like how we went from single people to a family of four) as well as a lot of humorous stuff (like the brief time I thought Sherry’s name might be Heather, how she’s always been the passenger in our relationship since she rarely drives, and how I’ve known her as everything from a fish mom to an actual baby momma.
The gift exchange pretty much wrapped up 7/7/10 for us, but it wasn’t the end of our anniversary festivities. We had planned a day-trip too, but with the triple-digit temperatures (insane) we decided to postpone our travel until yesterday when the heat dropped about ten degrees (you know, because the 90′s is sooo much cooler than 104).
So yesterday we hopped in the car and headed west to Charlottesville, VA. Why there? It’d put us at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just about 30 minutes from where we got engaged. In fact, we actually spent most of the day just outside of C-ville driving on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway to soak up the view and tell Clara all about the fun adventures that predated her much-anticipated arrival (being mathy I’m good at recalling where we were and what we did on specific days, so there were a lot of “three years ago on this exact day we were…” conversations). Oh the memories.
We also stopped for lunch near the base of the mountains at the Blue Mountain Brewery. Yes, it’s odd that two non-drinking baby-wearing people would choose a brewery to celebrate, but we had heard good things about its picturesque setting and delicious food. Plus they consider themselves to be a “green” business (we happily counted at least three rain barrels when we arrived) so that always makes us happy to show our support. And although we didn’t head there expecting to see anything home related, as soon as we pulled up Sherry was raving about their deep bronze-toned metal roof. We’d love to have one someday… if they weren’t so darned expensive.
Inside the meal was simple, but delicious (and made from local ingredients). Plus I had the pleasure of rocking my Ergo carrier throughout.
Heck, if you can’t enjoy the view of the mountains – this one isn’t a bad substitute, eh? Clara’s like the seven dwarfs these days (sleepy, happy, bashful, and even occasionally grumpy). Here are just a small sampling of the faces I was getting throughout the meal.
After our second tasty anniversary meal we stopped at my alma mater (to get Clara her first UVA onesie, of course) and then we headed back home to call an official end to the extended anniversary festivities. Well, that is until this morning when we made one last nod to our lemon-&-lime themed wedding with Clara’s eight week photo. She’s such a good sport.
Thanks again for celebrating wedding week with us this year! It’s always fun to take a slight detour and look to relationships & the celebrations that accompany them for DIY and design inspiration. We’ll be back on Monday with our regularly scheduled programming, so until next year we hope everyone enjoys celebrating their own anniversaries and all of those other heart-warming milestones over the next twelve months!
Psst- Clamoring for more Clara? She doesn’t usually hang out on the blog all that much, so just click the sidebar button with her cute mug on it for tons of regularly uploaded photos of Baby P!
Wedding Week III: Bedroom Va-va-voom
In honor of wedding week we whipped up a romantic bedroom mood board just for fun. So if you and your other half are looking to spice things up in the bedroom (er, in the decorating sense of the term) just check out a few of these charming and wallet friendly items.
1. Colors like light and dark plum, brown, mocha, soft teal, and hammered gold make for a romantic and welcoming boudoir. And when it comes to a wall color that we’re imagining for this space, anything from a soft lavender (Benjamin Moore’s Violet Mist 1437) to the warm sand color shown behind the headboard above (Benjamin Moore’s Dellwood Sand 1019) would look lovely.
2. Necklaces and earrings never look more ooh la la than when they’re dangling on a wall mounted jewelry holder- especially when it’s shaped like a sweet little bird cage (and costs just $28 beans).
3. A personalized $30 Etsy print with you and your honey’s name (and even those of your children if you’ve got ‘em) can add more customized whimsy and charm. Plus those blue-green leaves tie in perfectly with this room’s color palette.
4. Matching end tables flanking the bed with these babies hanging above each of them will frame out the bed and make for some super romantic ambiance. And at $48 a pop they’re cheaper than nearly all other chandeliers we’ve seen.
5. This luxe tufted headboard (originally $600 but now on clearance for $269) has sexy curves and detailed button tufting that adds a soft and enveloping vibe to the space, especially when paired with the patterned bedding we dug up.
6. This large champagne colored mirror will add a bit more glitz to the space without stepping into Donald Trump territory. And mirrors always bounce light around for a soft come-hither ambiance that bright overhead lights just can’t provide.
7. Nothing whispers kiss me like a paisley loveseat, right? This one pairs perfectly with everything from the tufted semi-formal headboard to the plum patterned bedding- and it looks like a nice place to sit and smooch for a spell. Plus a seating area in the bedroom always feels kind of indulgent if you can squeeze it in.
