Notes from A Cottage Industry

It's all about those grandbabies

   

...you better believe it.

You wanted to know what I bought at last weekend's Tumbleweed Cotillion, so here it is. The sweetest vintage bassinet I've ever laid my eyes on, for starters! I love the old wicker and those big wheels, and just wait until you see what I'm going to do with it.(here's a little clue_ the sewing Queen is going to be busy after I get home from the fabric store!) It will stay at my home, for when any of the grandbabies come over for a visit. I think I'll be keeping it in the corner of the living room, but I am not 100% sure yet.

I also snagged 2 matching baby spoons, one for each of the little peanuts, and the adorable, soft musical teddy bear.
     We don't know if we're having any girls yet, but I just couldn't resist the little hat (How could I not buy that?!) And are you noticing the awesome vintage baby scale? I actually sold it to a friend that had a baby shop  way back when, and she sold it back to me at the Cotillion (picture it filled with little tiny newborn diapers!)

The sweet vendor that sold me the vintage bassinet gave the mama-to-be this vintage velveteen bunny as a little gift for the nursery. Oooooh! It's just so precious! It will be perfect in the vintage themed room we are planning!

Works in progress

 
It's time for a Grand baby update!
Here's the newest look that my bulletin board in my office at my grown up job is sporting. (In case you can't tell...It's the ultrasound pictures of the two grand babies on the way.)

Love shack

Oh. My. Ga.
     Look what the newest newylweds bought this weekend! It's a 1956 vintage trailer, people, and according to the mama-to-be, it's even got the original pistachio green oven in it. I've lusted in my heart for one of these babies for years, and now, I'm going to get to help jazz this one up. (be still my heart!!!)  
     Of course I spent last night scouring the internet for photos of vintage trailers for inspiration. The first place I looked was at this charming blog, because I noticed she had added trailer pictures to her banner and sidebar not too long ago.
    So far this is the only photo I've got, but as soon as they get this baby home I am sure to see pictures of the inside and we can begin to brainstorm to make this gem into a little slice of vintage heaven, for sure.

I'm thinkin' a pink flamingo lawn ornament is a must-have.

Life just keeps getting better...and better!

      This photo makes my heart melt. It's my little sugar man, at three and a half. Those soft chubby knees, those little sincere eyebrows...that adorable little bow tie....I just want to squeeze him!!! 
     He and my daughter-in-love gave me the biggest, best-est news this morning....another grand baby is on the way! (did you all hear me squealing all over the country Saturday morning?!) The due date is just three weeks after my daughter's due date! (Little cousins! Can you believe it?! This is all too wonderful!!!)
     Sometimes life is just so good. I am ashamed to admit that on more than one occasion in the past year and a half I had trouble remembering this.

*sigh* Thank you God, for reminding me. 

What's in a name?

Um....just everything.

    I've really thought this through, people. I mean, now that we've got a baby on the way, (People!!!! We've got a baby on the way!!!) I've been obsessed contemplating different names, and spellings. Oh, I know what you're thinking. It's not really for me to choose. Well, if we want it right, I think it is.
     A name kind of shapes a person's identity, wouldn't you agree?  You know, someone once said, "Your clothes speak before you do" and I believe it's true. After a first glance at someone's overall appearance, our name gives the first glimpse at who we are, really. Take the name...oh.. Poindexter. Let's take a moment and just ponder the visual that comes to mind, shall we?

     It conjures up a definite type of person, right? Alrighty then, so you see what I mean. We grow with our name, so to speak.
     Now, before you think I am referring to what they'll name the baby, I'm not. No, no, no. I implicitly trust the parents-to-be to make that decision. (although I've already let the mama-to-be know that Henry and Zoey are at my tip top of my boy/girl name list, and of course it goes with out saying that the names Robert and Roberta would be out for sure, since their last name is Roberts...you've just got to question the kind of parents that would do that to a child...)

Where was I?

Oh yes. I wasn't talking about the baby's name.

