Long Time, No Post

So, this in itself is a poor excuse for a post, but oh well.

Among all of the projects and diversions lately, my dear internet friends, you have come last. I apologize. I promise to pick back up after the new year, with many new and exciting announcements. The creativity has been flowing lately, and not just related to the wedding, praise jesus.

Until then, my best regards to you. And here is a picture of Alex P. Kitten eating the Christmas tree for your enjoyment.

Pomander on a Budget

photo from marthastewart.com

So, while perusing Target today, I ran into this bath sponge.


Target bath sponge, $2.99 (found in cosmetics aisle)

My wedding obsessed brain said "Oh mah gaw - so cute for a flower girl!!" and it instantly went in the basket. Of course, my girls will carry baskets and actually throw petals (let's hope the 2 year old complies) and not bath sponge pomanders, but really, this is adorable! Because I obviously have way too much time on my hands, I grabbed some fancy gift ribbon, and tied it on for dramatic effect:



Ok, so if it is the day before your wedding and you wake up in a panic sweat only to realize that you had forgotten about your flower girls, this would be an option. A cheap one. They also come in light blue.

Cute? Or am I off my wedding rocker?

Kate Spade Sample Sale

Oh mama....

Budget? What budget?


kate spade's "wedding puff" - sale price: $269, orig: $445

That purse looks kind of like something Alex P. Kitten would play with, but nonetheless - there are fab finds to be had! Motor over to http://www.katespade.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=2130331 -- today's the last day!

How to Cozy Up the Reception

The interior of our reception venue looks like this:



Really a nice neutral space with lots of natural light, which is what I love about it. But, as it gets late in the evening and darker outside, how do I make the space shine? How do I make it more cozy? Our centerpieces are pretty minimal, and we went with the ivory linens and chair covers -- and if you know me, you know I'm not so "minimal".

My venue coordinator suggested that we rent some trees strung with twinkle lights, like this:



So I contacted a few local plant rental companies, and found that it was kind of costly. $105/tree including lights and delivery, and we need 5-6 trees! That's a lot of green, hardy har har. So I guess I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it. We would place the trees around the perimeter of the room, and I like the idea of the twinkle lights ambient glow. Any other ideas?

99 Cent Michael's Find

Not quite sure what I'm going to do with them...but super cute, right?

Gimme a Mai Tai and call it a day...

One more check box...checked! This is where you'll find me in just 9 short months...



B and I are salivating over our honeymoon. Following the good advice of the Knot, I decided to book our flights extra early because we used my frequent flyer miles. Good thing I did, because there were NO flights into Kauai or Maui left (luckily Honolulu was still fairly open). This is more than 9 months out, people! Anyway, because of my super-fabulous job, I had plenty of miles to pay for both of our plane tickets (an $1800 value) and seven of our thirteen (!!) nights are also free (one bajilion dollars value). Howdja do it, you ask? Well, I use ONE credit card for every darn thing (including business expenses - i.e. dinner for 35 people - which obviously adds up). I use the Starwood American Express, which I highly recommend. One free week at the Westin Maui, hellsyes. You get 1 point/dollar spent on ANYTHING, plus I travel so darn much I am GOLD, so I get 3 points/dollar at every Starwood stay. Whoop! You can use the points for Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, Saint Regis, etc.

So, we'll be spending 5 days in Maui, 6 days in Kauai and 2 days in Honolulu. Neither B or I have ever visited Hawaii, so it is extra special. Any advice? Leave it below... Oh man, I'm going to be so tan.

BENEFIT BEAUTY SQUAD!

I would like to introduce the newest member of the Benefit Beauty Squad: ME!!

That's Benefit Cosmetics, people, and I am so honored! I would like to thank the Academy and Alex P. Kitten and the producer and... I think you probably know from my previous posts, but I really love Benefit products, and I saw the opportunity to apply to the squad - and whodathunkit? I made it!


