Wedding Craft Run Down: Decor

Next on the list of wedding craftiness is the decor. I bunched this all together because there isn't a whole lot to say about each item.

First is the tissue paper pom poms. I can't remember where I first saw these but I knew I wanted lots of them hanging from the ceiling of the tent. Martha Stewart has a how-to that I followed. The only bummer is the length of standard tissue paper is not long enough to make these pom poms. I made one out of a stack of 8 sheets of tissue paper and it was horrible. I finally figured out that the sheets weren't long enough so I had to overlap sheets, to make them the correct length, which took a while, then do the steps Martha outlined. Another sort of pain in the tuckus was rounding the edges; seems pretty easy for the first three pom poms but when you're on your 19th pom pom your hand gets a bit sore.
Here are some pictures of the growing pile.

 

To hang them up you cut small gauged wire and make an "S" putting one end through the loop you made on the pom pom, and one around whatever you're attaching it to. We used the strands of lights. Here is a picture of the pom poms all hung up (Thanks Jaclyn for the picture, can you believe I didn't have time at my own wedding to take pictures?!?): 

While you're looking at the above picture I'll just quickly talk about the other decor. For table decorations my Mum and I picked out a bunch of vintage looking patterned fabric and she made table runners so each table had a different runner. The centerpieces were planted herbs in old enamel bowls we found at vintage stores. We used a bunch of old mason jars to hold candles and my dad made a bunch of candle holders out of birch trees. Lastly, to tell our guests what the table names were I painted pieces of wood with chalkboard paint then my friend Cait wrote the table names on them. The tables were all named for mountains or waterfalls that Charlie and I have hiked or skied. Then we went all geeky and arranged them geographically, even though no one noticed. And now I am sure you can see why the table arrangements took us so long.

Moving on to the outside decor. I painted out barn boards with directions for parking and other activities. I also painted more signs that told the mileage from where we were to towns that Charlie and I grew up in or have lived together. To figure out the distance I used this Google Map Distance Calculator.

Lastly, for outdoor decor, we hung up a bunch of quilts. Jaimie brought along the one she had made and finished the quilt she made us for a wedding gift, and the four I have made we hung up as well. To  hang them up pieces of clothes line rope were cut to length and tied around trees then the quilts were hung on the line with clothes pins.

Alrighty, that's all of decor. Maybe I'll do one last totally random post about all the other miscellaneous projects.

Lauren

Wedding Craft Run Down: Place Cards

Here is a quick wedding how to run down.

First up, place holders. We I knew we wanted people to have designated seats at the wedding. Upon deciding that I set out to find a cute and inexpensive way to make the place cards. Inspiration struck when I saw a picture of clothes pins holding the name cards. I knew I wanted the clothes pins to be more excited though so I decided to whip out my old friend Mod Podge, some paper, and get working.

This is what I came up with:

I cut strips of paper the height and length of the clothes pin, used a paintbrush to swipe on a layer of mod podge, laid the paper on top and swiped more mod podge to seal. I used left over paper from the invitations (because there was is a lot) to make the name cards. Then they cliped right in.

 

I only had 100 clothes pins, because that's all that was for sale at the store, but 129 guests so I needed to somehow figure out what to use to make 29 more place card holders. Inspiration struck again when I remembered a shoe box full of old wooden spools. I used pretty much the same technique for the spools as I did for the clothes pins, measure, cut, glue. These took a bit longer because you have to hold the paper for a while to let it dry since it's rounded (in other words, get your hands all gluey). 

 

After they are dry comes the tricky part, I used a band saw to cut a little line in the top to hold the place card.  A hand saw would work too though.

 

Lots of people asked me; "Didn't it take you a long time to make those?" To which I responded; "Not as long as figuring out the seating arrangements." Which is 100% true, but I liked the way they looked so the time doesn't matter. Now I have about 75 clothes pins and 15 spools and must figure out what to do with. 

At the wedding people also started clipping their place card to their clothes with the pins. Apparently they thought it was what we had wanted, even though the idea never occurred to me, but it turned out to be a good way for our guests to know each others names though. 

Up next: Tissue Paper Pom Poms/ Decor.

Lauren

That Was Easy: Collection Display Fix

Hello! Do you remember when I posted last year about my purse collection? Well, for my bachelorette party my dear friend Allie gave me another adorable vintage beaded purse. Isn't it fantastic?

I love it. I was so happy to get such a thoughtful gift and I knew it would be perfect for using at the wedding, which I did. It held a stack of tissues, and about 20 bobby pins, and I think I used all of each supply.

After the wedding craziness wore off and I unpacked everything I knew I had to find a way to display my new purse on the wall with the others. But how oh how could I when the purse does not have any straps or handles?

Today the solution came to me. I took a piece of ribbon, and tied it around both side of the purse flap. Then screwed two hooks into the wall the correct distance apart and then hung the ribbon from the hooks.

The ribbon still showed however so I just twisted the hooks down a bit and now my strapless purse can hang from the wall with my other purses.

Aren't they all just so cute you could squeal? 

 

I also decided to put an index card inside each purse so that I can write down when I used it and for what occasion. I think it will be fun to look back in a few years and remember where the purses have been, besides displayed on the wall.

That's all for now.

Lauren!

I'm Not Dead! I'm Married.

Hello blog reader(s)!

I know it has been well over a month sine my last post, and you've probably been worried sick about my health and wondering if I've died of heat exhaustion or maybe fallen off a cliff. No need to fear though, I am alive and well, and married. *Gasp*. Yep Married. Turns out planning a backyard wedding sans wedding planner, is quite time consuming. Luckily I have the summer off and was able to "move" to Maine and put the finishing touches on the wedding for three weeks, and then get married, and then take over a week to recover and post about the wedding. I think I'll break down the wedding into several posts, since there is ohhh so much to share, but here are a few pictures, snagged from my friends and family to hold you over.

 just married.

 

just married part two. 

 

let's all take a bunch of pictures. 

Lots more to come. If you feel like crying here's a youtube video that my fantastic friend and wonderful photographer Sammy made of some of the wedding pictures she took. Or maybe I am the only one who cries looking at them.

Lauren!