     What I was talking about was my name. Yes people, I'm talkin' 'bout what the precious lil' sweet smelling baby will call me.
      Do I look like a "Grandma?" Or am I more of a "Mimi?" (or is it "Meme"?) Maybe I'm a "Gramma"or  "Gram". Yes, maybe I am.
     I do know for sure I am not a "Nana",not because I don't like it, but because at my grown up girl job we always call each other "Nana" when one of us can't find their glasses, or complains about something like a work event lasting too late and it's only 6:27 in the evening. Then, there's Nonnie. And Nonna. Those are both respectable contenders in my book.
     I know I am not a "Grandmother" because it's so formal, and I am anything but. Oh, and I am absolutely not a Me-maw. Or a Maw-Maw. (Oh, lordy.For personal reasons, I hate that for myself, so let's not even go there.)
     Am I a "Grams"?  Or, how about a Grammie? (Grammy?!) Gosh, that sounds too much like an award. OK, that spelling is out.
     I know that I can't be Grand ma ma, because that is what my one son-in-law calls my Mom, and it sounds so charming and endearing when he calls her that. I do believe that is who she will be, unless she decides that she's "GiGi" for Great Grandma..?

OK, back to me people.

     Could I be a "Glam-Mom"? I heard that's what Goldie Hawn is called.(Yes, I do watch Inside Edition and the Insider on rare occasions) It's kind of cute, but it's also kind of hard to pronounce, with the two "m's" so close together.GlammmmMmmom. Hey, this might be something to consider.

...Or not. It's actually a little hard for me to pronounce smoothly, and I'm over half a century old.
     There's Marmee...too Little Women"-ish? Very possibly, ...moving right along...While I like it, I'm not sure about "Nanny" because it does kind of remind me of either a goat or a babysitter, although not necessarily in a bad way.   
     There are foreign language versions of Grandma, like Bubbie, Vovo,Oma and Yaya....Um,Ya, no.
     This is tricky stuff, people. I don't want to get it all wrong and be shackled with some weird nickname that sounds like a type of pasta the rest of my days. (I plan on having oodles and toodles of grandbabies you know...)
     I think it's safe to say that while I don't know exactly what I want to be called, I do know that I want to pick a name. Otherwise, the name will just somehow "evolve" and that can be..well...dicey at best. Do you know what I'm saying?
     I mean, c'mon now. We all know people who's grandbabies call them some strange name, that they say somehow just "happened". I'm just not sure I want one of those. The odds of the name being cute are just too iffy.
      Many of my friends have now taken to calling me "Gramma Cupcake" and actually, I kind of like it. It's cute. The mama-to-be is positive that it is too long of a name for the baby to ever get out legibly, and then, most certainly, some strange concoction of the name will evolve. After thinking about it, I realize she is absolutely right.

The last thing I want to end up being is Gramma-Ca-ca.

When is an early Mother's day gift the best Christmas present you'll ever get?

...Give up?

Well...before I tell you, let me begin at the beginning.(I actually was trying to wait to do this post until the day before Mother's day, but I just can't wait a single. minute. longer. I fear I will burst)

The newest newlywed is a planner by nature. Always has been. Born on her due date, not crazy about surprises, makes lists. Doesn't lose them.
      She thinks things completely through, every move is a purposeful decision, big or small. By her own definition, she's a "planner". Definitely not one to simply "wing it" or fly by the seat of her pants, like her older sister, and younger brother.
     Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying she isn't adventuresome; quite the contrary. She's my cutie patootie that's a world traveler, (even going to Morocco while living in Spain, shortly after 9/11 when I told her not to go) and the one who invited her baby brother to get tattooed together. (much to my horror) What I am saying is that those things were well thought out, and carefully planned, even if they were not Mom approved.
      She's the middle child, so she's used to sharing, and compromising, and not necessarily getting to be the center of attention all that often. Seldom does she get the opportunity to be the "first", and she's fine with that.
      I think that's what makes this all the more special. It's her time, their time, to bask in the thrill of being first, on both sides of the family, and share their joy and excitement with the entire family.

     So, I'll pose the question again.

"When is an early Mother's day gift the best Christmas present you'll ever get?"

That's easy. It's when they give you one of these.

After all the squealing and jumping and hugging I did in Chili's restaurant when they gave me this fabulous little present, I did some quick math. (With my birthday in December, and my son's birthday in December, it wasn't all that hard.)
    They laughingly admitted that with all of the planning, the due date was the one thing that they never even thought about. They just knew they wanted to start their family right away, so the planning began.

