What to Do With Old Cards and Letters {A Pinterest Project}

I went on a Pinterest binge this weekend. If you are reading this and are a member of that website, there's no need to explain the addictive, impulsive, and fabulously non-productive-- yet somehow oh so gratifying-- plethora of fun that is Pinterest. I got sucked in big time yesterday, racking up almost 150 pins. (?!?)

(If you're not a member, click here-- and say goodbye to the next hour or so).

I've been feeling a little guilty about spending so much of a beautiful Saturday online, but am not quite ready to ween myself off the virtual pins to actually make something I put on a Board... hence, this post. Yes, I understand it's called Do-it-Yourself for a reason, but let's take baby steps here, people.

I love this idea on what to do with old cards and letters. My closets are full of shoeboxes brimming with greeting cards and old letters I could never bring myself to throw away, even as a little girl. There's just something so innately personal about script, and the older I get the more I appreciate seeing words in longhand written by people I love. Some are even more precious now because the authors are no longer living, making me grateful that I toted around those shoeboxes through several moves.

This idea from Pinterest (originally from simplemom's blog) seems really doable and worthwhile. How lovely would this look on a coffee table? I was thinking of making just one of old Christmas cards, and sitting it out during the holidays. A great conversation piece.
 
From this post I was lead to the blog owner's store, called Gadanke (an oh-so-cute handcrafted journal shop). I will probably be making my card journal on my own, but am seriously tempted to snag a few of her creations as gifts, like the "You Are Loved" baby book ($18) or the "Seeking Grace" prayer journal ($18.20).

 I'll hold myself accountable now that I've blogged about this, and when I am done with my very own card keepsake book, I'll post a picture.

I Did It. I Caved. One Last Wedding Post...About the Photographer

If I could give a bride one piece of advice, it'd be this: hire a great photographer. 

You won't remember much of the details (yes, the ones you painstakingly planned with the importance of the apocalypse beforehand), and you'll want a visual time capsule of the day. We were blessed to find our perfect photographers, and I just got back some sneak peeks. Since I am really loving staring at them all day   sharing these with family and friends, here we are again-- another wedding post.

The three things that topped my list from the beginning of the wedding planning process:

1. That the day would be a huge celebration with those we love most-- of life, love, God, and family.
2. That there would be meaning behind everything involved-- from the dress I wore, to the cake topper.
3. That photographs had to be perfection because the day goes by so quickly and we want to remember it forever.

What a blessing-- our photographers were extraordinary. Truly. They are MICHELLE MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY, a married couple that makes, hands down, the most beautiful creations from photographs.


It doesn't hurt that you'd love to have them over to dinner anytime because they are genuinely great, fun people. Who happen to be fantastically talented. (My precious husband even said the pictures "took his breath away." And he's not even a "breath away" kinda guy.)


I absolutely adore how they "got it"-- that is, the concept of "The Farm," why we wanted the wedding there, and the focus on dear friends and family on that day.


Without further ado, perhaps the best decision I made of the (seemingly gazillion) vendor-related decisons: Michelle Marie Photography album, Christina + Stephen {Farm Wedding}.


 A few of my favorites, there are lots more on their blog/website:

 

 

 

 Thank you Michelle and Steven Lambert of MICHELLE MARIE PHOTOGRAPY for capturing our happy day with style, love, and talent.