Floral Alternatives...Paper Bouquets & Decor, DUH!

Let's suppose you aren't a huge fan of flowers, since they will end up dead and withered away within a few days...aaaaand spending a couple thousand dollars on said flowers is totally NOT in your budget.
I now propose an eco-and-pocketbook-friendly alternative, and if you're a true DIY'er you won't mind the time involved in creating this wondrous project...PAPER BOUQUETS! (OR BROOCH BOUQUETS, whichever you prefer). I will be posting a tutorial on creating the latter within the next few days so stay tuned folks.
(Brooch bouquet)

Now, you have to admit that paper flowers are darn cute. This is also not to mention the fantastic effect they will have on your pocketbook. Most paper bouquets are constructed from pages out of old books, newspaper, magazine clippings, or you can find some fancy stock/scrapbooking paper from your local craft store. Use any pattern you want to create a nice addition to your wedding decor. Bold contrasts are my personal favorite.

And honestly, they don't lack any bit of "elegance" or "fancy" or whatever you want to call it. It's a handmade project, which in my opinion, will not only last longer, but create better memories during the creation process as well. And the absolute best part is, you're not limited to one type of flower.
For the Kusudama tutorial, click here.

For the Ocasiocasa tutorial, click here.

For the Dahlia tutorial, click here. 

There's also a bazillion different varieties of roses and other florals that you can make as well. Round roses, spray garden roses, etc.

Have fun with this project, and happy flower making!

XOXO-Christina

Mini Obsession: POLKA DOTS!

Lately I've found myself drawn to all things polka dots...don't ask why. Perhaps I was deprived of them as a child? Possibly. The whimsical nature of polka dotted items add instant "fun" factor to any event. Mix and add different colors, and perhaps some gingham and floral patterns, and you've got yourself a fun soiree. Check out some of my love's below and the reason for my new-found addiction.

Hope you enjoyed all the loveliness. Have a safe and happy new years all!

-Christina

Guest Book Alternative: Custom Skateboard Deck

Freakin awesome!! A refinished skateboard deck that has a picture of the couple (secured with resin), and room for their fam and friends to leave words of wisdom and ♥. In my opinion, this beats those boring old traditional guest books. HANDS DOWN. What a cool way to leave a memory of your special day hanging in your house. Let me know if you need some DIY instructions.

xoxo, Christina

Would You? A Bride In Black...

Bethany & Doug were married in Nashville, TN. The bride wore a black Betsey Johnson dress. “My dress was a big deal,” she began. “I had originally purchased a vintage inspired white dress and the bridesmaids were going to wear black but I kept thinking about a photo I had seen of a model bride in black that our photographer had used as an ad for her studio. I really wanted to wear black but I was having a hard time finding one that didn’t look goth, since that’s not my style at all.”

So in the end, Bethany wore black and her bridesmaids wore white! She told her bridesmaids they could wear any white dress they wanted so they all picked their own, “I was lucky that none of the bridesmaids had bought their dresses before I found mine, so it was okay with them to get a white dress instead of black. I am so happy that I went with the black dress because it was exactly what I wanted! I wanted my bridesmaids to have something that they liked and would show off their personal styles. I had chosen each one for different reasons including their different personalities so their dresses came from everywhere from a vintage shop to Bebe.  They also picked their own shoes after I asked them to choose different colors. They also wore hair pieces that I had made for them as part of their thank you gifts.”

 “I would call our wedding theme ‘random’ (as did Doug when I asked him!)” the bride continued, “That’s also how I would describe us. I am happy to say that we don’t really fit into a category. We had elements that were vintage, eco-friendly, rockabilly and modern.”
“I was inspired by so many different places, it’s hard to know where to start. I definitely kept Rock n Roll Bride bookmarked and checked back often.  I was originally looking at a lot of mainstream wedding magazines when we first got engaged but they were a little ridiculous.  They make everything look so easy when really a lot things that they feature are pretty difficult and mostly way too expensive, so I put them down and started searching the internet for things that Doug and I liked and tried to incorporate them.”



“Etsy is full of inspiration.  So many times I would be browsing a category on and find something that was similar to what I wanted but that I could make my own.  Really, I just tried to keep my eyes open and whatever I saw anywhere that I liked I tried to figure out how to put it in the wedding.”


So the question remains, would you? I think this bride has pulled off the impossible and looks fantastic while doing it. She knew exactly what she wanted and went for it! All stigma aside, a wedding is what YOU envision. Who knows, your "crazy" idea may end up just as awe-inspiring...Cheesy, but just like Nike says...just do it. All credit and photography for this blogpost goes to the amazaballs Rock n' Roll Bride.

DIY Project: Personalized Photo Tile Coasters

Photo Tile Coasters {Using Resin}

These photo coasters make a GREAT gift for the hubby to be, the parentals, wedding party, etc! And not only are they cheap and easy to make, emphasis on the word CHEAP...it's something the receipient will likely cherish and USE for many years to come. They can be used to keep your adult beverages from dirtying up the coffee table, or placed in a display for show on a wall. Buy some coasters from the store for someone and they may end up in the regift bin; however handmade photo coasters make for a heartfelt gift, that will definitely put a smile on their face. I give full credit for this post to the most awesome Oopsey Daisy over at TipJunkie. Check out the below tutorial and happy coaster-making!

Using resin is an awesome way to memorialize and create projects that will last through rain or shine. It creates a sealed barrier that protects the contents inside, and if the directions are followed precisely, will leave a nice smooth, shiny (almost glass-like) finish. Be sure to follow the directions to a "T" with whichever resin you choose to go with. Once you get it down, you will fall in love with this product, and more will be used for sure in your creative future. 

