Project DIY: Episode 6

I am SO pumped for my Gocco and my Xyron to arrive, I will make sure to post any projects when they happen, but for now (as always) I just have a ton of ideas. One DIY idea I am especially excited about is drink flags and cupcake flags. The Xyron will definitely come in handy for this.

Episode 6 (and 6 1/2): Drink Flags and Cupcake Flags

Unfortunately I do not have images for drink flag inspiration but I am sure you get the picture, same deal just on a drink stirrer and not a toothpick. I actually ordered the stir sticks already from Bar Supplies.com, 500 for just $9! I got clear but they do have a few colors available, buy some here.


Now we just have to decide what to write or what image we want on the flags. We have debated for the drink flags doing trivia questions about my fiance and I. Question on the front, answer on the back, it could be a good conversation starter for those who don't know each other well, but then it could be a total flop and come off cheesy so we have to think about that one. For the cupcake flags we may do stripes, or perhaps the verdana design we like so much:

and maybe a simple J & E printed on there somewhere (our first initials). Or I like how in picture two they used several different decorative papers that are all in the same color family. Just pop some paper into the Xyron, cut a cute flag shape out, (or cut first, then insert into Xyron, I will have to see what works better) wrap around toothpick or stir stick, stick two sides together and viola, instant flag awesome-ness!

What do you think would be a cute design or saying to put on either a drink or cupcake flag?

Images: 1 &2 The Knot, 3 Notepolish, 4 Broadway Paper

Project DIY: Episode 5

I realize I haven't been keeping my whole 15 day promise but sometimes these DIY projects irk me just thinking about them when I can't actually start doing anything. If it were up to me I would do everything now and then relax the other 9 months or whatever. My fiance has known me long enough (10 years to be exact) to realize I change my mind, a lot. But...I would think if something were completed that would keep me from changing my mind, no? Well in any case, on with the show!

Episode 5: Table Cards

Originally I did not want table cards, I did not want seating cards. I wanted a very casual sit where you like atmosphere, something feels weird to me about you sit here, you sit there, you sit next to this guy you don't know. However, my mom made a good point, certain people are going to want to sit next to certain people, and instead of making my 87 year old grandmother rush to save seats so she can be next to her son, daughter or grandchildren, the assigned seating was born.

I have two thoughts about the table cards, do we go with something meaningful that shows our personality, or just something simple that serves its purpose. I saw this post on Weddingbee that I thought was super cute but I would have no patience for. I found this card via Bklyn Bride and really like the graphic-iness (nice word!) of it.

Or the other route, we were maybe thinking each table would be named after one of our favorite designers, since my fiance and I are all in to that. Probably simple grey and white images, more of a sketch than photograph so they don't stand out too much. Maybe even the back would tell the history or maybe how it relates to us. Some contenders:

*this is a joke, I would not use the picture of Brange at Fallingwater, we have our own Fallingwater pics however we do not look nearly as glam


What do you think, more personal and playful or should table cards just simply be numbers, serve their purpose, no fuss? Ease Level: Medium

Images found: #1, 2, 5 here, #3 here, #4, here. Also, check out this Weddingbee post on table cards-here.

Project DIY: Episode 4

Episode 4: Save the Dates

Since I am only in the gathering ideas stage and not the actual making stage I won't have any fun pictures to share but I will make sure to post them as soon as any production begins. We are going with the increasingly popular postcard save the date. Only I suppose to save on envelopes and waste as we will probably end up using the same Eames 42 cent stamp since postcard stamps are generally ugs.

I am thinking the front of the postcard will have an image (photograph or drawing) of me and the fiance. Something a little vintage, artistic, or maybe comical. Back of the postcard will have one half decorative in the pattern we like, with a sqaure where addresses are inserted. Other side will have area info/date. Pretty simple but the invitations are going to be pretty fab and I just want the save the date to be easy.

What are your favorite save the dates you have seen?

Project DIY: Episode 3

Episode 3: Guest Book

Why does it seem all the guests books out there are the wrong color, too frilly, boring, plain? So we were forced to come up with our own idea. We are going to use Blurb.com to create a nice, more modern guest book that will fit in with our other art and design books.

I first found out about Blurb from a Lucky magazine article which I posted about back in January. I thought this could be a good idea, and then I found the post on Brklyn Bride about the frames wallpaper. I loved this wallpaper! Since we do not have enough room to hang a huge board of the paper ( though I love that idea and think someone should definitely use it) we compromised and are using these pages as the pages for our Blurb book. The idea is for guests to write their notes inside one of the frames. We are supplying the most beautiful array of Sharpies I have ever seen and also Polaroids. So they could also take their picture , write a note on the bottom and tape it inside one of the frame boxes. I am so excited to see how this turns out and we hope to make another Blurb book of our wedding pictures. For us a nice, hardcover book is much more practical than a huge wedding album or a book with simply guest's names written in it.

The cost of creating your own Blurb book is $30-75 depending on the shape you choose and number of pages, which is comparable to a store bought guest book. Plus we get to design the book jacket/cover which will be so fun! Ease level: Very Easy (Blurb site has step by step instructions and is very user friendly).

Project DIY: Episode 2

Episode 2: The Out of Towners

I think providing a little treat or at least some area attraction info is a must for your out of town guests. Some people will have traveled long distances and you should thank them for doing so. I have a few ideas for this project.

I fell in love with this idea on MS Weddings. A simple pouch that hangs on the guest's doorknob and you can insert direction info, restaurant info, etc. Most hotels will have this information already but it is nice you have handpicked the things they would actually enjoy. Cost for this project is very low, all I would purchase is paper to make the pouches, a circle punch and circle stickers. However, I know this would depend on the hotel but I really can not see them placing the pouches on the doorknobs, usually they don't even know what room they are going to assign until the guest checks in. If they are just handed to the guests all effect is pretty much lost. Ease level: Easy


to read the full article from MS weddings - click here.

I also think a small basket of water, snacks, etc. is a nice welcome gift for guests. Since we are estimating only 30-40 out of towners this is managable for us. Check out this post from Tara on In This Instance, she did a great job using boxes from the Container Store. I love the stamp she used, I was either thinking a stamp or some sort of label. If you are doing a lot of these check out Uline, they offer good discounts on retail bags and boxes. You can even request samples if you are unsure of which size or style you want. Another resource, WrapSmart, a little more expensive but they do have a nice variety of colors. Ease level: Easy

Remember not to go overboard as out of town guests will most likely be flying and will not have a ton of room to take back items. What do you think are the perfect supplies for an out of towner gift box?

Project DIY: Episode 1

Since we are attending an open house for a possible caterer tomorrow night I am going to post a little early.

Episode 1 - Table Runners

As I mentioned in a previous post I was looking for green stripe fabric to make my own table runners, look no further Paper Source has the answer. This stripe is perfect, it has the perfect chartreuse green (looks much different in person) and will be less expensive than fabric (also less work, no edges to hem). I would purchase the roll sheets since they are the biggest, cut each sheet in half, sew or tape the two pieces together and voila one fab table runner. $6.50 per roll, two sheets per roll. If we go with 6 ft tables I can make 2 runners per roll and for approximately 12 tables. 6 rolls at $6.50 = the bargain price of $39 for 12 fabulous table runners. All this requires is cutting the sheets in half and then taping or sewing together in the middle. Ease level: Easy

Short article on MS Weddings about this idea also - click here.