Category — {Floral + Decor}

Ok, I’m a little detail-obsessed today.  I think you’ll understand why in a moment… [Read more →]

I came down to get some coffee, but before I could open the door, my three-year-old nephew swung it out in my direction.  He looked me dead in the eye, held out a closed fist, and then opened it to release a single doggy bone puzzle piece… which fell at my feet.  No words were expressed.  He then retreated behind the door from whence he came.

Do you think he’s trying to tell me something?

* * *

-♡-

Anywho…

I love light.  And I adore finding unique and gorgeous ways to bring it into my life.  [Read more →]

Hmm.  My titles are getting too long.

Ok, so, as many of you know, I recently purchased a hella expensive, hella worth it MacBook Pro.  Yup, all 17″ of it – worth it.  Except for one thing.  The battery life has been for shiznit.  They claim 8-10 hours, and I realize that can often refer to the time something lasts when it’s idling/not in use. BUT, here’s the thing: if you’re throwing thousands of dollars of hard-earned moula at a 17″ MacBook Pro, aren’t you doing so for the express reason of doing more than using a single tab in your browser to sign into your aol account and forward your nieces and nephews hilarious and adorable kitten photos?  Do I surf one web page at a time, within one tab in my browser?  Hardly.  But THAT’s why I bought the Pro.  Anyway, whatevs the battery sucks and I brought it in for an exchange.

And guess what?  They gave me a new one.  But before I continue, a quick aside: some of you saw my tweets about that Apple Store employee who SCREAMED AT A BABY for… get this… SCREAMING in the store.  That isn’t Alanis Morissette irony, that’s actual, real-life irony.  And it would be hysterical in its irony if it didn’t involve a screaming baby and it weren’t so dang horrid.  But don’t worry – he was so loud that everyone in the store turned and stared at him.  He was very embarrassed, and I’m confident he learned a life-long lesson.  Or was fired.

… Anyway, as I was saying, they gave me a brand new Pro to replace the one with the faulty battery.  HOORAY!  But… and I’m going to sound like a spoiled little baby right now (quite likely the screaming kind), but I have to mention this because it is slowly driving me insane…

My new Pro has quite possibly the LOUDEST CLICK BOARD in laptop history.  Here: imagine the loudest click sound you could possibly make.  THAT’S IT.  I don’t think I can take this thing to the library (hah, like I’m going).  I think I woke up my sweetie four times last night (I, uhh, stay up late a lot working).  I think if I bring this hyena to Starbucks, I will single-handedly cause much internal unrest among patrons, but nothing will actually come of it (because Starbucks patrons aren’t the confrontational type).

Moving on…

* * *

Ok, I adored putting together Amber and Sean’s wedding feature.  Rustic venues and DIY brides, each on their own, make me happy.  But together?  Chills.  I’m not lying.  And it doesn’t hurt when you add the fact that the groom DIY’d a whole bunch of things with his manly man hands for the couple’s big day.  Sweet?  Check.  Seriously creative?  Check.  Sexy?  Oooohhhh yeeeeaaaahhh.

And, while this is my faaaavorite inspiration board of them all…

I have to share with you some very small but great details I gushed over, especially because you guys have come to me with questions about them!

First, you see those alphabet (monogrammed) cups up at the tippity-tip top of this post?  When you guys wrote me asking if I knew where to find them, I immediately remembered that I’d seen them in Anthro a couple of weeks back.  So glad I remembered that, because they rock and are totes wedding-worthy!  Check ‘em out:

Love ‘em all lined up so cutely:

Are you likin’ them too?  You can nab your own right here!  Stick some flowers in them and set them on tables for the absolute cutest centerpieces ever!  You can go with your initials like Amber and Sean did, or you can ID your tables with letters instead of the ho-hum table number approach, using your favorite letters from the alphabet!  Sorry!  I’m talking to you like you’re five!  And you aren’t!

Right.  Ok then… are you looking for something a bit more fancy-shmancy?  Here you go:

Gorgeous.  I’m lovin’ all over these flourish-tastic alphabet mugs.  You can grab them here.

* * *

Next up, paper straws!  Here they are being put to use at Amber and Sean’s DIY-rrific wedding:

Love ‘em?  Then check this: my post on my sweet, sweet love affair with striped paper straws.

* * *

Now, for a couple more details I know you guys loved… starting with the shoes:

The bride let us know that her shoes are from Nordstrom.  They’re the BP. Platinum ‘Jade’ Sandal and they also come in black and silver satin.  GORG.

