Story time

*Image via the New York Times

While stumbling around the New York Times, I came across this great post. The story is simple and the illustrations are fun. It's almost like an adult picture book, but I can imagine a child reading and learning more about Honest Abe too. The author, Maria Kalman, sounds like an interesting woman. Now I'm intrigued about her children's books. I like her whimsical style.

p.s. This is awesome because my students are currently working on researching for their own biographies of historical figures.

Vitamin D

*Image via Lobster and Swan

This photo reminds me of the day I'm having today. Yesterday morning it snowed, unexpectedly, and was miserable. For the record, anytime it snows in Seattle it is: 1. unexpected and 2. a minor disaster. People here have no idea how to react to the snow, or how to drive in it for that matter. Usually, the city shuts down. Yesterday my school was the only district without a delayed start. Needless to say the sun shining brightly out the window today was a pleasant change. I too can't wait for spring, and the bulbs pushing their way up out of the ground make me grin. I'm heading to Arizona for the weekend and some much needed vitamin D therapy. I think I might just break out a sun dress or two for Arizona.

A regular gal

*Image via Jonathan Canlas Photography

We're getting ready to have our engagement photos taken and all of these wedding blogs have set the bar so high. I keep thinking about how I'm really a pretty normal person, who is not in the least bit glamorous. My fiance is an amateur photographer and when we got our puppy I was so happy that he would have a new subject to practice on. I hate having my picture taken because it always makes me feel insecure. I'm afraid of the double chin look, or of the picture not representing who I really am. I tend to make angry eyebrows. Hopefully bringing Odin to our photo shoot and the goal of having fun, being relaxed and enjoying myself will make it all better. All I truly want is some great pictures of myself, in love. I'll be sure to post photos, I promise.


Until then, check out Rock 'n Roll Bride for some beautiful, unique photos. You won't be disappointed. I only wish I could look this cool on a regular basis. Are balloons and bicycles the new mandatory photo props? What is the newest trend you've noticed?

Impressive

*Image via Lee Ohio Designs on etsy

I have to say that I absolutely love etsy. I am continually impressed and astonished at the beautiful handmade items that are now available across the globe. It think that this venue is an amazing way to share handmade talents and hope to some day share my own paper art with a small piece of the world on etsy. I found these beautiful earrings by Lee Ohio Designs and am blown away. She also has some simple, elegant and affordable pieces. I am a recent convert to earrings. I used to wear the same tiny gold hoops every day because I didn't have to take them out before swim practice. The fiance changed my tone by purchasing a beautiful pair of red coral earrings for me while we were in Mexico. I can't help but wear them. Another great site I found to browse is etsy wedding,where inspiring compilations are presented containing items found on etsy - it's a great starting point for browsing this extensive site.

Give-away

*Image via What Junebug Loves

Here is a great opportunity for anyone reading out there in the blogosphere. Junebug is giving away an ipod nano! Check out their post here and leave a comment about your wedding music favorites or your personal selections by next Friday (March 3rd). It is also a great place to look for music inspiration for your own celebrations. This blog has a plethora of local inspiration for Seattle brides.

Wrong shoe

*Old inspiration - beautiful shoes.

I've been looking for the perfect 'wedding' shoes for months now. I have been on every internet shoe site available and have even scoured e-bay for a good price on a great shoe. I thought I had it all figured out, until today. I found a beautiful pair of Kate Spade heels on e-bay for a mere $50 and thought I struck gold. When I got them in the mail I was only ambivalent, despite the fact that the shoes were beautiful and the price was good. The other night I had a dream that confirmed my gut feeling. In part of the dream I am trying to get dressed to walk down the aisle, when I finally get my dress (it was lost somewhere) and try to put on my shoes there is a pile of choices and I passed over the pair I have in my closet. This morning, out of curiosity, I tried on my dress and slipped on the shoes. They are too tall*. The search begins again. Maybe something in a kitten-heel or some cute flats. I'm a flats kind of girl.

