The Chipper Chicken

COME ON OVER!!!

2010-08-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

Are you dying to know what we've been up to since the wedding? I know you are...

Come on over to the new crib and read all the juicy details here!

A Little Bit of This and a Whole Lot of That

2010-07-27T14:02:00.000-05:00

Well I managed to do what I vowed I would never do...Be a blog abandon-er. I apologize. So many girls blog, blog, blog, blog, blog, get married and then they are never heard from again. I desperately tried not to be one, but I have come to realize it is a lot easier said then done. It's not that I don't love sharing what's going on with you lovely readers, it's simply there is so much going, I don't have time to share. To get us caught up to present time, let me feel you in on what's been going on and what's to come...

Hanging up wedding Polaroids. I love looking at them daily!

Hosting our first (surprise) party at our house, talk about fun!!!!

Playing dress up for...

A night of rowdy bachelorette festivities!

Decorating our walls with cute prints for Old Tom Foolery.

Celebrating 27 years of life with a surprise dinner equipped with friends and family.

Watching friends take the plunge in big stadiums!

And doing a little DIY home renovations. (More to come soon via here.)

In other BIG news, I am announcing the close of The Chipper Chicken. I'm sure this will make all the 5 O'clock news! It has been a blast sharing our wedding adventure with you readers. Along the way, I also rediscovered my passion for writing! Thank you for all the advice and suggestions and I hope you will continue to follow me at Hello Husband. Make sure to add my new blog to your google reader subscriptions and telly our friends!!!!

Thanks, Steph!

The It List

2010-07-01T14:39:00.001-05:00

I feel like I've shared our entire album with you guys. But there were so many shots I wanted to share. I've decided to end the wedding recap with my favorite picks!

My Mom pinning on my Grandmother's pin.

The most adorable candid kid picture ever!

Warning, yummy flowers may cause droolage.

It's not that their oogling over the Bride, it's HOW their oogling over the Bride.

This might be my favorite of Vance and I. I even made it into our "Thank You" postcard.

Rocking chairs, green flats and cowboy boots...swoon!

I loved this window shot of me dancing with one of my oldest and sweetest friends.

Under my Umbrella...

Here's to Mr. Thumbs Up Dude...

This brought back childhood memories like whoa.

Sappy Jessie Jo, always a blubbering mess! =)

Our Introduction

A little help from the ladies...

Michael and Big Daddy and their handsome escort, Jeremy.

Down the aisle...

Mom, Aunts and Sisters

Tearjerker moment...

Tearjerker moment No. 2

The Great Escape

Now I would like to direct your attention to the dance floor. Because that is where we spent most of the night. Here are the highlights...

My Mother is currently in a walking boot. I think this little diddy was the culprit.

Our wedding was everything we hoped it would be and more. I think I've said that twice now. It is a little bittersweet to wrap up the wedding discussion, but life has definitely slowed down since everything has been said and done. We are truly grateful for all of our families love and support, and most importantly their help in throwing such an amazing party!

We are so excited to start the next chapter of our lives! Thanks for listening as I shared my experiences and ideas. This blog has been such a fun journey!

* Oh and remember to answer my poll from yesterday!!!!

Do Tell...

2010-06-30T09:02:00.000-05:00

Me about your venue...

What did you like about it?

What did you hate about it?

How involved did you want them to be?

What services did they offer? What services would you have liked them to offer?

What sold you on choosing that specific venue?

Any other extra infor you'd like to add when it came to picking your perfect venue???

Please share all the juicy details!!!! :) And tell a friend I'm taking a poll! I'd like to get as much feedback as possible! Thanks readers. =)

Hello Handsome

2010-06-28T21:33:00.000-05:00

I don't have too much info on how the day went for the guys, seeing where as I wasn't with them all day. But them seemed to have a pretty good time and they did so looking oh so handsome. :)

Brothers don't shake hands, brothers gotta hug!

Girls, GIrls, Girls

2010-06-26T10:10:00.000-05:00

One of the things I was looking forward to the most, was hanging out with my girls all day before the wedding. Getting our hair and make-up done and playing dress up! We started hair and make-up at 9:00am and eventually left for the venue around 3:00pm. Those 6 hours I spent with my Mom, Sister, Becky, Jess, Freida and Adrienne were priceless. I've been blessed to have Beck, Jess and San in my life for as long as I have...

It's All In The Details

2010-06-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

Details, details, details. My Dad, Vance and about anyone else who has never been introduced to the blogging wedding world did NOT understand my obsession with details. But all the little touches made the day! And funny enough, everyone noticed. It felt good to know all the hard work paid off.

The Cakes

The cakes went through several different versions. BIG SHOCKER THERE. And the wedding cake even has a last minute costume change. A week before the wedding, I was at my parents house finishing craft project number 872 and my Mom whipped out her wedding album to show San. I flipped to a picture of their wedding cake and said, "I wish you still had your cake topper!" Once quick visit to the garage and we had cake topper. I had no choice, I had to use it!!!!!!! Mom also pulled out the champagne glasses her and Dad used for toasting. We were stoked. The cakes were beautiful, but sadly we did not get to really eat any, other the small piece we fed each other. I was pretty disappointed when I realized that fact later...

The Poms

Just because they took FOREVER to make!

The Polaroid Table

This was mine and everyone else's favorite! The pricey film was TOTALLY worth it...

Other Bits

Made with love by The Coffee Girl!

The Favors

Something borrowed, something blue

Bangin' Blooms

2010-06-22T15:03:00.000-05:00

The wait is over! We've got pictures and I can't wait to share with you! I want to share with you one of my favorite parts of our day, the flowers. Oh, the flowers!! David Kurio can not be described with words. There is no way. The only way for you to understand his true geniousness is to see it with your own two eyes. Like most of my visits with my vendors, I appeared in David's office with a folder in hand, full of pictures and ideas of what I wanted our flowers to look like. Well he exceeded by hopes and dreams by a million. David and his crew work miracles...

The Bouquets

The Boutonnieres

The Centerpieces

The Extras

And last, but not least, the alter pieces. I told David I wanted them big. Most of the flowers I got to see prior to the wedding. But once the guys arrived, we girls were locked away in our suite. Needless to say, the shock on my face wasn't due to seeing Vance waiting for me down the aisle, but due to the ENORMOUS arrangement which towered over our heads!!! They were gorgeous and breath-taking and I loved them. I wish I could have taken them home, but sadly they were just too big. My God Mother did make the trip back the next morning to take as many clippings as she could back home with her!

Thank you David for capturing our vision so effortlessly. You and your crew are amazing!

All images via Nessa K Photography.

Have You Heard About Betty?

2010-06-17T08:51:00.001-05:00

When we mad our move to the new pad, we did some cleaning out. And not just small petty stuff, like we left our bedroom furniture behind! (Minus the bed) My heart has been fluttering over a bedroom set at IKEA for some time now and I thought if we got rid of what we had, that would make work that much harder at getting what I wanted. Thus developed the IKEA FUND CAN. Well, yesterday I was Craigslist stalking and came across the dresser we've (I've) had our (my) eyes on. As a side note, Vance could live quite happily out of a cardboard box. Me, not so much! The dresser was going for $80.00 cheaper than the IKEA price and BONUS, it was already put together. I tried a little haggling, but someone had already beat me to the punch. I quickly offered $10.00 more than my competition and guaranteed a same day pick-up. Determination people! So, today, I introduce you to the newest member of our family...Betty. Isn't she pretty and at a whopping $100.00 cheaper than the store price, I couldn't be happier. :)

And here is Betty doing her thing...

She fits right in, rabbit ears and all! Now to seek out her little siblings...the nightstands. Slowly, but surely my Master Bedroom Dream is coming along.

Bubbly...

2010-06-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

Vance thinks I'm a spolied brat. And at times, I couldn't agree more. Lately he finds himself disgusted with my spoiled brat taste in beverage, sparkling water. And not just any sparkling water, but Perrier! I mostly just enjoy the pretty bottle. But what could make an icy cold, bubbly glass of Perrier on a hott summer day any better...

