Post X-Mas Sales

I am a bargain shopper; I love a good deal - I learned from my mom....so when we get together, savings ensue.

After Christmas sales -

25 boxes of White Lights with WHITE wire (difficult to find intermixed with all the green wire) to be used for some various wedding lighting..... around $1.25 ea.

Clips to hang lights - $.75 for a box of 50 (x 4)

There is also a random store where you can find amazing deals, but cannot go there expecting to find something particular. I'm sure you all know what kind of store I mean. Anyways, I found the most perfect navy linen fabric bolt for $0.99/yd.! and since I took the whole thing I got an additional 10% off!! It's 61" wide - I'm thinking I can get 3 table runners per 3 yds. And then my mom and I are going to sew napkins - I think I may be crazy....but our rental company quoted $.60/napkin....and I got the entire bolt of fabric around $35, (apx. 40 yards)! Plus this way I can put a cute wedding monogram on them and really tie the event together!

Anyone else have fantastic post-Christmas bargains?

Our STD's....

Due to above pictured ice storm, my Christmas day was super productive since I couldn't leave my parent's house! I started and finished our STD's.
I had posted previously about the concept here and the design didn't really change at all before we were finished - just a few font modifications and the design was slightly elongated to fit the envelopes.

Supplies :
3 Sheets 30x42 4-Ply Museum Board ~ $15ea.
Gocco Ink - Red, Black, White ~ $5ea. (but there is tons leftover)
Navy Envelopes ~$30 for 100 (including shipping)
7 Sheets Computer Paper
1.5 Rolls of Permenant Adhesvive for the 1.5" Xyron ~ $10ish
Roll of Magnet Strip ~ $6

Equipment :
Designed in Illustrator
Laser Cutter w/ AutoCAD template
Gocco Machine
Printer & Photocopier
1.5" Xyron Machine

After creating the design in Illustrator I created a template in AutoCAD to maximize the number of cards I could get from one 15"x21" sheet (4 small sheets per large sheet to fit on the laser cutter bed). I decided to cut the anchor out as well - so I vectorized an image in Illustrator, and exported it as an .eps to import into AutoCAD.

I cut down the large sizes of Museum Board to fit the bed and watched the laser cutter do it's magic! Unfortunately I decided to do this during my lunch break and did not have my camera with me.... but this is generally what is going on -


And then I had almost 80 of these : (we cut the mirror image to ensure if there was any burning it would be on the reverse side).

The next thing to happen was to burn the images onto gocco screens. I burned two screens, each with two items to be printed, for a total of 4 prints per invite (my parents thought I was crazy). After the invites were printed (on a ink-jet printer) I photocopied them (necessary since its carbon that burns the screens).

Screen #1: "the remove and remember" on the side actually got printed on the back of the invite - I used the 'Ink Blocker' to prevent any ink from seeping into the other section.

Screen#2: This screen is basically split in half, the left half was printed first and the right second on top of it.
After the first round of printing -


I forgot to take a pic of the print for the light gray compass rose before I printed the next layer on - The 3rd and 4th rounds of printing got quite messy - I ended up cutting the gocco screens so the ink from the first round of printing would not print again.


Almost done! I added a piece of magnet to the back of each for fridge hanging.


Mess of Gocco Screens and little anchors -


The envelopes I ordered from Envelope Mall - Carnival 4-1/8 x 9-1/2", (No 10 Policy) in Deep Blue. They have a small flap that opens on the end -


I made 1.5" labels in Illustrator with everyone's addresses, and cut them with my paper cutter... I also added a small rope graphic which wraps the label. I ran these through the Xyron and stuck them on a la Martha style!


Et Voila! The completed STD :

and en masse ready to be mailed! Bonus - they weighed exactly 1oz. meaning I didn't need a special stamp!
What do you think!?

new bling...

My MOH got engaged over x-mas!!! I'm SO excited for her -
It was a COMPLETE surprise, she had absolutely no idea - they had never talked about it, never talked about rings, etc. She is super happy and is shooting for either a fall or winter wedding of 09!
He proposed with a letter he had written mixed with lyrics from the Taylor Swift song 'Love Story', which ends with:

"Marry me, Juliet. you'll never have to be alone.
I love you and that's all I really know.
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress;
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'

and instead of yes he just put .....
It's so perfect and fitting for them.

YAY! More wedding planning!!!

merry merry....

Wishing you a very merry holiday season -
This was supposed to be my holiday card this year, but due to wedding planning + short amount of time between thanksgiving and christmas + general procrastination, I did not get them printed in time to send out - o'well, there's always next year!

Wishing you a very merry holiday season -

our wedding inspiration photo...

Remember that gorg inspiration towel photo Cyd posted about? Well, I've finally stumbled across my equivalent. I've *chosen our color palette* (sidenote to the wedding gods not to let it change), but had yet to see them together in a cohesive example. Well here it is :Crisp, modern, classic lines, navy, yellow, hint of cool silvery/grey.
Yup, sold.

Post # 100! (+1)

I was totally excited to do something interesting for my 100th post...and then I realized that my last post was #100...o'well.
SO, since I had nothing super exciting to post about anyways #101 will be this:

Have you ever wondered why you don't get as much done at work since you've been engaged? I think this little trivia fact below probably has a lot to do with my ineffectiveness and ability to remain glued to my computer screen for hours even when I'm not at work.

Today, my trusty Google reader told me:
From your 113 subscriptions, over the last 30 days you read 4,815 items.

What?! No wonder I never seem to accomplish anything anymore (unless its wedding related of course....and even that is a stretch). Should I cut back? Probably....Will I? Not likely...

image from here

monogram inspiration...