*Sigh* I can't think of a better Christmas present in the whole. wide. world.

A lil' treat in the mailbox...and great minds DO think alike!

    Look what I found in the mailbox.

Wait a minute, let me back up. First, my sweet lil' Georia friend sent me this calendar. (Oh! You know I loved it!) and then...then my daughter (the most-recent-maid-of-honor...) sent me the actual cookbook! And, not just the cookbook, but the cookbook crammed full of post it notes with comments for me to read...(and the cutest post-it's I'd ever seen!)
     So, there I sat, all cozy-ed up in my bed last night, reading recipes, and drooling on my duvet. A positively wonderful way to spend a Thursday night (with all new episodes of the Office playing on the TV while I read)

I think I'm going to try out the lavender and honey cupcakes to see if they might just be the perfect treat to serve at the upcoming Tumbleweed Cotillion's Vintage French Market at Lavender Ridge...now, doesn't that sound just perfect?

Back to the wedding....

 

      That's right. It ain't over till we design the Thank You cards, folks. (That's my prototype you see pictured above.)

      Remember that I told you that we had an old time photo booth at the reception? (to refresh your memory, we had the photo booth, which, in fact, did break down for a short while, and if you were there, I do hope you got time to take a picture for the guest book! The guests took pictures in the booth, then glue sticked them in the guest album and wrote a note to the bride and groom in the book by their photos...so much fun!)
   Well, it was a complete no-brainer that we'd use some of the shots that the newest newlyweds took in the booth on the Thank You cards.(especially with it being a black and white wedding!)
     It was a group effort. Yup, a family affair. The bride provided the photos, the MOB (me! The Mother of the Bride) designed them,then emailed the file to the maid of honor, who then printed them, along with stamps and envelopes, and got them all ready to be delivered back to the new Mr. and Mrs. to write out their thank you notes in a timely fashion.

*sigh* Oh, I so wish all of this could go on for just a bit longer.

Two hundred pound dog bed (I think this carries the term "puppy love" a bit too far, don't you?)

     Man, somebody is gonna have a crick in his neck tomorrow. (And before you ask, yes, I do have two doggy beds...)

*sigh* I love these  guys.

A few little wedding day details....

      Remember this? Wow. It's so nearly impossible to believe we went from an engagement announcement just last October to the wedding being over in March. I mean, we went from the "Save-the-date" cards to the  engagement party to the shower to the...wedding! Seriously, I blinked and they were cutting the cake.
     It's all kind of a happy blur, and I can't wait to see the photographer's photos, because I barely took any. So much to tell, and not many pictures (yet) to show!...
The church wedding was lovely. We all had our little flags discretely hidden in the pews, and when they new Mr. and Mrs. were announced we all waved them wildly and cheered. It looked spectacular, I thought. (I hope the photographer caught it on film!)
We welcomed the newlyweds into the reception by waving our flags once again (as you saw in yesterday's post with the groom's Dad)
     The tables looked just like the bride wanted, with black and white photos of Hollywood movie romance couples (pictures from the great Gatsby, Pretty Woman, Titanic, Gone with the wind,  When Harry met Sally...) and lots of votive candles everywhere, all on scrunched brocade style fabric runners that the Sewing Queen of northern Nevada had surged for this very special day.
     There was the candy buffet, with all the black, white and silver candies, and an old time photo booth, where we took pictures and put them in an album, then wrote well wishes as a guest book...so fun!
(I promise to share pictures as soon as I have some that show the details.)

Box lunches, cupcakes and a little bit of pampering for our tootsies

     I thought I'd share a lil' bit more from the day before the big day. After "Breakfast at Tracey's" all of the girls in the bridal party and the mother of the groom and I headed up to the lake for pedicures before the wedding rehearsal and dinner. (As I am writing this I am discovering that it seemed to be all about eating)
We decided it would be easiest to take along shoe box lunches for the girls, instead of squeezing in a trip to a restaurant.
     Friday morning before the breakfast, we packed the lunches- croissant sandwiches, fruit, and some fabulous cupcakes.(See the cute napkins the bride ordered?) I found the perfect white boxes at Michaels and added the darling polka dot ribbon and the tags.The bride found the adorable paper napkins with the fabulous chandelier logo online.