Here’s how to create these AMAZEBALLS photo coasters…

Start out with a trip to Home Depot.  These 4×4 tiles are only 19 cents each!  It doesn’t get much cheaper than that!  And pick up a package of 72 felt mounting circles for approximately $3.50.  Not too shabby!

Next, you need to order some photo prints. Only 13 cents each at Costco!  Then, cut the prints down to 4"x4" so they will fit on each tile. 

A regular old Elmer’s glue stick can be used to paste each picture onto the tiles.  (I love glue sticks–you can’t leave fingerprints with glue sticks!!)  Try to get the acid-free kind that is safe to use with photos.

We won’t give a full tutorial on using resin because each product is a little different.  For this project we used Envirotex Lite, and followed the instructions on their website very precisely.  The key to using resin is precision.  So be careful, perhaps do a trial run on an extra tile and you should get a high gloss finish that is absolutely beautiful!

After mixing the resin with the hardener, you just pour it on!  Then spread it out using popsicile sticks.  If you have a blow torch, you can use it, ON LOW, to get out the bubbles that pop up in the first 15 minutes or so.  But do you have to use a blow torch?? The answer is NO!  You can blow through a straw, blowing out the bubbles in the very same way.

It should take a full 24 hours to harden up!  Maybe a bit longer, at the longest, up to 72 hours to get completely hard.

Once dry, mount 4 of the felt circles on the bottom of each tile so they can slide easily on wood or any surface without scratching!

Then woooo-hooooo....ALL DONE!  Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back for creating a frugal, yet very awesome gift. Go DIY'ers - you rock!

Tie them up with a bow and you have the PERFECT gift!  Use these for an anniversary, christmas present, or if you really want to go all out - as favors at your wedding.  As you can see from the tutorial, the time involved isn't unbearably long, but to finish the project for 50-100 pieces will require some dedication as well as some help from a few rock star friends.  Black and white photos create a stunning effect, but color works amazingly well too. 

Now these are just stinkin’ cute!!  Grandparents are sure to adore this project if made with pictures of the little bebe's. 

Two sets of coasters (and enough supplies for a third!) – for less than $10 total.  Awesome possum!!

Monogram Etiquette

Monogram etiquette isn't common knowledge for most folks, hence the reason for this post. So how do I go about explaining the proper etiquette without boring you to tears. Hmmmmm, here goes: in short definition, monograms are those cute, calligraphy-looking letters you see hanging on bathroom towels in fancy houses (oh, and at weddings too). Who am I kidding, you know what a monogram is, right?? Exhibit a:
Ok, so on to the next (and more complicated) question…do you know the proper way to create your own monogram? In what order should your initials be displayed? Who's name comes first? Which is the bigger letter? Let's face it, how many people really take the time to research the appropriate way to display your monogram...I therefore, am putting together this very short, very simple list of rules to follow.

• A general rule of thumb, and most importantly...the brides name always comes first! Duh, because we are more beautiful and special...heh, I kid, I kid.
• If using initials only, the order is: the brides first initial, groom's last name, the grooms first initial

That's it. Pretty simple right? I'm glad we got that established. Now on to the fun part: the ways to utilize your monogram are ENDLESS. Use on wine bottle tags, stationary, cake toppers, napkins, aisle runners, favors, signs, chair ties, decor, signs, drink stirrers, flags, etc, etc, etc! A wedding monogram is kind of a big deal, almost in the same category as the cake, rings and officiant...ok, not quite. But close.

P.S. In case you didn't know, Envy Events will design your own personalized monogram for a flat rate of $50. Unlimited revisions included. Pass it on. Also, check out our post on custom monogrammed stamps from Zazzle.com.

DIY Project: Making Your Cupcakes Cute

If you are like me, you browse through countless wedding blogs whenever humanly possible. I love seeing all the lovely little details of DIY weddings and stare longingly, wondering how to share them with you all. Today I wanted to try those cute little cupcake signs that have been seen on Style Me Pretty. Here's an inspiration picture.

How cute are these?? But they are $9 for a set of 12, and that could add up really fast, especially if you have a large guest list. For example, if your guest list is 150, you would need 13 sets of 12, which comes out to (carry the 3, subtract the 1) $113. But enough blabbling, on to your DIY instructions...

Supplies needed (can be found in any craft supply store):

• Big scalloped-edge hole-puncher (2 inch)
• Slightly smaller circle hole puncher (1.5 inch)
• “Woodsies” wooden sticks (5.75 inch)
• Glue sticks & hot glue gun
• Cute construction or scrap-booking paper
• Letter stickers

Here is a closer look at the hole-puncher's:

Start by cutting out a few of each of the circles, playing around with the patterns and colors from the card stock you have. Then, hot-glue the circle onto the stick (or use Zots if you don't want to use a messy glue gun). If you don't want to leave the stick exposed on the back, glue the matching color onto the back.

 

Next, apply some sticker letters, or quotes to the circles. Mix it up by using different sayings such as:
Your monogram or initials,We Do, I Do,Love,Kiss,Sweet,Just Wed,In Love,Happy,Mrs, Mr, ...etc

 

All in all, these will turn out so cute!! Not to mention, they are sooooo ridiculously easy to make! This DIY trend has been popping up everywhere, and I love the idea of cupcakes instead of a traditional cake, or in addition to a traditional cake. There's many uses for these: think drink stirrers, attached to favor bags, "toss me" bags, at the bar or dessert table....the list goes on and on!

{Courtesy of Miss Petit Four of Weddingbee}