DIY Wedding: Chapter 3. Etsy Love, Etsy Love.

WeddingChannel.com just informed me that there are 25 days left until the wedding... I would consider myself a mix between Emily Post, Anthony from Sex and the City, and Bridezilla at the moment. (Want to hang out anytime soon? Call me!)

Anyway, I wanted to spotlight the lovely Etsy finds that have come to comprise a LOT of what we're doing for the wedding. I have had such great experiences with every one of these sellers and wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them at any time.

Invitations: TwoCardinalDay

Laura, the owner of this shop, is incredible. She designed my invitations from photographs I emailed her and I was so thrilled with how they turned out. I've gotten more compliments on these invitations than I ever could have imagined, and it's because she's got such talent and style. In fact, I took inspiration from this suite she had already done:

"Rustic Romance on the Farm"
Sent Laura two pictures of the church and farm where we'll have our wedding and reception, and got this:

These depict the buildings SO very perfectly, and she did it in 48 hours for only $30 (on top of the $50 listing fee)! All I had to do was buy the cardstock (she helped me find good sources for that, too) and literally took them to FedEx/Kinko's to print. Viola! And I was so happy with the outcome.

I'm happy to say it even inspired a new invitation suite in her shop!

Next Etsy find/love:

Handmade, custom order silk ties for $18.95. Yes. $18.95. 

rabbitstop on Etsy

Vivian at RabbitStop/TieObsessed is incredible. I sent her a picture of my bridesmaid's gowns (exactly like the ones in this picture), and not only did she go to the fabric store that week to find a swatch, she found two and let me choose the one most to my liking. And here you go:

So, groomsmen's gifts? Check. Matching itty-bitty tie for ring bearer? Check. All for $18.95 a piece. My fiance has declared that he's never buying another tie in store again-- the selection here is amazing and the price can't be beat.

Last up for now:

Bridal Couture on Etsy

I actually found this shop via StyleMePretty.com which is the site of all things Beautiful Wedding.

 And this is no exception. Ce Juane made the fascinator I will wear in my hair and it is exquisite beyond words. They customized it for me, by putting the pearls from the Mina onto the Mia style because I'm wearing pearl earrings.

It's a work of art, for sure, that I hope will be a family heirloom one day. And it was $60. 

It's gonna be an Etsy kind of wedding, my friends!

'Tis Better to Give: My Top Gift Ideas for 2010

This Christmas I did a lot of shopping online. I wanted to give truly thoughtful gifts to people so I actually started my shopping early, and am pretty pleased with the results. My goals for holiday shopping this year were:

1. Stay cost-conscious, and;
2. Surprise the person receiving the gift with something they weren't expecting.

Here are my favorites from this year:

This is my 21st century version of putting a great picture in a frame as a gift (and who doesn't love that?). If you're a Mac user, you can do this from your own computer; if not, you can still use great services like Shutterfly to do something very similar.

I did a lot of creating via iPhoto. I am "that girl" with a camera and as a result have over 8,000 photos in my library. I have so many great shots that there's too many to frame, so I decided to do the next best thing. Books can be made hardcover, softcover, or bound. I chose hardcover, with 25 pages, which totaled about $30 with shipping. I create it, then click "buy," and just wait for my new publication in the mail!

I made a book, like this, for my boyfriend. It chronicles our relationship and includes inside jokes at the bottom-- a little high-school yearbook, I know, but the template is so classy it helps out a bit. (And, um, no. He doesn't visit my blog. Ever.)

And a calendar for my Dad. It had a "pets" theme because our  elderly corgi passed away this year and I wanted to memorialize him and all our other critters in a way that would make my dad smile. Every month has a quote at the bottom related to dogs. This was about $25 to create and purchase.

Ah, Etsy. How do I love thee? This is where the real shopping occurred. And I have been so happy with what I found. The sellers have all been amazing, everything arrived just days after purchasing and many of the sellers contacted me directly to customize my order to just my specifications.

One good way to start is with the  "Pounce" feature:

 

You can find vintage items-- like these antique cardinal bookends I found from a little store in Oregon for my aunt, for $20. This seller is BDVintage, and their shop had all kinds of great, eclectic finds. 

And of course, there's always great handmade jewelry. As featured in my previous post, this talented girl just opened her store and I've ordered from her twice! She even included cute little gift tags for me as a thank you, which I thought was a great touch. Thank you to seller studioro!

Speaking of jewelry, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my dog's new bling. Yes... dog. Bling.

Here's a modeling shot courtesy of my pup, Presley

My friends have gone crazy over his new "Call My People" Pet ID tag (he got to open it before Christmas). How can you not love that?! I just placed another order from this seller for gifts. Customized, beautiful, and under $20!  The Happy Chihuahua

 

There was literally something for everyone at Savor's shop. For $15, I got my mom and aunts some absolutely scrumptious handmade soap gift sets. They came packaged with a handmade soap holder and tied with a chic black bow:

This shop's owner is a total sweetheart who even refunds shipping if you pay more than the actual cost. Besides the great gift sets, Savor also offers whipped soaps (one is called Joie de Vivre!), creme scrubs in scents like Red Velvet Cake and Winter Grapefruit, and even has an unscented line for babies/sensitive skin. The hardest part about ordering here was choosing scents. (I should add here that, as a former Laura Mercier employee who was addicted to Creme Brulee products, these are better... and a fraction of the price.) 