(click image for larger view)

Pretty sweet, yes? Today I got a package in the mail with my Official Benefit Beauty Squad Certificate (which I will cherish and love always), a book about the history of Benefit Cosmetics, a nice note, magnets, pins -- best for last -- Benetint and Bad Gal Lash! Freebies! I love Freebies! Be sure to check out www.benefitcosmetics.com for all of their fabulous stuff (I'm very intrigued by Ms. Poularity...)

So, stay in touch to hear more about the latest and greatest from Benefit cause you know I gots the scoop!

The Great Registry Caper

So, not exactly as exciting and madcap as the Muppets version, but you get the idea.

I had not planned on registering for gifts until at least January, but apparently that was not a good idea. B's relatives had started to prod about registries and china and all that other hoopla, so we bit the bullet. We registered.

We started off our journey on Saturday at Macy's Union Square. Considering that there are 3 giant floors of housewares wonder, we thought this was the best place to go. Plus Macy's is nationwide (making both sides of the family happy) and has an easy online ordering system.

This particular Macy's seems to be the Registry Mecca, as they had a whole section of the 6th floor roped off with 6 computer stations just waiting for all of the pre-nuptial couples of the bay area. I have to admit I was impressed by the view given to the registry department: floor to ceiling view of the square. Nice that they realize just how many dollars we wedding people are generating.

We sat down with a registry specialist and gave her all of our pertinent info (names, date, shipping address), she showed us how to use the scan gun, and we were off. I thought that I had been preparing my whole shopping life for this moment, but we were instantly overwhelmed. The registry area was situated right next to the flatware, and honestly, it all looked the same. Yeah, there were some gilded overly formal ones and more sleek and modern ones -- but all I really wanted was a few forks that matched! The fact that there were about 85 different choices seemed utterly unecessary. So, we ended up picking one that "coordinated" with our china (Kate Spade's Library Lane). It really was a very arbitrary decision.


Our China


Larabee Dot coordinating plates

After we decided on china, we felt a little better about ourselves. Luckily, Macy's Union Square has a food court in the cellar (where there are MORE homegoods), so we had a nice rest stop at Jamba Juice and Tom's Cookies. We definitely needed to refuel.

We found some more fabulous stuff (lots of Martha Stewart Collection - YOU KNOW IT!) and three hours later, we were done.

Being that I want to have a wide variety of items and prices to choose from, we also registered at Target, my trusty friend. You can get pretty much anything you ever wanted at Target (and they have the cutest versions of all of those things!) You can get even more at Target.com. Anyway, given that we had the Macy's experience behind us and my black-belt in TargetShopping -- the second registry was a breeze!


my friend, the Target gun

My favorite part of registering (and totally unexpected) were the free gifts! Macy's gave us a cute red Swiss Army tote bag:



And Target a plastic bag filled with 1) a registry wishbook 2) little cards to stick into your shower invitations 3)my favorite - 5 free wedding song downloads on ITunes.



Awesome! And with a little web-sleuthing, I have found that there are several other freebies through Macy's once people buy things off of your registry (i.e. free baking pans from All Clad) which is on top of their 5% Star Rewards Program (I get a gift card for 5% of the total purchased. BOO YAH!)

I also have to admit that I have been covertly adding to my Amazon.com registry for a few weeks now... so we also have that one. I hope that my friends and family are tech savvy enough to head over there, because it has a lot of super cool things on it.

Ok, so now I need to go take a nap. What a weekend!

Buff Me to a Shine!

Excessive exclamation points aside, I was blown away by this beauty product!! ! !

Call me dense, but I never really understood buffing one's nails. I got that there was usually a "soft" side to a nail file, but I never realized it's true purpose in life. Well one beauty sucker + one mall kiosk = fabulously buffed and shiny nails.

I won't get into the dead sea salt face creams that I had to purchase in order to get the "free" manicure set... oh well.

Anywho, it appears that you can purchase this set all on its own from Onsen Secret, where they sell for $34.95 (holy moly!) so perhaps the mallrat did give me a good deal.



