Rolled Paper Frame

You may remember this post from a few weeks ago where I showed my wedding chain made by my roommate Kelly.  My wedding chain has gotten shorter since then (see updated picture below) and I have a lot of paper strips accumulating.

I did not want to throw away all of the paper strips, because they are a reminder of a very happy time in my life.  So my solution to my accumulating paper strip proplem is to make them into a rolled paper frame that I can put a wedding picture in, or our vows, to serve as a memento of the wedding process :)  I have decided right now to only use the patterned paper strips for the frame (they do not have dates on them), and try to find another creative way to use the strips with dates on them.

Each time a new patterned strip of paper is taken off of the chain I roll it up and secure the loose end with glue.  Then I save each role in a little baggie until I have enough of a majority to create a pattern for the frame.

Below are a few examples of rolled paper frames I have found on the internet.

The picture above is from Ten Thousand Villages.

How amazing is this frame!  This one can be found at Rag and Bone.

It would be fun if I had enough rolled paper to do two frames and they could be a collection on an end table or bookcase.  This picture is from Making Memories.

That is all for this post.  I am excited to show all of you the frame when it is completed.  I am off to Joplin this afternoon to visit some wedding places and I can't wait to show you the adventure on here :)

Oh!  I almost forgot to mention.  There is a giveaway going on at Love Shellsea for an adorable fabric flower clip :)  You should go and enter!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

This post is going to be way random... oh well :)  First I wanted to share a picture with some of our thrifstore finds combined with some wedding items to give you all an idea of the decor we are going for:

The shoe is the bridesmaid's shoes and next to it is the pewter swatch from Davids Bridal.

Below are pictures of the amazing finds from thrifting yesterday.  Cameron and I were celebrating 11 months together and he wanted to do something that I enjoyed so we went thrifting for wedding things :)  We found everything below for $1.75 at the DAV!!!!!  Be jealous ;)

Here is the flower girl basket I found.  I want to add some of the small fabric flowers I made around the edges, and do something to the handle.

These bottles were $.25 a piece!  I have been looking for more milk glass vases, but they can be expensive so I was really happy to find both of these.

I picked up three of these glass for $.25 a piece as well.  I want to use them in centerpieces for a look similar to the one below.

How cute are the roses coming out of the glasses!  I love this set of shots from Aisle Candy!

To end the randomness I wanted to post a cute set of pictures (also from Aisle Candy) of the most adorable flower girls!  I can't wait for how cute mine will look!

Have a great Monday night!  I am off to class!

Thrifting makes the world go round

I am so sorry that I have not posted almost all week!  The days got away from me :(

I wanted to show all of you some amazing wedding pieces that I have found while thrifting!  In order to achieve the vintage feeling I am going for, thrifing has almost become a necessity to find unique items that set the mood for the event.

Cameron and I went to the STD flee market here in Springfield and found a wide collection of glasses and vases to use as part of the centerpieces.

 This is only about half of the glass bottles that we found, and we got everything for about $20!  It was definitely worth the trip!

I was also looking for tea cups and pitchers that could be used as part of the centerpieces (you can see them above as well).

The tea cups came in a pack of two for $1 and the pitcher and saucer was a dollar as well!  I can't wait to see how they look with flowers in them.  Here is a picture to show you the look I am hoping to achieve with the tea cups:

Janae Hardy is an amazing photographer from the Springfield area, and the pictures above make me want every detail of my wedding to be amazing!

On the same thrift trip, Cameron and I saw a group of 8 dessert sized plates, but I was unsure if I could use them in the wedding or if they fit.  Almost immediately after leaving, I knew that I wanted them, but I waited a few days just to make sure :)

We got all of them for $10, and the idea is to use them as part of the centerpieces :)  They are so vintage and lovely, and they were definitely a lucky find!

Here is an idea of what the vases will look like with bright yellow flowers in them:

I am really excited to see how the collection of vases all comes together!

On a seperate subject, what do you all think about this platter:

Is it too much yellow?  Not classy enough?  Or just right?  I am still unsure, but Wal-Mart has a whole outdoor dishes section right now and yellow is one of the colors.  My interst was piqued, but I need some outside opinions.

