Pinterest Pick of the Week!

This week I bring you a beautiful Fall Centerpiece that wouldn't cost much if anything at all!

(Source: Babble.com)

All you need is a cylinder vase, some grape vine (or a grape vine wreath that will fit in your vase), acorns, some beautiful fall leaves and a candle! Stunning centerpiece that would be perfect for your Thanksgiving table!

Pinterest Pick of the Week!

So since I'm still in Fall Decoration mode here is another great idea I found on Pinterest that is cheap and easy!

(Source: Eating My Candy)

I decided to give this a shot myself so here's my version!

(Source: Yours truly)

I only have one right now but I'm hoping to make a few more soon! I love how it turned out! I applied the paint extra thick so it really enhanced the wood grain and gave it the look of a real pumpkin.

For the stem I used a piece of wood that I hammered over a nail. To achieve this, use a small drill bit to make a hole in the top of the wood and insert the nail upside down so the point is facing up. Next use some glue to hold the nail in place, once dry hammer your stem onto the nail point. The curly-q's were made using floral wire that I twisted around a pen to get it's shape!

Hope you like this idea it's easy, fun and cheap!

Pinterest Pick of the Week!

As of late, I am totally loving all things Fall! So when I saw this on Pinterest I knew I had to share it with you!

Toilet Paper Pumpkins!!

(Source: Chocolate on my Cranium)

They are soo cute and easy! Plus...no one would ever know they are toilet paper! Here's what you'll need:
1 roll of toilet paper
1 fat quarter of fabric (18 x 22 inches)
scraps of green fabric for the leaves
1 brown paper lunch sack

Head on over to Chocolate on my Cranium for the complete directions!

From Drab to Fab!

So we still don't have our image CD yet and still no idea when we will be able to afford it. :( So in the mean time, I have decided to share some of the crafty projects I've been working on lately with you. To start things off, I'll share my fall wreath project.

I found this wreath at Big Lots for $20. I like the flowers, leaves and pine cones included on it however it was missing something and wasn't full enough. So I went on an acorn hunt at my moms house and found a ton of acorns that I could add to the wreath. I also found some silk sunflowers and a beautiful bow and a few more pine cones in my moms craft stash to add to the wreath. It only took me about two hours to complete and I took everything that came on the wreath off and completely re-did the whole thing!

Here is the before and after, I just LOVE how it came out!! What do you think?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Up next, the details of the baby shower I planned for my sister-in-law!

Beautiful Corsages

Before the wedding I simply ran out of time to fill you in on some of the last minute details that came together so I'm going to start catching you up!

My amazing mom who wore so many hats throughout the whole planning process made some beautiful corsages for the special ladies that would be at the wedding.

This beauty was for my Grandmother:

(Source: yours truly)

And this one was for my now mother-in-law:

(Source: yours truly)

And these were made for my now sisters-in-law:

(Source: yours truly)

Unfortunately I never got a picture of the one my mom made for herself however once I'm able to recaps you'll see it. Other corsages were also made for people who were doing us a huge favor by helping in various areas the day of the wedding. Those corsages were simpler featuring only one bloom but were still beautiful! I also found out later that the morning of the wedding my mom made another corsage for someone that had been forgotten!

All of the corsages were made with the same preserved orchid blooms that I used in the reception centerpieces.

Invitations are done!!

WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!! So glad to have these puppies done!

This is what our guests will be greeted with when they open the outer envelope...

(Source: yours truly) Our "wax" (glue gun sealing wax, so much easier than the old method!)

And this is what they will find once they open the inner envelope...

(Source: yours truly)

And all the pieces...

Invitation, RSVP card & envelope and direction/accommodation card (Source: yours truly)

Close up of our invitation and RSVP card....

The small writing at the top of the invitation says "Two friends united in love, one love united in Christ."

(Source: yours truly)

I couldn't possibly be happier with how they turned out! These Brides kits from Michael's were a lifesaver. It was DIY but not from scratch. And I'm so glad I decided to change the ribbon color to purple! So what do you think?