From the Onsen website:
Onsen Nail Care products are guaranteed to make you say “Wow”! Utilizing a 3-step buffing system, you can have gorgeous glossy nails without polish or chemicals. Onsen cuticle conditioner is loaded with Vitamin A and E, Shea Butter and Aloe Vera to effectively soften and moisturize dry cuticles while promoting healthy nail growth. Onsen Nail Care Kits include everything you need for naturally beautiful hands and nails.

And I agree! It's awesome, and with everybody grabbing my hands to ogle my wonderful ring, I might as well put my best nails forward. I even used it on B, who has the WORST nails ever from being a chronic biter. After complaining about being fussed over, he agreed that his nails looked great.

It is very possible that there is a similar buffing device at Walgreen's that I have simply overlooked my entire beauty-obsessed life -- so if you find something more budget-friendly, please do share. I generally advise avoiding the sketchball mall kiosks, but in the instance, I am pleasantly surprised. As far as the dead sea salt stuff goes, I'll have to keep you posted.

"Sweet" Idea of the Day!

I want to have a candy buffet! This is not necessarily new and noteworthy, but it is a good way to use SEVERAL bowls and vases that I purchased early in the planning process (and have since abandoned).


like these, except sadly no boot

I purchased (I think 13 in total, bad Katie) vintage milk glass bowls and vases on eBay for my first hair-brained wedding scheme: Vintage Preppy. All blush pink and navy. B nixed this idea. I'm so happy because I love my new peachy plan.

Anywho, I didn't spend a ton of money on this reject glassware, but it is taking up prime real estate in my crafting corner. I couldn't bring myself to resell it, partly because I really like it, and partly out of laziness. So, I think I'll scare up some clear vintage glass to hold more colorful candies, and to mix up the variety. Now, the question is, which candies to choose??

No Tschotskes, please

While I really do love the gilded leaf given to me at a recent wedding,
I'm not a huge fan of favors (besides the edible ones). I have SO MUCH
STUFF in my life, that I kinda get uncomfortable adding to other
people's "stuff" and potentially fill the landfill with unwanted tschotskes.


all images from the knot Willi and Jon's Wedding

In lieu of a traditional favor, we decided to have a classic photobooth! How super fun is that? We are BIG photobooth fans and take any and every opportunity to ham it up in one. The photo strips from early in our relationship (taken at Balboa) are some of the things I would grab in a fire. I might grab my kitten first, but the photobooth strips are a close second.



We are going to incorporate this with our guest book. We'll have some glue dots and a pair of scissors handy to cut and paste a pic in the book, along with a nice note. So much more fun than the traditional "sign here", right? I'll enlist one of my cousins to sit by and help people with the process so everything runs smoothly.

The awesome thing about these is that we will get a digital file of every image taken throughout the night. Everyone can take their photo strips home, but we will know what went down in the booth! Mums the word on this fact - I don't want our guests to know that we'll see the outcome - let the debauchery begin!

After much research, we chose one from Classic Photo Booth really only because they were the cutest, and they were very prompt with information via email. These are NOT budget friendly, but we feel like it was the ONE thing we really wanted to splurge on. The classic photo booth (including 5 hours of rental, on-site technician, setup/teardown, unlimited photos, applicable taxes) is $1800.

Another option in the Bay Area - Red Cheese -slightly more affordable, but an eyesore in my opinion. This included all above, and the cost was approx. $1600.

There are a few others (just google "photobooth" and your city, and some should pop up), but these two were the best with communication. Several companies just didn't call/email me back. Their loss!

Yay! I love this so much!

Nobody puts Baby in the corner

B and I love to sit at weddings and make bets as to which songs will play during the course of the night. The chicken dance and Cotton-Eyed Joe are generally pretty safe bets, but we also have special "Celine Dion Categories" and the ever favorite Abba. Michael Buble is on the cusp of his own category as well. At the last wedding 2 weekends ago, we were pleasantly surprised during dinner by Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door"(enjoy the wacky YouTube video). I really REALLY really love this song.