     Even the gals working at the salon loved the presentation and added mimosas all the way around for us, as we took turns getting our tootsies done up for the big day.

*sigh* This was all just too much fun to plan.

Happily, happily ever after

    I love this picture. It's the groom's dad, right as the newlywed couple entered the reception.

     I can't really believe it's already over. The entire weekend flew by. Lots of deliriously happy tears and so very many happy memories.
     They're off on their honeymoon now, all the  friends and family have headed home, and I am looking at pictures and taking in all of the wonderful memories we made this past weekend.
The groom's family is enormous, filled with fun loving, wonderful folks that all came to share in the happy event. Our side of the family, on the other hand, is quite tiny, (our entire family all fit on one pew to give you a reference point) and this felt strangely magnified to me this weekend, as everyone seemed to be in happy couples with cousins, uncles, aunties and grandparents hugging, chatting and celebrating all throughout the party.
  I must admit that I am feeling a little melancholy and lost today, and I am relieved that I took today off as a vacation day to collect my thoughts and regroup.
     The very last of my three babes has officially begun her very own new family. It's one of those strange moments in time, that has a beginning and an ending at the very same moment.  Feeling so happy for her, and him, as they begin their own journey down this road, with so much of life ahead to look forward to and plan, and, at the very same time, feeling more than a bit lost and unsure of my latest role in life now. I'm not anywhere near the spot I thought I would be standing at this moment in time,and I never dreamed I'd be in this place alone, but I know I am where God wants me.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Welcome to Breakfast at Tracey's

*sigh* It was the icing on the cake. (You remember the theme for my little breakfast party for the bridal party and the grooms parents, don't you?)
This darling cardboard poster was given to me last week, (can you even believe it?!) by a friend that had received it as a birthday gift and had no idea where exactly to put it. It rode around in the back of her car for a while, and then she ran into me at the store one day and I told her about my party plans. Then,a week ago last Friday, the poster arrived in my office. (her Dad works with me) Well, I was so excited I almost cried. (the folks at my grown up job must surely think I am a total nutbag)
Anyway.
I knew where I would put it, right away. A little customizing and foofifying, it it was all set to go on the old dresser on the porch, welcoming one and all to the party. (OK, in the end, the silly wind blew it off of the old dresser and it was propped on the porch near the door, but it worked none the less)

Oh yes, this poster of Holly Golightly was the perfect way to set the mood for the party.

Here's a peek at the buffet set up....

And let me tell you, the food was good, and the company was even better...

Oh! The creme brulee French toast was pure heaven, and we made plenty of extra muffins so we'd have them on hand for the next morning in our rooms....the coffee set up...and the champagne...

  .....but the real highlight came when the groom's Mom shared a DVD she had compiled and edited herself, ( She's a real pro at this; she's even taken classes on using a special editing program) showing both the bride and the groom, from birth until the wedding and it was so beautifully and professionally done!
     It was set to music and it. was. perfect.
I think we all fought back tears as we watched our babes grow up before our eyes. So touching and so special. These two little babies, then toddlers,then school kids and teen agers... growing up, to find each other. I'm tearing up just remembering the pictures set to music now.
     After the breakfast, she gave me my own copy to keep and then the DVD was played all throughout the reception on a large screen TV.

*sigh* Spending time like this with the people you love most...it just doesn't get any better than this.

Here comes the bride....

   
     It's here! The b-i-g day. The last one. The third wedding in 12 months and 1 week and 1 day, to be exact. I thought I'd share some wedding love and some cupcake love, just to tide you over till I have time to post about the big day.
    Here's another lil' idea I saw a while back on some flicker picture, and I simply had to try it out.(Sorry, can't remember who's flicker picture it was)....how do you like my little bride and groom cuppy-cakes?

They were rubber stamp impressions. I scanned them and made them large enough to work as cupcake toppers, then I cut them out, foofied them all up with some pearly glitter, and attached them to toothpicks.
      I could go on creating stuff like this all. day. long. Seriously, I could...

*sigh* Doesn't somebody want to pay me to do that for a living?