Last Chance to Enter and a Quick DIY Project!

Don't forget that today is the last day you can enter to win the FREE Onlineposterprinting Giveaway!!!

If you haven't entered yet, be sure to do so before midnight tonight!

Enter to Win!

And to throw in a quick update and DIY project....

I bring you the sign I made to direct guests to the wedding. It's easy to find the Bed & Breakfast the wedding will be at. However, the road "Y's" at the base of the B&B's property and all guests will need to bear right at the "Y". So I knew we would have to have a sign at the base of the property. Here is what I came up with.....

(Source: yours truly)

Early on in the planning process when I was at JoAnn's, I found an alphabet stamp set for only $5! I didn't know what if anything I'd use the stamps for but I knew if I didn't buy them I would need them, so I got them. Turns out, they were EXACTLY what I need for this sign! The letters are actually stamped in purple paint, my camera makes it look black though. The corner accents are rub on decals that I had left over from the "This way to the wedding" signs. And I used a piece of Matboard that the former owners of my moms house left here when they moved. So this sign didn't cost me a thing! I am going to see about having it laminated though, so that would be the only cost.

When I made the above sign, I also made some parking sings as well. I used the same purple paint and the alphabet stamps and just used some lightweight card stock I had on hand from other wedding projects. I then purchased simple (and cheap) black frames from Dollar General for $2 each. I made a total of four parking signs, two with a right arrow and two with a left arrow. So the cost of this project was only $8 and Charles actually bought the frames! Here's how they turned out....

(Source: yours truly)

None of the signs are perfect, but I'm happy with how they came out and they will serve the purpose that we need them for! This was an easy project and I did them all in one evening! What do you think?

Misc Completed Projects

In this post, I'll share some more of the various projects that I've completed over the past months.

Up first is our card box. I found this on clearance at Walmart, it's from the Martha Stewart wedding collection. I added the purple ribbon to give it my own touch and add our color. I love how it turned out!

(Source: yours truly)

Next up, i found a set of 3 baskets on clearance at Michael's because the largest basket had been damaged. I salvaged it though by banding the basket in wide ribbon that covered the broken corner. I also added ribbon banding to the other two baskets. One will be used for our programs, one for napkins and I'm not sure what the largest basket will be used for yet. But I'm sure I'll figure something out, if not for the wedding for our home.

(Source: yours truly)

(Source: yours truly)
(Source: yours truly)

And now I bring you the custom signage I made for various aspects of the wedding. This includes signs for: the restroom, bridal suite, grooms suite, brides chair at the reception, grooms chair at the reception, reserved signs for family seating at the ceremony and beverage dispenser signs. I used the same font on everything from our invitations, guest book and all signage, everything!

(Source: yours truly)
(Source: yours truly) This shows the detail of the border I used.

This way to the wedding....

So a long while back, I completed our "this way to the wedding" signs! Here's how they turned out:

(Source: yours truly)

The large signs will be hung with purple ribbon from trees and the small signs will be hung with purple ribbon from small shepard hooks. Our guests will be parking in a field and have to navigate through some gardens and such.

I purchased the large wood plaques from Michael's and the small ones from Wal-mart. I bought some Krylon Satin finish Ivory spray paint (their satin finish paint is amazing!) and used that for the base color. I goofed big time on the large plaques and didn't sand them before I painted. So if you decide to take on this project make sure you sand before you paint! The use of a primer would have been helpful too but I made it work without it.

I then used some purple acrylic paint and brushed that on to the edges (not needed but I wanted to). Then took some eye hooks and screwed them in the top of each sign. For the lettering, I printed out the wording on my computer using the font of my choice. Using a standard pencil, turn the printed page over and "color" with the pencil over the entire printed area. Then turn the page right side up and line it up in the correct placing on your plaque. Use some tape to hold it in place if you need to. Using a ballpoint pen, trace the outline of each letter pressing firmly so the pencil transfers the outline onto the wood. Once done, I used an ultra fine sharpie to trace the pencil outline that was left on the wood. Then, I used a fine tip sharpie to color in each letter.