I could go on for days on the interesting choices that couples make as far as songs go (I am very lyric-focused, so maybe I'm just unusual). "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison is a common wedding offender. It's a great song, but its about death, people!

This couple also played "I Had the Time of My Life" (you know it - Dirty Dancing) as the last song, which was fantastic until B tried to show off his Swayze moves, lifting me up, and subsequently sharing my underwear with the entire room. Classy, no. Ridiculously fun, yes.

So, after the panty incident, B and I decided that we would DEFINITELY have the DD classic as our last song as well. Question is, what are our other "important" songs going to be? I know there is going to be serious push and pull on this one, because we both have such strong opinions on music.

My choices for first dance:

1) "Where Are You Going" by Dave Matthews Band (this has 9/11 undertones, but it has always reminded me of B. I listened to it obsessively the fall he was studying abroad. B might agree with this choice.)

2) "Eyes" by Rogue Wave (such a friggin beautiful song and -bonus- short. B will not agree because it is "too indie".)

3) "Something So Right" by Paul Simon (really wonderful in meaning, and sentimental b/c B included this in one his first CD compilations for me).

4) "The Man" by Pete Yorn and Natalie Maines. This is simply one of the most gorgeous songs, and if I could figure out what it is about, then I could def. convince B, because he loves it, too. (PS - you MUST click the link for this video - so touching. I cried)

So those are my thoughts -- what are yours? This is just ONE song...geez. I have a lot of work ahead of me!

Myspace follow-up

photo from sologuitarman.com

The band search has been a total and utter failure so far.

Band one has a member who is getting married herself 2 weeks before my wedding, and can't do it.

Band two seems very well organized and experienced, and sound fantastic, but has a price to match.

I just can't win! Any other suggestions? There have to be struggling starving musicians out there, right? All I want is a mandolin for cripes sake, is that too much to ask?!

DIY Ring Bearer Pillow

There is not an abundance of orange ring bearer pillows available out there, so what else could a girl do? Pull out the sewing machine, of course!

Materials:

I found the most gorgeous orange dupioni silk on ebay for only $9.99/yard - a completely ridiculous price for such good quality silk (click here to check it out - the seller has a rainbow of colors). Then I found a super wide (3.5 inches) double faced ivory satin ribbon (need about a yard) and also a thinner matching ribbon (1 inch - also need about a yard). Additionally, you will need matching thread and some poly-fiberfill.


Directions:

1.) Cut 2 squares of silk to desired size (I chose 6x6).

2.) Cut each ribbon in half.

3.) Take one wide and one thin ribbon and arrange the thin ribbon in the center and on top of the wide ribbon.

4.) On the "wrong" side of one of the silk squares, arrange both lined-up ribbons' ends in the middle of one side of the square with long ends pointing toward the middle of the square.

5.) Arrange the other silk square on top of the ribbon ("right" side up). (This can get a little slippery - be careful)

6.) Using a sewing machine, stitch over both layers of silk and ribbons, being sure to leave at least a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

7.) Repeat on other side. There will be a lot of ribbon on the inside of the squares.

8.) Finish sewing off the bottom seam of the squares.

9.) Sew the top, but leave a 3 inch opening for the stuffing.

10.) Turn the pillow right-side out.

11.) Stuff the pillow. I use a pencil (not too sharp) to get into the corners.



12.) Use a hand blind hemstitch to finish off the pillow.

You're done!

Now you have a pretty fat ribbon for a nice bow, and a thin ribbon to attach the rings (or "for show" rings - which is what I might do). I wrapped the wide ribbon around like a present and left the thin in the middle and trimmed the excess.

Pretty, right?

Brilliant idea: Myspace

So, I have been scratching my head for a few weeks trying to find musicians to play during our wedding ceremony. B and I want a bluegrass band, which isn't all that typical for weddings. We can't wait to hear "here comes the bride" with a mandolin in the background. PERFECTION!