Well that would be an icy cold, bubbly glass of Perrier in my adorable Cherry Juice glass from Crate and Barrel. One of my Top 5 Favorites from our registry list! So stick that in your bubbly water pipe and smoke it, Vance. :)

Never Have I Ever

2010-06-10T16:55:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wanted to live somewhere else? I secretly dream of living in a real life Stars Hollow. I wouldn't even need the Gilmore Girls present, although if they were, I'm pretty sure Lorelai and I would be BFF. Well, BFF after Rory I guess. Anyway, I love the idea of a small town, a general store, a town hall and a place where everybody really does know your name and your business...

So if you could, where would you live?

If At First You Don't Succeed...

2010-06-09T09:56:00.000-05:00

It's a scary thing when I decided to tackle a new recipe. First thing I do is pull Vance into the kitchen with me for a little comic relief as well as moral support. Vance's Mom gave me a cookbook for Christmas that I finally got around to thumbing through. First up on the cutters block... Chicken Alfredo.

I whipped out my handy dandy cookbook and pulled out all ingredients needed from our still not organized pantry.

Things quickly got rolling as I had my assembly line of bowls and ingredients ready to go. Flour...check, egg wash...check and bread crumbs...check.

The first chicken breast went into the hot skillet simmering with butter and oil. How could things possibly go wrong from here...

To answer my own question, they can go very, very wrong. This is where Vance's moral support factor comes in to major play. The Hubs was optimistic that we could turn this undercooked, charred piece of chicken into something he could manage to shove down his throat. I set my disappointment and burnt bird aside, gave the not so simmering skillet a rinse and gave it another go.

The moral of this story, if at first you don't succeed... Cry, Scream, Curse, Hug Your Husband and Try Again! Minus the complete disregard for portion control, the Chicken Alfredo came out rockin'! And the made from scratch cheese sauce, super awesome. And for those of you wondering about my charred chicken...

Vance scrapped off the crispiness, cut into chunks and I re-floured, washed and crumbed the suckers. I threw them back into the skillet and tousled them around for a while on a much lower temperature and whaalaa...homemade chicken nuggets! They were actually pretty tasty.

How did you r dinner go last night?

Beachside

2010-06-07T16:16:00.001-05:00

The wedding this weekend was so much fun. Jaimie and Dusty remind me a lot of me and Vance. So it was fun to watch them go through what we just went through, and knowing how much it meant to them. Did that sentence make any sense at all? Well, it did in my head. Jaimie put a lot of love and work into their wedding and it was great to be a part of it...

The Bride and her Dad. She made shirts for her entire wedding party!

The Dress

Hair and makeup by yours truly. She was VERY brave.

Beach front ceremony.

Program fans, which had mini pencils attached for the seek and find on the back!

Preacher man, Groom and his posse.

Here comes the Bride

Best part of a wedding!

Mr. and Mrs.

First dance

Cake Table

Little groomsmen toast

Oh yes, there was karaoke. More like a midnight delight! :)

Even the Groom sang us a diddy.

Kellie (Sister) and the Newlyweds

The Exit

The getaway car

The Groom's brother, holding back tears! :)

I am so happy for you both Jaimie and Dusty! We enjoyed every minute of it and hope you did too! Here's to no more wedding planning and a lifetime of inside jokes and snuggle time! :)

Beach Bound

2010-06-04T08:59:00.000-05:00

When it rains, it pours. This year we will attend, including our own, at least 7 weddings. Love must be in the air. Today I am leaving for South Padre for a family friends wedding. I be super excited.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Happy Friday Everybody!

If The Suspense Is Killing You...

2010-06-03T14:59:00.000-05:00

And you are just as impatient as I am waiting to see our wedding photos... Hop on over to The Coffee Girl's blog. She posted a little diddy about our day. Kristy, I am cyber-hugging you right now...can you feel it?

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

2010-06-03T08:44:00.001-05:00

Lately, all my little DIY projects have been focused on our bedroom. The lamps, the mirrors (I'm about to reveal, hold your britches!) and this morning I've added a new project, shelves. Slowly but surely we are building the blocks for a complete and happy bedroom! Well, for me at least. :)

I got these mirrors from my Mamaw (Grandma) when she passed away. I love having things around our house that remind me of her. They were a little dusty and a little chipped, so I decided to give them a fresh coat of paint, along with a new home in our bedroom.

Please excuse the dirty mirror, I haven't seen given them a scrub down after the painters tape was removed. Hopefully they enjoy their new skin and will enjoy their new home.

What Day Is Today?

2010-06-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

Lately I've become obsessed with calendars. I keep one at home, two at work and one in my purse. Not to mention the ones on my two phones. Needless to say if I ever forget an important date, it will not be from lack of trying. So, this morning I was super pumped to read Heather post on her new June 2010 desktop calendar.

She got hers...

I got mine...

Got get yours...here.

Recipe For A Good, Long Weekend

2010-06-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

Boss man letting you go home early to start the long weekend on Friday.
Back to back family birthday parties on Saturday. Ice cold beer, double the birthday cake, water balloons and water slides.
Window shopping on Sunday with the Hubs with an unexpected ice cream stop.
Thanking my favorite soldiers for serving our country.
Soaking up the rays, with UV protection of course, on Monday on Lake Austin. Boat and burgers a plus.
And finally going to bed at 9:00PM after ordering pizza and watching an entire season of King of the Hill, while cuddling with puppies.

Kill me now, 'cause I don't see life getting much sweeter than this...

How did you spend your Memorial Day weekend?

Nice Shades

2010-05-28T11:26:00.001-05:00

Everybody loves a good before and after, right? Well I've got just the one for this lovely start to a 3 day Memorial Weekend...

Not too shabby! Vance even was quite surprised with the finished product. He has very little faith in my bedroom vision. But he'll see! Here are the girls together...

I will have plenty more DIY projects to post next week, including the Mamaw mirrors I've been working on! Until then please enjoy the looooong and much needed weekend. And remember to hug a soldier! To my 3 favorite soldiers, I am so grateful for what you did and even more grateful that you are all home safely and back in TEXAS where you belong! :)

Happy Friday Everybody!

Must Be Nice

2010-05-27T14:16:00.001-05:00

It must be nice to wake up around 6:00am on a Thursday morning and think to yourself, "Man, today is a great day to go up in an air balloon." I on the other hand, woke up on Thursday morning and thought to myself, "Man, I need to let the dogs, crawl back into bed, snooze for 30 more minutes and eventually gather myself together for another 8 hour day stretch."

Who are these people floating in giant air filled balloons in my backyard? And more importantly, how can I get where they are, besides working for more than 75% of my life? Granted I probably wouldn't opt to be that high off the ground, but I would still love the option!

I've Been Blogged

2010-05-27T13:15:00.000-05:00

I know I already shared my Bridal session with you guys. But Nessa (our photographer) blogged my session last night! I sort of feel famous. :) Click here to check it out!

Back To The Basics

2010-05-26T13:03:00.000-05:00

What have I been up to since the Big Day? Moving, rearranging and just trying to get everyday life back to normal. My new Mother in Law :) was gracious enough to give us a couple of lamps she was no longer using. I quickly headed to Lowes and have started the make over process. I am also re-doing a set of vintage mirrors I inherited from my Mamaw. Here are a couple of before shots...

With all the makeovers going on, I of course have a craving some new furniture, particularly for our bedroom. I have this White, Mint and Grey vision dancing around in my head. Instead of blowing our wad, as I typically would have done in the past, we're going back to the basics. I scooped up an empty coffee can and some letters I had laying around a craft box and made a little "IKEA FUND" can. Every cent counts. Plus I think it's time we start learning how to save all over again. I started thinking about all the different things we want to save for. Needless to say, we would have quite the collection of cans. Might not be such a bad idea. It would at least keep the goals in sight!