That is all for now!  Have a great Saturday :)  I am going to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather here in Springfield.

Manzanita Branches

Way back when, right after Christmas break, Cameron and I began talking about getting married this coming summer instead of the summer of 2012.  Thanks to a conversation with his college age pastor back home, Cameron decided that he did not want to wait a year and a half and that he wanted us to begin our married journey this summer :)  I was definitely on board!  Before the official proposal took place I began looking at ideas on wedding blogs for centerpieces and became in love with the look of manzanita branches.

There are so many great ways to use them, and they add such impact to a space.  The downside to manzanita branches is that they can be super de duper expensive.  Lucky for us though someone was selling 18 branches on craigslist for $75 (which is a steal) and we picked all of them up to use for our wedding.  Bad news for us: I did not have a clear plan of how I wanted to use them... and to be honest... I still do not.  BUT I have been looking at a lot of great ideas and I know that the perfect way to use them will come to me soon!

Here are a few pictures and ideas that I have been using for inspiration so far.

These images are from a blog of an actual bride, and she showed how to make the manzanita branch centerpieces that she used at her wedding.  I really like the step-by-step picture of how she got the branches to stand up, because it can be tricky!  I also like how she had guests write notes and hang them on the branches!  So cute!!!  This tutorial was found at Domestic Bliss.

Nettleton Hollow also did several posts about different techniques for making manzanita branches stand upright.  The example above is with plaster of paris in a clay pot.  

The method above uses plaster of paris once again, but you mix the plaster of paris in a plastic tupperware container that you do not care about destroying.  Once the plaster of paris sets up, you cut away the plastic container and can put the manzanita branch with a solid support base into any container to dress it up.  Such a great idea!

I think laying the branch sideways is a really unique way of using the branches!  You can find a post on this at Style Me Pretty.

I adore this centerpiece!  I love the simple clumping of flowers at the base and the flowers sporadically placed on the branches :)  Such a great look provided by Megan Hobson.

I love the manzanita branches lined up in the square containers!  This inspiration was found at Calgary Wedding Assistant.  She even talks about how to make them on your own!  I love when people share DIY ideas :)

Be still my heart!  This picture makes me want to be somewhere else right now!  You can find more about this wedding at The Platinum Event.

This is an addition to the original post, because this is what I want!!!  This was featured on Love and Lavender.

There are some inspiration pictures that I have been loving right now :)  Can't wait to see which direction I go in with the centerpieces.  I am sure it will be a fun DIY post for the future!

It's all in the accessories :)

Over the last couple of weeks I have been keeping my eyes open for good bridesmaid jewelry options.  Wedding blogs are my best friend in this area, and I have gotten so many amazing ideas.  I thought that I would share a few with all of you in case you are also looking for bridesmaid accessories... or for fun jewelry for yourself :)

I am in love with these lockets!  You can find them at Zelma Rose I think it would be so cute to write a personal message to each of my bridesmaids and include a favorite picture of the two of us together :)

How precious is this necklace?!  I love the vintage and romantic feel that it has :)  This can be found at Sophia's Decor.

I love this necklace!  I wonder if I could make something similar on my own... :)  This one can be found at Metal Adornments.

I love this necklace from Amula as well!  So pretty and delicate.

I am in love with these adorable earrings from JustJaynes!  They were featured on Emmaline Bride (one of my favorite wedding blogs!) and I immediately loved them.

I am in love with these earrings and they are only $5!  Heck yes Etsy!  These are found at the adorable Etsy shop Sunshine and Carousels.

Beyond all of the pretty floral accessories I have found, I am also really liking the look of many strands of beaded necklaces twisted together to make an amazing statement necklace.  

This one can be found at Stavroula.

I also like these necklaces with the large yellow flowers off-centered.  The first is from Pinking Edge Designs, and the second is from MEJ Collections.

There are so many great ideas for how to accessorize the bridesmaids on Etsy!  I am not sure which route I will go just yet, but I am definitely enjoying the process of looking for the perfect accessories!  Happy shopping :)

Be decisive! Be be decisive!

