That Darn Bolero.

You might have been wondering lately where's the bolero I've been knitting? Well, I finished it! Sadly, it doesn't have the fit appropriate for the dress itself. It really needs a collar and cuffs. While I did consider knitting those, I soon realized that I didn't have enough matching yarn left to do both. Also, I'd have to create my own color and cuff patterns and I'm just to busy with everything else to experiment with that. Instead, I found a lovely shrug pattern on Etsy (surprised?) It knits up pretty quick as the yarn is on the chunky side and the needle gage is large. I purchased two skeins of lovely Ivory soy wool (so soft!) and when I combine the left over yarn from the previous shrug, it has a nice texture and glow. Here's what the etsy pattern sample picture looks like:I've almost finished knitting up the colar already. Pictures of the real thing to come!

A Public Announcement

I've been getting alot of gift questions lately, mostly along the lines of what we still need. So to help you out I'll let you in on that:

Mostly we need smaller, but essential kitchen and bath things:

• wooden spoons
• spatulas
• kitchen towels
• potholders (you can never have too many!)
• a spoon rest
• cleaning supplies, including broom, mop, bucket, sponges, toilet brush, plunger, duster, etc. (please note: if any of you generous peoples do want to purchase cleaning products, candles or like, be sure they are lightly scented or unscented. I'm unfortunately sensitive to any flower or chemical smells. I'd love to be able to enjoy all of your generous gifts, so please keep that in mind. Scents like vanilla, cucumber, or a very light lavender are usually OK. Thanks for choosing carefully! XOXO)
• kitchen or bath rugs
• goofy fridge magnets or magnetic poetry (also, you can never have too many!)
• trivets
• soap holder
• ironing board
• any organizational tools-boxes, hooks, or the like

Also, feel free to pass on any books (fiction, good marriage books, cook books, or anything!), art, Christmas ornaments, or general house things that you've loved before but needs a new home. Being thrifty is not a crime! Tay and I would love anything with a history. Don't feel you absolutely must stick to the registries. Some of the most heartwarming and memorable gifts have been handmade, pre-loved, or otherwise unusual. Take for example (my personal favorite), a hand knitted pair of Christmas stockings with our names on them (our first as a couple!). How sweet, thoughtful, and will be cherished for years to come. We've also received some lovely Christmas ornaments (I love Christmas!), and even a few thoughtful gifts that are nods to southern and family tradition. Tradition is so important in making a family, so if any of you wonderful church ladies have traditions you'd like to share with or pass onto us, we would be very honored and thankful.

If all else fails, visit our online registries, located to right side of the screen at the tippy top. Macy's is located in Helena, and Charlotte has well...everything in town! I hope this gives you a better idea of what would benefit Tay and I most. Much love!!!

ck

That's One Rustic Cake Stand, Missy.

About a week ago, Mum and I spent the morning scavenging local antique shops for a vintage cake stand. We were successful!

Mom found this "primitive three legged stool" in a back corner. It's great for a few reasons-

It's vintage! The real thing.

It's tall, a least a foot. This should make the relatively short cake stand out much better.

It's wood. It will look great paired with Metal pie tins, glass and ceramic plates and dessert trays and these DIY dessert stands that I've posted before:

With some paper flowers and some mason jar lanterns, it should fit in pretty well.

A bouquet?! For ME?!

Remember that post oh so long ago when I was bride-whining about "oh bouquets are so boring" and "I don't want living flowers" and waaahhhh wah wah? Well, I can cry no longer because I have the bouquet I wanted in paper courtesy of Saint Jude's creations on etsy. You can view her complete blog, including more info about my bouquet here.


I gave her a few guidelines, the overall feel of the wedding and told her to do whatever she wanted (just make it look good). And she delivered:

Those are paper gray poppies and cream colored ranunculus (two of my favorite flowers!) and for added vintage effect, she included some clay orange blossoms. I just love all the little stamens, which it looks like she might have hand painted. Oh and the feathers? Her idea and I think they're perfect! The flowers are all hand made and hand dyed by the artist herself.

The great part about this paper bouquet is that I can keep it around for as long as I want. Maybe someday my little niece or daughter can carry it. The other added benefit is the vast array of colors available. Sure, gray poppies don't exist in nature, nor would many flowers in October. By using paper, I had a much wider selection of flowers and colors available to me. Not to mention, the price for a little, one-of-a-kind piece of art was extremely reasonable!

On top of ordering my bouquet at Saint Jude's Creations, I also ordered an extra dozen of the same flowers to go in the bridesmaids wedding corsages and on the wedding cake. Yay for tying everything together!

Way to go Marie! Thanks for a great wedding nosegay!

Yes!

