A Crafting We Will Go

A Crafter's Dilema

2011-09-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

I'm a craft schizophrenic. It is both a good and bad thing. One day I'm cutting out a vintage dress pattern I found at an estate sale, the next I'm tatting a doily out of yarn, and then I switch to making a banana piñata. Random, I know. My downfall is I enjoy crafting too much for my own good, and the variety out there is overwhelming. I want to delve in and learn every new and forgotten craft in this diverse world.

I want to kumihimo! I'm not sure if "kumihimo" is a verb or a noun in the Japanese language, but in English it is Japanese braid making. The result of kumihimo is beautiful and intricate rope for ornamental purposes, like jewelry. I had no idea this existed until I found it on Amazon.com while browsing tatting books.

(via Knotty Notions)

(via Tampa Bead Cafe)

(via Bead Q!)

Beautiful! I'm especially attracted to the pieces incorporated with beads. Oooo, shiny shiny! This is like my experience at a Chinese buffet; I want to try everything I see. But sadly, I don't get to finish everything on my plate. Maybe I will be able to do kumihimo someday after I finish the dozens of projects I'm already currently working on...

Big Banana

2011-08-25T15:31:00.001-07:00

Earlier this month my craft room housed some pretty nifty installation art. Unfortunately, it is no longer there, because it was viewable for a limited time only. But had you been there, you would have seen it was a funky shape made of wire and red foam hanging in mid air.

Okay, so it wasn't really installation art but more of the skeleton of a big banana, a big piñata banana, to be exact. I later covered the structure with paper mâché, painted it, and mod podged it to give it a shiny luster.

The big banana met it's terrible fate on Thursday, August 11, 2011 at a King Kong themed birthday party for my friend, Lizzy. I didn't even stick around to see it smashed to pieces by a group of college and post college kids dressed like flappers, safari travelers, and one snow leopard (that's you, Helen). Before I left, the banana was still winning and was putting up a good fight. Go Banana!!! May you rest in peace...

Fall Ready Knits

2011-08-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

Is Fall coming, or what? Well, whatever. I went ahead and knitted a scarf anyway. The pattern I used for this super easy, chic scarf is on Ravelry.com. You can click here for it, but you might need to sign in and make an account, which you should because it's free. Besides, when do you think you're going to learn how to knit? When you're old and gnarled?

I'm telling you it was easy to knit this thing! And if you need help, I am here to help you with your knitting pattern conundrums.

Look! I even made it into a turban. Wala! I pulled the bow back and pinned it against the sides of the band with safety pins.

I Beat the Heat

2011-07-17T20:44:00.001-07:00

Despite the heat this weekend I accomplished two things: finishing my metal bin and harvesting a bunch of veggies from our garden.

This bin is ready to party! I stenciled our name on the side with the same bright orange Rustoleum spray paint. The letters didn't come out as crisp as I wanted it, but eh...it's okay!

And look at these beauties...just one cherry tomato today! But there are plenty of them turning orange and will be ready for harvesting this week or next. The cucumber plants, however, are going nuts. Waaaay too many cucumbers this summer to know what to do with. I must conjure up more recipes...

'Til I craft again,
Myrill

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Me vs. Rust

2011-07-11T21:50:00.001-07:00

This is what I'm currently scheming: how to remove rust from this metal bin. At an estate sale a couple weeks back, I had lofty imaginations of the ice-filled bin surrounded by friends at a hot barbecue as it chilled their choice bottled beverages. That dream and the five dollar price tag is what sold me. Into the pick-up truck it went! And onto my porch, where it sat a couple of weeks, forlorn and forgotten. I've never grown out of procrastination...

Alas, here the bin sits with a rusty bottom, and me with a guilty conscience. I'm sorry little bin! I'll do whatever I can!

I am well armed...sort of. I'm no handy man, but instead, a chick with fervor. I will destroy you, rust!

That is my face protection, by the way. I couldn't find a face mask or goggles to protect me from the rust dust. But this stylish scarf and slick sun glasses will suffice.

Here are a couple of DIY instructions I checked out before starting: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/12/make-an-old-toolbox-new-again.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/Remove-Rust-from-a-Bicycle-Chain/

This war against rust is to be continued...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Post Item on Etsy-Check!

2011-07-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

Finally!

I did it!

After several motivational conversations I've had with different people over the coarse of 2 years, I posted my first quality, hand-made products on Etsy. The one conversation that sticks out in my memory the most was with my husband. He told me if I was as creative as I think I am, I should make something without a pattern, without a book, without directions from another source. I should gather all my knowledge I already have and unleash my creative juices.

