Holiday crazyness

Who knew that this month would be so hectic! I've been really busy gearing up for our first Christmas as a married couple which means: more shopping, more planning, more traveling and, as a result, LESS TIME. Between working full-time at an agency, doing some work for MHW on the side, spending time with my men (my dog + husband), my freetime for blogging is few and far between. Not to mention, Christmas is a week away and I still have gifts to buy. Amazon here I come!

It's important when you are so busy to stop and smell the roses. Or whatever flowers might be nearby. Speaking of which...check out my bouquet? I totally let the florist run with it, giving her some direction on my style via Pinterest and here's what she put together:


Photo by Kimberly Potterf Photography.

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A simple way to spruce up your tables

White linens are the most popular way to cover your reception tables. They are often paired up with a colored napkin that corresponds with the theme of the wedding. But did you ever think of injecting a pattern?


We used gingham throughout our stationery and other wedding decor, so it only seemed fitting to tie it into our napkins at the reception. I LOVE how it all turned out.


My mom and I took it upon ourselves to sew all the napkins for the reception. It was quite a task, but since we had a 14 month engagement...it wasn't all that bad. I'm excited to bust them out for Thanksgiving this week. We're hosting it this year, our first Thanksgiving as a married couple. It's only fitting to use the napkins from our wedding day, right?

Aren't our photos lovely? They're taken by the talented Kimberly Potterf Photography.

They nailed it!

OMFG. my husband and I just finished watching last night's SNL on our DVR. And boy did we ROFL. Did you like all those acronyms? You're welcome.

No, but really...if you haven't watched this yet and you have ever been to a bridal shower, you will thank me for sharing it. They really nailed the awkwardness that can come along side of a bridal shower.

Custom Notecards are in my etsy shop!

If there's one thing my mom taught me that has stuck with me, it's to always say thank you. Better yet, say it with words on paper. Because really, who doesn't like getting mail? I know this girl does!



Now, in my etsy shop, you will find a listing for 10 or 20 notecards with envelopes and address labels. Order some for yourself, or for a gift! Feel free to browse my wedding stationery designs for inspiration. I can create a set for you using any of my designs. Or, you can order the set I have posted!

Sad but sweet.

This couple said "til death do us part," and they MEANT IT. Click the link below for the full story:

Couple married 72 years die holding hands

I think I need this bag.

I'm a sucker for Kate Spade, I love her bold patterns and her simple design style. I have seen this particular bag floating around Pinterest, but have yet to find it on Kate Spade's site for purchase.

Isn't it cute? And really, who doesn't like cake for breakfast? I know we were eating our leftover wedding cake. YUM.

This is the kind of wedding every woman should have...

For your bridesmaids...

I was looking around on The Knot for things to do for your bridesmaids when I stumbled across a really cute and heartfelt idea. This bride wrote messages for each bridesmaid on the bottom of their shoe. How sweet is that? My only piece of advice: make sure the shoe fits first!

See other photos from this wedding here.

Today's find

For all the DIY brides out there, or even a bridesmaid throwing a shower, how cute is this cake pan?



I can't even imagine how neat it would look to have a table full of these pretty cakes!

Make it yours for only $21.99 on Amazon. And for you Amazon Primers, like myself, it ships for free!

Picked your wedding music?

One of the hardest things for us when planning our wedding was selecting music and choosing a reading. The weddings we have attended in the last year, since we have been planning, I've remembered the music---and it has served as a nice reminder when the song plays on the radio. Each time I hear "Here comes the sun," I am reminded of the beautiful wedding of our close friends Josh and Allison. When "Dog Days" by Florence and the Machine comes on, I remember Alex and Dan walking down the aisle together with huge smiles on their faces. Music creates memories, and I wanted to have something special for us as well.

Here's what we ended up going with:
Processional: Ben Folds, Luckiest (we had this played live, instrumental with flute and piano...it was perfect!)
Recessional: If I Were a Carpenter, Johnny Cash and June Carter (We had this edited to cut out the first verse about making babies...we plan to, just didn't want that to be the first thing mentioned as we were announced as a married couple!)
First Dance: The Temptations, Earth Angel (This song was easy to dance to, and gave our crowd flashbacks of "Back to the Future")
Father/Daughter Dance: Neil Young, Here for You (my dad is a HUGE Neil Young fan and this song was perfect, as he wrote it for his own daughter)


Here are some resources to help you find wedding music. The link straight to music suggestions, no digging required:
Wedding Wire
The Knot
Our Wedding Songs

Whew...to say the least!