The first round of invites are out and about!

Only another 100 to go!

In other news, I've spent the ENTIRE day fussing with embroidery, pearls, and veiling. Sigh.

So Much Done, So Much Advil Needed.

A little sneeky peeky at the invites.....
But thats all you get.

I've also been making some sweet progress on the huppah, all the leaves finished and onto the lettering:

Also....

I HAVE A WEDDING DRESS.

You know, no biggie, or whatever. Except for ITS PERFECT. It fits like a glove, it looks like a dream, and it feels like heaven. Blissful sigh. What's that? A picture? Of my dress? Well...OK!

Not! Just the box, today, not the dress. Sillies. You didn't really think I'd post my dress before the wedding did you? You're so cute.

Good News/Bad News

Such an eventful day.

First and foremost:

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY RUSTY AND ONAWA!!

Onawa, the lovely lady behind the save-the-dates and the soon-to-be invites, married Mr. Rusty ten years ago today, and wouldn't you know it, they're not only the coolest married people I know, but they've been awesome Christian role models to Tay and I. LOVE YOU BOTH!

Good news:

I now have 25 mason jar lanterns "in the can" as they say in showbiz (they say that, right?). Take a look:

Yay! Only countless dozens to go!

Also good news:

I got the gravel colored envelopes for the invites today, and they are b-e-a-utiful! However, this brings me to the bad news-

Bad News:

I JUST SPENT AN UNGODLY AMOUNT OF MONEY ON POCKET-ENVELOPES.

A little back story.

I had originally purchased the lovely "pool" blue pocket envelopes from Paper source at half the cost of other retailers. Little did I know this was because they were EXTREMELY back ordered. They might not even exist anymore. Thank you very much, Mr. Paper-source. So, I got on the horn with a very nice lady who helped me go through all the A7 linear enclosures and pick out one with in a color appropriate for the invites. Sadly all of those on sale were back ordered (thus the sale). In summation: I just dropped over $200 on paper. PAPER.

I'm still getting used to this whole "weddings cost money" thing. Pair that with spending someone else's hard earned moolah and badda-bing, shopping induced guilt. Les sigh. BUT, these invites will look great, better even with the new color "moss" enclosures, which aren't even advertised on the site, but were made known to me on the phone. Silver lining. Also, I tend to forget that no matter how much money I spend on invites....I still get to marry the English Major of my dreams.

Looking forward to our tenth anniversary-

ck.

Welcome to My Sunday Afternoon

30 thank yous down, a HUMUNGOUS PILE to go.

Onawa the Invite-Magician

Good things are coming together this weekend, including the invites. Onawa L. has pulled it off again and made us some fantastic, custom designs (which unfortunately I can't show you, I want it to be a surprise, sillies). While you won't be seeing the invites, not for a while anyway, I can show you a few very important elements that I've purchased:

Starting with Stamps! I have this undying love affair with etsy (I'm finding that most brides do), so naturally, the stamps come direct from one of etsy's best sellers, Terbearco. To cut some printing corners, the postcard RSVPs will be printed on the front and stamped on the back with this lovely mock-vintage postcard stamp. Lovin' it.
For the back of the outside envelope, Onawa recommended a little birdie stamp. Onawa asks and I deliver, baby! Check out this little tattoo inspired number for the envelope:

Thanks etsy!

I've been looking at envelopes and enclosures for days, and when I say days I mean 24/7. Originally I was going to use the double envelope, a request from Mamma Walling. (It really is a good thing that people who know wedding rules are around, as I know nadda) The double envelope is super tradish and nice but seemed a little stiff for our less than white-tie affair. Onawa has used these groovy pocket folders for other wedding invites she's designed. Cool often means expensive and this little number is no exception, like $1.40 per pocket folder expensive. Youch. Fortunately I found a much cheaper alternative ($.41) at PaperSource.com.

The A7 envelopes, also from PaperSource come in a ga-jillion colors, but Onawa and I liked "gravel" the best. To top the whole thing off, I'll tie the enclosure shut with some texture-iffic wool yarn and a little feather (seeing as I have hundreds left over from various wedding projects).

So there you have it. Hopefully, these will be ready to take to the printer by Monday morning. Can't wait!

Getting it Done, One Cream Colored Shirt at a Time

Let me tell you, its completely unfair that I should have two incredibly helpful and generous moms backing me up through this whole wedding jive. My mom (and Tom of course), the unabashed foodie, has laid out an entire tasty menu, complete with food stations featuring Tay and I's favorite foods. Not only that, but mom has committed herself to baking countless dozens of cookies (a Pennsylvania Tradition). Then of course there is the constant planning, getting dresses made, putting up with a stubbornly nontraditional bride, etc...She's been an asset.