The lettering for the small signs were rub on letters. I ran out of enough letters of the thin font and had to use a different font (wasn't happy about that). If I had to to do over again, I wouldn't have used them. I would have stuck with the first method. But oh well. I am still pleased with how they turned out. What do you think of them?

Happy New Year!

So here we are and yet another year has passed. Just after getting engaged in April, I would have said I never thought this year would end soon enough. However it has FLOWN by! 2009 was a year full of some incredible things along with some very hard trials. I'm excited to welcome 2010! Things can only get better as far as I'm concerned because come May 1st I will marry the man of my dreams!

I wish you all a very Happy New Year! May the coming year bring all you hope for!

And now, I'll leave you with my fully decorated cupcake tree! Today it was finally warm enough for me to spray paint the cardboard pieces. I used Krylon's satin finish paint and it's amazing, the color was Nickel. Once they dried, I used my hot glue gun to attach the purple ribbon I used to trim all the edges.

(Source: yours truly)

What do you think?

With less than 150 days to go, I'll try and get better about updating you on completed projects. What I can't get done before the wedding, I will try and blog about after the wedding so stay tuned!

A Cake Fit for a President

My man will be getting nothing short of the best for his cake! Several months ago, my mom found the White House recipe for Carrot Cake in a magazine. Since Carrot Cake is Charles's favorite kind of cake that's what he'll be getting! I'm hoping to surprise him with the cakes theme, so I hope he doesn't see this post!

Charles is a dispatcher for one of the local police departments and loves all things related to first responders. But especially cops. I'm thankful he isn't one though...it will make my job as a wife a lot easier and less worry ridden! He has such a gift for what he does. Talking to and calming mothers whose child is choking, talking people out of suicide, and taking calls you wouldn't imagine. I truly believe the Lord has him where He wants him to be! Anyways, because of this love I went in search of the perfect cake and this is what I found...

(Source: unknown)

Unfortunately, I don't remember where I stumbled upon these images. But they are perfect and exactly what I was looking for! Mom and I will be tackling his cake ourselves as it shouldn't be too hard. So, what do you think? Are you planning to surprise your man with a themed grooms cake?

Will You Be My ________? DIY Cards

Today I thought I'd share a DIY project with you. Unfortunately, when I made these cards, I wasn't thinking that I'd one day be blogging about them so I don't have pictures to walk you through the steps. However, I got my idea from Jenn over at With This Ring.... For the how-to go check out her post on DIY Jewelry Cards.

I loved Jenn's concept of the DIY Jewelry Cards and I knew I wanted to make some cards of my own...just not for jewelry (at least not to start with, more on that another time though). I wanted to make my MOH and my BM cards officially asking them to be in the wedding. Now my girls already knew that they would have the affore mentioned titles come the wedding before I was even engaged. But I still wanted to officially ask them. Plus I love all things DIY and crafty so it was a perfect excuse to make some beautiful cards for my girls!

I'll show you the pictures I took of my finished cards first and then tell you how I changed Jenn's original design to meet my needs and make them unique.

(Source: yours truly - click to enlarge)

First up is the card I made for Lindsey, my MOH. Secondly, is the card for Bridesmaid Javiera. Unlike most brides out there, I made these cards in colors that each girl likes. All the gifts I have for L&J are gifts in their favorite colors. The only gift for them that's in the wedding colors is the jewelry I'm gifting them (more on it another time). I wanted to make sure that the gifts I give them will be enjoyed and well used. And since neither of them have a deep passion for purple like I do, I chose to go with colors I know they like. The gifts are for them and therefore, they should fit each girl and her personality...not mine or the weddings. lol