Wow, I can't believe it...we're married! After 14 months of planning, plane trips from the west coast to the east coast and HOURS of crafting--it's done. I was shipping things to Maine as I completed them, and wondered how it would all end up coming together in the end. We arrived in Maine a week before the wedding to start getting things together. I can't thank my parents enough for all their hard work to make sure everything was perfect. And perfect it was!

This is one of my favorite photos from the day. It was taken just after we saw each other for the first time. <3



Stay tuned for more photos and details of our big day! A HUGE thank you to my great friend and wonderful photographer, Kimberly Potterf for capturing our Wicked Good Wedding.

Another happy bride

I just received the nicest email from Megan (& Donnie), who just mailed out their custom designed invitations. Thanks Megan, for the kind words. You made my day!

"If I sent you an email with every note or comment we’ve gotten about how amazing our invites are, I’d flood your inbox!! I knew they were awesome but it is SO much fun hearing it from everyone else! We really can’t thank you enough – they are so terrific!"

Words of advice from a 5 year old

Now this girl, she has her stuff together!


Happy Friday!

Non-religious readings for your ceremony

Okay, it's been a month. I have an excuse, I promise! I've been busy traveling to Maine for wedding planning, traveling to Ohio to take care of my rental and running MHW. Did I mentioned I also work a full-time job?

A big task as of lately that I wanted to share here with other brides is finding an appropriate reading for your ceremony. Dave and I are not very religious people, but wanted a special reading for his sister to read at our ceremony. It was quite the task to find the perfect one, but here's a selection of my favorites that might work for you:

From "Gift From The Sea"
by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (b.1906)

"When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.

The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides."



Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"
Share Everything.

Play fair.
Use your Words.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Say you're sorry when you hurt someone.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Live a balanced life- learn some, think some, draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day.
And remember, when you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.


Adam Bede
What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life, to strengthen each other in all labour, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?


An excerpt from "A Farewell to Arms"
by Ernest Hemingway

At night, there was the feeling that we had come home, feeling no longer alone, waking in the night to find the other one there, and not gone away; all other things were unreal. We slept when we were tired and if we woke the other one woke too so one was not alone. Often a man wishes to be alone and a woman wishes to be alone too and if they love each other they are jealous of that in each other, but I can truly say we never felt that. We could feel alone when we were together, alone against the others. We were never lonely and never afraid when we were together.


A MARRIAGE By Michael Blumenthal

You are holding up a ceiling
with both arms. It is very heavy,
but you must hold it up, or else
it will fall down on you. Your arms
are tired, terribly tired,
and, as the day goes on, it feels
as if either your arms or the ceiling
will soon collapse.

But then,
unexpectedly,
something wonderful happens:
Someone,
a man or a woman,
walks into the room
and holds their arms up
to the ceiling beside you.

So you finally get
to take down your arms.
You feel the relief of respite,
the blood flowing back
to your fingers and arms.
And when your partner's arms tire,
you hold up your own
to relieve him again.

And it can go on like this
for many years
without the house falling.


THE ART OF MARRIAGE Author Wilferd A. Peterson

The little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating
gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an angel.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.


“Why Marriage”, by Mari Nichols

"Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person with all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body... Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me, Who won't hold them against me, Who loves me when I'm unlikable, Who sees the small child in me, and Who looks for the divine potential of me... Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night with someone who thanks God for me; with someone I feel blessed to hold... Because marriage means opportunity to grow in love in friendship... Because marriage is a discipline to be added to a list of achievements... Because marriages do not fail, people fail when they enter into marriage expecting another to make them whole... Because, knowing this, I promise myself to take full responsibility for my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness. I create me. I take half of the responsibility for my marriage. Together we create our marriage... Because with this understanding, the possibilities are limitless."

“Foundations Of Marriage”, by Regina Hill
"Love, trust, and forgiveness are the foundations of marriage. In marriage, many days will bring happiness, while other days may be sad.But together, two hearts can overcome everything...In marriage, all of the moments won't be exciting or romantic, and sometimes worries and anxiety will be overwhelming.But together, two hearts that accept will find comfort together.Recollections of past joys, pains, and shared feelings will be the glue that holds everything together during even the worst and most insecure moments.Reaching out to each other as a friend, and becoming the confidant and companion that the other one needs,is the true magic and beauty of any two people together.It's inspiring in each other a dream or a feeling, and having faith in each other and not giving up...even when all the odds say to quit. It's allowing each other to be vulnerable, to be himself or herself, even when the opinions or thoughts aren't in total agreement or exactly what you'd like them to be. It's getting involved and showing interest in each other, really listening and being available,the way any best friend should be. Exactly three things need to be remembered in a marriage if it is to be a mutual bond of sharing, caring, and loving throughout life: love, trust, and forgiveness."