100 hours (give or take) to the B-I-G day

    I have the rest of the week off to prep for the last B-I-G day, (Thank God) and I am running around like a complete spaz this moring, but I wanted to give a quick post to share my excitement. (If you have emailed me or placed an order for a kit in the past few days, it may take me a while to respond....)
     Oh. My. Gosh. No matter how organized a person thinks they are, there are always those last minute things popping up here and there.
     I'm doing mock table set ups for the reception location to use as guides for setting up the guest tables, cake table etc.
     Have I told you we're having a candy buffet? It's all black, white and silver candies. These will be the guests favors, complete with monogrammed little boxes for each guest to put their selections in....
*Sigh* it is going to be oh, so elegant, and so, so fun at the same time.

And later (much later)that same evening....pew decorations

 
   I know. Two posts in one morning, and it's still not dawn yet! (What can I say? I'm on wedding-bliss-overload and I want to share the love)
     This third and final wedding will be held in a lovely church, and there are wooden pew boxes that we will be tying these bows onto, as well as having candles in.(We're doing the bows for every other row of pews down the center aisle) I think it's going to be beautiful.

    We're sticking with the classic monogram theme.(Hard to tell in the photo, but the "R" is a nice matte silver) The letters are made from chipboard, and cost just 99 cents at Ben Franklin's...yippee! Pretty and cheap. How do you like them?

A sea of placecards....

All done. All 115 of them.

*sigh* It's amazing what a difference pinking sheers can make.

Still busy, getting ready for the B-I-G day...

      Ms. Crafty was over yesterday, helping me create the last of the 120 flags. Toooooo cute. ( Shhhhh! Remember, it's a little surprise for the groom!)

Little office corner with big style

     The current Maid-of-Honor's cottage is a very cozy size. This past weekend we added a little bit of personality to a corner of the living room, to warm up the space.(sorry, I meant to take a "Before" picture, but I forgot.)
Anyway.
They found a charming vintage desk on good ol' Craigslist a while back. (did you know that next to San Francisco, Portland Oregon has the most popular Craigslist? Yup, it's true.) You can't really see the desk in my picture, but,take my word for it, it's fabulous.
     The desk sits in the living room behind the sofa (because the desk is so deep it couldn't move through a bedroom door to become an office!)and it worked out for the best, really. It adds a nice, sophisticated touch to the room.      
     Until this past weekend, there was nothing on the wall behind the desk, and not much of interest on the desk. Well, we changed that. We had the fabulous son-in-law hang the brackets that my daughter has had for about five years. They were sage green and we quickly spray painted them black to better coordinate with the room. The board we had was a bit narrow, so they're replacing it with a wider board this week, and staining it to match the desk...it'll look like a million bucks!
     A few accent pieces from around the house, and a giant clock from Freddie Meyers filled in the spaces. We then topped it off with a perfect wedding photo in black and white and we were standing back admiring our handiwork in no. time. at. all. Too wonderful for words!

*sigh* There's just never enough time to do all the projects we want to do on these short little jaunts to PTown.

Cupcake weekend

    

     As you most likely could tell from Saturday's post, I was up in Portland this past weekend. Wedding stuff. Decorating stuff. Birthday celebration with pedicures and cupcakes stuff.
    Way too short of a trip. I hate the trip home, leaving my girls.
     The weather on Saturday was fabulous. Sunday, it got cold and a little nasty outside. As I shared on Saturday's post, we went to the famous Saint Cupcake. Wow. A line all the way out the door. (They have their story painted on a wall so you have something to read while you are waiting in line)

OK, really, they're pretty ordinary cupcakes. Good. Not the prettiest I've ever seen, but tasty. We each got 2 "dots" which are the tiny cupcakes that, when I bake them, I call "babycakes".
     You people were crackin' me up with all the comments on Saturday's post about who, you wondered, ate a cupcake before I took the picture. No one! I only photographed the 4 because we had 6, but 2 kinds were duplicates (the chocolate fudge and the coconut)
      I was so amazed at the never ending line at this place that I had to photograph it. I mean, wow. What a market.
The atmosphere was...well, it kind of reminded me of an old Winchell's Donut place, except with pink hula skirt umbrella's for the outside tables. Do you remember Winchell's Donuts? Just go in, pick your donuts, sit at a table, or take 'em to go.