The last conversation I had was with two Sarah's. Both Sarah's also wanted to make income from home by making crafts. We talked in circles, continuously bringing up the success tips we've heard and things we would do if we started an Etsy shop. This is how you take nice pictures...Networking is important because...I want my shop to look like...

But in the end we concluded, JUST POST SOMETHING!! JUST DO IT RIGHT NOW!! This talk really got my gears going. I feared If I wait too long for everything to be perfect, another couple of months would go by accomplishing nothing.

The weekend ended, and the Sarah's went back home. And I got craftin'! I was inspired by tea and tea parties. How delightful it would be to have whimsical accessories at a tea gathering. Teapot cozy was at the top of my mental list of things to make. I found red wool yarn and started knitting a cozy that would not be overly flowery, but simple and chic. It took me a couple of tries to get the pattern right, but it paid off. I am quite pleased with the result :)

Felting helps the knitted cozy to have less holes, thus being better insulated. It also gives the cozy a more modern and professional look.

That is all for now! The craft room awaits me for more creating and crafting!

My Other Love

2011-06-21T20:29:00.001-07:00

I have other loves besides crafting. One of them is going to estate sales. Or perhaps, it is more of an obsession/addiction/guilty pleasure, because my husband and I go almost every Saturday. If you are getting your mason jars on Etsy for $12 each or your vintage sweater for $50 on ModCloth, you are being duped. And you should be, because I've probably told you about estate sales before, but you never listen. Estate sales iz where itz at, people! Get your hands on these vintage goodies from the original source before some hipster resells them to you over priced!

Here is an amazing find. This box was in the corner of a garage among other old games and toys. It is a complete set of all 26 letters on big, colorful cards. One side has the letter written and words beginning with that letter. The other side is a beautiful illustration of one of the words. My favorite picture is an Easter egg for "E."

Okay, so guess how much I got it for. $2.00? Yea, you're right!

Now guess how much the hipster is going to sell it to you for. $390. Because the hipster is going to take each picture separately, frame them, and sell them for $15 each. Boo.....

But not I. This treasure is staying in the family and all 26 will one day be framed and hung in the children's room (not that we're having any soon. So don't make up any stories please).

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Vintage Craft Review: Lily Speed-O-Weave

2011-06-12T16:22:00.001-07:00

My grandma was a pretty crafty lady according to my dad. Besides knitting, crocheting, and sewing she would use a loom to weave place mats and doilies. Her crafty itch runs through my veins, but unfortunately, so does her short stature. Well, after my dad described to me her weaving process, I googled "loom frame," and this is what I found...

It is a Lily Speed-O-Weave probably from the 50s. I browsed EBay and found a lot of products from the Lily Mills Company were for making fiber crafts. I wish the company was still alive to meet my craft needs!

I bought a loom and started working on it since yesterday. It's given me such a weird vibe knowing no one in my family has weaved on one since my grandma until now.

The box is adorable, and would make any hipster swoon. Assembling the loom was cake. One thing I love about old things is how durable they are; the frame is made out of metal. However, it would be helpful if a few of the pegs on the frame were color coded to help you not lose your place while looping the string around. So far the directions are alright. I've gotten by with looking at the diagrams and fiddling around as I go. I don't expect my first place mat to be Pottery Barn amazing.

This is my progress so far. My only real complaint is the Speed-O-Weave is not so speedy. I suggest watching your favorite show while winding the frame or listening to Pandora while tying the half-hitches.

I'm going to use thicker yarn for the next mat to make the process faster. I give this vintage craft kit an 8 out of 10 with a thumbs up to boot! It's relaxing, and I'm excited to see the final product!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bringing the Beach to the Burgh

2011-06-11T17:00:00.001-07:00

Hurray! I'm posting!

I'm still alive and I'm still crafting. Here is an update on my latest project to prove it. The pattern is called "Summer Sling Tote," but I'm calling her Sasha. I don't know; she kind of looks like one and maybe someone who would spend a lot of time at the beach.

I used beautiful yarn of which I do not know the name because I bought it from a craft thrift store. It feels very rough in texture and came on a very big spool. I suspect someone spun it from scratch using different recycled fibers.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Word Art In a Couple Clicks

2011-02-09T05:54:00.001-08:00

According to Wordle, I use the word "just" and "like" way too often in my blogs...sad. At least it was a fun and creative way to find out the truth. If you haven't heard of Wordle yet, it is a site where you can copy and paste any text and with the click of a button make fantastic word art! I can't believe how easy it is, and it makes me feel sorry for the artists who are trying to do this for a living. I wish this existed while I was still in college. Wordle would have been my ally in all my procrastination schemes.