Peek A Boo

2010-05-24T15:05:00.000-05:00

I know I started the re-cap and then just left you high and dry. But it's pretty hard to re-cap without pictures! I just got real excited. Still no pictures to share quite yet, but I did want to share a pic of our polaroids. The board was a HUGE hit. And we got some GREAT shots of friends and family! I've been playing around with how to display in our house.

In other news...I wasted no time getting rid of the 8 inches of hair it took me a year and a half to grow out. I definitel feel lighter and cooler, just in time for the Texas summer heat!

Hope to be back soon with more wedding goodness!

Southern Flare

2010-05-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

The moving is over! And slowly but surely, things are coming out of boxes and finding their place in our new home. Puppies are loving their new backyard. So are Vance and I, as we no longer have to deal with leashes, doggie parks or those incredibly awkward green bags of poop. Enough about the pad...Let's get to the recap!

I'm going to start from the very, very beginning and show you my bridal portraits. We have not seen any wedding pictures yet, but judging from our engagement session and my bridal session we will be nothing but floored. Nessa has been fantastic through our entire experience. :)

I decided to take pictures at Jessica's Dad's house in Hutto. He has land, green grass, horses and just the rustic look I was hoping for. The truck kinda worked out perfectly. I literally google searched, "vintage trucks for rent," and a vintage car trade website popped up. I emailed the contact and asked if they knew anyone who would be willing to rent their truck for a photo shoot. He sent my contact information out and I got a few emails back with rockin' trucks and SKY HIGH rental prices. Finally, a rather cute band dude wrote back and said his ride was up for renting. When I told him it was for my bridal portraits he cut the price down from $150 to $75. I was sold! And that is how these photos all came about.

We're Baaaaaaaaack!

2010-05-10T15:29:00.000-05:00

We are back from the wedding and the honeymoon! And things could not have been more perfect. But of course I've left no time for chit-chat, as we start the big move this week! Hopefully my absence will make my readers' hearts grow fonder. :)

I will be back next week re-energized and ready to recap the hell out of things!

A Dab Will Do Ya

2010-04-28T09:58:00.000-05:00

We are applying the finishing touches to a bunch of projects and getting everything ready to be transported to our venue tomorrow! I still can't believe how close we are. Today is my last day at work, I am sooo heart broken, I'm sure you can tell.

I hope to post before the big day, but if I don't make it....Wish us luck and I will be back very soon for the re-cap! Thank you for listening and reading as I shared this awesome time with you guys. We are so stoked to have finally reached this point in our lives. :) Alright, I got all the cheese ball stuff out!

Happy EARLY Weekend Everybody!

I Got Nothing

2010-04-26T10:11:00.001-05:00

With one final weekend before our big day, you know it was going to be a busy one. Friday night I knocked out all of our favor bags. I say I, but I have to say I had a little help from the fiance. But PLEASE, don't tell him to told you. The boy can actually tie a mean bow. :)

Remember these guys?

We decided on Longhorn Chocolates from Lammes Candy. YUM!

I made little pouches out of green bandanas. Most of them hand stitched, which was time consuming and dumb.

I dropped the little buggers in...

added our tag and tied it up.

Tah-dah!

Saturday started with my final hair appointment to get the do all nice and ready. Then to Madre's, with San in tow, for some tag team pom making and ribbon cutting. We worked until I could barely keep my eyes open. We even whipped out Ma's wedding album and came out with a surprise.

Their cake topper! Isn't it fantastic. I've decided to use it, white tulle, pink flowers and all. I simply could not resist.

We finished up with a trip to Target for some a few more Honeymoon items and back home I went. Vance and I had a much needed relaxing dinner and ended the night on a high note with peach cobbler and season 4 of Bones. We're addicted.

Sunday I made plans with Becky and the twins to go back to Target. Ended up snagging a few more swimsuits and some beach towels and got tons of hugs and kisses in with the kiddos. Next I had a little wedding chore to take care of that I will share after the wedding. :) By 4:30pm I was headed back to the house to swoop up Vance. We went to get his suit all hemmed up and had another relaxing dinner and you guessed it...back to the house for left over cobbler and more Bones.

All in all, a productive weekend. But don't you worry there is still plenty to do in the next five days. And yes, you read that right, FIVE DAYS!

The Chipper Chicken's Top Ten

2010-04-22T16:33:00.001-05:00

We have 9, yes I said 9, days until the wedding.
I have contracted a cold of allergy related symptoms.
I fear this cold will cause a Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer effect come next Saturday.
I have 3 more fabric poms to make, God help me.
I have 160 napkin ties to make, out of Burlap, which cause my Mother to sneeze.
Vance and I still have to put together the "Just Married" contraption.
I have to find a rehearsal dinner dress.
I have 100 favors to buy and assemble.
We have to pack for a honeymoon and for a house move.
And all I want to do is catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's.

You Keep Settin' 'Em Up...And I Keep Knockin' 'Em Down

2010-04-20T09:23:00.000-05:00

Let me start my saying both my Maid and Matron of Honor have their hands full. Kellie (Maid) is finishing up school and will be graduating on May 14th!!! She is one of those finished in 4 years achievers. Me and my 8 year stretch know nothing about that. Becky (Matron) just gave birth to two adorable babies a mere month and a half ago. (Sorry only Mommy's and Mommy's To Be understand that whole "weeks" thing) So needless to say I have done what I can to not throw any duties there way. I LOVE giving my sister crap about this. Since the Bach party was last Saturday, I persuaded Kellie to come in on Friday for a little wedding project fun. She definitely paid her dues! Between me, Kellie, our Mom and Mom's best friend we were able to knock out the mason jar candles and the burlap runners all in one night! I LOVE those kinds of nights. Dad even got his suit all hemmed up that night too. Vance would have as well had I not brought the wrong suit.

Here's a look at the jars...

We added green split peas for a pop of color as well as to level the bottom for the candle.

Initially we had intended to just lay the horseshoes flat on the table. At our last meeting with David Kurio, he suggested attaching them to the jars to bring them up into the centerpiece. Brilliant.

We tried a few different variations, but Kellie's suggestion worked best!

All dressed up and nowhere to go...YET!

I LOVE burlap.

The runners. The sewing machine worked great to finish the edges. And it took all of 5 minutes.

Oh yes, There Was...

2010-04-19T08:59:00.000-05:00

Sexy shoes and bottles of champagne.

Creepy colored wigs

A very life like penis cake equipped with a few boobie cupcakes

Blowing...out of the candle

Penis straws and balloons

Pretty girl pictures

That one creepy dude who wouldn't leave us alone

More pretty girl pictures

Beyonce reinactment

A girl in my bed at the end of the night! :)

Bach Party

2010-04-16T08:51:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I will be shakin' my tail feather, money maker and polaroid picture with my girls. Very excited!

Can't remember source :(

And hopefully, I will be able to cross off a few other wedding projects off the To Do List.

Happy Weekend Everybody!

Marriage License

2010-04-15T13:55:00.000-05:00

CHECK!

The Death Of Me

2010-04-14T10:35:00.000-05:00

Enough Said

Pretty Labels

2010-04-13T14:10:00.000-05:00

Again, thanks to Kristy, for sharing her supply of Mason Jars with me. Since we had so many, I got to snag a few extras for the bouquets and for the sign in table. Kristy also shared these adorable, printable labels with me. And I think they look so cute attached to their new homes!

For Bride and Bridesmaids bouquets

Is It Monday Again?

2010-04-12T16:07:00.000-05:00

Programs are officially done! CHECK. Mailbox dude got painted quick. I was really excited about this one!

This week I HAVE to tackle the fabric poms. Have to, have to, have to have to!

The other weekend festivities went off without a hitch. My family bach dinner was so much fun. Full of food, margaritas and a ton of laughs.

La Familia

The wedding was great! I'm glad I got to attend one before our own. The Bride was beautiful and the night a total hit. I got some great pointers from a guest prospective and hope things run just as smoothly at ours.