     Ya, that's how this was. Not sure what I was expecting. They do have a very cute website.
Anyway.
     I guess I'm sharing all of this because I share everything pretty much with you, and going here made me see that there's room for even more cupcake places everywhere, 'coz they're all gonna have different personalities and different qualities and different kinds of cupcakes. With that being said, I now feel even more passionate about following my dream about opening a Cupcakery.
     *sigh* we'll just have to wait and see what the big guy has planned for me.

Breakfast at Tracey's

    That's the theme I'm going with. Pure romance and the whole black and white thing too. You see, the day before the wedding, when everyone is all here in town (even the bride and groom live out of town, you know!) I'm hosting a little breakfast soire' for the bridal party and the groom's parents.(You know that this wedding is now officially less than 4 weeks away!!!What am I going to do after that?!)

Anyway.

Where was I? Oh yes, the breakfast at Tracey's breakfast party.

Twelve of us in all... then, a bit later, we ladies will all go for pedicures (complete with shoe box lunches and champagne! I'll be sure to share pictures!) while the guys head on up to the lake for some quality time with the groom.
The bride-to-be loved the old time black and white movie couples in frames so much at her shower that we have decided to incorporate them into the tablescapes as center pieces at the reception. That made me think I should use the same theme at my little breakfast... (hence, the Breakfast at Tiffany's Tracey's theme!!) Here's a movie shot to give you the idea...

I even ordered some of these to add to that "Tiffany's" part of my breakfast party (Ya, I know. They're cute!)..not sure if we'll use them as napkin rings, or if I'll use them as part of the decorations by the photos, and maybe tie a couple of them on to the bride and grooms champagne glasses...
I made the invites yesterday (I had an extra day off from the grown up girl job 'coz of the holiday!) After I took this picture, I added some pearlecent glitter stick glue on the chandeliers in the photo to add some bling. Inside the cards is all the pertinent information. (Click on the top photo if you can't read the great quotaion well enough ad it will enlarge) They will go out in the mail today.
     I'm doing a buffet style set up. This way we can all mingle and move around, and we're gonna watch a  photo video the groom's Mom created for the reception! I am so looking forward to extending the fun throughout the entire long weekend we all have together.

Here is my tentative breakfast buffet menu: (I am actually trying to keep it kind of light since we have the lunch thing only 2 hours later!)
Creme' Brulee French toast (cut in cubesand kept hot in a chafing dish, with the creme brulee syrup in the fondue pot)
fruit yogurt, fresh fruit and granola (...served in martini glasses! So chic looking!)
scones and Devonshire cream
link sausage
Champagne bar (Peach Bellini's or mimosas or just plain champagne)
Orange Juice
Coffee, hot chocolate and tea

Anything I missed? Too much?

A place (card) for everything...

    Working on the Table and Place cards now....this wedding is going to be much more formal than the last. All in black and white...her dress is more ivory really (gorgeous...simply gorgeous!) and candle light everywhere.
     I was going to have to order the black and white brocade like fabric online, but yesterday when I was in the $2 Fabric store with a friend I found the exact fabric...not even inventoried off the delivery truck! Score!  
    The sewing queen of northern Nevada is going to begin making table scarves and toppers from it today for the reception... I love the look of it all together. (I found the fabulous candelabra at...TJ Maxx, of course!)

    I really got my money's worth out of this one fabulous little rubber stamp.You might remember that I used it on the shower invitations. *Sigh* So foofy-la-rue. I scanned it and edited in half in my photo editor (why stamp 150 or more cards when I can make them all perfect in a jiff on the computer?)
How do you like them? (Click on the pictures to  see the chandelier detailing...they area a bit blurry, so I will try and replace them later today with more clear shots.)

*sigh* I cannot put into words just how much fun this is, to create things out of simple black and white paper, and have it come out so dressy looking. It's all too much fun, that's what.

Wanna see something adorable?

