A Home for the Hallmarks

Well, my blog still looks funny but I can't hold back any longer. I've been busy, busy, busy like a really big bee. The knot countdown has been making me a little nervous we are currently 66 days out and that just feels really close. I just can't procrastinate any longer. So yesterday I got my happy feet into Hobby Lobby and Michaels (a.k.a. my second homes) and got the last of the supplies to finish the card box, my bouquet, and one of the bridesmaids gifts. I cranked out the first two projects no problem, the third is taking a little longer because I have four to make. Anywho, without further ado, here is our card box:

This project was so easy that it was a little ridiculous. I got the metal greenhouse type thing (obviously that is the technical name, from here on out it will be known as the box) at Hobby Lobby a few weeks back. I knew it was perfect, especially when the original concept for the card box fell through. Originally I had two hat boxes that I bought in two sizes, the smaller one would be put on top of the larger one and the bottom of the small one and the top of the larger one would be cut out and they would be attached somehow. Well, I did it and it looked bad so it was back to the drawing board.

For this project, I bought the wooden letters and paint at Michaels and I had some floral wire already. All I did was paint the letters (dolphin grey) waited for them to dry. I took the dried letters and spaced them evenly across the front of the box, heated up the glue gun and glued the wire to the letters. I then slipped the wire ends through the sides of the box. The windows of the box are just a flexible plastic which are easy to push in if space is needed to put stuff (like wire) around the metal supports. Now I just need to figure out if we should prop the top open so people can just drop it in cards or if people can figure it out for themselves or if we should cut out the top roof panel. Thoughts anyone?

I really love how this card box looks, it's so rustic feeling and it looks great. I am actually happy that the original card box idea failed because this one is so much better.

Anyone else have a project failure turn into something better?

Tune in next time for more tales from a DIY bride.

P.S. Lauren- I turned on the comments, I think!

DIY-ing my own Flowers

Or "I am an idjit"

Or "Big Mistake"

Or "Help! I want to scream!"

Anyway, you get the picture. My wedding flowers are hard. Flowers have been something I could care less about from the beginning and yet it has been the biggest nuisance of the wedding. I never dreamed of the flowers at my wedding, groom yes, dress yes, even the cake, but flowers, who cares? Like most things wedding related, I was clueless of the price of flowers. I originally budgeted somewhere around $200 for flowers (for those of you out there laughing at me, don't worry I learned my lesson quick). I quickly learned that even for my rather small wedding party, with flowers that were in season and not too fancy, the very least I could spend was in the ballpark of $400. That's right double my self-allotted budget, whoops. I was shocked to say the least; I mean this is something that's going to die the next day. Seriously? Why would I pay so much for that when I could get something more fun, like an extra 2 hours with the DJ or invite some more guests? I decided that I was D-O-N-E with florists and I would do my own flowers. Yay me for being thrifty and frugal! Boo me for not thinking that one through.

I went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth on what exactly I wanted to do for flowers. Did I want silk or real? What kinds of flowers do I want? Will it go with the wedding vibe? Will it look good? On and on it went. For something I cared so little about it was a big headache. Then I looked into flower alternatives. What are you talking about you ask? I'm talking about having my awesome 'maids carry something else other than flowers. There were parasols (too "Gone with the Wind"), fans (it's only April) and finally clutches! Yahtzee! Bingo! We have a winner! That's right, my girls are carrying clutches down the aisle, pretty clutches with a little corsage type flower on it. Score! Except I still have to design a corsage and figure out how to pin it on the clutch. Boo. I am working on that right now, but I'm not handy with the florals. I may need some guidance from my aunt or uncle, both who work wonders with the florals.

What's that you say? What are you carrying down the aisle, FMT? Ha. Okay you win. I have still got to organize my own bouquet and I'm still playing with ideas. It's been a nightmare really. Why are flowers so freaking hard? I will say that I gave up on live floral about a month ago, it's so pricey and so not worth it to me. I have been playing with silks and real touch flowers in the aisles of Michaels and Hobby Lobby trying to find something that looks like it might be real but isn't. It's a very hard process. Ask Mr. Tal, he has been right there with me; eyes glazed over while I hold endless varieties of flowers clutched together asking his opinion. I probably won't tell you what I decide until after the big day, mostly because it might take until then for me to decide.

Any other girls using the fake floral? What did you use and how did it go?

Tune in next time for more tales from a DIY bride.