Anyways, on to the changes I made from Jenn's original idea.
1) I chose to make the cards square.
2) I used the Scallop blade on my Fiskars Desktop Rotary Trimmer to give the edges of the cards a really unique look. (I found the trimmer at Tuesday Morning for $19.99 and then saw it at Michael's for over $50!)
3) I also used the scallop blade to cut the slit for the ribbon to go through the card, I really like the look that created.
4) I obviously did not make the slit for a necklace or holes for earrings.
5) I added a piece of the ribbon to the right flap of the card because to me it just didn't look right without it there.
6) Instead of using alphabet stickers for the girls initals, I found $1.00 inital stamps at Michael's and stamped their inital on the top right corner on the cover for the cards.

That's it! Pretty darn simple if I do say so myself. Even if you aren't too crafty or arty I think you could easily master this DIY project!

I do have one recommendation for you though. The decorative paper I chose for BM J's card was a little heavier than the paper for MB L's card and because of this, once it was glued onto the stock paper and I folded the card it caused the decorative paper to crack. I ended up have to go back and put ribbon over the folded edges of BM J's card to cover this up. So when you pick out your paper, opt for thinner options if possible!

Are you going to create a DIY Jewelry Card holder like Jenn created or are you going to change the design and keep it a true card design?

Thank You, Thank You Very Much

Couldn't help but steal some Elvis words for this post!

Again, I'm breaking the away from what's normally done with stationery. Usually everything coordinates perfectly. From invitations, programs, shower invites and table numbers to escort cards and seating charts. But when you're working on a really tight budget you just don't have that luxury...at least I don't. Not to mention that I DON'T CARE if my stationery items don't match! I like no, I love each and every thing I've bought to date and have managed to keep at least one thing consistent with all items...PURPLE.

All this jibber jabber brings me to my thank you notes. I found them at Wal-Mart in the craft department and again....they were ON SALE! Woo! I love how when I'm not looking for wedding related stuff I just stumble upon it...and find great deals too! They are from Martha Stewart (her wedding line). Who I will admit at one time I absolutely could not stand. However, since her little stay at "Camp Cupcake" I find her much more enjoyable to watch...she's just not so anal about everything anymore and frankly she was a b**** before her stay there! :D

Anyhoo, back to the thank you notes. They were originally priced at $10.96 per 40 pack. However, I happened to find them on sale for $7.99 per 40 pack!! I bought all four packs they had. They are from her wedding Eyelet collection. I had been scouring the net to find thank you notes that I liked and were within my budget but it just wasn't happening. I wanted something unique, something with more eye pleasing details to it than just a while piece of card stock with the words "thank you" on it. These thank you cards are exactly what I was looking for and I was able to turn them into a little DIY project to add some purple to them too! So without further adieu here they are!

This is what they look like straight out of the box. (Source: yours truly)

Eyelet detail. (Source: yours truly)

And this is what they look like now that I'm done with them! (Source: yours truly)

New eyelet detail! (Source: yours truly)

How'd I do it? It was so simple! Just measure the width of the cards and then the height of the eyelet design and cut paper strips (of your color choice) to those dimensions. Then take a handy dandy double sided tape runner and place some tape at each end and in the middle of the strip and place it on the inside bottom of the card. Don't place it directly behind the eyelet design or your tape runner strips will show through...and yes, even if you use clear it will show! That's why you adhere the strip to the bottom of the thank you note. You get the pop of color through the eyelets and then it's still there when the invitation is open.

Cutting the paper strips. (Source: yours truly)

Applying the tape runner. (Sorry it's blurry!) (Source: yours truly)

I love how they turned out. With the addition of the purple behind the eyelet design I think it looks so much better and makes the detail of the eyelet pop! I got this simple little DIY embellishment project done in about an hour and a half. And I incurred no additional cost because I had the purple paper on hand already! So what do you think? I adore them! :)

Are you finding some of your wedding related items when you're not even looking?