Anyway, I have contacted a few bands that I have found through google, but they are all rather expensive. Considering it is an hour of their time, I really do not think $900 is a reasonable price. Pshaw!

I had a lightbulb moment last night: Myspace! Not only good for lurking around old high school classmates pages, also good for finding musicians! I did a music search by location and found FOUR indie bands that seem like they will meet our needs. I just sent each band a quck message asking "do you play private events?" and have already heard back from two. TWO YESES! Now I'm just waiting on their pricing...wish me luck!

Why I love Etsy

Really, need I say more? Well.. I will.

Click here to visit the magical world of Etsy. Here you can find the most awesomely unique handmade jewelry, clothing, housewares - and a crochet candycorn, of course. I really truly madly deeply (Savage Garden, anyone?) love candy corn. There's a special crevice of my heart carved out just for the pumpkin-shaped kind, so needless to say, I could not resist this crafty goodness made by EternalSunshine. Click here to get your own. OOO and stop by Marzipan'spage for some ridiculously cute jewlery. Stylish bridesmaid acessories, I declare. Loverrific.

And Guest?

B and I received a wedding invitation in the mail today addressed to "B____ Lastname and Guest". This invitation came from the son of B's mother's very good friend (someone B has know for years AND we both spent Christmas with last year), so really, what gives? We are engaged. We have been dating for 6+ years. SOMEONE had to call B's mom for our address, they couldn't have asked for my name? I know it had to have been embarrassing that they FORGOT my name after spending hours with me last December, but still, suck it up and ask! There are certainly people out there who I will blank on, but before I send that invitation, I plan to ask someone. Why? Because Emily Post and Martha say so. Am I overreacting? Have you ever received an invitation like this?

A flawless face

On the makeup roll --

Faced with a no plans Friday night, I decided to do something I haven't done in the longest time: play with makeup!

As mentioned in my post earlier today, I may be doing my own wedding day makeup. I have one major request: a flawless face. No blemishes, smooth as silk, glowing perfection. If this must be done through layers of makeup, so be it. I really am concentrating on my skincare regimen (more on this later) to put my best canvas forward, but you never know with my skin. One day clear, the next day landmines.

So here's what I came up with:

1. Start with a light application of Oil of Olay Definity Foam - found at your local drugstore (for a touch of shimmer and glow). This is light and airy as well as moisturizing, a good alternative to the Philosophy Hope in a Jar. Wait 2 minutes before step 2 to allow foam to set in.

2. Trouble shoot any blemished areas with concealer (I like Laura Mercier - Department stores).

3. Apply Loreal True Match Foundation (drugstores - I use color N3) liberally with a taclon bristled foundation brush (I reccommend Cargo # 20 - Sephora) making sure to blend into hairline and along jawline in an upward sweeping motion. Wait 2 minutes for foundation to set into skin.

4. Pat just a bit of transclucent powder under your eyes (Laura Mercier)

5. Apply eyeshadow primer to the eyelid with your ring finger (Benefit's F.Y. Eye is best).

6. Draw a pencil thin line of liquid eyeliner close to your lash line (I use Physician's Formula Eye Definer Felt Tip Eye Marker in Ultra Black)

7. Using the lighter shade of Loreal's HIP Shadow Duo in Shady, apply all over the lid and slightly above the crease with a wide brush (I like Cargo # 8 - Sephora). Using the darker shade, apply only to crease and slightly into the lashline with a small shadow brush, forming a squished letter "c".

8. Curl your eyelashes.

9. Apply mascara and comb out clumps.

10. Apply individual false eyelashes (see a tutorial on You Tube).

11. Use Benefit's Brow Zing to fill in brows.

12. Use Benefit's High Brow highlighting pencil just above browbone (blend well) and in the inner corner of the eye for a pop.

13. Dot Benefit's Benetint cheek stain from apple to the corner of the eye. Blend.

14. Apply Benefit's Benetint stain to lips (double duty!) Top lips with clear gloss.

Voila! Simple but pretty and camera-ready face. I forgot how much fun this was! Plus B said I look pretty ;) and that's all that counts.