I was back in wedding planning overdrive last night and I want to share our latest adorable project.
     Churches (and any other wedding venues for that matter) don't let you throw rice or birdseed anymore. Nope. Well, we have little plan to still do something special for the new Mr. and Mrs. as they head out of the church....I found the idea on someone's wedding blog (Sorry!Can't find it now to link to it!)
    See? It's little flags. To wave and cheer in wild celebration for the happy newlyweds. Adorable, huh? These are just my prototypes. The Bride-to-be will see them on here today and give me a call and we'll discuss any changes or improvements or whatever. Then, we'll get them all made up and ready to go.
    Oh! One of the younger cousins is going to be in charge of handing these out at the church, and I'm thinking we'll put them in a vintage silver champagne bucket. Then the guests can simply pull them out of as they enter the church.
*sigh* Sweet, and elegant, no?
     I was going to use those little wooden skewers from the grocery store, but they just seemed to flimsy when I tried it out. Then, I lucked out! I found the perfect sized little dowels at Michaels, (they're made by Wilton for chandy making) spray painted them white and printed the flags on the computer...added some ribbon on each flag top... Voila'!

     We didn't let the groom in on this part of the decorations...it's gonna be our little surprise. Can you picture 120 little flags waving joyfully in the church when they turn to exit down the aisle? (Didn't I say they were adorable?) Just adorable.
*sigh* This wedding planning stuff is just too fun. (What am I gonna do when this is over?!)

a cozy corner

Here is a peek into the little area off of the kitchen in my newlywed daughter's cottage. A perfect spot for reading, or sunning, or sitting with a cup of chai tea, reflecting on the day.

     We had every intention of finishing up the area with new shabby drapes like one of these this past weekend, but time got away from us.
     Um ya, I think that means I need to hurry back up there, don't you?

An early Easter bunny sighting...

   Psych!
OK, so it's not the "real" Easter bunny, it's Mona Fleasa in her Easter bunny suit. All three and a half pounds of her. (I found it at TJ Maxx, and was so surprised to find a suit small enough that I had to buy it)
     I think she looks a little "wall-eyed" as we call it, in these photos, and I'm not quite sure why, 'coz she doesn't seem to look that way to me in person....but she's a cutie patootie anyhow.

I am thinking this can be her Halloween costume as well, huh?

Happy days

     The shower was fabulous. The bride-to-be was completely surprised, and everyone had such a good time!The color theme was hot pink, black and white.We even jazzed up a make shift veil for the bride-to-be to wear through out the party. Tooo cute!

     The sewing queen made monogrammed napkins and the most adorable apron anyone's ever seen, which the bride-to-be promptly modeled for the huge crowd at the shower.

     All the details were perfect. After the shower, we girls met up with the guys and had a pizza party at the bride-to-be's home.
*sigh* It's so much fun, being in Portland with family. Gosh, I love these kids, and this town.

Shower invitations!

The third wedding is fast approaching. The bride-to-be and her fabulous fiance' left last night. They have flown back to the northwest after a quick visit here in town, where they were buttoning up some wedding details. I hate it when they leave, any of them. We had the local newlyweds over for dinner and I hated it when they left too. Somebody tell me it gets easier....anybody?
    Anyway.
    To keep my mind busy and focus on all the upcoming happiness, I thought I'd share the latest wedding doodads. Uh huh, it's the shower invites!
I know, the text is all blurry, but you can still get the idea I hope. Don'tcha just love that brocade looking chandelier stamp? I love it. I love it so much, it occurred to me that it might be a neat thing to use on the table and place cards at the wedding. Hmmm, ya, maybe. I'll try out a couple of ideas tonight after work and run them by the bride-to-be...
*sigh* I just get so excited thinking about all these little details and projects that I probably won't be able to fall asleep tonight.

It's all about the monogram...

     Look at what arrived by post today! Mmm hmm...it's the invitation for the upcoming wedding! This wedding is the third in exactly twelve months, and by far the largest and most formal of the three.
      We looked at oodles and toodles of cards online and at the bridal show (Such fun!!) Then, I made several different design mock ups and the bride-to-be selected the one she thought was perfect for her big day.
     There was a lot of printing, and cutting and cropping and stacking and sorting and counting going on last week in my living room while I watched the food network, followed by packaging them up and mailing them off to the bride-to-be. She then spent the remaining weeknights tying knots of ribbon and filling the envelopes.
     Whew!It was quite an undertaking, but, let me tell you....in the end they came out looking just like she wanted. Formal and classically elegant. (and for mere pennies on the dollar compared to what the professional printers wanted!)