8. This organic plum patterned duvet (on clearance!) is geometric enough to please most males without stepping into the dreaded “floral” category of textiles that has most guys exercising their right to veto. And adding some breezy white curtains (Ikea’s Vivan panels are $6.50 a pop and oh so sweet) along with a plush 8 x 10 rug (anything mocha, chocolate, or even cream would work) will complete the look with style to spare.
So there you have a romance-inspired bedroom in a box (well, a board) for anyone who’s looking to feather their love nest. And speaking of romantic touches, what do you guys associate with love when it comes to home decor? Scented candles or a flickering fireplace? Pink tones and ruffled textiles? Plush flokati rugs and velvet curtains? Framed photos and other personalized memorabilia? Do tell.
Wedding Week III: A Few Favorite DIY Ideas
When we think of heart-stoppingly gorgeous and touching weddings, we can’t help but think of Style Me Pretty- a blog that’s chock full of some of the most creative and lovely celebrations that we’ve ever seen. So of course we were thrilled when Abby Larson, SMP’s leading lady, agreed to drop in with her ten favorite DIY wedding touches (which can also be adapted for non-wedding-related events and even used to spiff up your house if you’re itching to tackle a crafty project or two). So without further ado, Abby’s top ten:
First of all, Happy Wedding Week to Sherry and John! They just might be the world’s cutest couple, and ever since we featured their wedding on Style Me Pretty, we’ve kind of fallen in love with them. So when they asked us to be a part of wedding week, we jumped hook, line, and sinker. As a wedding blogger, I have the luxury of digging through our archives to find inspiration for pretty much every project, every party, every whim I ever get. And without a doubt, my favorite archive collection to revisit is our DIY folder. Why you might ask? Well… the projects that are tucked inside are SO cool and so useful, on so many different levels (whether you’re tying the knot or just looking for a fun weekend project) they will definitely make you all craft happy inside.
So although I could blab on forever, I’ll just get to the goods. Here are my ten favorite DIY projects, which are ALL easy on the wallet.
1. Painted Vases. This idea by Twig & Thistle is a really genius way to deck out your wedding for next to nothing. By spray painting a hodge podge of vases found at garage sales and flea markets, you can create a really chic, cohesive look that seems incredibly expensive. Take the idea one step further and you can paint a hodge podge of picture frames filled with images of friends and family- or you can even spray paint a collection of found chandeliers to make a really beautiful overhead element. Learn how to create these vases here.
2. Ice Cream in a Jar. Umm, yep. You read that right. Crafted by City Cradle Designs, these jars are filled with the simple tools and ingredients for your guests to make a little taste of ice cream right in their hotel room. PERFECT for these toasty summer weddings! Not just a getting hitched idea, these are also a fun little treat for birthday parties with the kiddos. Learn how to make them here.
3. Customized Favor Bags. Another awesome idea designed by Kathleen at Twig & Thistle, I heart these bags (which are actually personalized on the front). You can fill them with any sweet on the planet… homemade chocolate chip cookies, penny candy, whatever you want. The options are endless! Learn how to create them here.
4. Cute Confetti Containers. Crafted by Smitten Studios, these adorable cones can be used for SO many different things. Fill them with scraps of ribbon or mini paper poms to toss at the bride and groom OR stuff them with french fries and use them as a cute appetizer holder. You can really get creative with this project, from containers for your candy buffet to vases that you can tie on the end of your church pews. The world is your oyster with these babies. See how they’re made right here.
5. Pinwheels. I die over these. Seriously, how cute are they? Crafted by the girls at Papier Gourmet, these are an adorable addition to your wedding. Line your outdoor wedding aisle with them, give them to guests as wedding favors, place them on the kids’ table as gifts. SO. Freaking. Cute. Learn to make your own here.
6. Yo-Yos. Designed by the cute girls at Posh Paperie, I am OBSESSED with these little fabric gems. Whether you gussy up a plain white tablecloth or stitch them onto a simple clutch for your bridesmaids to carry, these are the cutest (and cheapest) way to add texture and style to your big day. Love, love, love them. Find out how to make them here.
7. Lace wrapped Candles & Vases. This is a project that I’m not only obsessed with for weddings, but I also kind of love it for my home. Especially for the holidays. Designed by Beth Helmstetter, this little number is basically instant style. By adding a little bit of lace to a simple inexpensive glass vase or candle holder, you can bring a sense of elegance and style to your look. Love this. Love, love, love this. See how they’re made here.