Priceless Photos

I love the new idea of Flickr photo sharing cards! I first stumbled across the concept over at www.weddingbee.com. Miss Candy Corn, Miss Cream Puff, Miss Lemon, Miss Penguin and so many others created Flickr accounts and photo reminder cards so their guests could share their pictures with them after the wedding! How awesome is that!?

As a photography lover, I want to be able to see the photos that our guests are able to capture at the wedding. They are scattered in many different locations and can capture different angles, scenes and moments that our photographer won't be able to get; because lets face it, they can't be in every single place...as much as I wish they could be. ;)

Back at the beginning of the month I sat down and designed our Flickr cards from scratch. Because I'm poor and can't afford Photoshop, I used PowerPoint. I have discovered that working in PP on a Mac opens up a lot more editing options than you have when working with it in Windows. Here's what I came up with, the first image is the front of the card and the second is the back. Remember you can view the images larger by clicking on them.

(Source: yours truly)

(Source: yours truly)

When I sat down to design the cards, I had no vision as to what I wanted them to look like. I was just going to play around a bit, maybe come up with a few different options and see which one I liked most. This was my first and only design and I just love how it came out!

The tree design came from the kiss the groom. They have this thing called The Kissing Tree...you should really go check it out! It's a generator that places your text in the heart on the tree. So cool! I found it on another brides blog a while back but I can't remember which one, I loved it instantly and made a lot of trees.

For the Flickr card though I had to use a photo editing program to erase what the kissing tree placed inside the heart. The text I wanted there wouldn't fit using their site so I did it myself. It's kind of hard to read in the image but in the tree it says "Kristal & Charles May 1, 2010". And the top quote says "A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. ~ Ansel Adams" I've seen lots of flickr cards with the popular quote "A picture is worth a thousand words" but I wanted something different...hence the Ansel Adams quote.

I'm still undecided about how I'll get the cards to my guests and if I'll embellish them with any purple ribbon but I have time to figure those things out. If you have suggestions though let me know!

What do you think of my card design? Have you created a DIY project with no vision in mind and totally fell in love with your first attempt?

Get With The Program!

In addition to getting my bubbles and invitations at Michael's while I was on vacation back in early March, I also scored our ceremony programs! As I did with our invitations, I changed the color of ribbon used on the programs so it coordinates with our colors. And just like I did with the new ribbon for the invitations, I got it all cut to length while I was on vacation. A number of weeks ago, I decided I would go ahead and tie it around the programs so that's done too. When it's time to print the cover of the programs, I can just slide the ribbon off, print and then slide it back on. Here's what the sample program looks like with the purple ribbon I added (it was originally white).

(Source: yours truly)

I didn't get a picture of the inside of the program because until I design and print them, there's nothing to see. However, the kits from Michael's came with inserts for the inside of the programs and I plan on using them because I think it gives the programs a nicer more elegant touch.

The cost you ask? I'll have to check my receipts when I get home but I believe the original price on them was $15.99-20.99 (I can't remember but it was somewhere around there). They were on clearance for around $11.99 I think but they rang up at $9.99 per box of 40! And the ribbon I bought was on sale for $0.33 a spool! Unfortunately I didn't keep up with how many spools I used so I can't do a price breakdown including the new ribbon but I still think it was a steal and I love how they look!

I know the programs don't match our invitations but because of the price I couldn't pass them up and I was still able to incorporate our main color; purple.

Did you opt for a program design that doesn't perfectly coordinate with your invitations and other stationery?

DIY Centerpieces!

Believe it or not, I've already started working on the centerpieces for the reception tables! Yes I suppose I am crazy since the wedding is over 300 days away! lol But since I have the time and the materials I'd be a fool not to get what I can done now rather than wait. I'll have my hands full closer to the wedding. My mom's running joke is that I'll have everything done and planned out two months before the wedding and will then have nothing to do! lol And honestly, she's probably right or at least close. When I have things I'm working on for a big project they eat at me till I can get them accomplished. You have no idea how hard it is not to get the invitations done now! lol But I'll wait on those as hard as it is. Anyways on to the centerpieces!