Result:


Looking at this picture, next time I will probably go a little heavier on the eye shadow and apply mascara to my bottom lashes. I will also fill in (and tame! sheesh) my unruly eyebrows. I might also try some Benefit Glamazon bronzer under the foundation. Ah - another day.


Closeup of my falsies:

That Gal!

My name is Katie and I'm a makeup-aholic. The first step to recovery is admitting I have a problem, right? Yeah, let's see how that goes.

Benefit is by far one of my favorite cosmetics companies, here's why: It's a kick ass woman run company, they have fantastic quality products (that are generally highly pigmented), and wonderfully attractive packaging. Check check check.

My newest find is "that gal!":



Here's Benefit's writeup:
Go from dull to darling with "that gal." It's a silky pink primer that makes skin appear smoother & brighter. Wear alone for clear complexion radiance or apply before makeup for smooth, effortless application. Re-brighten during the day with "that gal." It's "that gal" perfection for a happy complexion.

Pretty promising, right? Well, how can a girl turn it down? So I slapped down my $27 at Sephora (always Sephora, ladies, they return/exchange ANYTHING. If you've used it to the nub, they still don't care. Not that I've done that...)

Results: I really did look brighter and happier after using, and didn't feel like I had to wear any foundation/power. Everything just looked smoother. This formula is super light and soaks right in, so there was no greasey yuck. It also lasted well throughout the day and I felt kept my tzone from shining up. I just felt pretty and au-natural, very "What? I just woke up this way..."

The one drawback is that the tube is a bit small for the price, and the schmancy dispensing mechanism seems to dispense too much product at one time, thus wasting your precious valuables.

Grade: B+

I am going through many trials of different primers in preparation for the wedding makeup, which I may just do myself. I always hate it when other people do my makeup.

Here I am with just some moisturizer (my most favorite in the whole wide world trust me I have tried 'em all- Philosophy Hope in a Jar) and that gal smoothed on my cheeks, forehead, nose and a bit on my chin. I am also wearing whatever drugstore mascara was on sale.



And lets not forget my dead sexy turban towel. Peace out!

Oh, The Martha

So, one wedding related thing that I just can't WAIT to do is to go and register for gifts. I don't say this in a blood thirsty "GIVE ME PRESENTS, DAMMIT!!!" kind of way, but more of a "It's just like shopping, but not spending any money" kind of way. In fact, I highly doubt we will get many things off our registry (I personally don't like to shop off of them) - I just SO look forward to using the scanner. I also think it would be great to pick one truly random strange item and register for it if only to delight (or confuse?) those poor souls using a valuable part of their weekend buying us a present.

I am still deciding which stores I want to take my business to, but Target is a clear front runner -- and now -- DUM DA DA DUM -- Macy's has a spankin' new Martha Stewart Collection!!!!!!!! Be still my heart! Check it out here (but be forewarned of strange floating talking Martha flash animation).



Linens, towels and serveware, OH MY! I especially love the bedding set above (however all white and Alex P. is not all that practical) and really just all the Martha goodness. It's like Kmart, but so much better.

Doesn't this look like so much fun?




So, back to my original point - Macy's is store # 2 on my list. And perhaps Amazon. And the folks at Williams Sonoma are just so friendly...

Peachy Keen

photo borrowed from photos.com

After many iterations and deliberations, I have decided on my theme colors -- golden yellow, fiery orange and deep red (with accents of white, ivory, and sage). I was inpsired by a friend's beautifully simple wedding centerpieces - bowls filled with peaches! Pleasing to the eye, plus a snack, all rolled into one. Bonus.

So, my plan is to have 1/2 of my centerpieces as clear glass vases filled with peaches (pics to come) and a nice orange dupioni silk ribbon tied around (and perhaps some amber colored votives). Going for a warm summery feel - what is more summery than a peach - tell me!

