DIY: Thanksgiving/Fall Centerpieces

using jugs in fall colors and dried fall themed filler I bought at marshalls along with three types of fresh flowers i created these centerpieces for thanksgiving. silly me didn't get a picture of them in action but here's a picture of them with my cat, titus. on each table i also placed a burlap table runner. the look was cohesive with just a touch of country. how did you decorate your table?

My Baby Cousin Got Hitched

a little over a month ago i had the privledge of being my baby (she's 7 months younger) cousin's maid of honor.  and, by default her wedding planner.  my cousin and her fiance were a little clueless about weddings but i helped them out.  here are some of the projects i helped with and or details from the wedding that i just loved.

my mom, or the "aunt of honor" as she named herself, gave my cousin this ring that my aunt had given her years before.  i suggested tying it to her bouquet as a subtle reminder that even though she wasn't physically present she was there in spirit.

my cousin is a tall model-esque bride is she not?  at one point in our lives i was taller! i swear!

 my uncle, the father of the bride, has had multiple sclerosis for over 40 years.  i asked him to dance with us and he came out on the dance floor wheel chair and all to party with the best of us!  it was a great moment.

to help guests know they were in the right place my cousin and i bought chalkboard style poster boards and my brother used chalk markers to create personalized signs.

these place cards were the bane of my existence for a night or two.  in june my cousin graduated from veterinary school so she wanted to have tables named after animals instead of using numbers.  We put a sillhouette on each place card.  each animal started with a different letter and they were quasi alphabetical in the dining room to help people find their tables.

to identify the tables we printed the name of the animal and the silhouette on a piece of vellum, used doubled sided tape and created tubes.  each tube was then placed over an electronic votive.  i was obviously at the bear table.

we fed each other some delicious berries in chocolate sauce from the cheesecake bar. once the wedding really got going it was one of the only times we had just the two of us.  

i realized i almost finished the post with no pictures of the groom.  oops.  here is my new cousin in law and my cousin enjoying their first dance.

that was the wedding in a nutshell.  questions about anything i posted, just ask!

*all pictures personal*

DIY- Bachelorette Paty Survival Kit

as maid of honor it was my responsibility to host a bachelorette party for my cousin.  always a generous hostess i wanted to create some sort of favor.  i saw this idea somewhere on the interwebs and decided to create my own version.

to start i went to target and found any little things i thought would be cute to include.  in the travel aisle i found tiny altoid tins and figured just in case any of the girls were single and wanted to play tonsil hockey they'd have a breath refresher.  (as i type this i realize that i definitely was the only single one- and i didn't make a kit for myself!)  i ventured towards the cosmetics section and bought two three packs of lip smackers (there were 5 girls attending the party).  next i went to find some emergen-c or other drink mix with electrolytes.   i found a target brand box of 10 individual mixes which meant i have 5 left over for myself!  i also bought a 24 count bottle of asprin.  when i assembled the boxes i made little paper pouches and put four (or two doses) of asprin in each.  at home i had some crest brush ups (those little things that slip on your fingers to freshen up your teeth by brushing?) and band-aids (i gave each girl 2) to help with any blisters after dancing in heels all night.

of course i needed something to put all these goodies in so i stopped by the local craft store and picked up a pack of five silver decorative chinese take out boxes. 

here's a picture of the boxes all stuffed:

after i folded the tops closed i decided i wanted to seal the boxes to make sure they stayed closed so using a sheet of sticker paper and a punch i made these:

i was being a little lazy so i hand wrote in pink felt marker "bachelorette party survival kit."

and here's the final product:

the girls said they loved them and i think they came out quite well.

i figured out the cost for each one and they came out to approximately $3.10!  so for a little more than $15 i had five kits.  technically i spent a little more than that because of over buying on asprin, having extra drink mixes, and having one extra lipsmacker.  i also saved a little money because i had some items at home.  i firmly believe that anyone could make a kit like this for under $5.00.

here's what i included in list form and a few other ideas i saw around the internet but ultimately chose not to include.

in my boxes:
-mini altoid tin
-electrolyte infused individual drink packet
-band-aids (2)
-crest brush-up (could use crest-wisps but they are more expensive)
-a lipsmacker
-asprin (2 doses)

other suggestions:
-condoms
-hand sanitizer or wipes
-hair tie (wish i'd included that- i forgot)

would you appreciate something like this?  do you have any other great ideas as to what to include?

DIY- Bachelorette Party Veil

this past weekend was my friend's bachelorette party.  her sister, and maid of honor, put me in charge of finding a veil.  since i had materials left over from making fascinators for the royal wedding i decided to diy a veil- in her wedding color- purple.

to start I gathered my materials:

a needle and thread, light purple tulle, a hair comb, a hot glue gun, and a purple ribbon

1.  cut a piece of tulle approximately 12 inches wide.

2.  scrunch up the tulle a little bit at a time and start stitching it to the comb.  the comb i had was wrapped in vinyl at the top, so some of my stitches went through the vinyl and some went all the way around the top of the comb.

3.  cut to desired length.  my particular friend is very petite so i figured i should cut off about 7 or 8 inches.

4.  take your ribbon and super glue it to the top of the comb and wrap to the back.  i had a piece of ribbon, tied in a bow, from a set of note cards i got at target for a dollar a while back.  so to keep the bow in tact i cut the back of the ribbon.

5.  let the glue dry and you're done! 

this was a very simple project and it came out very cute.  you could always make it a little more risque by gluing condoms or phallic shaped objects to it as well. wink.

DIY- Paper Flowers

in my post about flower alternatives i showed you paper flowers and linked to a tutorial.  tonight, as i was watching tv i decided to try out the tutorial.  i cut some paper into circles and then, without even tracing a spiral cut the paper in a spiral pattern.  i then rolled it up and presto change-o i had really cute paper flowers... what do you think?

keeping the budget in check: flowers

when it comes to weddings flowers can be a real budget buster.  luckily for you there are many flower alternatives!

one trend i've seen, and love, is brooch bouquets. 

via weddingbee

you can buy these, but they'd be more expensive than natural flowers.  however if you have brooches at home and or can find them cheaply at thrift stores or at stores with costume jewelery you can make this without too much expense.  there are tons of tutorials out there, but i like the one ms. sloth did on wedding bee.

bridesmaids can also carry clutches or lanterns in lieu of flowers as pictured below.

via bluestyle

via hoffer photography

i've also seen bridesmaids carrying pinwheels, parasols, fans, and or potted plants.

besides bouquets, reception decor often involves flowers.  one popular option i've seen around the blogs is paper flowers. 

via talk crafty to me

again there are tons of tutorials available for paper flowers. some people choose to make theirs from old books, magazines, or other recycled materials.  or you can use the scraps of paper left over from invitations, programs, and any other paper materials used in your wedding.  centerpieces comprised solely of candles can be very beautiful.  using fresh fruit is also an option.  some couples use books or other unusual objects that fit with their lifestyle.

what are some options you've found to replace fresh flowers?