December 2011
28 posts
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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DIY: Cathrineholm Votive Holders
You’re probably familiar with Cathrineholm enamelware, a line of iconic kitchen products made by a Norwegian factory that closed in 1970. Vintage Cathrineholm pieces can be costly. But paper is cheap! Perhaps some DIY votive holders will suffice until we win the lottery?
First I wrapped a glass candle holder with a piece of tracing paper and secured it with tape. Anything white and...
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DIY: Dry Skin Quick Fix: Milk & Honey Cleanser
During the winter months my skin seems to turn extra dry so I decided to swap my morning cleansing routine with a simple homemade milk and honey cleanser. I just combined a small spoonful of honey with a couple tablespoons of milk in a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the honey to dissolve into the milk. Then soak a cotton ball in the milk & honey mixture and apply to...
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Sophia Tolli Gown
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Delicious Hors D'Oeuvres Ideas For Your Wedding...
At a Wedding Reception where a full meal is to be served, hors d’oeuvres may be offered to guests during the first hour of the reception. However, at a tea or cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres will be the “main course”.
There are may options for hors d’oeuvres, depending on the formality of your reception and the type of food to be served at the meal. Popular food...
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NOT ATTENDING SHOWER - SEND RECIPE?
Q. I was invited to my friend’s bridal shower, but I cannot attend. I do not plan on sending a gift, as I have read that a shower gift isn’t necessary if one isn’t attending. The invitation also included a blank recipe card with a note that said, “Please bring your favorite recipe to add to [the couple’s] collection. Should I send...
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DIY PROJECT: VINTAGE SHEET COCKTAIL NAPKINS
Guest Blog: Kate Pruitt
The winter months may be upon us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring some sunshine to our homes. So grab some fun fabrics or cheap vintage linens and get sewing. These napkins would be great for your wedding parties, backyard cookouts or even give some to your bridesmaids as gifts.
Materials
pre-washed vintage sheets (or vintage sheet scraps) cut into 12.5″...
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Christmas Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoon butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two...
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How Much Champagne for a Toast
A typical 750ml bottle of champagne fills three to four glasses. For small glasses, four servings per bottle is a safe estimate. For larger glasses, estimate three servings per bottle. So, if you expect 75 guests and plan to serve each guest one glass of champagne, plan to purchase 19 to 25 bottles. Keep in mind those guests who are under the legal drinking age as that will affect the number of...
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DIY Photo Wrapping Paper — Wrap Gifts in Your Very...
Guest Blogger: Photojojo
Reindeer and Santa Claus wrapping paper = snoozefest!
Switch things up this year with your very own DIY photographic wrapping paper.
It’s a gift in and of itself — especially if it’s got your beautiful mug on it.
Your friends and family will definitely want to save your crafty wrapping. Maybe they’ll even regift it!
Why it’s cool:
Cuz you’re cool! And this is a...
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Peach and Cream Color Palette
Sweet but sophisticated, the color peach is now ripe for the picking. Pair it with classic cream for a combination that’s fresh, modern, and gloriously memorable.
Pastel Bouquet
Start the day on a soft note by filling your processional with watercolor hues. Wrap your hands around a dreamy bouquet. Within this feminine bouquet, Majolica roses and ranunculus provide a creamy base, while...
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Live With Passion Double Hearts Flowers Mousepad
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BHLDN Collection
Living by the ocean most of my life I guess I can call myself a casual person. Ever since I was a little girl I have always dreamed of getting married on the beach in a dreamy flowing gown and being barefoot. I admire exquisite fancy wedding gowns like everyone else; but I find my favorite gowns are usually the simpler ones. A few of my favorite styles lately are from the BHLDN Collection.
...
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Your Wedding Photography Checklist
Every bride has a mental list of “must take” photos. Use this wedding photography checklist to keep track of those photo opportunities most special to you! Make sure to review this list with your photographer and provide him or her with a copy of the final list. Provide your photographer with a seating chart for easy guest identification, and consider asking a close friend or relative...
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Planning a Military Wedding
Any man or woman who is an active member of the military may have a military wedding.
A military ceremony is conducted according to the religion and traditions of the couple but with a few twists. A military wedding is different from a civilian wedding in the following ways.
ATTIRE
Formal attire must be worn. Any man in the military must wear his full-dress uniform including white gloves and...
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I love this ornate wildflower bouquet sprinkled with baby daisies. A perfect summertime bouquet with a touch of whimsy, this one just makes me smile.
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DIY: Christmas Gift Cards
Are these homemade gift cards sweet or what. Best of all they are really easy to make. Here is a link to the .pdf file to download the tags.
Print tags out on cardstock then cut out the tags using the light gray dashed guide lines…(tags link)
Use a hole punch to make a hole for string or ribbon
Run twine or ribbon through the punched out hole. Use any ribbon or twine of your...
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DIY: Clay Lollipop Ornaments / Tags
Guest Blogger: Creature Comforts
To start you’ll need to gather your supplies:
Supplies for PHASE ONE:
Clay - I use either Sculpey or Premier Paper Clay by LaDoll (Available at Michaels or any local craft store.)
Bamboo Skewars — Also available from your local grocery (I found them in the isle with the baking supplies). Alternately, you can also use actual paper lollipop sticks...
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Hand-tied bouquet of white lily, orange parrot tulips, purple anemone, purple calla lily, white hydrangea, blue thistle and lady’s mantle.
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Response Cards
If you use response cards, do not leave a space for guests to indicate how many people will be attending. Couples who do this risk the chance that guests will assume they can bring extra people (which costs you extra money). Instead use a simple fill in the blank design such as:
( ) Except with pleasure
( ) Decline with regrets
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DIY Gingerbread House for Coffee Mugs
Guest Blogger: Michelle
These little gingerbread houses are so adorable!!!!
We made a few versions to figure out how to make one that wasn’t so top heavy that it would flip off the mug, and how small we could get away with and still fit on both large and small cups.
I’ve made a PDF pattern of gingerbread house pieces which you can open or download right here. My only instruction is that...
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Makeup Tip: Wear matte or low gloss lipstick for wedding photos. Avoid wearing iridescent or pearlized lipsticks and glosses as they tend to make lips look thinner.
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DIY: All Natural Lip Balm
Now that the winter months are here it’s time for the dreaded chapped lips season….eeek! Don’t panic with a little effort you can have smooth, soft lips once again. I am going to share with you my secret to sexy winter lips…all natural lip balm. It is really creamy and easy to apply, with a delicious vanilla scent. Best of all, it will keep your lips moist all winter...
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DIY: Vintage Postcard Calendar Journal
Growing up, I kept a daily journal. I always enjoyed looking back at previous entries to see what had changed over the course of a year. These days, I can’t seem to find the time to journal, but I do try to jot down a little note from each day on my perpetual calendar/journal. The idea is very simple — flip to the current date and at the end of the day, write down something that happened.
The...
Q: Who should give the toasts at the rehearsal dinner and wedding, and how do they differ at each event?
A: Good question, since the toasting does vary for each occasion. At the rehearsal dinner, the atmosphere is often laid-back and informal. The toasts begin with the host of the evening (usually the groom’s father, but both of his parents may speak), then the best man, followed by the groom to...
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DIY Calligraphy: A Fun Trick for Wedding Paper...
If your like most people, there’s no chance you’d even consider hand-writing your place cards. But with this fun and easy tip, you can easily fool your guests into thinking you have a knack for gorgeous calligraphy.
How to DIY: The trick is to use a very light colored font before printing, then just use your pen of choice and trace the letters. For the table place cards above, we chose a heavy...