The Girlies

The "To Be Married" Crew

San and I practicing the cake cutting event!

You've Got Mail

2010-04-09T15:43:00.000-05:00

While strolling through Hobby Lobby to buy more paint for the programs I grabbed this little dude. I'm thinking he would be a nice place to put wedding cards, if we get any. :) I'm thinking about making him green. I know it's not easy, but I think he'll manage.

Maybe something like this?

Besides mailbox dude, I have a ton more wedding projects to start knocking out. This weekend is also jam packed with my family bachelorette dinner and a friend's wedding! I'm totally taking pen and paper for notes and tips. Yes, I WILL be that person.

Happy Weekend Everybody!

Mini Me

2010-04-08T16:59:00.001-05:00

I had been on the hunt for clothespins for quite some time. Well, maybe not on the hunt per se, but they were on my To Buy list. The Coffee Girl in her infinite wisdom, sent me over an email about a sale on Baker's Twine. It was brown and white, she knows me so well. And that is how I found Olive Manna and the mini clothespins that stole my heart and money.

And look at her adorable business card. I don't even have a business, but now I kinda want one just so I can have her make me business cards.

Back side

Front side

Natalie's shop is full of all sorts of goodness. Baker's Twine, journals, decorative cans, fabric, trimmings, etc. You name it she has it and it is guaranteed to be oozing with cuteness. Check out her blog for the latest shop updates and maybe enter her coloring contest. But good luck with that, because I'm a shoe in to win. :)

You...Complete Me

2010-04-08T09:05:00.000-05:00

The finishing touches have arrived. I printed out the words Love Notes, punched them out with a scalloped punch and glued them to the front of a 2 inch brown (left over invitation paper) circle. I used cardstock for durability. Again I grabbed a few of our polaroids from the fridge to test out the mini clothespins and ladies I have to say, we are in business!

Holdin' Hands

2010-04-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

Jose Villa makes my heart pitter patter. (Is that how you spell that?) I could easily create a blog on his images alone. But tonight, he posted a series of photos from a 60th Anniversary. I love seeing old people in love. I love asking where and how they met, how long they dated before getting married and hearing their story. It's amazing to think about all the people who have fallen in love before us. Head over to Jose's blog to see more sweet images like this one...

Image by Jose Villa

Wish Us Luck

2010-04-06T11:36:00.000-05:00

We are house hunting for a rental property today. Wish us luck!

Handy Manny Ain't Got Nothing On Me

2010-04-05T14:03:00.000-05:00

The Easter Bunny was not the only one hard at work this weekend. I had my DIY jeans on and I was ready to tackle the polaroid board. Any excuse to go to Target. I picked up a standard bulletin board for a whopping $9.83.

I ventured over to Home Depot and bought some painters tape and spray paint. I love when I look like I know what I'm doing at Home Depot.

I covered the body of the board with paper (recycled of course) and taped along the frame.

The board and I headed to the patio for some spray paint action.

One coat down

I removed the paint after two coats of paint, allowing an hour between to dry. The tape actually pulled some of the board up, but since I was covering it, it wasn't such a big deal.

Little boo boo

Next, I took my stash of burlap and got to cutting, folding and glueing. I couldn't quite do and snap, so I will tell you this was a trial and error process. I just folded in the edges and hot glued them to the board. Ghetto-rigged it!

Next, I enlisted Vance for some help in the screwing department. (Yikes!) I bought Hook and Eye screws, gave them a little coat of spray paint and marked along the board where they should go. I made sure to measure with a few tester polaroids. Vance hammered them in and screwed them down.

Next came the twine. I tied the twine across and pulled snuggly to help reinforce the polaroids once they are hanging.

Finally, I was left with this...

I have ordered the mini clothespins and Vance needs to rig some sort of kick stand for the back, to make it free standing. But other than that, one project down!

Peter Cotton Tail

2010-04-05T08:39:00.000-05:00

Easter weekend was productive! With 26 days and counting I am starting to feel pretty frazzled. Lucky for me, my Mom is super helpful and volunteered her house this weekend for some hardcore wedding crafting. San even got into the action. Gotta love the involved bridesmaids. :) Here's a look at what I got into over the Easter holiday...

Baby Boy, isn't he too cute

Gigi doing her thing

Birthday cupcakes for two

Bridesmaids gifts

Groomsmen gifts

And what Easter is complete without a horrible picture with the creepy Easter Bunny!

Crunch Time

2010-03-31T11:11:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for something to read, check out this Q&A post over at Young House Love. John and Sherry share their insights about spending wisely.

There seems to be a trend in the air...

My Mother Would Die

2010-03-31T08:23:00.000-05:00

My Mother has sat back and given me reigns to be as creative and untraditional as I want to be with this wedding. This is something I appreciate more than I can say. There is quite a few aspects I'm sure she could have done without, but I'm sure she would DIE if I asked her about this...

I saw these photos on a post from Once Wed. How cool would antlers be on our tables?!!??! The rustic appeal would shoot through the roof!

Photography by Charley Star

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Don't Get Me Wrong

2010-03-30T12:26:00.000-05:00

One of my first blogs I started following was ~~This Young House~~ Young Houe Love. Sherry and John share their DIY home makeovers and projects. I just loved it. Still do. They introduced me to another blog I follow now, Bower Power. Katie chronoicles, much like Sherry and John, projects and renovations her and her boyfriend tackle in their home and on their lawn. :) Recently both Sherry and Katie have announced they are knocked up! How fun. So now us readers have the pleasure of being included in all their nursery rennovations and projects.

This morning Katie posted this. She and her boyfriend made a list of things to do to get ready for their litlle babino. Now I am no doubt envious of both these chicks. Their creative genius is just simply through the roof. But I literally had a drop jaw moment this morning while scrolling through Katie's post. In particularly when I came to these few pictures...

All photos via Katie Bower

Is homegirl SUPER WOMAN? Has anyone else ever been to someone's house who just had a baby and left with a favor for coming by? I mean seriously, I was blown away. Who has the time or energy for that, especially when their about to pop? I wonder if reality will hit once their little comes in to the picture? If not, then she gets the Pregnant Woman of the Year Award. I'll even send her the certificate myself. :) Katie, girlfriend, you rock in a crazy creepy Martha Stewart way!

CHA-CHING

2010-03-29T16:57:00.000-05:00

Last month I took a GIANT step toward adulthood, and decided it was time to tackle my finances. At age 26, I'm sure you're thinking, "About time!". I was too. I enlisted the help of my friend Sarah. We made a dinner date to sit down and discuss what I had going on and what I wanted to try and do. That part was simple. I owe people money and I don't want to owe them money no more!!!

Sarah walked me through how she tracks her finances and then we discussed what would be the best way for me to track mine. (It makes a huge difference to create a system that works for you.) Sarah set me up with some helpful spreadsheets. I won't lie, it has been a little difficult to keep track of and I am still working some kinks out, but all in all it has really opened my eyes.

Money and I have never gotten along very well. I've made some terrible, terrible mistakes as a young excited 18 year old, that unfortunately I am paying for now. But how else was I supposed to learn. Today I updated my debt plan tracker and was pleasantly surprised that between Februray and March I put a whopping $626.59 dent in my overall debt!!!! How awesome is that? Now we're totally talking baby steps here, but it feel really great to know we're at least stumbling in the right direction. Vance and I have a ton of plans for our future and this is the first step to getting there! :) Hooray me us!

Weekend was fun and relaxing and I even got a few more poms made. But I am quickly realizing I have to kick my butt into craft making gear. How does Martha do it?

Rollin' Through The Street In My 6-4

2010-03-26T16:28:00.000-05:00

I love Payday Fridays. It just puts a little pep in my step. I know that's bad and money isn't everything, but it is what it is. I hope to do a little shopping this weekend. I want to find a dress for rehearsal dinner and it wouldn't hurt to look around at a few more honeymoon items. Ooooh, and let's not forget the Bachelorette party coming up soon! I's got to look fly. Here's what I got swirling around upstairs for rehearsal dinner...

