The kindness of friends and family

I'm in awe really of how family and friends have jumped at the opportunity to help us out.  It humbles me incredibly.  We really could not be doing everything we're doing if it wasn't for them. 

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Dresses

Almost all of these dresses are under $1,000 and can be worn again and again.  So many dresses so little time!!

This is the most expensive of the bunch but it's so beautiful I couldn't help myself but post it :)

Here's another affordable dress for those who want to wear color.

So romantic and flowy

This could used for anything

Figure flattering dress

This is my favorite dress of the bunch, but it might be a little too risque...

Love the studs.

For the bride who wants to wear some color, this one is gorgeous!

Finally we are moving along!

Hi everyone:

We are finally moving along!!  This is so exciting.  31 invites have been mailed (a week after the Royals) and received by many so far.  Rentals have been booked.  Now preparations are under way.
We are having a food truck at our weeding.  The suit has been purchased.  The dress has been bought.

So my project today has been to make runners.  Being on a budget means finding out solutions to the more expensive look you were trying to achieve.  I've been obsessed with stripes since I saw this table:

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/elle-and-kyle#slide_18

But soon enough I discovered how expensive fabric is.  Renting it would've been too expensive, plus now that I have a new sewing machine I wanted a fun project so I wanted to try to make my own linens.  But making full size table drapes was going to be too expensive.  The solution; turn them into runners. So here's the fabric I bought at Ikea.


http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90160027

Here's what I did with it.

I trimmed it with a rotary cutter.  Each one measuring 15" wide.  The fabric width was 60" so I was able to get 4 runners out of the width.

Second: I took a ruler and I made sure that what I was ironing was always the same width. 

Then I ironed away, all sides.  This fabric is pretty sturdy and easy to work with.

Third:  I put in painters tape just to make sure I don't stray from my seam allowance and so that it's straight.

Voila the finished product!

We've got runners!

We have 9 more weekends to do stuff!  Next on our list is shopping for D's wedding band and for me is to take inventory of what I have bought already and what's need to be purchased.


Until next time!

Last blog of the year

As I type this, I can't but look back at the year 2010 and how wonderful it has been to me.  I became engaged to the man of my dreams.  Yes I got my intelligent surfer!  It's been 3 years and 3 months since we've been together, and it seems like it was yesterday.  I'm the luckiest girl in the world, and in exactly 4 months I will be his wife.

I have to be thankful for the wonderful friends we have, new & old (not old in age :)).  For our families that we love and miss.  And I'm hopeful that 2011 will be even better.

Hope you guys have a very happy and very healthy new year!

Love,

A

Christmas Time

Hi everyone:

Merry Christmas!  I'm so excited to about having the week off, I haven't had a week off since last Christmas.  I'm already making plans for the week, kind of New Year's resolutions that I will start earlier.

1. Start doing yoga again.  I saw this show about seniors doing yoga and this 86 year old woman was skiing and gardening at 86, and she says it's because of yoga.  Point taken.

2. Learn how to sew.  I just did that today.  I got a sewing machine for Christmas and just used it today for the first time.  It was fun, I can't wait to get more supplies and do something.  My first project will be  runners for the wedding tables.  I've made a couple of dresses that I have hand sewn myself.

This is the first one I ever made.  It was a silk pashmina. 

 This one was a really ugly dress before.  Didn't sew this one, D had to double taped me into it!  I was lucky that belt lasted as long as it did, once I sat on the taxi cab it burst!

This is the before, it looks cute there but the drop waist falls down to my butt.  And the bubble seam falls down to my knees.

3.  Learn a third language.  Thinking either Italian or French. I just happened to watch Eat Pray Love last night and it motivated me to learn another language. 

4. Work out more.  I have to get in shape for the wedding and honeymoon.  I worked out today for about 40 minutes.  I was so out of breath and nauseous after I felt like a contestant on the Biggest Loser.  But I have to keep it up.

This week I need to call and book our wedding night hotel room and get a quote from another rental place. 

What are your new years resolutions?

Glitter shoes!

So browsing the internet for shoes I came across these.

 

H by Halston for Bakers and I became obsessed.  They've been out for a while and they didn't have them in my size. I tried them at the store and they looked so good!

So I decided to Google glitter shoes and how to make them and I came across this blog. http://www.adventuresindressmaking.com/2010/01/diy-christian-louboutin-glitter-pumps.html

This talented lady gave me the inspiration to create my own glittery shoes.  I'm wearing them to the company Xmas party, I need to see if I'll wear them to my wedding.

This is how I did them.

Went to Joann Fabrics and got some Gloss Mod Podge, multicolor micro glitter & sponges. The smaller Mod Podge will do, I just thought I'd buy the bigger one. It'll come in handy for our DIY wedding!

I had gotten these shoes a few years ago from Ross cause they were 9.99. The brand is Oh deer...

I put plastic bags just like she said, and used a shoe box to contain the glitter. You don't need plastic bags if you're just adding glitter.

Mixed the red, gold, blue, purple, green, silver glitter.

Mixed some of it with the Mod Podge, that was a lot of mixture, I didn't even use a quarter of it. I was putting the mixture and then pouring the mixture over the shoes.  The second shoe was easier to make because I left the heel for last, I was using the heel to turn them around. 

I have glittery shoes!  I skipped the whole spray painting them.

This is why she spray painted them, you can see the black through the glitter.  Fortunately I put another coat of mod podge & more glitter the next day and the issue was resolved.  I would suggest doing them during the day time when you can clearly see what your doing.

Glitter does get everywhere.  But they are so much fun!  Took them to my office and all the girls loved them. Can wait to get a mani/pedi and have fun dancing! 

Glitter                      6.99

Foam Brush              .99

16oz Mod Podge    7.99

                               17.53 w/tax

The shoes are a few years old by now and I've worn them several times, so I'm guessing the 9.99 has depreciated to 0 by now.

Royal Wedding

Thanks Kate & William for setting your date the day before ours.  I don't have to miss your wedding.