I originally wanted to do submerged centerpieces. I love the look of them! Plus, they make a big statement without having to use tons of flowers...which is ever so helpful on the budget. Here's a picture of a submerged centerpiece I love.

(Source: unknown)

As much as I love the look of submerged centerpieces it soon became clear to me that I wouldn't be able to incorporate them. Why? Because of budget reasons, time and labor. My mom is doing all my floral decor including the bouquets. I read on a florists blog that submerged centerpieces have to be put together the day of the wedding at the wedding location to avoid messing them up. This picture got my attention and I instantly fell in love with the look.

(Source)

But how on earth would I recreate something even close to that!? There's no way I can afford orchids...as much as I'd love to be able to. While browsing Save-on-crafts.com my vision came into being with my mom's help. Here is my completed vision:

(Source: yours truly)

What do you think? I absolutely LOVE them!!!!! I am so glad that what mom and I had envisioned in our heads really worked and looks so amazing, stunning, beautiful, and expensive!

So now I bring you the materials list and step by step instructions on how I made my centerpieces.

(Source: yours truly)

Materials Needed:
A) Clear Glass Cylinder Vase 10 1/4" tall and 3 1/2" in diameter.
B) Natural Curly Willow Branches 27 to 30" long.
C) Purple & White Preserved Orchid Blooms 2 1/2" wide (3 blooms per vase).
D) PVC Grass Onion Bush 24" tall.
E) Glass Nuggets of your color choice (mine came from Michael's but they no longer carry this purple color).
F) Natural Sheet Moss 1.5 oz. bag (make sure you get natural and not artificial).
G) Mini Glue Gun and glue sticks (not pictured).
H) Scissors (not pictured).
I) 7" Round Centerpiece Mirror (not pictured).

(Source: yours truly)

Instructions:
A) Cut curly willow branch to just under the height of the vase (9.5 - 10 inches).
B) Cut two pieces of grass from the bush.
C) Curl the grass using scissors (keep them closed), just like you would curl curling ribbon.
D) Place enough glass nuggets in the bottom of the vase to cover the bottom and allow for the willow branch to stick down in them.
E) Using a mini hot glue gun glue an orchid bloom into place on the willow branch. You decide on where and at what angle to glue the bloom, it's entirely up to you. Start either at the base or top of the branch though when placing the first bloom.
F) Let the glue set for a few seconds and then place a small pinch of the sheet moss over the glue. Make sure you can see no hot glue and be careful not to burn your fingers! Tweezers can be used to aid in this process.
G) Repeat steps E and F two more times placing the remaining blooms on the willow branch. Again, it's up to you to decide on where to place them, how to angle them and how much space to leave between each bloom. (My centerpieces will be going on round tables at the reception so I tried very hard to make it so each of the blooms faced a different direction. This allows every guest to see a bloom no matter where they're seated at around the table. In picture "G", I rotated the branch three times to show this.)

(Source: yours truly)

Once you've followed the above instructions, you can do the next step in whatever order you find to be easiest.
A) Place your willow branch with the blooms inside the vase and insert (on at a time) the curled grass. You decide on how you want it to look. (I chose to stick the end of the grass into the glass nuggets and then let it curve around the inside of the vase. I tried to get one piece of grass to start from the base on both the left and right side.)
B) Then repeat with the other piece of curled grass.
This part can be a little frustrating and tricky because there isn't room to get your hand into the vase once the willow branch is in place. You may find it easier to put the grass in first and then put the willow branch in.
C) Sit back and admire your work!!!
Note: I prefer that the top orchid bloom not stick out above the top of the vase so if yours does just cut off a little more from the bottom of the willow branch to shorten it. *If you have any questions about the DIY process feel free to leave me a comment or send me an e-mail!