And that dress of hers?  It’s by Demetrios, though Amber informed us that “it’s not online, but it is available at the store in San Diego.”  So, I guess, book a flight if you ADORE that gown!

Rustic Wedding Credits:

Guest post on Style Me Pretty / Venue: Spanish Oaks Ranch in Santa Margarita, CA / Flowers: April Flowers / Photographer: Ken Kienow / Video: Jack Hutchinson / Catering: Pacific Harvest Catering / Cake + Cupcakes: Cassie’s Custom Cakes in Atascadero, CA / Stationery: Jessica Lehry Bishop – JessLehry Designs

Ok, so what do you guys think?  Would you use those monogrammed mugs as part of your wedding decor?  Or maybe throw in some soda pop and striped paper straws for your guestipoos?  (Guestipoos?)

xoxo!  – Alison

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♥

I’m really excited today because I get to share with you guys what I think is a seriously fab idea for your wedding centerpieces.

But I’d also like to tell a story today about computer love and how opposites attract, so let’s begin with story time, and then jump right back into today’s feature.  Ok, here we go… hope you enjoy!

* * *

As many of you know, I own an iMac, and I make love to it on a daily basis, for upwards of ten hours.  It’s a steamy love affair; I seem to know just the right buttons to push.  And though sometimes I worry I’m maxing out his resources, all it really takes is a quick shutdown and restart for him to feel completely recharged and ready to take me on for another go.  Of course, we have our moments but, all in all, I love my iMac and, though he doesn’t talk much (save for a thunderous roar every time I turn him on), I’m pretty certain my iMac loves me.

But my iMac is a desktop.  He keeps me chained to my desk, and I don’t appreciate it.  In fact, I’ve grown to resent it.  I need to roam free, where the grass grows and the inspiration flows.  And I want to have the option to take him along with me, should the mood strike to write a post while I’m out and about.  So recently I’ve been pondering what it would be like to have a MacBook Pro.  I have a MacBook already, but he’s from my college years and way too overworked and immature to handle my needs these days.  Plus, his battery life is crap.  He’s a three minute man.

It has taken me months to get comfortable with the idea of taking on another Mac, but, in weighing my options and my needs, I’ve determined that for me and my projects to be able to grow, I must be free to move about the cabin of life.  … and blog from there.  (–Ohhh how cool am I.)

Ok, now here’s where my significant other comes into the story (and please note ~ for today, I will refer to my significant other as “Fancy Pants McGee”  or “Fancy P. McGee” – and quite possibly F.P. McGee or FPM if I get tired – from here on out, as I see fit):

So, I told Fancy P. McGee that I’d finally broken down and decided that I do need a laptop.  I had done some research (aka, clicked one button) and found that a student discount would shave MAX $150 off the retail price of the MacBook Pro I was eyeing.  Our conversation went as follows:

FPM: That’s great! What do Anthropologie dresses cost these days?  You could probably get two for $150 – you should do that with the money!

ME: First of all, no I couldn’t.  $150 would buy me ahh dress, not two, or maybe a pair of jeans at Anthro.  But as far as the comp goes, it’s gonna cost between $1k and $2K, and a student discount will save me around $150, but I’ll still be in the hole $1500.  Not coming out on top here.  No net profit.

FPM: Yeah, no I get it, babe.  What I’m saying is you’ll have saved $150, so you should treat yourself to that much in fashions.  (Ok, he didn’t call them fashions, I only wish he had.  Dwight from Real Housewives of ATL has been repeating “fashion show with no fashions” all day in my head, so that’s where that came from.)

ME: I should spend the saved money?  I don’t understand.  I’ll be out $1500.

FPM: You save $150 with the discount, so you’ll have $150 left over that you wouldn’t have had without the discount.

ME: OMG.  I get it now.  This is found money to you!

-♡-

This is one way in which Fancy P. and I could not be more dissimilar.  Could not.  But here’s the moral of the story: we often seek out mates with traits we wish we had more of in ourselves.  I’m a saver-to-the-max, and wish I felt comfortable parting with a little discretionary income every so often.  Kidding, I don’t have “discretionary income.”  That’s a term that entitled folk invented to feel better about buying gilded furniture and designing themed rooms in their homes instead of helping others.

But yeah, I do wish I felt a little more comfortable spending on myself every once in a while.  And that’s where Fancy Pants comes in.  I’ve tamed his ways considerably, but he’s still got that itch to spend coursing through his veins.  And sometimes, it’s not such a bad thing to let it run wild.  But only sometimes.  … like with bed purchases.  (Most of you guys know what I’m talking about; more on that in the future!)