I've been trying to come up with THE PERFECT monogram to help tie all our wedding-y paper goods together. I want something classic, that will still be useful after our wedding - so I'm not sure I want to tie in too many nautical details; because I have a feeling by the time our wedding rolls around I'm going to be SO over rope and compass roses. But I also want it to feel at home on all our wedding items.....

While searching for inspiration, I found these monograms from Monogram Design - and there are plenty more! I really love the simplicity of the W's in the lower right.


(Sorry for the terrible colors - there is something seriously wrong with my computer.)

So - here are some of the options we have developed so far:

I need to stop reading wedding blogs! There is so much great inspiration out there and I see it and want it all!! Which is going to be SO overwhelming and confusing for our wedding palette. Why can't I just make a decision and stick with it? Sometimes I want a really vintagey feel with swishy and beautiful calligraphy - others times, I can't envision anything but perfectly simple and modern. Have you had second thoughts about the tone of your event?

our registry items...

With all the 'holidayness' going on I'm not making too much progress on the wedding front. So, I figured I'd share a few items off our registries with you. Most of these items are from Bed Bath and Beyond and Macys since I couldn't figure out how to pull images with polyvore from Crate and Barrel.


Wedding Registry by I'm a Sailor Dr. Marvin

Think I like blue much?

dear santa, round two...

Dear Santa, Round Two:

I know the Jimmy Buffet Margarita machine can sometimes be elusive to find - so, in order to ease your stress during your 'busy season' I've come up with a few more items to add to my list.

Item #1 : Fab Bod by 08.15.2009 - I'd prefer to just wake up with this body fairy godmother, snap your fingers style - but if that is not an option refer to item #2.


Item #2 : (only if item #1 is unavailable): Wii Fit and Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009, if you could additionally throw in a huge dash of willpower, it would be much appreciated.

Item #3 : a Miele vacuum, (yes she is expensive, but totally worth it). I will clean more with a cute vacuum to follow me around.
xoxo,
C

P.S. - Sorry there are no cookies, they seem to disappear very fast around here, which only further emphasizes my great desire for Item #1 and the willpower portion of Item#2.

bling photos...

so ladies, i am well aware i have never shown you my bling, this stems from the fact that i could not for the life of me take a pic without it being crazy blurry. thanks to the tips from Anne Ruthmann @ Weddingbee Pro i was finally able to capture her in all her glory (well some of it anyways - )




i also took a few notes from 'A Million and One Uses for a Paint Chip' and threw in a little of the benjamin moore color selector i have laying beside my couch.


i love her more than the pics do justice....i guess you'll just have to wait until after we get married and get pro-photos back!

bridewars...

image from here

sidenote:
so excited for bridewars.
anyone want to go?

i need a monogram...

Please help my darling readers. I'm trying to come up with a monogram, do you guys like either of the designs below? Sometimes I look at things for too long and then can't even think about them anymore.


I think I prefer the first one, but I like the 'rope' detailing on the second since it fits more with our somewhat nautical theme. Have you guys seen any inspirational monograms lately?

DIY Louboutins?

image from here

Am I always destined to lust after perfectly impratical and non-budget friendly shoes? I think so.
But they are just feathers right? Bright, fun, colorful feathers can be bought quite inexpensively right? and maybe if you get them wet and wrap them around a ping-pong ball with an elastic they might just dry all perfectly curved to match the picture?
What do you think? Do I dare DIY Louboutins? I think I do -

i've been shreded...

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but yesterday I got my ass kicked by Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. Well yesterday I felt great....today, not so much. I will try again tomorrow - there are muscles I didn't even know I have that hurt, which I maintain to be a good thing.
Bonus, I found her first and second session on On Demand on the exercise channel - and you know how I heart free stuff.

fresh friends and family ...

I feel like I never have anything good to give you guys - no free giveaways, etc.

BUT check it out - it's only good for this weekend though - (and I think you have to use it at an actual 'fresh' store, not department stores.

ENJOY!

PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa

Pantone released their 'Color of the Year' for this year and it looks surprisingly like my 'pop' wedding color previously known as yellow. Maybe this is why my mom thought I was crazy to have yellow; apparently I was calling it the wrong thing....it's ACTUALLY 'Mimosa'.

and I quote : “Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation.” ....oh yeah, thats me.....jk.

Glad to know I wont be a Pantone wedding outcast for 2009-

pic from here

is divorce in your future?

It feels good to know that I'm not doing all this planning for nothing -
There is only a 6% chance we will get divorced in the next 5 years; I'd say thats WAAY better than 50/50.
Check it out - http://www.divorce360.com/content/divorcecalculator.aspx

pondering printing...

i heart paper source.

and i totally want to use some round paper, but i have one question -

how do i print on it?

any ideas? can you put it in the printer any way you want?

am i behind?

i've been engaged for 6 months. time has gone by SO fast - we still have 8 months to go and i can only imagine how fast that will fly by when there is still so much to do.
my list includes:
1. picking a caterer and ..... um, reception location....(don't worry we have a delightful backup - there just isn't a kitchen).
2. make/mail save the dates (i got the envelopes yesterday and the design is done), but nothing will be mailed bc the boy cannot seem to gather addresses for his portion of the wedding guest list.
3. design invites (i have some time for this).
4. buy things to make: monogramed napkins (and design monogram), monogramed guest towels for the bathroom, big lanterns and lights (for potential reception site a.ka. tent).
5. figure out where to rent stuff, and what to do about dishes if there is no kitchen to wash them in.
6. find fabulous wedding shoes
7. have dress altered....
8. bridesmaid dresses/groom/groomsman outfits.....this means defining our bridal party as well (i'm really not on top of that one)

i'm going to stop now bc i'm getting nervous....i can think of a million other things to add to this list....yikes!