All dresses found via Dillards. But this ine is my fav!

I hope to knock out quite a few wedding projects this weekend. Wish me luck.

Happy Weekend Everybody!

Clip Ons

2010-03-24T12:47:00.000-05:00

From the very beginning I had a thing for polaroids and I knew I wanted them at our wedding. The camera ordeal left me with 3 cameras and no film. After begging and pleading, I was finally given the okay to purchase some very pricey film. So my initial thoughts were to have a polaroid guest book. We would have guests snap pictures and glue them to a guestbook with messages and so forth.

I bet you can guess what I am going to tell you next! I've changed my mind. The more I thought about it, the more I figured the pictures wouldn't get much play time sitting in a book on our coffee table. I like the idea of having them out where we, or I, can see them everyday. Luckily there is this little thing called the blogosphere, heard of it? And you can just go around and look at millions of ideas and inspirations from all sorts of people. Crazy! That is about the time I found this...And no, I do not remember where it can from. :(

I LOVED this idea. (The hearth shaped one) And although it might be a little pricey, wouldn't it be cute in a matted frame? Well, I think so. A little bit later, leave it to Heather of We Met In A Bar to find this...

Another adorable way to display polaroids. So with all these ideas for the aftermath, I have decided to just have a board equipped with markers, twine and clothes pins for guests to write their love notes and clip them to our board until we decide how we want to display them.

Cannot remember source

I am hoping to start on the board this weekend. Here's to hoping I have some picutres to share next week!

I Like The Sound of That

2010-03-23T13:58:00.000-05:00

I know I don't have many pictures from my showers. Honestly I was too nervous to remember to take any. But I wanted to share one of my favorite presents we got from our friends Aaron and Billi.

Isn't it adorable? I can't wait to move and hang it on our door.

Slow And Steady Wins The Race

2010-03-23T10:22:00.000-05:00

So while I am in fabric pom hell, I have a few other projects I can tackle to get a much needed break. In true Stephanie fashion, I had to make a few minor adjustments to our program. Here's the back story...

I found these awesome sparker signs on Twig and Thistle. Kathleen's blog is alwyas jam packed with sweet goodness.

I loved them and quickly asked if she could change them to our wedding colors. Lucky for me, she could!

After admiring our adorable sparkler sign, I started thinking (which is never good) these would be adorable programs if she could make them bigger. Lucky for me, she could!

So now to add a handle. I wanted something substantial, plus the cardstock needed something heavy enough to support its weight. After considering popsicle sticks and even some medical "Say Aaah!" sticks, I remembered Lowe's and Home Depot's paint departments and the stir sticks they have. After a couple phone calls, I talked my way into 100 paint sticks at a whopping 10 cents each. Score. When I went to pick up I was even more surprised when the manager handed them over without charging me. Bigger Score.

I (Vance) bought some primer, to try and hide they huge Lowe's stamp. We are also bought a small can of interior flat paint. I tried picking a color as close to the natural wood in hopes to keep it " rustic" looking.

Primer

Paint

Awesome rolly thingy, such a professional

In progress

Done, but not happy

After all the sticks were painted, I realized rather too late, the color of the stick and the paper weren't quite flowing. BUMMER. I grabbed some left over brown paint from our "Just Married" sign and tested it out. Needless to say I wasn't very excited about having to repaint all 100 sticks again, but I think they turned out 100 times better. What do you think?

GOOD NEWS

2010-03-22T14:46:00.000-05:00

We had another rad weekend. My final bridal shower was so very fun and relaxing. We got a ton of great things, and it pains me that they are still all packed up. :(

Rodeo was FUN. It always is.

A little backstage action

Chad eyeballin' the creepy mascot dude

Wade Bowen

And Sunday was a "Vance and Stephanie Day of Fun!" Just hung out with puppies, grabbed some dinner at Opal's and worked on poms, poms and more poms. I think I might actually have a system down that has sped up the process a little more.

This morning i had my final meeting with David Kurio. It was awesome and I've decided I want to work for David and be his BFF-FF-FF-F. :) Today we have exactly 1 month and 10 days to go. The wedding hiatus is OVER and it is time to get down to business.

Flash Back

2010-03-19T18:59:00.000-05:00

Year 2007, Age 23: Friday Night = Counting down the minutes until 6:30pm (time I got off work). Immediately heading home to get ready and meet the crew at Baby A's around 8:00pm for margaritas and shots to end up at the bar by 10:00pm buzzed and ready to dance. Shake my thang til 2:00am and then hit the hay until at least 11am the next day.

Year 2010, Age 26: Friday Night = Counting down the minutes until 4:00pm (time I left work, because I'm too tired to make it until 5:00pm). Immediately get into shower, because the longer I wait the more likely I am to put it off until morning. 6:30pm Call Vance to pick up dinner on the way home, because I don't feel like getting dressed to go eat in public. After dinner I plan to get in bed and be asleep by 9:30pm. If I'm going to be up by 8:00am in the morning, I'll need plenty of beauty sleep.

Did that really just happen in 3 years? I think I need a Hot Tub Time Machine!

Forty Friday

2010-03-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

Anybody remember those? I don't, but wasn't that pretty much the point?

We have hit the 40's mark and come next week, we will have cleared them completely. Today makes 43 to be exact. I know I say, way more than I probably should, it is simply amazing how it feels like just yesterday we were still a year out. I remember a year ago wondering what it would feel like to be 100 days away or even 50 days away, and now I know. It feels like I've been running in a marathon, which I wish I could say I've actually done before, and I can see the finish line, with all the people cheering. But before I cross that line, I've really got to just push myself. Yep, that about sums it up. Yesterday I took a scroll down memory lane. I revisited the dawn of time, or January 29, 2009 to be exact, the day The Chipper Chicken first chirrped. Man, I had alot of "visions" for this wedding. It's rather shocking how I finally got in narrowed down. I started the blog to keep friends and family in the loop and to really document all of the insane ideas I had running through my head. But this blog has really turned into a creative outlet. It is something I look forward to doing most everyday. Anyway, 100 was exciting, 50 was a breath of fresh air, 40 has set in with a side of panic and I can not wait to see what 30 brings. I anticipate I will be busier than a one armed man in an ~~ass~~ tush kicking competition. But that's why they call it the home stretch!

This weekend I have my final bridal shower and then dustin' off my boots for a little Texas Star and Rodeo action. LOVE rodeo time! Anybody remember this guy from last year?

He showed up all over the place, wonder if we'll run into him again?

Happy Weekend Everybody!

The Honeymoon

2010-03-18T16:45:00.001-05:00

With most of the wedding plans out of the way, we get to start thinking about the honeymoon. Vance and I got lucky enough to where our honeymoon came as a present from his Mom and Step-Dad. AWESOME. We are so fortunate that both our families have helped us tremendously with the wedding. We are some loved kiddos. So after we say I Do, we will be spending the week in Playa Del Carmen. It makes me all giddy inside just typing it. Even more exciting, is in the three years we've been dating, ( 3 years last Saturday!) we have never taken a single vacation together. Sure we've had the numerous road trips here and there, but never a true vacation, just the two of us. So needless to say we are SUPER PUMPED. I on one hand can not wait to go shopping for some cute threads to sport while strolling the beaches. On the other hand, my soon to be better and much simpler half, would be good packing a pair of shorts and flip flops. MEN! If it were only that easy. Here's a little insight into what I am wanting to lounge beachside in, other than that polka dot bikini. :)

All images via Old Nay.

Peonies

2010-03-18T10:56:00.000-05:00

I have a crush on Peonies. They are so fluffy and creamy, like pink clouds. They were my number one choice for my bouquet. Here they are during their bridal shoot debut...

Photo By Nessa K Photography

And here they are still making me smile at my desk!