*sigh* Worth every minute.

Dog days of Christmas...

    I know you're probably bored half to tears with all of these dog pictures I've shown this month. Really, my Blog isn't an animal planet theme, but it just seems like I've ended up with a lot of cute shots of the many pups in my life....these are from Christmas in Portland, and I decided to share 'em today, since...well, if you must know, I am in the middle of a giant home redecorating project this weekend- I'm painting and re-doing my workroom/home office, and it is gonna. be. fabulous. (Hopefully, I'll be sharing the results Monday!) 
    It's 4:30 in the morning, and I am already up-and-at-'em, getting ready to dive into my next home project....and...I only had a few minutes to do this post, so...I'm sharing the puppy pics. (I know I never get tired of looking at them...)
Uh...Anyway.
That's Vinnie (Vincent Van Gough...)up in the top photo, listening to a Christmas story...OK, not really, he was just begging for someone to hold him. Oh, and he does have ears, it just kinda was folded back in the picture.... and here's Miss Ruby Tuesday, waiting for Santa, oh, so patiently.(not!)

Here's Miss Ruby, once again...I think she was in "time out"..

Here is a posed (?) shot of Ruby and Hoffa (the poor girl was named this when my daughter and son-in-law rescued her from the pound, and she wouldn't respond to a new name...but she's such a lover dog)

Lastly, here is the little diva herself, Miss Mona Fleasa, all tuckered out from too much Holly Jolly-ing on Christmas eve.

...now, back to my workroom renovation project!

Christmas eve breakfast tablescape...charming and cheap.

Wow. Two posts in one day. What can I say? I'm still high on life from my fabulous Christmas.
    I have a few shots from our Christmas table in P-Town that I wanted to share. *sigh* Such fun being up there, even if time was too short. (It always is)
To start off the holiday, we all gathered for a fabulous Christmas eve breakfast. We did the table up with hints of blue and mocha to coordinate with the dishes.(followed later that day by an amazing dinner, with white dishes and all silver and glittered accents!)at the current maid-of-honor and her sweet hubby's cottage.

    For the base of our center piece, we used a very old, chipped mirror from a thrifted sideboard. It works perfectly as a shabby backdrop for anything glitzy and is a nice long rectangle. (Think about using a mirror on your table next time you're stumped for a tablescape)

    I took my "Wish" tickets along with me...my gosh, have I gotten my money's worth out of those little gems, or what?!

    Their place is cozy, with only room for a darling vintage drop leaf table and 2 chairs in the area between the kitchen and living room, so we took an old wooden closet door (it was actually 4 feet by 8 feet in size) and placed it right on top of the table. We then covered the board with a beautiful white cutwork table cloth (TJ Maxx...on sale right before Christmas for only $8.99!) and set the table. Voila'! We took a caned back settee (yard sale find!) and covered the cushion with fabric that matched with the table (actually an old vintage damask drape purchased at the Willows Nest event last summer!) The caned settee coordinated perfectly with my daughter's chairs around the table. It looked amazing. Truly.

  Oh! Another idea you'll want to remember. Hit those after Christmas sales! The items on this tray at the bride-to-be's home are all simply Christmas ornaments and a long plastic silver beaded garland. Toss it all on a silver tray (or an old mirror, or whatever suits your fancy) with some candles, and you've got instant (and so affordable!) glam.
     I'm sharing this because I want you to know that no one cares how big your home is, or how fancy, or how many your table usually seats. It's about people, not things. It's about thinking outside of that box.
     Look around your home next time it looks like you may have a space limitation, not a large enough centerpiece, or not enough tables. Use what you've got. Ornaments, thrifted finds, old books, a piece of heavy plywood (or a free closet door left from your remodel!) and make. it. happen. Make it special. Show you care.

That's what it's all about.

Yes Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus...

...Oh, ya. It is what you think it is.
Santa My girls and their guys surprised me completely with a Nano. The maid of honor said she didn't think the tiffany blue was quite as cool in person, so they chose the silver. It's all good. I am beyond thrilled, and feeling like I've finally arrived at the 21st century.
Somebody better tell my friends at my grown up girl job to watch out. There's a new ipod chick comin' down the hall... and she's got a big, fat grin on her face.