WOW Factor Love ♡ DIY ideas, inspiration, eye candy, news and more to inspire you and brighten your day.

So, as usual, I was looking for more really cute, chic details for my upcoming nuptials, and I think I’ve found yet another one worth sharing.

Striped paper straws.  A crowd favorite, dating all the way back to childhood.  I can’t be the only one who blew bubbles in my chocolate milk when a wee babe.  I’m totally invested (mentally, we’ll see about budget-ly) in these cutie-patooties.

I found those super cute ones above over at Design is Mine, and I didn’t just get excited, I pretty much flipped out.  After this long, it still amazes me how aggressively the adrenaline within me can race throughout my body the moment I see something as insignificant as a paper straw.  I think it has something to do with all the colors and choices.  If there’s one thing I love, it is having options.  (They are also my downfall; I am indecisive as a rule.  But we all love the things that are not the best for us, so I’d say that makes me normal.  At least… that’s what I tell myself when I go to bed at night.)  Anyway, I choose not to question it.  Especially since, when I go with it, I always end up in my happy place!

It might interest you to know that the person responsible for the photographic bliss above is food/prop stylist Paul Lowe, and it might interest you even more to know that he has an incredibly addictive blog, called Sweet Paul.  Oh, how I heart him.

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Okay, so we’ve established one fact so far: paper straws rule.  Especially colorful, striped ones.  But now we need something deserving of said straws, right?  How about THIS…

Want to get your hands on some colorful pop for your big day?  Project Wedding – which is where I found the awesomeness immediately above – suggests BevMo.  Located in CA, they’ve got a wide selection of these super cute specialty sodas (and if you don’t live in CA, you can buy ‘em online – gotta love the internet).  You can also check in your local gourmet food shop for these uniquely joyful-looking drinks.  So, they’re around!  You just may have to do a little searching depending on where you’re located. 

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Next are some awesome pics by Cindy Ensley, which I discovered via the lovely Audrey of Urbanic + Parcel Post.  (My original description of Audrey involved “the pretty paper pusher,” but I thought it made her sound like some sort of fetish drug dealer, which seemed like a bad thing.  So “the lovely” it is.  And lovely, you are, Audrey!)

I know, SO cute.  Word on the ‘net is that you can find these babies over at Kikkerland.  It’s a great source for stuff like this; I visit the place quite a bit.  Not to mention, pretty much everyone I credited within this here post suggests the same.  Aside from Kikkerland, you can check out Pipii’s Marketplace, which carries the exact same brand.

In other news, check out Cindy’s save the dates -

Absolutely darling, wouldn’t you agree?  And totally DIY-licious.  You’ll probably be familiar with her supplies -  she used one of Martha’s punch sets, kraft paper (you already know the feelings I have for kraft paper), some AWESOME rubber stamps and white embossing powder.  See, all it takes are a few simple tools, and a lot of imagination and creativity!

Okay, just one more pretty picture of my new love:

Found these cherry red beauties over on Jordan Ferney’s Oh Happy Day! I’m sure you could figure out a way to work those stunners into a Valentine’s Day party, or even better, a love-themed wedding.  Though that’s what all weddings should be themed. Oh sappy me; that’s just how I like to end things.  On a sap note!

Seacrest out.

~A

My mom, dad, brother, his girl, the boy and I all gathered for dinner at a yummy Italian joint in Times Square over the weekend.  The whole night was a blast, but the best part was what the boy and I demolished for dessert…

Mmm.  I can still taste it.  It was gone in about 24 seconds.  We were pretty much sparring with our spoons the whole time.

So, because the memory of that scrumptdidilyumptious treat has remained with me since Friday, I thought I’d pass along to you some delightful Valentine’s Day spins on the old favorite!

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First up, Patricia Furtado’s Creamy hearts in strawberry sauce…

Can’t you almost taste the creaminess of those cold, cold hearts?!  Be sure to visit her blog for the how-to; here’s what she says you’ll need to make these bad boys:

The hearts (makes about 64):

• 600 ml Single Cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Two envelopes of unflavoured gelatin

For the sauce:

• 2 cups pureed strawberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp Corn flour
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice

Oh, and she makes a mean cheesecake, too…

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Next, a strawberry cake.  Not really strawberries and cream, but I like looking at it.  Sue me.