At around $5 a bar, it's a great deal-- the soaps are lovely to look at, generous in size, and total indulgences!

Happy Shopping... and Merry Christmas!

Lust List: November 2010

My tank tops haven't made it to winter storage yet, but even before Halloween, holiday decorations started popping up in retail stores. Depending on the source, the reasons for this are varied-- from a projected upswing in 2010 holiday sales to enticing bargain-savvy consumers with budget-friendly early bird deals. (Christmas in July, anyone?)

Who would fall for such a blatant ploy to encourage consumerism in this down economy?

I would, and I have.

Here are just some of the things on my radar at the moment:

Anything and everything turquoise! From Oh Joy!

It's time for my favorite-- Holiday Party Attire! Tory Burch

Unique Christmas gifts, from vintage to handmade: Etsy.com. For example...

I love this seller for simple and reasonably priced handmade jewelry. I purchased the necklace above on Etsy.

Customized self-inking address stamp, myrubberstamp (also on Etsy). 
About 1/3 of the price of PSA stamps, and just as pretty!

My decorations aren't up yet, but my wheels are already spinning... Coastal Living

Holiday Sets galore! "Beauty in a Box: Nars Junkie" $69 on Sephora.com

A plate of these for the party host... because during the holidays, calories don't count.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Sweet Pototo Cupcakes.

Fabulous new pieces from the Swelle Boutique

Anything and everything featured on this blog- I check it at least twice a day- swanky::chic::fete

 

Uber cute and a total indulgence at $345:

Balenciaga's LE 10th Anniversary "Mini Mini First" Keychain

Loving that my favorite magazines are starting to go digital... pictured here, Martha Stewart Living

{ Dream Shopping Becomes Reality }

Fantastic news, friends!
I am so excited to share that one of my favorite blogs,

The Swelle Life

just opened an online boutique!

All images courtesy of The Swelle Life and Swelle Boutique


The sweetheart author behind The Swelle Life has impeccable taste, so I knew the boutique would be fabulous and unique.
She has a great eye for all things lovely-- emerging designers, gourmet cupcakes, couture collections, eclectic artwork, new accessories, incredible architecture ... literally, this list could go on for days. She finds beauty everywhere.

And now it's translated into a shop... Helloooo, happiness!

You know a boutique is special when it literally makes you feel giddy just seeing the clothes... imagine the thrill of actually owning them! The pieces are ethereal, feminine, whimsical, yet so very practical. There's a variety of gorgeous hues and textures represented and all pieces are either one of a kind or limited edition. Also of note: the prices are unbelievably reasonable.

Here's a tiny sample.

Thank you Denise for adding a spoonful of sugar to my day!

But enough of this typing... I have shopping to do.

Visit Swelle Boutique at http://www.swelleboutique.com/

{ Springtime, the Only Pretty Ring Time }

"Every man and every living creature has a sacred right to the gladness of springtime."
- Leo Tolstoy, Resurrection

The Monet French Country House at Giverny, France

le blog de la mechante

I love the coziness of Christmas and guarantee of too much barbeque on the Fourth of July; but Easter tops my list of favorite holidays. The sunshine and flowers wake me up from a long winter's nap, and get me excited about all things new, fresh, and beautiful. I feel like it's God's way of rejuvenating the human spirit, in honor of the miracle of Easter.

This year, Springtime is particularly special because I'm getting to see the yard of my new home bloom for the first time. The previous owner was amazing and innovative in what she planted. Every day there seems to be a new surprise-- fresh mint and basil sprigs, a yellow bud peeking out of a shrub I thought was evergreen, or (my favorite suprise so far) a gorgeous blanket of pink, red, and white flowers on what I thought was a "dead" tree.

Time to celebrate the season! This is my ode to all that is new and gorgeous this time of year.

Salon.com's "Spring Fever Fiction" List, including:

*This list was published on Salon.com in 2001

In contrast, Joie de Vivre's "My Brain Needs a Spring Break Too" Spring Reading List:

Spring inspired decor.

I love the dainty pink window dressings, with a splash of sass on the animal print stool.

Those damask print pillows in juicy colors bring the beige couch to life.

Flowers everywhere! Bringing the outdoors in.

All above pictures from House Beautiful Spring Inspired Rooms

A Kelly Wearstler montage... lots of color in various textures and prints.
Kelly Wearstler Designs



House of Turquoise
Turquoise and white... sublime. With a pop of-- what else? Hot pink tulips, of course!


And last, but certainly not least... Spring Fashion.
Long live the Little White Dress


Handbags...
Hermes Snakeskin Bucket Bag; Fendi Tapestry Peekaboo bag;
Valentino Embroidered Bow Bag.

And some sassy jewels. Fabulous.

Lanvin Glass Pearl Necklace

Sonia Rykiel Studded resin bracelets.
Bijoux Heart 24-karat gold-plated Tropica necklace