The other 1/2 of the centerpieces will be low cylinder vases filled with white hydrangea and hypericum berries (with the same dupioni ribbon). Thanks Florals by Karen of Moraga for being awesome and meeting my *strict* budget guidlines.

Martha's Lacy Luminarias

What better way to christen the craft area than a Martha Stewart project? I first saw this idea in my very own official Martha Stewart Keepsake Wedding Planner -- and Ms. Martha so graciously includes the directions here.
Materials:


It's super easy and only took about 10 minutes to make 2. The hardest part was finding the paper bags (I found these generic ones at Michaels for .29 each). Another hard thing was when I got to Michaels, I found a vested person with a nametag and said, "Hi - where are the doilies?" and he looked at me like I had 3 heads and said, "uhhhh... what's a doily??". The funny thing was, it escaped me at that moment what exactly a doily's purpose in life is - so stock guy and I had a little moment of befuddlement, until a lady employee wandered along and said "Aisle 34B - CAKES". Yes, folks, doilies are made for CAKES. Of course.

Finished product:


Sorry the pic is so dark, but hey, it's a luminaria. It's supposed to be dark. I'm very happy with the way this turned out. I think I shall use these on my guest book table - gracias for the suggestion, Martha.

Krazy Katie's Krafty Korner

Woot! Finally finally I have my crafting area. We are one of few lucky city dwellers with x-tra large closets (we have 3 walk-ins) one of which I have always thought was just big enough to accommodate all of my crafting needs (and also house Alex P. Kitten's litterbox - so unglamorous). So we went to Ikea and bought a white cabinet with shelves and sliding doors (I *would* tell you which cabinet, but who can remember all of those svedka grundel wilkommen Swedish names? I do remember it cost $149). The white cabinet holds many baskets and rubbermaid boxes filled with stickers, thread, rubber stamps, oh my. Also at Ikea, we purchased 2 picture ledges whose sole purpose is to display and highlight my beloved collection of small toys and figurines (Jaime, thanks for Gumby and Goo. Sadly, Gumby has gone missing. I suspect Alex P. snatched him with his little paws and hid him somewhere).

Perhaps my favorite part of my crafting area is the ribbon rod. It's just like a fabric store! B and I put this together DIY-style. We went to our local Ace and found some rod holders that are actually "cafe curtain brackets" whatever those are. We purchased a thin wooden dowel to thread the ribbon spools onto and voila. Ribbon dispenser. (The picture below is B installing the brackets. What a good fiance).


And the end product...



So, notice the big stack o' wedding magazines in the first pic? Gotta get through those soon (my florist has instructed me to find pictures of bouquets. More on that later). Anywho, I can do a good amount of stamping and collage here, but unfortunately the dining room table is still the hot spot for sewing. Ah well.

Let the wedding crafting begin!

Urban Outfitters Sale!

Check it out! Lovely (bridal gown matching) sunglasses found at Urban Outfitters for only $2.49! Bargains galore -- all sale items are now an additional 50% off.

To video or not to video? That is the question.

I attended a wedding recently where the bride and groom were stalked the entire evening paparazzi style by 3 people. 1) Photographer (tolerable) 2) Videographer (errrrrr) 3) Videographer's assistant with giant blinding light and boom microphone (not on your life). I generally am annoyed by cameras in my face, so I instantly ruled out the videographer when I did my initial planning and budgeting, patting myself on the back for being so frugal. Then I came across this...




Ayyyyyyy. Maybe I have PMS or something, but my eyes welled up while watching this. I had an instant urge of "I WANT THIS!!!!!!" but am I just being overly emotional? Is it really practical? Will I watch it more than once? It costs a pretty penny -- should I just pick up a Super 8 camera on ebay and enlist a cousin? Advice, people, advice. Please chime in.

Officiant Woes

So, as previously mentioned, I've been stressing about who was actually going to marry B and I (you know, sort of the whole REASON for all of the nonsense). I finally found some monks who could do it (FREE!!) and what did B have to say about this?