Lazy Days

2010-03-17T09:42:00.000-05:00

I am not a morning person. Never have been, never will be. Before Vance's new gig I would have to pull myself out of bed while he and the pups remained warm and cozy all snuggled up. It made for some very late mornings. Now, he has to be up and out of the house before I even have to get up. This make getting out of bed a whole lot easier for me. But every now and then I get stuck with a puppy who is just as warm and cuddly and I can't help but want to snooze a little longer. I don't think Maggie has quite adjusted to time change.

Got My Hair Did

2010-03-16T15:55:00.000-05:00

The weekend was wonderful and Monday was fantastic. I had so much fun getting ready for my bridal portraits. Jess was sweet enough to lend me a hand and the vintage truck I rented was the icing on the cake! Although I'm holding out until the wedding to share dress pics, I wanted to share my hair and make-up.

Hair: Zig Zag Salon
Make-Up: Makeup By Adrienne

It was definitely fun getting ready and I can't wait to do it again with all my girls and Mommy!

Viva La Viernes

2010-03-12T14:47:00.000-06:00

Oh yes, it is officially Friday! I have been waiting so very long for the weekend to get here and finally it has arrived. Why might this weekend be so exciting? Because I have no plans. For the first time, in a long time, I have nothing scheduled and it feels amazing. I might even take a break from all wedding projects this weeknd and just enjoy the gorgeous weather and the relaxation.

I think I feel a pajama party in the mix. OR, even better, a pajama weekend. Oh yes, I like the sound of that.

Have a great weekend everybody.

Is It Friday Yet?

2010-03-11T13:00:00.000-06:00

Today feels like a friday to me. I love the feeling, but hate the fact that reality tells me it's only Thursday. But Thursday means I get to go pick up my wedding dress!! All alterations should be complete and she should be ready for a fabulous bridal shoot on Monday. Hopefully we continue to see the gorgeous weather Austin, Texas is getting right now! So I have shared with you my inspiration board for the shoot, but here is the hair and make-up look I am going for. You know most Brides are all about the dress, not me. I am all about gettin' my hair and make-up did.

As usual I can't remember the source for these.

LOOOVE IT

2010-03-10T15:18:00.000-06:00

"If fashion was porn this dress is the money shot. And you know it!" – Best Actress nominee Gabourey Sidibe, on her Marchesa gown

Found via People.

FINALLY!

2010-03-10T14:10:00.000-06:00

I told you I've been busy and fianlly I have proof. The last couple of weeks have been full of craft projects, my first shower and invitation sending. Whew! Can a sista catch a break? In between that, Becky had her twins and my Aunt and Uncle welcomed baby number 2 into the world. BUSY. WHile we quickly approach the 50 day mark, programs are priority number one. Coming in for a close second would be those darn fabric poms. An oh so pretty, but stupid, project to take on before a wedding. Lagging behind we have a ton of final meetings with vendors, Bridal portraits, one more shower and a couple of bachelorette parties to knock out. I think I', getting exhausted just thinking about it!

Signs for ceremony and reception.

Road sign.

Another road sign.

Wedding schedule for the guys and gals.

Invitation suite. Sooo glad this part is over!

Fabric pom in the making.

Showered!

Working Out The Kinks

2010-03-09T11:52:00.000-06:00

The camera has been upgraded and replaced. I, on the other hand, am struggling to upgrade my technology based knowledge. I have a ton of pictures to share!!! The know the suspense has got to be killing you.

Hopefully I will get the kinks worked out soon.

Throw Back

2010-02-26T10:01:00.004-06:00

I've never been one of those people who remember details about their childhood. I remember plenty, but I never see or hear something and really think, "Oh, that takes me back!". I'm 26, there's only so far back I can go at this point in time of my short lived life. Having said that, I was going through my Google Reader this morning and saw this post via Smile and Wave. I REMEMBER those skates. I remember the extension clicker at the bottom and I remember how the wheels technically didn't roll with ease. I remember being rather annoyed when my tennis shoes couldn't quite fit into the straps anymore and I remember when I finally tossed them aside for the real deal and then quickly realized how much easier it was to get hurt when the wheels actually roll. Ah childhood.

Today my best friend and her husband welcomed their new baby twins into the world and into their lives!!! I can't wait to be a part of their new adventure!

Pic found here.

Camera Go Boom

2010-02-24T13:47:00.004-06:00

I sadly have to report that my camera no worky right now. Due to an unfortunate driveway/tire incident, we have laid her down to rest. Although, pictures are soooo much better than words, I will do my best to not kill you with verbiage while we work on replacing my snappy/flashy little friend.

My days have been filled with project after project and meeting after meeting. Fun, fun, fun! Currently we are working on our song list for our DJ. What are some jams that you like rocking out too???

OWN IT

2010-02-22T15:45:00.003-06:00

I had to share this awesome post on Gabourey Sidibe. The ladies of Go Fug Yourself seldom sing praise, honestly that's what makes the blog so much fun to read, but they did the girl major justice today.

Click here to read about Gabby's BAFTAs red carpet review and more!

NINE

2010-02-19T09:15:00.003-06:00

In NINE days, we should be sending out wedding invitations. NINE DAYS. Holy cow. I say should because there are still a few missing components and a few missing crafting details that need to come together. It's unreal to believe we're already here.

Did I already mention, NINE DAYS!

Happy Weekend Everybody!

DAY DREAMER

2010-02-16T15:28:00.004-06:00

I have a problem with wanting things. As our wedding date inches nearer, and registry gifts start rolling in, (P.S. LOVE when UPS comes by with a Crate and Barrel box 3 times the size of my face!) I've started to design our rooms in our make believe new home! Welcome to our Master Bedroom... All images found via Crate and Barrel, Target, IKEA and World Market.

Second Verse, Same As The First

2010-02-12T09:31:00.007-06:00

Tuesday nights pom making fest was a hit. Jonesin' was a sweet heart and she had some great insight to better the pom making process. We both agreed this was a huge mistake taking on such a detailed and time consuming project, but hopefully it will be worth it in the end. Even if we are the only ones who notice our fabric poms as we walk down the aisle! I will post a better How To soon, promise!

We have purchased our wedding party gifts. Hooray for crossing things off the list. Due to a few bridesmaids that might read this blog, I will refrain from the girls details. As for the guys, Vance has chosen to pass down a tradition. Game day mug! Vance received a GIGANTIC beer mug as a groomsmen gift a few years back and fell in love with the damn thing. It is his honorary drinking mug for all important UT football games. Not surprising. So after all the investigation into a super cool gift, he opted for the mugs. I've decided to spice things up by making groomsmen baskets which will include the mugs, beer, cigar, gum, peanuts, handkerchief, sunglasses, advil, mustaches and anything else I can think of to make time before the wedding starts pass by faster! Thanks for the suggestions.

Lastly, I noticed by buzz for Valentine's day sort of sizzled as the holiday (really a holiday?) drew nearer. But, I found these little printable cards this morning via A field Journal and quickly got all excited about the funny little hallmark holiday all over again. Click here for the download.

Happy Weekend everybody!

Wow 'Em

2010-02-08T12:22:00.002-06:00

Why is it that men can be so much harder to buy for? We have reached that time to knock out wedding party gifts. Thank god for tax returns! I've had my girls figured out for quite some time now. But the mens have continued to baffle me. So I've decided to throw the question out into the blogoshpere.

Any unique or interesting groomsmen gifts out there you'd like to share?

Anything that really wowed them?

PIVOT!

2010-02-07T08:56:00.011-06:00

Because I have been very neglectful this past week, I thought I would pop in for a quick DIY helpful hint segment. Don't worry, I seldom have any helpful information to add to these DIY projects, so this won't be a standing segment. :)

On Friday I headed off to JoAnn's to purchase the fabric for my fabric pom project. I ended up buying green, brown (I caved) and ecru fabric. I didn't go the oober cheap route, but I didn't go the oober expensive either. I shelled out $5.99 a yard. While having my fabric cut I started chatting up the lady. I told her I was about to embark on a circle cutting weekend and asked if she had any recommendations for a pair of scissors. I purchased a pair of soft cushion shears and was on my way. Back at work I was passing over my fabric choices to my Coffee co-worker and told her I was excited to finally start the project, but not excited about all the circles. She quickly offered up a Project Runway solution, a rotary cutter. But wouldn't that be expensive???? Apparently not. The google chat links started rolling in and ping after glorious ping offered up endless amounts of circle cutting simplicity. I HAD TO SHARE.

