Handcrafted: The Cure For The Common Wedding

Bird and Banner

Another Friday, and another great stationery company. There is something about the invitations at Bird and Banner. They seem organic to me. Maybe it is the use of wood, fabric, and other unconventional materials.

Most of their designs are hand-printed. All of them are custom and made to reflect the tone of your wedding in both color and texture. The designs are as varied as the brides who order them. On the left you have a funky modern example, where as the one on the right has a more romantic traditional feel to it.

I really like these Alice in Wonderland themed shower invitations. A lot of thought seems to have gone into making these perfect for the theme. It's understated, but the theme is still apparent. That is a tricky balance and they have nailed it with flair.

* On a side note, I've posted a little information on the MySpace blog with a sneak peek at something fun coming up next week right here. I'll be posting pretty stuff here and the behind the scenes stuff over there for those of you who are interested.

Handwired

A short while ago I confessed that I really love traditional pearl necklaces, but for many brides "traditional" sounds a lot like "boring" to them. It is for those brides that I present pearls with a twist from our Indie Star of the week Handwired.

There are several great designs in her shop, this was the first to catch my eye.

Pick a Palette

When I got married picking your wedding colors was as easy as "What's your favorite color?". My favorite color at the time was peach, so my wedding colors were white and peach. Things are a bit more complicated now. Brides are taking season into account ,as well as the decor of their venue, and a variety of other things. Every day I hear another bride stressing over her color palette.

I suggest you put down the bridal magazines and take a trip to the paint section of your local home improvement store. You will find every color under the sun there. Pick out the colors you are considering and hold them next to each other until you find a combination you love. Sure the people at the paint counter will look at you funny, but that is a price worth paying for a little clarity. After you have your chips in hand,you can get real cute by punching a small hole in the corner of each and thread a ribbon through them. Stick them in your purse and you'll have your palette with you where ever your go. Be sure and make an extra one for your wedding planner.

Another great source is a large fabric shop. Most will cut you a small swatch of the fabric you like. Don't limit yourself to the special occasion fabric, wonder all over the store. You never know where inspiration will strike. Pin your swatches with a safety pin so they don't get lost in the bottom of your bag.

This trick also comes in handy when decorating your home.

Getaway Dress

Do you remember the scene from Steel Magnolias where Shelby is getting ready to leave and has changed into her getaway suit? Not so long ago it was customary for the bride to change out of her wedding dress and into a beautiful suit before running with her groom through a shower of rice into a waiting car that had been decorated, not so tastefully, by the groomsmen. You don't see that much anymore. My guess is that when wedding dresses started costing thousands instead of hundreds people stopped looking for a second outfit.

Stephanie James, wedding photographer turned designer, has several gorgeous wedding suits. If you are looking to revive the tradition, or if you are looking for something special to wear to the courthouse, these dresses would be perfect.

   

You should also check out this designer if you are looking for a tea length dress. They are fun, flirty, and just the right amount of retro style. Stephanie also has several wedding dresses in colors other than white that are still very "wedding".

* I got so excited about this shop that I completely forgot that it was Tuesday, which is usually practical tip day. So, I'll post my tip tomorrow instead. It's a good one about paint chips and fabric swatches (not to be confused with swatch watches)

Thanks Bunches!

I am having a great day thanks in no small part to the attention the site is getting. I wanted to take a second and thank Celia Milton for writing about me in her blog today. It is such an honor when wedding professionals and event planners ,such as Celia enjoy what I write.

Also, we have been added to the friends list over at Smashing Darling. We are in very good company there so stop by and take a look. It is a great resource.

Thanks ladies !

Fabric of Time

I consider myself truely blessed to have quilters in our family. The thing I love most is being able to look at the fabrics and find a dress my grandmother wore, my mother's nursery room curtains, or my great grandfather's tie. I realize that not everyone comes from a long line of crafters like I do, but don't let that stop you. Fibers of Her Being can create one for you.

Mary Bailey can work just about anything into your quilt. She suggests asking wedding guest to bring in pictures, fabrics, buttons, and other tiny treasure to your wedding to help you build a quilt that binds together your family histories. The results are priceless.

To add to this treasure, there is a companion booklet detailing the importance of each piece of the quilt. In the end you have a beautiful quilt and a book of joint family history that will bring tears to your eyes and warm your heart.

Special Offer

I just got word that Jessica Rust Designs is now offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50. This offer is good for orders place before Dec. 2nd. There are a lot of great items in this shop to help your holiday table to be set with style, or to give as gifts. There is a set of holiday mugs that would make a great hostess gift. You could give them as a set, or fill them with tea and coffee goodies to give them individually.

Swirls and Curls

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We ate way too much and my frig is still filled with left-overs. I consider that a success. Now it is on to Black Friday a day of shopping, movie watching, and eating cold turkey. But before I put a dent in my bank account I've got some stationery to show you.

I am a sucker for scroll work on just about anything. Wiley Valentine has some amazing designs that incorporate scrolls into wedding stationery. They are all very sophisticated.

E&R Design Group, who makes this line of stationery, also has wonderful holiday cards.

 

I realize this post was more pictures than post, but I have shopping to do and a tree to decorate, so please forgive me. I'll try to do better Monday.

Indie Stars Rob and Leighanne

Happy Thanksgiving  or to those of you not in the U.S., Happy Thursday! I wrote this post several days in advance because this morning I am in the kitchen cooking up a storm to feed my family and my husband's parents. I love cooking and entertaining, so I am very excited to be the hostess this year.

Today's Indie Star is Rob and Leighanne's Etsy shop. They are a husband and wife who handmake rings. They are very affordable and truely unique. Many of their bands would make great wedding bands for a husband who wants something outside of the traditional. Many of the rings are made from wood or have wood inlay. They are really striking, but not made to be submerged in water frequently, so keep that in mind. My favorite is this titanium band with the copper inlay.

A Bird in the Hand

If you are an avid blog reader you may already know about Ann Wood and her delightful little birds. She has some really cute cake toppers, so I thought I would take my turn singing her praises.

Each bird is one of a kind and made from vintage and antique fabrics. Each also seems to have a personality of it's own.  They are certainly a unique choice for a cake topper. Ann is willing to make custom birds using your fabric. So, if you have fabric from having your dress altered, or antique fabric from your own family, she can turn it into a bird for you.

 

I love this little ballerina. She reminds me of a bridesmaid, and of my own little ballerina who is asleep upstairs.