You Just Can't Keep Me Away...

I know I know, I'm retiring.  But I had to share these little rehearsal dinner invitations I made for my little bro's upcoming nuptuals because they might be my favorite design ever, and I really did these myself!  The dinner is being held at an old Chicago steakhouse where the color scheme involves lots of vintage green, so I grabbed old art deco fonts from www.dafont.com and went wild!  I kept things simple because the happy couple is definitely more into "understated" than "over the top" but I think they came out juuust right.



I love them, potentially more than I love the adorable couple (ok just kidding guys)!  :)





Cheers!

Moving On, Moving Up

A year ago when I started this blog it was kind of a bucket list thing.  I do a lot of writing for a living, could I write a blog for a year?  I thought so.  What I didn't anticipate was that I'd develop such a great group of followers, nor did I know how rewarding blogging would be!  I have learned so much about relationships, about crafting and planning, and about gathering as a community  in support of one another- miraculously, all through a silly, geeky blog.   And although it's been gratifying beyond measure to participate in this world, I have to face facts:  I'm waaaay too busy to do this for the long haul.  I will ALWAYS love weddings but I am officially over-saturated with wedding knowledge- knowledge I no longer need.   It's generally a good idea to walk away from something while you still love it, no?



Furthermore, J. and I are looking down the barrel of some big changes right now.  None are so big we can't manage, but  I need to take some time to prioritize my career and family right now- and unfortunately the blog doesn't make money or cuddle.  So even though it's a bummer to slow down, I need to focus on the rest of my life for a while.



The good news is that I can save some $$ because I won't be paying hosting fees anymore.  The bad news is that I have to move the blog to another (free) platform- which I will be sharing with you as soon as I figure it out- so all those postings won't be gone forever.  And don't worry, I'll still post from time to time when I have something good to share!  PLUS I'm still holding out hope that I can hand The One! over to a new bride-to-be who may be looking for a way to share her adventures (so please email me if you are interested)!



It's hard to figure out how to end a post like this without sounding cheesy, so I am forced to accept that I will always be a cheeseball, and end with two of the cheesiest things I can think of.  First, the always-quotable Elizabeth Gilbert:



"We search for happiness everywhere, but we are like Tolstoy's fabled beggar who spent his life sitting on a pot of gold, under him the whole time. Your treasure--your perfection--is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the busy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the heart."



Elizabeth always nails it, doesn't she?  That's totally how I feel- I need to chill for a while and focus on some basics.  Oh and the second cheesey thing I hearby bequeath to you?  From Titanic...





I'll never let go...





xoxo,



Sarah :)

Not Your Mother's Stencils

We're all familiar with the stenciling fads that people either love or hate- we all know someone who filled their house with them, and today they incite love or hatred (generally because they are deemed "too country" or because the artist wasn't very talented) among most people.   But today there are a new kind of wall decals which seem to have replaced stencils as the new "it" wall treatment.   The are peel-and-stick decorations that can be easily removed.  And I have to say that when used sparingly with an editing eye,I think they can be really cute!  Apparently I'm not alone in this feeling, and that is probably why they're also becoming a hit in the wedding world!

Best of all this trend is AFFORDABLE.  Custom designs on etsy or from internet vendors run anywhere from $25-100 which isn't bad when you consider I know people who spent $1000 per centerpiece (not me though!) and I have seen them in discount stores for less.  In fact, I recently purchased a little quote for my foyer for 75% off, and it was only $4.50.   I bet those of you out their with those fancy little cutting machines like the CriCut could even figure out how to make your own.  Definitely worth keeping in mind for budget ceremony decor!

New House!

I really don't think it's possible to overemphasize how busy this year has been.  My most recent excuse?  The lovely little colonial you see below!  J. and I moved in on Thursday with very little broken to show for it.  Yipee!  I can't wait to show you the inside!  In the mean time, if you need me you can find me unpacking, planning a housewarming BBQ, or maybe even passed out, because I am definitely feeling exhausted... but happy!

We're Moving!

Wow, it's hard to believe that we're moving today, but we really are.  It's kind of incredible to remember how we got to this day.  I bought my condo in March of 2008, tried to sell it between January and June of 2010, failed, and decided to list it on the rental market instead.  In the mean time, J. and I have been working nights and weekends to renovate his house, one we've had a tenant living in for the past 2 years.  It has been a ton of work.  A ton.  We are both absolutely exhausted and that doesn't even count the pending moving exhaustion we're sure to feel later today!

So with all that said, you'd think I'd be too distracted to notice the small part of me that's feeling sad to leave.  I am not a person who feels nostalgic about everything- I have moved many times and never felt much sense of loss.  I try to follow that time-tested cliche: it's best to live life looking forward and not backward.  But something about this move is different... a significant slice of my life took place in this condo- it's the place J. and I first lived together, where we got engaged, and where we began our married life.  I already miss seeing the pictures on the walls, snuggling in front of the fireplace, or sneaking down to the pool after a thunderstorm before everyone else figures out the pool is open again.  And I will miss the way this house is pure, unadulterated "me."

But.

The new house is a force to be reckoned with and together, J. and I have put our stamp all over it.  It has original subway bathroom tiles, fabulous hardwood flooring, adorable architectural features like arches, and period-appropriate schoolhouse light fixtures throughout.  We have demolished, polished, sanded, patched, stained, painted, weeded, and installed this house to near-perfection.  Enough is done that we can move in, and enough is left to do to keep us interested (hello yard!)!  It's the kind of old, shopworn, creaky old house that I grew up in- the kind of house that really gets me.  This house has a story to tell.  I'm excited to figure out that story, even if the story starts out, "once upon a time there was a house whose previous owner was bad at fixing things properly..."

I will try to share some before-and-after photos with you guys soon!  But in the mean time, onward I go!

image source

Succulents for Norkle

Today, a gratuitous post of succulent wedding inspiration for friend Norkle, who is hoping to incorporate them into her own upcoming nuptials.  In addition to being easy to do in advance, they are adorable, no?  They are sort of vintage, sort of modern, sort of southwestern, sort of romantic, colorful, soft, playful- I think that's why they've become so popular!  All images link to their sources, except the first which is my own photo, from a friend's recent wedding!

Would you incorporate succulents into your own wedding?  How would you use them?

Black Friday Magic- Liberty of London on Sale!

I'm not even going to pretend this is a wedding related post, though Target's Black Friday sale (today, online only) certainly could be the perfect place to score some wedding gear for your centerpieces or favors.  Nope, what I want to talk about is how, as a part of that sale, Liberty of London goodies are 25% off! I am on a spending freeze right now and I already have a LL canister in the guest room so I cannot, repeat CANNOT, buy anything.  It's white knuckle city around here.  So please let me live vicariously through you all!  Go check this great stuff out today if you have a chance!  All images are from Target's website:

I'm going to go to work now and daydream!  But let me know if you score any awesome deals!