The Macro Setting is Our Friend

2011-02-08T19:12:00.001-08:00

So I have just discovered the powers of the macro setting on our camera. I don't know how to use Photoshop so I'm stuck using Picasa, which has been fairly easy but mediocre. And edited pictures on Picasa never look the same when you post them somewhere else. I spend so much time getting it to look somewhat decent. I'd rather take a good picture from the start and not waste time editing. Macro setting + natural lighting = one hot picture. It is perfect for showing off your handmade goodies. I love how you can see all the strands of yarn in the pom pom. No more blurring the picture to add fake depth either! That depth is the real deal...

2011-02-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

February 5th was my birthday, and for breakfast the next day I had this. YUM!

Printable To-Do List Roundup

2011-01-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

Printing a to-do list is on my list of things to do! Except we are out of ink...but I found some great designs to choose from once we get more. It would be neat to design one myself one day if I figure out how. I would add a due date column, because there are items in my lists that seem to get ignored after a while, like renewing my driver's license...eeek! Two weeks left before expiration!

(Little Jellyfish List Pad by Parasol)

(by Bricks and Clicks)

(by Kodak)

(I don't think the Freakin Neverending To Do List is still available for free. You have to purchase it now, but the The Blog Topics List still is, and it is by Vale Design.)

(by Emila Yusof)

New Year's CRAFTolutions

2011-01-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

It is a New Year! New, new, new, everything new. Person, perspective, life. In the dead of winter, there is rebirth. I don't know what makes New Year's day special, but for some reason in the next few months hundreds of people are shedding off pounds, keeping their homes clean, and chewing nicotine gum.

And I, for the first time, am jumping onto this bandwagon. So scooch over! No, I'm not coming along for the ride because I'm unhealthy or I need to quit binge drinking. My resolutions are crafty ones (obviously).

My 2011 New Year's CRAFTolutions

Create an article of clothing every month (I'm getting tired of shopping for clothes in populated places. It is becoming a brainless activity for me, not to mention, how old malls make me feel. The mall has become a teenager world and it is weird to be running around in it. But now I'm experimenting on making my own clothes. At least, if I want a new dress, I have to work hard for it and gain precious skills in the process.)
Blog 52 times this year (The ugly side of blogging is showing off yourself, and I hate that, which is why I stopped blogging. But maybe there is an art of shameless self-promotion. And maybe it starts with sharing ideas that I think will help people.)

Ira Glass really encouraged me to set goals this year. Here is a word from him that my husband found via GreyScaleGorilla. Although he's talking about television and radio, it can be applied to any form of creativity.

Thanks, Ira.

Happy Little Wreaths

2010-10-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Etsy surfing always gets my craft juices flowing. I found these adorable wreaths that look like they've come out of grandma's closet. They're adorned with colorful yarn, gaudy foliage, and little woodland creatures. Totally kitschy but oh so cute! Here are some of my favorites...

by Katie Runnels (The Constant Gatherer: Art and Found)

by KnockKnocking (Etsy shop)

via Stylhive

So, I was stuck at home and wanted to make my own one day. Unfortunately, I didn't have a foam circle. boooo...So I had to make one out of found objects, and instead made teeny weeny ones! Awwww....

I will try to sell them on Etsy, which is uber exciting since it will be my first items I've ever posted on there. Wish me luck!

Oh, and if you would like to make your own regular size yarn wreat, I just found some foam circles at Dollar Tree for a dollar!!!!!! So don't get ripped off anywhere else.

What's In Our Belly

2010-10-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

Mmmm...yuuummm...

Aldi is fuuuull of surprises. Yesterday I found they have acorn squash for a dollar something each! Yessss! (They also have big pumpkins for $1.99. Seriously.) So in preparation for dinner tonight I scanned foodgawker and found this recipe: Acorn Squash (from Sweets by Sarah). Easy Schmeesy! Just five ingredients: acorn squash, kosher salt, butter, brown sugar, and pecans. I didn't quite follow the measurement of the ingredients; I eyed it. I skipped the kosher salt (for no reason. I just forgot...oops) But it still turned out spectacularly delicious. Daniel particularly enjoyed it because he has a stuffy nose from allergies, and the warm, soft, sweet acorn squash soothed him.

Out of laziness, I thought it too much to take pictures of the whole process of following the recipe, like what some bloggers do. So I just snapped a shot of the end result: clean spoons and clean-scraped squashes. Mmmm...it's in our belly.