"Sounds weird".

I must admit now that I had a mini 'zilla moment, I may have raised my voice, and I may have said something along the lines of "WTF!!! YOU THINK ITS SO EASY??!! YOU TRY FInDING SOMEONE TO MARRY TWO NON-RELIGIOUS PEOPLE!!!!"

Bs annoyingly calm response - "I dunno - what about the mayor?"

Then we decide that Brian's one shining wedding task will be to find the officiant. And that's that. (of course he has a deadline, though). I'll keep ya posted.

These ARE my shoes

So, to give you a little somethin' - these are actually my shoes. They are 184% perfection and wonderous goodness champagne/nude Manolo Blahnik Jeweled Satin Sandal. Anyone who knows me knows that I have an affection for shoes, and I took this bridal opportunity to go all out. Before you think I've completely lost my marbles, I (of course) found these designer lovelies at the Neiman Marcus Last Call Sale for 64% off. That being said, they were still rather expensive and I'm sure I could have found a more cost-conscious shoe, but these are my true loves and you just can't put a price on that.

Before I hear anything from the naysayers, I am a big girl. I can (and often do) walk in 4 inch heels and I am no ameteur to the ankle wrap strap. My mother keeps saying that these shoes are a danger. Oh pshaw.

This is NOT my dress

However, it is very similar. I realized that I can't very well discuss my "look" without giving some clues to the dress. Duh. For the benefit of those out there who will actually attend the wedding, I'm not going to post my actual dress pictures. I think a girl has to keep some secrets. Anyway, THE dress is ivory silk organza with a very simple silhouette - not a lot of fullness. It is by Pronovias and was purchased at the Glamour Closet for 65% off retail (it is a sample gown). Loverrrific. It is sitting in my coat closet right now - chilling for its big moment in about 350 days. Hi dress - love ya. (PS - the dress above can be found here - and it's ridiculously cheap).

On the road planning

Here I am in Boston! I am on the road pretty often for work, so basically I spend a fair amount of time fiddling my thumbs in hotel rooms at odd hours of the night when I should be sleeping, but my "brain time" is actually 3 hours earlier. So, what's a girl to do? The comfy bed, the free wireless internet, bad TV -- a perfect recipe for online wedding research. Time to hit google, and hit it hard. I really need to find an officiant for our ceremony, but am having a terrible time. Everyone that I seem to find online has too much of a Stevie Nicks/Earth Mother look or they are crazy overpriced. I get it -- prey on the non-church-going crowd and make them pay for their guilt. Maybe I can convince someone to get ordained for the event - any takers out there?? Wish me luck...

Banana Republic sale find

I have been very budget-conscious lately, and have been trying to curb spending - however - "wedding related" expenses can usually be justified in my mind. Add in a bargain, and I am guilt free. Today I found the most surprising item on sale at Banana Republic -- this lovely beaded pearly goodness of a bracelet. I love it on it's own for it's sparkle, but instantly classifed it under "bridal" because of the pearl accents (key to my "look"). The salesperson at the bridal shop where I purchased my dress advised against a bracelet, because she didn't want me to worry about snagging, and I generally agree with her, but this bracelet is not rough and the clasp is a toggle, so I think its safe. And, for $19.99 (marked down from $48), who could resist? I have seen similar looks in bridal magazines for $300 and up - but let's be honest - I would never spend that much on costume jewelry. There's even a craze on eBay (like this one).

Hello big world...

Being that I am such a huge fan of many blogs out there, it is so very daunting a thought to start one of my own. Lo and behold, little Katie is finally getting married, and now is the time for virtual moral support. The *day* is in August 2008 in Oakland, CA, and though I have just under one year to figure things out, I have one gazillion ideas floating through my head, and not a whole lot of focus. This will be my forum to test out DIY projects, creative ideas, and planning tips - as well as seeking advice on simply how to deal with things. Stay tuned - there is much more to come.

(PS - the picture above is where the ceremony will take place at the Dunsmuir House)