This past weekend was a great time for Cathryn, the mom-in-law to be, and I get get a whole list of stuff done.

First and Foremost....we have a cake! What a load off. And what a deal! We went to Harris Teeter of all places, where Cathryn had heard they make some tasty cakes. Well, the reason the cakes are so tasty is because they come from one of the best bakeries in town- Tizzerts in Charlotte. The cakes, I'm told, are super moist and typically go for over $10 a slice. So it was good news for us that by going through the grocery store the price was a fraction of that. The choices are limited, you can pick between between five all white cakes of varying decoration, and the icing comes from the store, not the bakery. The cake is a wonderful vanilla cream cheese pound cake. The cake lady was very helpful and gave us a free cupcake in order to try the icing, which was very smooth and will work just fine! Here's the cake tasting:

Also...free cupcake! Here's the general idea:
Cornelli lace on three round tiers. Instead of the piping on the bottom of each tier, like in the picture, mom will attach fondant ribbon of some tasty color. Then, to top it off, my little bird under a bell jar topper. So sweet and Simple. And perfect. Also....Free Cupcake!

Next we headed over to Burlington and bought more french cuffed, cream colored shirts than anyone could ever want. Also, four very vintage looking, very nice cream and greyish plaid ties for the groomsmen and one very creamy, very handsome striped tie for a very handsome, very dreamy groom. Top that off with cuff links all around and add it to the dark grey Express suits the menfolk will all be sporting and voila! A very sharp looking bridal party. I'd show you pictures, but I would most certainly be killed. Consider the men (mostly) done! And all thanks to Cathryn!

We talked through and acquired some dish samples for the reception. No decision on that one yet, but its getting closer. Cathryn also showed me the wonderful centerpieces she's been working on for the reception. You can see below how the Walling-Knapp wedding has eaten the Walling home:

Aren't they great? I knew she was the gal for the job. Jeff told me she purchased just about every birdcage and birdhouse this side of Charlotte. Works for me! There's going to be lots of cages, candles, jars and moss-exactly what I love. Way to go Cathryn!

Also invites! Word is I'll be getting some proofs from a certain talented designer friend (the gal you can thank for our poster-tastic save the dates) very soon. That means assembly will begin this week! Now I only have to find envelopes, postage, card stock and a printer......A bride's work is never done.

That was an eventful vacation. So eventful, in fact, that I couldn't possibly cram it all into one post. So I won't! I'll post it all bit by bit, starting with THE WORLD'S LARGEST BRIDAL SHOWER. I would have to guess over 60 women came through my very first bridal shower on Sunday afternoon. I'm guessing that because I have over 90 thank you notes to compose now, but I know not everyone who gave a gift was there.
The run down:
1: lots of guests = lots of gifts. Sure this sounds great, but after two solid hours of riping boxes open, one does begin to tire.
2: Do brides ever get to eat the food at these things? I didn't eat at the engagement party, I barely ate anything at the shower, and people keep telling me that I won't even see the food at the wedding. It's ironic really, some of the tastiest foods around at the these things, but the guests of honor never get to touch it. ...I should really go to more weddings.
3: Opening a present never seems that daunting a task until 80 pairs of eyes are on you and suddenly you can't seem to untie a simple ribbon. Being forced to tear open a package with your teeth is just embarrassing. Fortunately for me, I opened every gift (with only a little trouble).
4: Messy. These things are messy. Paper everywhere! But that's nothing compared to the gift bomb that went off in the Family dining room shortly after the shower commenced:

The shower was great, in other words. Lots of loot, tons of ladies telling me I'm beautiful AND I had a refreshing drink accidentally tossed in my face (a story for another time). Whats not love?!

Most memorable gift- the cut glass jar given to us by Tay's Parent's in honor of his Grandfather who loved cut glass

Cutest gift- hand knitted Christmas stockings. They have our names and everything!

The gifts that made Tay's eyes pop- the fondue set, the cutco ice cream scoop (the best in the world!), the 14 inch wok, and the little metal prep bowls (I'm thinking Taylor's love of Condiments is getting a little out of hand)

The gifts that made My eyes pop- The Ice Cream Maker, The wonderful bedding provided by Tay's California relatives, Anything and everything from Ten Thousand Villages, Enough super soft green towels to make a towel fort.

The gift that reminded us how excited we are to be married- The Silverware place settings purchased by Taylor's Grandma, with the attached note: "I Pray you have many happy meals together."

Thanks to all of you who made Sunday such a special day!

Thanks to Liz and Kendyl who helped me unwrap gifts, write down gifts, and most importantly tell me who was who!

And an extra special thankyou to my three lovely shower hostesses! You are amazing!