* * *

Ok, back to the centerpieces!

Bettula is one of the many amazing vendors I encountered at Renegade this past weekend.  With Bettula, Heather Fagan has created a line of vases (not to mention other home decor, art and even jewelry) all made from repurposed birch bark.  How cool is she and how rad is that?  And how fab does it all look?

I think these vases would work so well as centerpieces.  Place flowers or plants of your choice in vases of varying heights, and you’ve got some serious eye candy for your guests to ogle while they eat.  I adore the natural ones, but those gold numbers are incredibly flashtastic if you ask me.  Of course, you’ll want to go with what works for your color scheme.

(This girl was really into the display – like, really – so I chose not to disturb her.  It’s only when I see the photos in their full glory that I realize asking her to step away for a moment would have been the wisest choice of all.  I will remember this lesson for next time.)

Like Heather’s work?  Think you might fancy the idea of using her vases for some centerpiece action?  Go ahead and check out her Etsy shop!

So, what do you guys think?  Would you throw some flowers/candles/succulents into these babies, delicately place them on your tables and call it a day?  Are they wedding worthy in your book?  Tell me the truth; I’m really curious what you think!

xoxo!  -Alison

Happy Monday!  Hope everyone had a marvelous weekend!  The boy and I spent some time at Renegade Craft Fair on Sunday and aside from the gale-force winds and intermittent murderous rain droplets, it was a pretty fun experience.  More on that a bit later in the week.  And by the way, no I didn’t drag him.  He came willingly.  But I should note that I’ve sat through my – and your – fair share of uneventful baseball games.  (I say “uneventful” because I rather enjoy the eventful ones.  No matter the sport.  Well, save for soccer.  “Uneventful” games are those that even the guys don’t really enjoy, but they watch, just in case something happens.  They are a FUN FAIL.)

Ok, so here’s the news: I love banners.  Look, if you will, at the banner-related adorableness below, which I plucked from a past post.

Everything about that lovely mustached couple’s dessert table is perfection, but, for me, the “Sweet Love” banner takes the cake. (:

And here’s a little e-sesh banner action, which I scoped out on Love and Lavender:

Ohh, the many fine uses of grocery store doilies.  They aren’t just for tea overflow anymore!

(Click here to see the rest of this e-session if you’re digging it!)

{Photos: SoCal wedding photographers Gabriel Ryan and Carlie Renee}

* * *

Ok, so given my penchant for the above, I think it’s quite obvious why I lurve this DIY project from Martha.  It combines my unwavering obsession with beautiful, easy DIY projects with my love for all things involving and/or related to typography.  Hence, my happiness over this find.

By the way, you do know how much I love typography… right?  Here’s your proof.  Here, too.  And here.  If you needed it.

Also, I’m pretty sure there’s no confusion out there over whether or not I go batty over beautiful, eye-catching DIY ideas and free printables meant to make a bride’s wedding day that extra bit of special we all crave… but here’s the proof on that, too.  Want some more?  No problem; why don’t you check out this partial list of my posted projects and printables!  Hope you enjoy!

There’s this one, which is SO cute…

I LOVE this one – it’s labeliscious (:

This one’s LOADED with inspiration for your own pretty packaging…

Here’s some more Martha DIY project love…

Ooh, and another a lovely labels find…

Some of my favorite holiday DIY + free printables…

You can scroll down to the last four project pics of this post; they are just sooooo perfect…

Love this treat packaging idea, which is also ideal for your wedding favors…

… And the list goes on, of course.  So, yeah, I really enjoy doing it [my]self.

* * *

Wedding banners have been around for a long time; everyone has seen the words “Just Married” – the most traditional phrase – on at least one rear window, bike seat, or even cake topper in their lives…

Oohh, speaking of toppers…

(Click the topper to go to that post!)

However, maybe you’re looking for something much more unique in your wedding banner, but don’t really want to have to make it yourself?  Or, maybe you’re searching for a less classic/traditional look in your banner.  Of course, that’s no problem at all these days, given the choices that have come out of the woodwork over the past several years.  There are a number of vendors out there who would be thrilled to help you out with that.

Here’s today’s alternative idea: howsabout a wedding papel picado banner, or maybe some custom flag centerpieces?

If you likey, check out aymujer’s Etsy shop for these and more!

Hope you enjoyed this one!  Let me know – are you a fan of wedding/e-session banners?  I think it’s obvious that I am, but I’m super curious what you guys think.  Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!  And if you’re ambivalent, you can just tell me about your weekend.  (:

xoxo!  -Alison

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