*Image via J.Crew

*I bought my dress from craigslist and don't need to make any alterations, including hemming. It's all done and ready to slip into on the big day, if it isn't lost of course.

More adornments

*Flowers by handle & spout

I just saw these hair flowers on Once Wed and I'm re-thinking my designs and ideas. These are so simple and elegant. Plus, they look perfect! Maybe I'll add these onto the list for today... I'm so bad with prioritizing!

Short week

*Image courtesy of Trevor Jorgensen

How can you get anything done with a puppy like this to keep you company? I keep asking myself the same thing. Hopefully, I'll finish my checklist for the week today. Being a substitute is not as awesome as it seems. No one wants to stay home the Monday after a break, and today is that day. The fiance is home sick today too so maybe he can play with Odin and I can get work done.

Stuck on yellow

*Image via J.Crew

Now that my original yellow dream dress is out of the picture, I found a hopeful replacement. Bonus, this dress is currently on sale, hopefully that price keeps going down. The thing I love about J.Crew are the sales (and the teacher discount - 15% for educators, even on sale items - but only in store).

Edit: I tried on a dress with a similar cut in the store, my butt is too big for this dress. I am one of those girls with the beloved 'pear' shaped figure. If the top fits, the bottom is snug. If the bottom fits the top bellows. Ladies with slimmer hips should check out this dress, the cut looked great on my friend Colleen.

Accessories

*Image via J.Crew

I thought that this chiffon cardigan would be a nice bright pop to my wedding dress. The weather in Seattle is always unpredictable, even at the end of May. While I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a beautiful evening, I thought having sleeves might be a smart idea. I got my much anticipated package in the mail this week and am re-thinking the purchase. I love the cardigan, but something doesn't quite fit. I think I'll wear it out this weekend and keep thinking. No regrets though, you can't beat $20!

Bridesmaid inspiration board

Vane from Brooklyn Bride had a wonderful contest featuring Nelle handbags. I put together an entry featuring some of the actual dresses our attendants are wearing. I can't call them all bride's maids because two are groom's maids and my 'maids' are all matrons and would behead me for calling them thus. Despite the naming conundrum check out their sassy outfits and my attempts to accessorize them. The ladies are all wearing a grey dress of their choice and can accessorize with bright, bold, cheerful colors.

Hair Flower Tutorial

*Image via Twigs & Honey

I've been lusting after some beautiful hair adornments lately, but my meager pay check meant that I needed to try to make them myself. After scouring the internet for a tutorial all I could find was a nice, simple DIY by a small town bride. I tried her version and a couple of my own. Here are my attempts at small, pretty, simple hair flowers:

Materials:
1/8 yard fabric
thread to match
needle
sparkly button
velvet leaves, wired

I found that for the sturdiest flowers dupioni silk was the easiest to cut and use. I bought a small remnant and still have plenty of fabric left to experiment with. I used pink silk chiffon, white dupioni silk, and two shades of yellow silk. The sparkly centers are buttons and the leaves are velvet and ran $3.00 for a stem of 17 (bonus, because they are already wired).

Yellow Flower

1. Gather your materials and begin cutting out petals. I found it easier to fold my fabric to create a guide for cutting. You could also sketch out lines using a fabric marker if you want to be more exact.

2.Simply fold the fabric to create a light crease and use the lines as a guide to cut evenly-spaced petals.

3. Cut enough petals to create a substantial stack. This flower contains several dupioni petals and several lightweight yellow silk petals.
4. Arrange the stack until you are satisfied and pin your flower petals in place. Pinning is the easiest and best way to achieve the results you want.
5. Thread your needle and sew your button into place. Sew your flower until the petals are securely in place. Attach leaves by sewing or gluing them on.
6. Attach a hair comb, barette or pin for a corsage.