When I placed my order with Save-on-crafts, I was initially worried about how fragile the orchid blooms would be. However, they stand up pretty well when working with them. I didn't have any break while putting them together. I will say though that you need to order a lot more blooms than you really need because through shipping, some of them get the tips broken off.

COST BREAKDOWN FOR ONE CENTERPIECE:
1) Cylinder Vase $3.99
2) 7" Centerpiece Mirror $1.12
3) Glass Nuggets $0.50
4) Curly Willow Branch $0.33 (it's actually less than that because you don't use the whole branch for one centerpiece)
5) 3 Preserved Orchid Blooms $1.26 ($0.42 per bloom)
6) 2 Pieces PVC Grass $0.0093124 ($0.0046562 each piece of grass, $1.49 a bush w/ 320 blades of grass)
7) Natural Moss $0.12 ($2.99 for a 1.5oz bag-I'm making 24 centerpieces so I divided 2.99 by 24 to get the price.)
GRAND TOTAL PER CENTERPIECE:
$7.33!
Note: I already had the hot glue gun and glue sticks on hand so I didn't incur a cost for those.

I cannot believe I was able to use real orchid blooms (although they aren't fresh they're real!) in the centerpieces. I absolutely love how they turned out and I'm so glad I was able to make them myself! And the best things about them....the cost was low, they can be made in advance and I can give them to special people as gifts if I so choose, sell them or use them to decorate! LOVE THEM!! :)

So let me know what you think...Do you like how they turned out? And can you believe I made each one for under 8 bucks!?

Did you have a DIY project that saved you a ton of money and turned out exceeding your expectations?

You're Invited

To see what my wedding invitations look like!

Along with the bubbles I talked about in Where To Start, I found my invitations at Michael's back in March when I was on vacation. When I saw them I couldn't believe my eyes. They were on sale for $29.99 (regularly $39.99) for a box of 40. Which includes printable invites and response cards, invitation backers, ribbon, rhinestone buckles, adhesive tabs and envelopes for the invitations and response cards. I couldn't believe it, they were perefect. The only thing that I wasn't too crazy about was the ribbon color. It was silver and while beautiful and one of my colors, I just had to have purple somewhere on my invitations. But with a little DIY project I could easily change the ribbon. I quickly snatched up all the boxes they had and began my search for the perfect ribbon. Thankfully that didn't take long. I found the perfect width and the perfect color of purple!

Here's what the sample invitation looks like that comes assembled in the box:

(Source: yours truly)

The invitation is stunning just the way it comes in the box but I wanted to add my pop of purple to it because it's my main color. Do you think they're amazing the way they come?

Here's what the sample looks like with the purple ribbon in place of the silver ribbon:

(Source: yours truly)

And a few detail/closeup shots:

(Source: yours truly) (Source: yours truly)

I love them to pieces. They are so elegant and beautiful! And they reflect my colors and theme so well!

Once again I took advantage of being on vacation and not having a schedule to stick to and I cut all the purple ribbon to the proper lengths for all of the 250 invitations. So that's another DIY project I was able to get done before even getting engaged. I can't assemble the invitations for a while though because the top sheet has to be printed before assembly can begin. But at least I have one less thing to worry about come time to assemble them.

The response cards are two to a sheet and this is what the sample looks like:

(Source)

I sent one to myself in the mail to see if one stamp would be enough postage and to see how they did going through the mail. It came back to me in pretty good condition and it was enough postage! I've already bought 500 forever stamps so that I could save some $$ on them before they go up in price yet again. Plus, they could go up more than once before I'm ready to send them out. I'm not picky about what kind of stamp goes on the invitations and response cards because it's not the stamp that matters, it's the invitation that's inside. However since then I decided I needed to go ahead and invest in second envelopes for them so they had a little more padding and protection. Hopefully doing so will not make them more expensive to send. I'm also going to see if they will still hand cancel mail.

So what do you think about the invitations?

Have you bought stamps for your invitations and/or response cards before the price on postage goes up?