Chop, Chop, Chop, Ouch!

I'm assuming that by the title of this post, you thought I got my hair cut.  But you're wrong.  That won't be happening until after the wedding, although I do already have a style picked out.

Today I had my first alterations appointment.  I'm very cautious to tell you about what I have done to the dress, because I want you all to be surprised when you see the pictures after the wedding.  My seamstress, Rose, was so excited to make the changes that I wanted, and got right to work.  We did a lot of cutting, some stuffing (yeah, those of you who know me know that I need some help in that department), and some pinning.  The cutting went really well, but the pins kept popping out because they weren't long enough and the boning of the dress was so strong.

There is still some more cutting and some unsewing to be done in between now and my next appointment.  I can't wait to show you the before and after pictures. It's going to look so different!

My next appointment isn't until the middle of September, where my mom and sister will finally be able to join. I can't wait for them to see the dress!!!

Jazzing up the Venue

After we chose our venue, I started googling it to try to see some inspirational wedding pictures.  I eventually came across a local photographer's blog that featured a bride who decided to spruce up the space a bit by adding some pillows around the reception area, and more specifically on the benches that are placed throughout the venue.

Pillows on Benches / Image via Michelle Amarante Photography

Since we will be using the benches for VIP seating during our ceremony, I figured that this would be a great opportunity to make some pillows to make them more comfortable.  

So, I went to my favorite fabric resource, and went looking for some heavier fabrics - ones that would last through the wedding, and could later be used in our house, but also matched the colors I picked for the wedding - orange, yellow, green, gray, and white.  I found so many that I loved, so I bought them....all of them!

Please ignore the turquoise one - not a wedding color / Screenshot of Fabric.com order

Once the fabrics came in, I went out to Joann's Fabrics to buy pillow inserts, and then got to work at my sewing machine.  I was going to be creative and do a bunch of different types of cases, envelope, pocket, sham, etc, but then I got lazy and decided to just do normal pillow cases.

And because I was so lazy, I didn't even really measure much. Here's what I did:

Step 1 - Lay out pillow inserts.

Pillow Inserts from Joann Fabric / Personal Picture

Closeup of Pillow Insert from Joann Fabric / Personal Picture

Step 2 - Decide which fabric will go on each pillow.

 Chosen Fabric on Each Pillow Insert / Personal Picture

Step 3 - Trace pillow insert onto folded fabric. No picture for this step - couldn't take one while tracing.  Sorry!

Step 4 - Pin on trace mark for sewing purposes. Make sure to leave part of one side open so you can turn the pillow case right side out and stuff it.   

Pinned Pillow Case - Note open side at bottom / Personal Picture

Step 5 - Straight sew pillow case on pins and along traced line.  Make sure to reverse stitch your beginning and ending spots to make sure that your stitching doesn't unravel.

Step 6 - Turn your pillow case right side out, and stuff with correct size pillow insert.

Step 7 - Fold under the edges of the fabric at the opening, and pin shut.  

Stuffed pillow case with opening pinned shut / Personal Picture

Step 8 - Hand-sew the opening so that it stays shut.  

Finished Pillows / Personal Picture

Finished Pillows - Dandelion Theme Fabric / Personal Picture

Finished Pillows - Suzani Theme Fabric / Personal Picture

Finished Pillows - Ozborne Theme Fabric / Personal Picture

And that's it, folks! So simple!  I probably made all of these pillows in less than two hours. The most time consuming part was the hand-sewing, and that was distracting because I was doing it while watching Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef.  

I hope that the guests enjoy these, but not too much, because I want to take them all home with me after the wedding.  Do you think I need to put a sign up that says don't take the pillows? Should I add some ribbon to them to tie them to the benches like the other bride did?

I'mma Put you to Work

This was a big wedding craft weekend.  And it's about time, because we are officially under 100 days! Yikes!

A few weeks ago, I mentioned to you that I finally found something for the missing element of our centerpieces - Midollino sticks!

Well, they arrived in the mail a little bit ago, and I had opened them and checked them out, but that was just to verify the order was correct.

Love when mail arrives for me!! / Personal Picture

Three Bundles of Midollino Sticks / Personal Picture

This weekend, though, we took them out for good, and I assigned FI the easy task of cutting them to fit in the centerpieces. We decided that each stick would be cut into three even sections. doing so would allow for good amount to be put into each cut wine bottle. So, FI got to cutting and got all of them done with a regular pair of scissors in about an hour and a half. It wasn't until about a third of the way through did he realize that the scissors could handle more than one stick at a time, so the last part went a lot quicker than the first part did.

Three cut Midollino Sticks / Personal Picture

Granted that I am not using the sticks as they are intended to be used, however, so far, I am very happy with them, and I'll tell you, the color could not be moreperfect. They are almost a perfect match to the wire that I made the photo holders out of.

Cut Midollino Sticks in a Wine Bottle Chiller / Personal Picture

Anyone else using something non-traditional and non-floral for centerpieces?

Sold Out

Yep, you heard me. Sold Out.

"What is sold out?" you may ask.  The favors/seat placement cards.

Yep, these adorable little bamboo pots are sold out.

Tapered Pot Favors in Orange / Image via Eastern Leaf

I first noticed this on the site two weeks ago, and since I was interested in just the orange ones, I contacted the company, who told me that they would be getting a shipment of new products in two weeks, and that they would contact me again once that shipment has arrived to determine whether or not the amount I needed would be available.  

Two weeks passed by, and I checked in with them, and they told me they would not be able to get the number of orange pots that I needed.  

Devastated. Absolutely devastated.

Luckily for me, (I mean, they are lucky bamboo plants, you know) they also have other options.  

White Saki Cup Favor / Image via Eastern Leaf

Mini Square Favor / Image via Eastern Leaf

I love the little white Saki cups, and I think we could decorate them really cute for the wedding, maybe with a stencil or something, but do I really want to be doing that two weeks before the wedding to approximately 100 of these? Not really.

So, we're going to go with the Mini Squares, and add in Orange gravel instead of the red that you see in the picture above.

I'm excited to order these, and see how they come. Apparently you have to assemble them when they arrive, so that should be a nice little project.  Good thing my mom and MOH E will be around when they arrive - I'll need the extra hands since we'll be getting so many!