Friday afternoon I headed back to JoAnn's, for a second time, and came out with this bad boy. Life is soooooooooooooo much easier. And I just cut my fabric pom project time in half, if not more. ( A little insight, it took a whopping 85 circles per pom!) I will be back early next week with a play by play of the fabric pom project. I have a date with a soon to be Jones on Tuesday night, for some serious pom making!

Here's a shot of my knight in shinning armour and click here to watch a how-to video of how to use this guy. Although, it wasn't as easy as it looks, I wasn't far off.

Well Hung

2010-02-05T14:45:00.004-06:00

Wedding details have kept me away! They better be worth it. :) And speaking of details, Ruffled has these great freebies.

Click here or head ove to Ruffled for the free download. Aren't they adorable?!

DONE, Well, Sort Of...

2010-01-28T14:26:00.003-06:00

Check out that STACK!

Victory was mine today as I sliced away the edges of the LAST program. Good Lord, heaven almighty, that took forever. I've decided it is no longer smart to embark on these grand DIY adventures all alone. So for the second act of attaching the handle, I will be enlisting the help of the MOB.

This week has been crazy busy, and I fear it will only continue to get worse. (I feel like I've said that line before?) Fun part is, I've been blotting with Becky about the bachelorette party plans. I am getting pretty pumped about upcoming events!!! :)

The Niddy Griddy

2010-01-26T10:30:00.003-06:00

We start our marriage prep classes tonight. I'm nervous. Not too sure what I am nervous about, but none the less, nervous. Maybe I just don't know what to expect. Anyway, will report back tomorrow.

This week I have been slicing and dicing paper. I got our programs printed out and unlike our invitations, Kinko's was unable to cut these for us. BIG SIGH! So I am cutting 100 programs. And then gluing 100 programs. Can you say F.U.N?

I also met with our rehearsal dinner restaurant to finalize set up and decorations. Now I will start working on the seating chart. We're getting down to the specifics people!

Olive Oil

2010-01-21T14:05:00.003-06:00

Today is our last triple digit day! That being said, I've been getting things in order. I am booked and ready for my Bridal portraits in March. The vintage truck I found to co-star in this lovely affair is named Olive Oil. How cute is that? Here's an inspiration board of what I'm envisioning...

Lollipop Sign

2010-01-18T14:00:00.008-06:00

Last week I put a little something-something together for my Aunt's Baby shower. I decided to make a lollipop Baby Boy sign for the cake table. Of course I don't have a picture of the finished product, nor did I capture every step by step process for a How-To, but I'll share with you what I got.

Materials

Felt (colors of choice)
Pen/pencil
Circle templates ( two sizes of choice)
Needle and thread
Scissors
Stuffing (Not the Turkey kind!)
Wooden sticks

How To

Take your circle templates and trace and cut out as many circles needed for your lollipop sign. You will need double the number of larger circles.

Trace and cut out letters needed. (I did this by hand, as you can tell)

Take letter and stitch it onto the smaller felt circle.

Stitch first circle with letter to bigger felt circle.

Start to stitch two of the larger circles together, one with letter and one without. Start stitch at bottom and work around until your a quarter out form finishing.

Stuff stuffing lollipop to liking, insert stick and finish the stitch, tying off at bottom.

I definitely learned I need to work on my stitching, FO SHO!

Oh Babies

2010-01-15T10:03:00.008-06:00

I got babies poppin' up and out all over the place. Last weeks shower was so much fun, but I have to say I am a little relieved to just be attending my Aunt's shower tomorrow, rather than throwing it. I need a little recuperation before I attempt another one of those bad boys. However, I am putting a itty bitty teeny weeny something together for tomorrow's affair. Here's a sneak peek.

Happy Weekend Everybody!

10 Million Strong, And Growing....

2010-01-15T09:55:00.007-06:00

There is no better way to get ready for Friday, than a Thursday night dinner with friends. We've had managed to keep a very tight knit group of friends since high school, some even before that, and when we get together it is nothing short of a fun and crazy time! In the past couple years we have all really started growing up and jumping head first into this little thing called life. We have 2 married, 3 engaged and 1 with twins on the way. CRAZY.

If Only...

2010-01-14T15:26:00.005-06:00

This engagement session from Braedon Photography, found via Green Wedding Shoes, has me in awe! I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. Um,Brangelina, hello!

Head over to Braedon's blog for a full recap of this session or to Green Wedding Shoes for more engagement session inspirations!

Wanted: Old Navy Seamstress

2010-01-12T12:27:00.013-06:00

I am angry with Old Navy. Earlier this week I found a few dresses online and couldn't wait to get to the store. Last night, I sweet talked my way into swinging by Old Navy on our way home. Luckily, they had all 3 dresses and in my size! I ran straight to the dressing rooms and one after one, I became a little more disappointed. None of them fit! And, this time, it wasn't really my fault. The cut was all wrong. Either the top was too big and the bottom to small or vis-a-versa, just ALL WRONG. I'm not too sure how it works, but in order to sell clothes, I think they might need to be made correctly. I guess you get what you pay for, but I was really wanting to pay for these. :(

Oh well...

In happier news, check out Amelia and Jason's awesome wedding here and here. I have wedding envy!!!!

Babies Shower Part II: The Final Product

2010-01-11T17:11:00.009-06:00

The Invitation

The Paper Garland

The INCREDIBLE Cake and Cupcakes from Round Rock Donuts. Recognize the pattern? I sure as heck gave the lady a square from my Stop and Scrap paper. I literally gasped when they opened the box and almost wanted to pay them more than they charged for the beautiful cake and cupcakes!!!! It was a steal!

The yummy food station, equipped with one of the cute little "Twin" signs and home made confetti. Jess was an awesome confetti maker. :)

Fun shots of the Mommy To Be, Family and friends!

Overall, I think the shower was a success!! Beck and the babies got sooo many great things. I think the hit of the shower was this! I thought they were mini party hats!! Can you tell I'm not a Mommy yet? The only thing I'll know better for next time is, there is no reason to buy all of Costco, just for 30 people. We had SOO much food left over. But I just knew I would be responsible for someone not eating because I didn't buy enough food! Rookie mistake, even though Momma did try to tell me!

So now that all the showers are out of the way, we wait PATIENTLY, for Baby Girl and Baby Boy Maxwell! Can't wait to see their cute faces. :)

Babies Shower Part I: The Inspiration

2010-01-11T15:12:00.008-06:00

Let me start by saying I was so super nervous about this shower. It was the very first one I was solely responsible for, well, me plus the girls. None the less still very nerve racking. I immediately started looking around for inspiration, especially for colors and themes. I knew from the beginning I did not want to do a "baby-baby" shower with the typical pastels, teddy bears and rattles. I headed to the Hobby Lobby and had a search party for the perfect color combo. (The scrap book paper aisle is FANTASTIC for this). That is when I found this...

It was pretty and classy and exactly what I was looking for. I took to the Internet in search of other matching patterns...

Stop and Scrap had the answer!

Now, what to do with all this lovely paper...

Paper garland found via Nice Package.

Napkin Paper rings and cute signs via Hostess with the Mostess.

And an adorable banner found via Wedding Chicks.

I had the game, stay tuned for the execution.

Fabric Poms

2010-01-08T10:13:00.007-06:00

After mentioning these guys on my DIY List, I thought maybe I could get some advise. I have started rounding up supplies, but have yet purchased fabric. Mainly because I can not decide what color to buy. Our colors are chocolate brown and olive green. The problem lies in the fact that were getting married outdoors over looking the golf course. I think green poms would get lost in the background. And really, who wants to make brown fabric poms? So what's a girl to do? Any suggestions? Here's a look at the process found via Once Wed. Someone suggested burlap, which made my heart skip a beat.