“I Love You”, by Roy Croft

“I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you, for the part of me that you bring out. I love you, for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart, and passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can’t help dimly seeing there, and for drawing out, into the light, all the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite far enough to find. I love you, because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life, not a tavern, but a temple. Out of the works of my every day, not a reproach, but a song. I love you, because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy. You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign. You have done it by being yourself. Perhaps that is what being a friend means, after all.”


“Hug O' War”, by Shel Silverstein

"I will not play at tug o' war. I'd rather play at hug o' war, where everyone hugs instead of tugs, where everyone giggles, and rolls on the rug, where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins.”


excerpt from “The Art of a Good Marriage”, by Wilferd Arlan Peterson

"A good marriage must be created.
In marriage the "little" things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say, ”I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is having a mutual sense of values, and common objectives.
It is standing together and facing the world.
It is forming a circle that gathers in the whole family.
It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is not only marrying the right person -- it is being the right partner."


“Sonnet 17”, by Pablo Neruda

“I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz or arrow of carnations that propagate fire: I love you as certain dark things are loved, secretly, between the shadow and the soul. I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom, and carries hidden within itself the light of those flowers, and thanks to your love, darkly in my body lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth. I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where, I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I know no other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you; so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.”


Excerpt from The Velveteen Rabbit

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but Really loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get all loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."


Excerpt from Tuesday's with Morrie
“Still,” Morrie said, “there are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don’t respect the other person, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don’t know how to compromise, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can’t talk openly about what goes on between you, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don’t have a common set of values in life, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike.

“And the biggest one of those values, Mitch?”

Yes?

Reading about Marriage from the Prophet

On Marriage
Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

“Your belief in the importance of your marriage.”

He sniffed, then closed his eyes for a moment.

“Personally,” he sighed, his eyes still closed, “I think marriage is a very important thing to do, and you’re missing a lot if you don’t try it.”

He ended the subject by quoting a poem he believed in like a prayer: “Love each other or perish.”

DIY Whoopie Pie/Cupcake Stand

As I was doing some Antique Blue Mason Jar shopping in local antique stores, I came across the most beautiful glass and crystal cake pedestals. I knew instantly that is what I wanted to put our assortment of whoopie pies on at the reception. That was, until I turned one over to see the price. They ranged from $40-$130 each, which was out of my budget considering it would take a few of them to complete our dessert table.

Looking at them, I realized they'd be so easy to make! I hopped in the car and went to a thrift store where I found an assortment of plates and glasses. They ranged from 79¢ to $1.29 each. I bought enough for a couple stands and headed to the hardware store where I bought some Gorilla Glue.

Here are some of the pieces:


Unfortunately, I didn't take photos "in the making." Fortunately, it is ridiculously easy. Simply take the glue and line the edge of your glass (follow the directions on the glue and don't use too much!). I glued the rim of the glass, but you would probably glue the base too. Once you have the glass glued, place it against the bottom of the plate and press firmly for 30 seconds. I put a couple big cans of tomatoes on mine to keep the pressure consistent.

Voila!


Materials:
– Thrift store plates and glasses. Candlesticks and votive holders will work too if you need some more lift: 79$ to $1.29 per piece
–Super Glue: $5

You can make a stand for under $10.

Variations:
Use china or porcelain plates for another look. Or, buy some matte white spraypaint and give your pedestal a coating to mimic milk glass!

A TRUE budget wedding.

For those of you who REALLY want a budget wedding, I bring you this.

AutoWed Wedding Vending Machine by Concept Shed from Conceptshed on Vimeo.

Dressing up a jam jar

Maine For our favors, we're giving guests a little jar of homemade blueberry jam--a local treat! I'm having them made and canned into small jars, but wanted to dress them up to match the other things we have going on at the reception.

I topped the lid with mini gingham fabric (a smaller version of our napkins on the table) and finished the edges off with pinking shears. A dab of glue on the top makes them MUCH easier to tie the blue hemp raffia around the lid.

To finish it off, I designed a label and a special gift tag with a message on the back for our guests. I can't wait to see them full and lined up for our guests!

