Paper Flowers

Pros: Inexpensive. No Wilting. Any color, really. Unique.

Cons: Time-consuming. Takes a bit more effort. Not real. No smell.

I love the look of fresh flowers, but paper flowers seem so cost effective. Here are a few pictures featuring the possibility:

Oh Man, I Love a Good Blog Name

So Kyle and I were watching "Cupcake Wars" on TV (his choice, believe it or not) and he asked me to make him peanut butter cupcakes. Now this is a challenge, because Kyle doesn't like cake. Doesn't really care for frosting either. (Don't tell him, but I will properly surprise him with a groom's ice cream cake for our wedding). He did say though that he sometimes likes cupcakes - if they are filled with something or don't just have everyday normal frosting from a plastic can.

Well, challenge accepted.

That brings me to my point. In looking for a great recipe, I found an awesome food blog called "Crepes of Wrath."

He, he...Crepes of Wrath. I love it! Literary food wit - what could be better?

So up next to be baked - Peanut Butter Cupcakes.

Home-made Bouquet

So I had some flowers left over from decorating Kathy's 50th birthday party yesterday (which was so much fun by the way) so I decided to try making bouquets. I think its a great way to save money. Even though I still want a professional to make my bridal bouquet, I'm thinking I can make the bridesmaids flowers. Only after a little practice though...

I started with a few store-bought pre-arranged bouquets - $3.99 for each.

Then, I chose a few flowers - keeping a mostly white look with a few pops of green and purple. I cleaned them - cutting off excess stems and leaves. I arranged them and wrapped them in fabric, securing the end with a vintage pin I bought at the thrift store for $5.00.

The whole process took about 15 minutes and was quite inexpensive. I think the outcome looks quite pretty too. All I need to do differently is pick the flowers specifically for the bouquets of course and add more of them to make the arrangements fuller. Easy. Awesome.

I Love Lenora Dame!

I was browsing the DIY wedding section on the Martha Stewart website, and I came across this awesome jewelry designer. I am pretty sure I will be rocking her jewelry on my wedding day...maybe even before then. Oh aaaaand...its it pretty well priced. Double thumbs up!

I can't believe it...

but I bought a dress.

A wedding dress.

I had plans on attending a trunk show for Essence of Australia last Saturday, and I was pretty sure I would buy a dress at that salon, but last Thursday, I convinced Kyle to go to this one dress store in Harrisonburg, just...well just for fun....fun for me. I tried on a couple dresses, but was pretty sure I was just looking. I actually wanted to leave after the second dress, because I knew Kyle was bored and I hadn't found anything that inspired me. But then the other girl in the salon came out in a dress and I turned to her and said, "You look stunning!" She did too. She wasn't sold though. She left without a dress and I said to the consultant, before I leave, can I try on that dress she had on? They put the dress on me, which I thought had a detachable belt, but the belt was attached...aaand hideous. The owner of the salon also thought the belt was pretty bad so she CUT IT OFF! While the dress was on me. She cracked me up. She cut off that belt, let me pick from a variety of beautiful belts and I walked to the mirror .....and .....fell....in....love. It took me a little bit of deliberating to make the commitment, but I didn't want to lose that dress.

But when I make a commitment, I apparently go all in. I bought the dress, a belt, and a veil. I am not sure I even want a veil, but there was a deal and I was in a whirlwind of yes, so I got a veil. It's pretty, but do I need a veil?

Anyway, the point is - I got a dress and I am excited about it. Now, once Kyle figures out what he wants to wear, the whole wedding is going to start to come together. Yay!

Oh...yeah...what does the dress look like? Well those of you who were with me at Alfred Angelo and fell in love with a dress on me will be pleased. And for everyone else, let's call it romantic lace vintage.

Summer is....swimming in Nan's pool.

and taking videos and pictures with Kyle's waterproof camera.

From under water.