Ebay Junkie

I've turned into an ebay junkie. Like most junkies, I don't claim responsibility for my actions. It's the wedding's fault...it's turned me into a deranged lunatic who has thrown all logical thinking out the window at any attempt for something that will make my wedding day more beautiful.

I decided late last week that it would be a much better idea to look for vintage linens and silverware for the reception rather than pay to rent some tacky polyester linens and flatware that wouldn't really mesh well with the whole "vintage garden party" theme I'm going for.

Thus commenced a weekend of staying up until 2 am, trying to win countless ebay bids and spending an entire day glued to my laptop checking my watched items over and over until I wore the print right off of my keyboard.

I know, I know, i could have used e-snipe, but there is something about the thrill of victory when you are right there in the last seconds of an auction, fighting it out, probably with some old grandma who has been trying for years to complete her collection of silverplated 1934 Rogers flatware. Some kind of competitiveness you didn't know you had shows up, and it leads you to pay more than you ever intended for some rusty silverware as you silently curse the old grandma who's last dying wish is to complete her flatware collection. Like most addictions, it brings out the worst in you.

But I'm happy to say that I am now the proud owner of 90+ pieces of flatware and several beautiful vintage embroidered linen napkins.

Photo: Flickr

Our Labor of Love...

This is the result of weeks worth of work, and headaches (and I'm not going to lie, many arguments), but the invitations are finally finished!  We dropped them off at the post office this afternoon.  

I was a little reluctant to let them go, they looked so pretty in a big pile with all the vintage stamps so delicately affixed to the corner of each invitation.  I am so happy we decided to go with the vintage stamps.  It ended up being an easy and fun addition and they really stand out against the chocolate brown envelopes.  We chose stamps that were relevant to our life and the theme of the wedding.  

In that last photo you can see the front card in the invitation set, it's a monogram we designed. I'm so happy with the way they turned out.  In retrospect, I don't know if I would ever take on the task of designing the invites again, but we got through it and the end result is perfect!

Photos: Candice

Print Gocco

I really would love a Print Gocco. We almost bought one recently to create our wedding invitations but decided to go with good old fashioned printing instead. I have a ton of ideas going through my head and a lot of the projects I want to start involve screen printing but we only have huge screens and to coat and prepare the screens for a 3 x 5 design just seems crazy! I mean, just look at the beautifulness (word?) you can create with a Gocco...

Photos: A Lovely Morning Blog, Bridbird, Morris & Essex

Stamping

I'm on the hunt for vintage stamps for my wedding invites. I know, I know, if you are doing the math in your head right now you will realize that this is probably something I should have started months ago!! But, like all the planning for this wedding has gone, I have been MAJORLY dragging my feet!

Honestly, Mike and I have never had this much on our plate at one time and I feel like at any given moment I could have a major melt down so I keep barreling through, trying not to think of everything there is to do but honestly trying to plan a wedding in a recession while you are unemployed and have just purchased a house is really enough to give anyone a headache! But we were talking about stamps weren't we? Yes, so anyway, I have been on the hunt for vintage stamps today. There is something so beautiful about a wedding invitation adorned with lovely vintage stamps...

Photos: A Lovely Morning, Heather Ross via Decor8

Wedding inspiration

I love this idea for my wedding.  It would work perfectly since our ceremony and reception are outside, surrounded by many trees!  

Photo: Once Wed

A Picnic Set

Picnic season may almost be over in some parts of the country (here in Florida it's a year long activity!) but I thought this was a great project to liven up your next picnic.

This is also a great for those of you who want to make the switch from paper towels to cloth napkins. Mike and I did this a few months ago, I made us each napkins in different patterns and now we use these instead of paper towels. It is so much better for the environment and it now takes us twice the time to go through a roll of paper towels!

Photo: Purl Bee