My wedding band

A month or so ago, we started our quest for wedding bands. I did some online searching, but did not come across anything that struck me. We decided to head into the city to see what there was in store. We found a beautiful wedding band that we both really loved. Not only did it pair nicely with my engagement ring, but it really complimented my grandmother's ring that I sometimes wear on my right hand. The only problem was that it was way more than we wanted to spend. While I love diamonds and sparkle like most any girl, I am a bit frugal and can not imagine dropping that kind of cash.

Here is the ring we fell in love with, or at least I did! :)

After some more looking, I just could not get that ring out of my head. The style was just what I was looking for, so we decided to make my band. Dave had my engagement ring made at the San Francisco Diamond Exchange, so it was only fitting that we go there to make my band. Not to mention the staff is super friendly and very helpful, which made the entire experience that much better.

We set up an appointment to go over the ring design and check out the stones, this is something that my fiance really enjoyed when he shopped for my engagement ring. The original band was an infinity ring with mill grain detail, but I wanted something with fewer diamonds and a clean bezel. We were thrilled to learn that in a week we could see a mold of the ring.

Here it is! Dave went in to select the stones and assign their placement, I can't wait to see the real thing in a few short weeks. Too bad I have to wait for September to wear it!

Guest book ideas

Before I stumbled across my mailbox at a flea market, I was on a search for different guest book ideas for our wedding. My goal for this blog (other than to update it WAY more often) is to fill it with ideas that I find along the way. I have not been the best lately at putting thoughts down on my blog, but if you "like me" on Facebook--you should be getting some pretty regular inspiration.

Anyway, back to the guestbooks. Here are some ideas that I found really useful. My big thing was that I didn't care to have a book of signatures that I'll never look at again. What's more important to me is something that will do two things: entertain my guests and give me some sort of a keepsake.

Guest book ideas
1. Have your guests sign an oversized letter of your new last name. Not taking his name? That's okay--use an ampersand!

via Style Me Pretty

2. I absolutely love this! Create a wedding style Mad Lib and have your guests fill out their own for you to laugh at later.

via The Knot

3. We really liked this idea, but since we are having a destination wedding--the idea of lugging a suitcase of rocks home was not an option. Have your guests sign small rocks and put them into a large glass hurricane. Store them there, or scatter them in your garden!


via the Knot

4. Because we're doing stumps as our centerpieces, I loved the idea of spreading out that theme to our guestbook. This "guest log" on etsy is really cute!


5. Doing a lovebird theme? Have your guests leave their thumbprint to make a tree. Use inks of your wedding colors! You can buy the one below here.


6. Want to DIY without having to completely do it all yourself? This one from Martha Stewart is great. It's similar to a traditional guestbook, but with enough design flair to make you want to hang it up. Best of all, you can download the template and customize it yourself.



7. Put a vintage typewriter out on your guest table with some extra paper and have your guests type messages up for you. There's tons on ebay. or maybe you're fortunate to have one if your own. When it's all said and done, you can scan the pages to put into your wedding album.


8. If all else fails, there's always the "signing of the mat." Pick out one of your favorite photos or save it for a wedding picture and have your guests sign all around it. I created a large version of my event poster for one of my bride's and she used that (Thanks Michelle for sending me this photo!). Any of my invites can be resized for applications like this!

Our mailbox guestbook is complete!

Remember the mailbox I found at a flea market in San Francisco last weekend?

Well, with a very small amount of elbow grease and a can of spray paint, it has transformed into something so cute, that I can hardly even stand it.



If you didn't click on the link above, I must show you what it looked like before. I mean seriously--I can't believe what a difference a can of spray paint makes.



I'm making an insert for the bottom with our new married name and am having cards printed for our guests to fill out and drop into our mail slot.



Our goal is for them to have fun answering the pre-printed questions. We can't wait to read them all on our long flight from the east coast back to the west coast!



My fiance had the great idea of attaching the mailbox to a wood stump to carry on the theme from our centerpieces. It's great that he is involved in our wedding plans, we're both so excited to see how it all turns out.

Flea Market Find!

I was so excited to stumble across this vintage mailbox at the Candlestick Park Flea Market this past weekend. After some quick haggling, it was mine!



I am going to clean it up and put a coat of red spray paint on it to sit on one of our entry tables. I am not quite sure what I will do for an actual guest book, or if we will even do one for that matter--but I plan on making good use of this mailbox by creating some small cards for our guests to write us messages.



And who knows, perhaps we'll even get to stick it on the front of our house one day. I've always wanted a red mailbox!