In weekend news, the shower was an absolute hit! Stay tuned for pictures and recaps.

Janurary Showers

2010-01-07T14:49:00.004-06:00

I have a little bad news. I will not be posting tomorrow. Try to hold back those sobbing tears. But I will be busy at work putting the finishing touches to Becky's babies (Yes, there will be more than one!!!!) shower. It's been hard not to share all the little details I've been working on, but hopefully come Monday, I will be able to share them all! Wish me luck, as this is the first shower, of any kind, I have ever thrown myself and I am a tad bit nervous.

Here's a sneak peek of what I've been working on...

114...And Counting!

2010-01-07T10:19:00.006-06:00

It is incredibly surreal to watch those numbers dwindle down on a daily basis. I find comfort in the triple digits, however, in another 2 weeks they will comfort be no more. So what's left to tackle before the I Do's? I have a DIY List, a To Do List and a To Buy List. I like the the last one the least.

DIY LIST
Invitations: Print and cut direction cards/stuff and address
Burlap Runners: I'm still a little on the fence about these
Family Wedding Portraits: For sign-in table
Polaroid Guest Book
Out of Town Goodie Bags
Fabric Poms: For aisle
Road and Aisle Signs

TO DO LIST
Dress Alterations
Bridal Session: March
Groom/Groomsmen Attire
Pre-Marriage Classes: Start this month
Marriage License: Still don't know what all that entails
Rehearsal Dinner Things

TO BUY LIST
Mason Jars: After I do an inventory of whats being graciously donated
Fabric: For fabric poms
Favors
Guest book
Wedding Party Gifts
Mason Jar Filler: Sand or rice, haven't quite decided
Finalize Flowers

Not too shabby. I know I totally jumped the gun with planning as soon as we got engaged. And yes, a few vendors thought I was crazy for booking them over a year out. But let me just say, if that stuff wasn't already checked off my list, I would be going EVEN MORE CRAZY right now. So I have to give my over eager self a little pat on the back. In addition to the pat, I need to find a way to apply my over eager wedding energy to the rest of my life!!!! Funny how that works out.

Now that most of the planning is done, we get to enjoy the fun part. Showers start next month and Bachelor/Bachelorette parties are soon there after. Although I can be very stressed out these days, it's been difficult not to have a smile on my face thinking about what the next few months will bring. I know it's sappy and all, and that everyone says it, but we really just can't wait to married. Alright, enough ushy-gushy.

Any other Brides To Be out there with a close count down and To Do Lists?

Paper Pusher

2010-01-06T10:20:00.006-06:00

I've met a super sweet chick via The Knot. We both are getting married here in Austin, we both are planning rustic weddings and we both picked out the same bridesmaids dresses!! Super girly, I know, but none the less still fun. She informed me yesterday her invitations have gone out, YAH. I was very excited for her and it sent me back looking at invitations. I have grown to fall head over heels for all things paper during this little wedding stint and wanted to share one of my new favorite Etsy Shops. Here is a little sample of my favorites from Cheerupcherub's goodies.

Happy 2010

2010-01-05T09:43:00.012-06:00

Ah, another year. I love the feeling of a clean slate. Like all my mistakes and misfortunes from the year/s past have been swept away quietly under a mat, never to be heard of or seen from again. That puts a smile on my face. This coming year I really want to grow. I promised a little more explanation on one of my resolutions and so I want to make good on my promise. Resolution No. 3 stated, Find my passion. I've been thinking about that resolution for the last couple of months. In fact, it has been pretty much all I have thought about. I have come to the self realization that I don't know what moves me, what inspires me. I like to call myself the dabbler. I dabble in weddings, arts and crafts, music, reading, writing and attempt to dabble in baking. But for some reason, none of it ever seems to stick or get put to any real use. I feel I have reached a place in my life where I am ready to know what I was put on this gorgeous Earth for. I am not only talking hobby wise, but work wise. I want to be one of those people who love what they do. I want to be excited to wake up every morning and see how I can make my imprint on the world. So how do I get there? As most of you can probably tell, I am not one for patience. If I had it my wayI would pull up to the Bank of God, request a slip for a withdrawal, check the box that reads Request Life Purpose, send up the little canister and back down God would send me the answer. I would open the canister, read his response and breathe a sigh of relief feeling like, That's it! I would remove the red sucker and close the canister, remembering to put back God's pen, because honestly, you don't want to accidentally steal God's pen, then drive off to a fulfilling life. If it were only that simple. For now, I wait, I try things out, I take risks, I follow my gut and I follow my heart. So far it's led me to a couple of really great places and I have no doubt it will eventually lead me where I need to go. Until then I will just keep truckin' along, thankful for all the wonderful things and people I have in my life now!

I wish all of you a very Happy New Year!!!!! I promise, now more internal battles for a while. And to get back into the wedding swing of things, here is a picture I found via Green Wedding Shoes over my long weekend break. These guys are quite possibly the most trendy wedding party I have ever seen!

Make 'Em and Break 'Em

2009-12-30T13:15:00.007-06:00

This short week has been full of sniffles and tissues. I am hoping for a 24 hour full recovery, just in time to celebrate the new year. 2010 is a BIG year for us. We have countless weddings happening (Yes, including our own), a bunch of bundles of joy scheduled to arrive (No, not including our own) and hopefully a whole lot of health and happiness to look forward to. That being said, I am going to do what I thought I wouldn't and post the inevitable resolutions of 2010! The pic above is part of my new 2010 calendar I received in the mail from my very sweet Coffee Girl. I immediately hung it up at my desk and have been wondering what resolutions I'd like to break this year. Here's what I got...

My 2010 Resolutions...For all the world, or at least my 23 followers, to see...

1. Pay off all debts, excluding student loans.

2. Become more active. Instead of focusing on losing weight, I want to focus on being more active. Taking walks, being outside more, maybe joining another sports team.

3. Find my passion. (Stand by for related post.)

4. Really get to know my kitchen. We've been introduced, but maybe we can have a conversation every now and then?

There you have it. My Make 'Em and Break 'Em resolutions for 2010. What about you guys, any resolutions out there worth sharing?

Happy New Year Everybody!!!!

All Ruffled Up

2009-12-30T10:30:00.004-06:00

Ruffled posted an amazing vintage wedding this morning. As if the wedding itself wasn't post worthy enough, THE DRESS blew me away. Isn't it gorgeous!!? Head over here, to see the rest of the wedding pictures by Jerry Yoon.

Happy Ho Ho Ho!

2009-12-23T10:25:00.004-06:00

I've got very little to write about other than I am getting excited about Christmas and finally, our shopping is all done. Our Christmas celebrations kick off tomorrow in Austin and then continue through Christmas in Houston.

I will be back after the holidays to bring everyone up to speed on our wedding planning. In just one month we will be 100 days out!!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everybody!

HOLY GRADUATE BATMAN!

2009-12-21T15:47:00.004-06:00

It might have taken blood, sweat and tears, but I am officially done with school! Lord have mercy, it took ages, but I now have that darn piece of paper that makes everything a little easier. Here are a few pics of friends and family that were sweet enough to make the drive down to celebrate. And that's not even half!! I've got an awesome support system. :)

P.S. Becky, in that last photo, I might be shorter than you! What the heck is that about?!!!?

In Recovery

2009-12-14T11:13:00.002-06:00

The weekend came and went and I feel like I never even slept. It was the weekend of corporate holiday parties and family ornament exchanging and I AM SPENT! I did manage to do a little crafting for Beck's upcoming shower!!! It bums me out to not share, but since she is one of my loyal readers, I can't leak out any of the fun and non-traditional baby shower details.

Hopefully I can catch up on sleep this evening, as well as cram in a little study time. Tomorrow is my final and Saturday..GRADUATION!!!! OH there is a Jesus!

What did you guys do this weekend?