8. Custom Matchbooks. They say that it’s the little things- the details- that really transform a pretty wedding into an awesome wedding. Well, what’s more awesome than custom matchbooks? Even if there isn’t a single smoker in the bunch, they are still so freaking cool. Kind of like a collector’s item from your big day. Designed by Elaine, one of our lovely featured brides and the designer behind the brand Papermade, these little gems will be loved by all. Learn how to make them here.
9. Table Runners. This particular wedding blew me away. The amount of DIY that went into the day was insane and yet the wedding seemed like it was right out of a glossy magazine. I asked the bride to send us over a DIY of her choice and she picked the burlap table runners that she and her mom created. And they are really, really great. Placed over an inexpensive white tablecloth, your look is instantly transformed into elegant, organic style. See how they’re made here.
10. Homemade Pie Favors. I love this project for two reasons. One, they are really stinking cute. And two, yours truly baked them (a task that is unfamilar to put it very lightly). I think that homemade gifts are the very best kind of favors. They don’t cost much, they bring your personality in, and they are always made with love. You really can’t get much better than that. Add a cute white bakery box and an adorable custom tag and voila: cuteness overload. Find out how to make them right here.
So there you have it. Ten super cute, super affordable, super charming projects that you can infuse into your wedding day style. In my opinion, every wedding must have a little bit of DIY. It doesn’t really matter what your budget is, it’s the small personal details that make a wedding special and memorable. Plus, it’s really fun to crack open a bottle of bubbly with your girlfriends and make a little something-something for your big day. Just don’t have too much bubbly or things could get crazy! And crazy with a glue gun ain’t pretty. Thanks again to Sherry and John for having me!- Abby
No THANK YOU for stopping in with such inspirational eye candy Abby! Now we want to get married all over again, or at least throw a big backyard bash to celebrate Burger’s birthday or something (he does love pie…). What do you guys think? Do you have any favorites from the roundup? Are there any that you’d like to tackle yourself? Or do you have other fun entertaining ideas to toss into the mix? Spill those par-tay planning beans.
Going To The Chapel: Freebie Winner!
It was really fun to read about all of the smitten betrothed people on this week’s wedding-themed giveaway from sister sites Two Paperdolls and Louella Press. We hope you all love being engaged and adore your big day. And hopefully, at least for one of you, this week’s prize (a free set of custom letterpress invitations) will be a beautiful part of making that dream wedding come true.
The great news is that even if your name didn’t float to the top this week, Louella Press is offering all YHL readers 20% off any wedding invitation order of $750 or more for the entire month of July. Just mention Young House Love when calling or emailing to snag the discount. By our math, that means you can save at least $150. Score!
But since it’s not ever a wise move to make a bride wait, I guess I should get on to naming a winner. After asking random.org who the lucky lad or lady is (on bended knee of course) we learned that our big winner is… Pippin (who’s getting married at a Colorado destination wedding next summer). Congrats! And best wishes to you and your soon-to-be-spouse.
Oh and don’t worry if you didn’t snag the big prize this week, on Monday we’re back to non-wedding themed loot, and let’s just say there’s some pretty cool booty to be had (and yes, there’s a clue in there somewhere). Stay tuned…
See more info on our Giveaway FAQs page. Pics courtesy of Two Paperdolls & Louella Press.
Reader Redesign: A Contemporized Chandelier
Sometimes the simplest changes can make a big statement, especially when it comes to updating an already-existing accessory in your home. In fact Allison proves just that with her simple and chic chandelier update. Here’s her letter:
My chandelier makeover was really easy to accomplish once I found the perfect modern shade to update my 1950s crystal chandelier.
I was lucky enough to locate a fabulous shade for $10 at a warehouse sale here in Dallas. Then I spray painted the ugly brass chain white (along with the “ceiling donut”) to match the already glossy white ceiling medallion. The open ring at the top of the shade made it easy to slip onto the chain, which I then re-hung from the ceiling. I think it makes my dining room look SO much better. I first saw this look in a Neiman Marcus home catalog, and of course had to try to copy it. I hope you enjoy my simple ceiling makeover as much as I do. – Allison
Of course we’re all over that nice clean-linen drum shade. And we love how it totally upgraded that already lovely crystal chandelier. Plus the fact that people spend a pretty penny on light fixtures just like it (check out this one for $718!) is the icing on the cake. Amazing work Allison! What do you guys think? Is anyone else looking for the perfect drum shade to layer over an existing fixture for a polished and modern vibe? Has anyone else taken on a similarly easy and affordable light fixture overhaul? Do tell.