DIY Painted Mason Jars

Mason jars are all the rage, they're popping up all over my favorite wedding blogs. They're great for centerpieces that hold a mix of blooms, which is why I am looking to use them for our wedding.

I'm always looking for ways to incorporate our wedding colors into different details, so I decided to see what the jars would look like painted. I think that it came out pretty good! I think I'll paint one for every table and maybe mix in clear glass as well. But, the court is still out on that one.

You only need to products to create them. A surface conditioner and some perm-enamel. I got mine at Jo-Ann for about $12 or so.

To do this, it's super easy. First, take of the label and make sure that all the adhesive is off the jar so that it looks nice and clean. Or, you can always buy a case of clean jars. I'm going for the recycle-route and am using random jars from things we already use. Wash the inside and make sure it's good and dry. Save the lids!

Second, you are going to put some of the Surface Conditioner into the jar, put on the lid, and swirl it around and around. You may dump what's left back into the container to use on your other jars. Now, get a cocktail and sit back for an hour or two to be safe and let that solution dry. In the sun--it might dry quicker!




Lastly, pour some Perm-enamel paint into a container with a LITTLE water to dilute the paint. The instructions say that you should not do this---but I did and it worked just fine. If you do not add water, the paint doesn't thin out enough to swirl around the jar. Pour the mixture in the jar and swirl it around and around. I did this in my front yard and I am sure the neighbors thought I was a little crazy. But who cares---because the end result was worth it. Not to mention, it was a nice arm workout to make sure that I'm looking good on September 10!



Let your jars dry and voila!

Centerpiece Ideas

Now that all the "big stuff" is done, it's time to start figuring out the details. This weekend, my focus is on centerpieces and table numbers.

The image below is from Flora Grubb, isn't it beautiful? I already assigned my dad the ask of "stump collecting." I love the mix of jars holding an array of flowers. My mom is planting lots of dahlias and zinnias which we plan on filling the vases with.

I am playing with the idea of painting jars and metal cans (yay for recycling!) to serve as vases. I will post a "how to" on that soon, it's so easy and really adds an extra touch of DIY goodness.

I am loving these table numbers using simple exterior house numbers found at hardware stores.

We are headed to a big flea market this weekend, so we'll see what I come back with! I think that these simple ideas will look great in the 1812 Farm.

April is ready to download!

I'm a few days late, but better late than never...right? It's been beyond crazy around here. Between working on invitations for my June brides and all my wedding crafts AND a full-time job--time slips right through my fingers. I'll be sharing another DIY project with you guys this week, I think you're going to love it.

April's calendar design is derived from my invitation set called, "Tea for Two." I designed this invitation set for Teal and Todd (which makes the name of this invite that much more appropriate!). This invites are one of my newer designs. They provide a nice mix of modern and elegant. Don't you think they look like a hip doily? Or something...

You may buy a sample of this invitation here.



Click on the link below to download your desktop (a new window will open, either drag it to your desktop or right click and "save image as"):

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Featured designer on LCI Paper

I was contacted last week by LCI Paper for an interview about my business. Perhaps not all of you click through to my main site and read my bio. If you want to learn more about me and how I got started--and where I wanna go, check out this great article that they posted. Pete even managed to make an appearance...imagine that!


LCI is based on the east coast in Massachusetts. They are a great source for paper, envelopes and pocketfolds--anything you might need to build your invitations. If you see something there that you'd like to use for your stationery, let me know and we can make it happen!

Beyond paper, LCI also has party favors, and DIY supplies for those of you who feel like getting crafty. I know I do!

Thanks so much to Kristen over at LCI--it was a great experience!

DIY Pinwheels!

I'm trying to do as many things as I can for our wedding to make it more personal and to add that creative touch. So far, I've sewn red/white gingham napkins for the reception and am hand-cutting place cards (we're almost done!). I've made a few fabric flowers, but I'm not sure what I'll do with those--if I get enough, I might make a garland for our Whoopie Pie table. Hand crafting all these details is not only fun, but it is pretty friendly on the budget as well!

After we exchange vows and officially become "The Snowballs" (yep...you read that right!), we want our guests to have a way to celebrate and wish us luck other than throwing rice or blowing bubbles. Because I have a passion for paper, I thought that we could give each guest a pinwheel! Turns out, they're pretty easy to make, which is good because I need to do quite a few. I can't wait to see how they look in the wonderful photos that Kimberly Potterf will be taking.