7. Wear proudly!

White Flower

1. Cut petals. I used silk dupioni for this project. For this flower I simply folded my fabric in half to cut a symmetrical 4 petaled flower. Again, you can trace your design onto the fabric to have more control over your design.

Follow steps 3-6 as above and the finished product could look like this:

Pink Flower

This flower uses light weight silk chiffon. This fabric is more difficult to cut but makes lovely petals and bunches together nicely.

1. Cut circles out of your chiffon, surprisingly you don't need to use much fabric for these delicate flowers. (And the circles can be less than perfect)

2. Pinch your circle at the center and gather in the fabric to make small folds. Hold this together with a pin.

3. Repeat this process until you have reached your desired size. My completed flower contains 3 small circles bunched together.

4. Keep your flowe pinned together until you have sewn all of your petals into place. Add a leaf for some color & variety. Attach the leaf by sewing or by using a small dab of glue. You can complete this piece with a small hair comb, bobby pin or corsage pin. This small flower would also be a great shoe adornment. See Oh My Deer for inspiration.

5. Wear proudly!

Crafty day

*Image via Oh My Deer

This was my inspiration for the day. I'm also working on a simple tutorial for ladies who have a little time and want to spend only a little money. In my dreams I can afford lovely hair adornments for all of special ladies in my life, and wedding. Until then, while my pocket book is slim I'll do my best to make something special and pretty. (Although, I still salivate via the internet).

Birthday cake

*image via Seattle's own Trophy Cupcakes

Today happens to be my fiance's birthday and lucky for him, I have the day off. Lucky for me my fiance is quite the baker and left me his perfected chocolate cake recipe.

One day, when we first started dating, he randomly asked me if he was officially my boyfriend. Having been completely oblivious to these types of dating rituals, even in middle school, I presented a challenge: if he baked me a cake I would consider him my boyfriend. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Half expecting something out of a box, I was blown away when I first set eyes on what is now known as 'boyfriend cake.' White cake layered with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries, he had me salivating before I even had a sample. Needless to say, I have much riding on cake making today. Especially because he has decided to bake our very own wedding cake. I can't wait.

Expensive taste

*Image via Anthropologie

I found this dress and fell in love with the idea of wearing it to my rehearsal dinner, several bridal showers and to my fiance's medical school graduation. Too bad the dreaming can't resolve the price tag. My mom said that if she were my age she would gladly wear it. She's not one for all caps-emphasis save for special occasions "I absolutely LOVE the yellow dress from Anthropologie."

I'll have to keep my eyes out for a sale, even though sales at Anthro seem like an oxymoron.

Edit: I saw this dress in person, it's not as great as it seems. The picture doesn't accurately represent the fabric, it has a subtle sheen to the polka-dots that I don't quite dig. I don't think it is worth the steep price tag. Off to find a new yellow dress.

a face only a mother could love

Someone got a bath today. There is probably nothing cuter than a bulldog puppy playing with his rubber ducky in the bath. Unless that is the same bulldog puppy curled up and snoring next to you. I can't believe how loudly he snores.

A week of crafts

*Image via Martha Stewart

This next week is dedicated to working on crafts for my upcoming nuptials. The list is as follows:

• gocco wedding invitations (a simple graphic to add to the simple letterpress print)
• design & print RSVP postcards
• reception cards - map
  
• make attendant gifts
• make chiffon flowers
  

In all honesty, I should be able to complete all of these tasks. I had napkins on the list but I'm waiting to hear if my best friend is really buying a surger (we've wanted one since high school). I saw this great idea on Martha Stewart and thought it would be a beautiful napkin print. Originally, I had been reading about napkins from recycled bedsheets. If I don't find the printed sheets of my dreams a the local thrift shops, I can always find solid sheets and customize them myself.

Ready...set...go!

daydream actualized

*image courtesy of kate spade

For some time I've been browsing the internet musing about a blog of my very own. I finally decided to jump in and see where this leads me. The main purpose of this blog will be a place to catalogue ideas, inspiration, and internet wish lists.