According to Litton, the company that makes this deliciousness, it’s “built on a white cake recipe enhanced with fresh strawberries and cream cheese icing flavored with strawberry shavings.”

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Up last – for now, at least – we have a dessert that I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT to try one day.  It’s named Strawberries & Cream for the Grownups, and I found it on Cherry Men Love.  It sure looks like a boozy doozy…

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One more thing… these last two below look really, really good to me.  How about you?

Curious how to get them in your tummy?  The first is Berries and Coconut Cream; the second is Flaxseed Waffles with Berries and Honey Cream.

ENJOY!

{ Photo credits: 1, 2-4, 5, 6-9, 8, 9 }

In honor of the Superbowl (currently playing on our flat screen as I begin writing, which should reveal my level of interest), I thought I’d throw a few ideas on a theme your way…

(That was the tamest image I could find by googling the words “football” and “woman.”  Don’t even try it with “girl.”  *Sigh.*)

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Okay, first, you’ll need to answer a few quick questions to determine if this post is really for you.  Here we go:

Does your man love the football?  Are you planning your wedding?  If that’s two affirmatives, then I have a three-part question for you; answer ‘Yes’ to any of these three parts, and you might love this post…

Do you love football, too / Are you just looking for any stunt that’ll get your man more interested and involved in the wedding planning / Are you having a really, really laid back celebration?  If there’s a yes in there somewhere, then it’s quite possible that this post is tailor-made for you!

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To start, there’s your football-themed wedding cake topper.  Not bad, not bad at all.  Want it?  Find it here.  For other cake topper ideas – much less kitschy, much more cutesy – take a look at one of my most popular posts thus far, FRIDAY’S FAB FINDS | lovely + fun cake toppers | Wow, I Actually LIKE These…

Moving right along… let’s talk food.  (Yay!)  One thing I can get behind, no matter what, is a good ol’ fashioned pig-in-a-blanket (err, mini hot dog – same difference).  I apologize to the sticklers out there, really, I’m sorry, but I’m so a fan of this tastiest of finger foods.  And just look at this arrangement we have below!  Three de-freakin’-licious looking appetizer suggestions, plus one questionable but most likely thirst-quenching boozy drink idea (beer margaritas?  I was thinking the same thing), all geared towards a fantastic Superbowl get-together.  So, why not your wedding, too?

I found the above over at the always inspiring Hostess with the Mostess, who credits them to Everyday at Rachael Ray.

Offer those mouth-watering comfort foods, not to mention the booze, during your cocktail hour, and your friends and relatives will thank you for inviting them to your wedding and mean it.  Not to mention the effect it could have on all of the men who got dragged along by your currently single girlfriends or cousins (men who don’t yet know how cool you and your hubby-to-be are).  You can imagine how pleasantly surprised said bachelors will be when they realize the sheer amount of joy a man can experience… at a wedding.  Women everywhere will thank you, for doing your part, however unwittingly, to make at least one man out there a little bit more comfortable with the idea of getting married.  WOW what a tangent.

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Next up: DESSERT.

Want to sink your teeth into those tantalizing treats?  The spirited cuppies were created for Celebrations by Jeanne Benedict, and featured on Hostess with the Mostess.

Oh how sweet it is.  You know what’s great about dessert?  I mean besides everything?  When it comes to football-themed-wedding-appropriate dessert, the only thing footbally about it will be the appearance.  Oh yes, it may look like a football, but that cupcake is not going to taste like a football.  It’s going to taste like a moist, sugary, delicious cupcake.  And it will be AWESOME.

So, what the heck.  I can support this. 

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Photo credits: Pin-up illustration; The Chanel Football by Karl Lagerfeld ($195 at select Chanel boutiques – no joke)

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Tomorrow, it’s back to the super pretty, super fun Valentine’s Day Inspired Goodness – and boy do I have some things to show you!!  Plus – loads of truly incredible wedding inspiration.  (Seriously, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you how many photos I flipped through this weekend.)

Talk soon!

Alison