This should be my new cheer in life... or atleast in my wedding planning life.  I have been having second thoughts on all of my wedding choices and it is making my life more complicated, not to mention the lives of those around me.

First indecisve topic: bridesmaid dresses.  A while back I did a post about the bridesmaid's attire and how excited about the choices that I was.  Well that was before I came across these absolutely adorable dresses from Ananya.

The dresses were featured on Emmaline Bride as a great bridesmaid dress choice, and I fell in love with them at first glance.  Cue the second-guessing.  I started thinking that I had decided on a dress to quickly, and did not explore my options.  Then my thoughts shifted and I began thinking that the dress I had chosen was not appropriate for the feeling of our wedding.  After agonizing over what to do (yes I agonized) I finally went on a solo trip to David's Bridal with the bridesmaid shoes and fabric flowers in tow.  I tried on the dress I had originall picked along with some of their cotton choices, and decided... that I had made the correct decision from the beginning!  I really like the dresses that I picked out at DB and they are an easy choice because they come in a wide range of sizes and there are stores all over the place.  And the bonus is that I can now order one of these dresses for myself to wear to a shower, the rehearsal, or our honeymoon :)

Second idecisive topic: wedding colors.  I follow way too many wedding blogs.  If you ever want a list just ask.  The good part of following wedding blogs is that I get so many wonderful ideas from things that other brides have done at their weddings.  Bad thing is that I get TOO MANY wonderful ideas from thingst that other brides have done at their weddings.  After looking at other weddings I am constantly wondering if I picked out the right colors, or if I am incorporating the colors that I picked throughout the wedding.  But after I panic internally for a moment, I remind myself that I love the colors I picked out for the wedding, and that there is still a lot of time to tweak our decorations to make sure that the colors are carried throughout... I am so silly sometimes.

I share my indecisiveness not just to point out that I am crazy sometimes (because I am), but to share with other brides in the planning process that you need to stick to your original decisions and do not cause more problems for yourself.  I went to coffee with my dear friend Lacie the other day, and she said she had the same dilemma about her bridesmaids dresses and then she told herself that there are always going to be new dresses or decorations coming out and if you allow yourself to you can become obsessed with what is not going to be at your wedding instead of what is.  It is better to just be happy about what is in your wedding, and at some point you just have to be okay with what you planned :)

Some things I am loving right now...

Good afternoon everyone!  This post is about all things that are making me happy or catching my attention right now :)  A little insight into my brain.

ICED COFFEE!!!!  My day is always better when it starts with iced coffee.  And as a bonus I get to drink it out of this super cute cup I picked up at Wally-world for less than $5!  Heck yes!

I have a list of wedding, healthy-living, decorating, etc. blogs that I check daily and one of my favorites is Emmaline Bride.  Today they have a great post about how to stock your pantry as a newlywed!  I am really excited to get married and graduate out of the single, college-girl pantry, and this post was full of great tips!

This new journal I picked up from Michael's for $1!!!!  I was super excited, because I now have a journal dedicated to my lists (which I love and rely on heavily) that I am able to cart around in my purse because it is a compact size :)  Yippee!!!!

I love this ceremony backdrop!!!  When I went to visit a venue with my roommate Courtney for her wedding this was the set-up on the stage for the ceremony and it is absolutely gorgeous!  To the bride out there who created this: YOU are brilliant!

The last thing on my list of loves is fly fishing :)  I signed up for a class this semester and I am having so much fun!  I got paired up with the cutest old man (yes you are old Russ!) and I have been having a blast learning how to tie flies and cast!  Who knew a girly-girl like me could like the sport of fly fishing so much?!

Hope you enjoyed some of my loves :)  Today, Cameron and I are meeting his mom and sister in Branson (another one of my loves) to go to Young Christian's Weekend at Silver Dollar City!!!  Tenth Avenue North is going to be playing on Sunday and I am uber-excited because I LOVE them!!!  Wow... a whole weekend of loves!  I am blessed :)