Here is a finished one. I printed the same pattern from our envelope liner on one side of the paper:


The pinwheel is secured into place on a pencil with a thumbtack. I plan on making ours with Tiffany blue pencils, perhaps customized with something fun. Here's the view from the back:


Click here to download/print the step-by-step instructions. I promise, it's easy!

March desktop calendar is ready to download!

March is here! You know what that means, daylight savings time. I'm a huge fan of it being light out longer--and so is Pete. It means an additional hour of ball playing in the yard (after he's done helping me get proofs out of course!)

March's calendar design is derived from my invitation set called, "Tres Chic." I designed this invitation set for Alison and Ben, who I had the pleasure of working with while I lived in Ohio.

You may buy a sample of this invitation here.



Click on the link below to download your desktop (a new window will open, either drag it to your desktop or right click and "save image as"):

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Exciting news...

So far, 2011 has been filled with blessings. Not only will I be getting married this September to an amazing man--but it looks like I will get to be a part of many other weddings. I couldn't be more excited. Really.


I've been a member of Style Me Pretty's Little Black book for over 2 years now--and I am so flattered to be among the talented pool of vendors of all sorts at SMP. I check SMP daily, and find myself bookmarking it often in my own wedding inspiration folder.


This year, I've been added to Engaged and Inspired's "Inspired List." Allison is a bride herself, so she's constantly updating with some great wedding inspiration for her own wedding. I can't wait to see how her wedding turns out this April! Check out her blog here. She was also kind enough to do a write up on MHW, thanks Allison!


Ruffled is another site I follow religiously. Not only is the blog full of swoon-worthy weddings, but they also have a "Recycle Your Wedding" store where you can shop for some amazing wedding goodies or even list your own to sell. When I got an email to join their "Blue Label Vendor" list, I was ecstatic to say the least.


Last but not least, I'm very proud to have been invited to have become a part of "Vendor Love", The Knotty Bride's preferred vendor guide. To all you planning brides, if you haven't been to this site...BOOKMARK IT NOW. It's filled to the brim with inspiration.

Thank you Style Me Pretty, Engaged and Inspired, Ruffled and The Knotty Bride! I am thrilled to be a preferred vendor and I look forward to providing wedding stationery to all of your brides. Not to mention, getting some amazing wedding inspiration from all of your blog posts. Here's to a great 2011 wedding season!

Free February Desktop Calendar

It's official. This is the latest I've been on my desktop calendars. February has been filled with beaucoup de estimate requests and lots of save the date design for my summer 2011 weddings. I'm so excited about this year, it's only 2 months in and I've already been blessed by many good things!

February's calendar design is derived from my invitation set called, "He Loves Me." This design is contained in a pocket folder, but it can easily be converted to a simple invitation set if needed.



Click on the link below to download your desktop (a new window will open, either drag it to your desktop or right click and "save image as"):

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Featured Testimonial: Whitney

It's been a while since I've posted a review. I have a bunch saved in my email and have been meaning to post one each week. For those of you who have worked with me and have sent your kind words---THANK YOU! I'll make sure to catch up and post it on my blog to show my appreciation for you!

This review is from Whitney F, who chose the Boarding Pass Invitations for her destination wedding.

It was a complete joy working with Marit Hanson on my wedding invitations and thank you cards. Time was of the essence, and even though I contacted her just before the winter holiday break, Marit worked (presumably between wrapping presents and spending time with her own fiance) on my invitations straight through the New Year. She can do anything you ask style-wise, and I couldn't be happier with my Boarding Pass invitations. Thank you, Marit!


Thank you Whitney! If you need anything else for your big day--programs, menus, placecards, favor tags....anything, let me know!

Most girls get a cute clutch...

I got a custom Sea Bag for the wedding!

We designed an icon for our save the dates, which we plan on using throughout the design of various things for the wedding. We're getting married in Pemaquid Harbor (where we got engaged), which is marked with the heart.


My mom got me a Sea Bag for Christmas a few years ago, and I absolutely love it. They're made in Maine out of recycled sails and have cute rope handles. I am trying to make as much of our big day as "Maine" as possible, so this bag was perfect. And, it will be a great way to tote around things on our big day. Not to mention, it will be a great prop in our pictures with Kim Potterf.

I emailed Amy at Sea Bags our wedding icon and placed the order. I opted for the "baby" bag, which is just like their medium bag with the addition of some handy pockets and a closure. A couple weeks later this beauty came in the mail:


I love my bag, and so does Pete. I'm pretty sure he can probably fit into it!


Thanks Sea Bags!