Treasure Hunting

2010-10-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday, Daniel and I scour all of Pittsburgh in search of treasure! We find the most goods in Mount Lebanon for some odd reason. Daniel's explanation is, "It is where Pittsburgh's old people have come to die." According to the map on the Pittsburgh Estate Sales website, most sales are located south or southwest of Pittsburgh. So our theory is that at some point in the 50's/60's a lot of new couples moved to these areas where they developed new and affordable housing. They made babies and raised families and settled, while amassing furniture, glassware, jewelry, tools, clothing, and a lot of other junk. Now, after retirement or sadly, death...they have left these houses stockpiled with things. Their grown children, overwhelmed with the situation and with the stockpiles, hire outsiders to take care of the job for them. This is where Daniel and I come in, because when we get there the junk becomes treasure, the outsiders make a buck, and the grown children have less to worry about. Everyone wins! Well, except for the person who used to own all these things...but anyways...Look what we found this weekend!!!!!!

From Top Left: 2 paint brushes (50 cents ea.), wire basket ($1), 2 collar necklaces($1 ea.), vintage liquor box ($1), produce market basket ($1)
From Bottom Left: cloth tracing paper (50 cents), 3 vintage dress patterns (50 cents each), ornate upholstery nails (50 cents), Rembrandt pastels ($1, made in Holland)

Handmade Prairie Dress (50 cents). I bought this dress in the last house we went to, which is where I got the other clothes below. The previous owner had such GOOD taste in clothes. There were beautiful vintage dresses, shoes, belts, and coats. But unfortunately, she was slightly bigger than I, size 10 and size 8 in shoes. Everything was 50 cents. These were the only things that fit.

Vintage dress (50 cents)

Vintage Strawberry Sweater (50 cents)

And the best finds of the day were this white leather chair (slightly dirty, minor rips, but can be cleaned and repaired) for $5 and this mid-century modern wooden lamp for $15. These pieces are going to be in my husband's man pad. He is happy.

Hmmm...wonder what we will find next time!!

Manly But Stylish

2010-10-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

As my very manly husband is downstairs yelling at the television (the Philadelphia Eagles are losing...), I am wrapping this very manly but stylish present for his birthday coming up. Notice the paper of choice. Very manly. The ram, a male animal, represents strength and dominance. Blue, the color parents choose for baby boys and is therefore a more masculine color than red or pink (which is very random to think about, because it is strange our culture gives colors gender connotations). The button, not manly but has a nice touch. Twine, rough texture and with knots. Yes, I think this manly wrapping will tickle his whimsy of manly things. Now that this is finished, I will go downstairs. The game is done. The Eagles have lost. And, my hubby will want me to hold him.

Vintage Matchbook Wall Art

2010-09-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

I once saw this great idea for wall art on the internet once but cannot find it again. Some person had arranged vintage matchbooks in rows and simply framed it. But it turned out uber awesome! My husband and I found a huge jar of old matchbooks at an antique store several weeks ago, and we bought three frames. We decided to arrange the matches in rows of color for the biggest frame and just used double stick tape to set them in place. However, one matchbook has come undone now, so we might have to go back and use a dab of glue.

"Think small." Our absolutely favorite matchbook because of it's shape, simple design, and mostly because the ad was reference in Mad Men. :)

The finished product! It was actually very easy to make. The fun part was digging through the matches and picking our favorites to be put on display.

We also made two more wall hangings, so the pictures could be displayed altogether as a set. Some of the matchbooks had such interesting colored matches like the ones above. I opened them to expose the colors and funny messages inside when they were framed.

Daniel really liked the idea of grouping the beach scene matchbooks together. A pretty cool theme.

Library Love: Hat Heads by Trond Anfinnsen

2010-09-09T04:33:00.000-07:00

5 stars!
I love the library! I can't believe something like this institution exists and citizens are allowed to take advantage of all it's benefits. My favorite is when I can make an account on the library's website and request books. Then I wait for an email saying I can pick them up. It's like Christmas! Or shopping! Except everything's free! And you don't need a receipt to return it, even though you've used it.

I borrowed this book a couple of weeks ago. It's Hat Heads: 1 Man + 2 Knitting Needles = 50 Fun Hat Designs by Trond Anfinnsen. I read some reviews online that were mixed, mostly complaining that all the instructions were for the same style hat just with different stripes, circles, colors, etc. I, however, have no complaints. I feel like Goldilocks finding the right chair. If you're a semi-beginner at knitting, this book is just right when it comes to following directions that venture you into that world and it's terminology, like "k2tog." Whaaaaat...? Yea, that's right. And there's also "p2tog." Not to mention "CC," "MC," and "yo." "Yo" is no longer a greeting to me now that I used to say in high school, it means "yarn over," as in to wrap the yarn around the needle.

Back to the book...Great pictures. Great designs. Great idea (The Norwegian author, also known as the "Knitkid," made a different hat for people he knew in his hometown of Stavanger. Every other page features a big picture of the person wearing the hat, a description about him/her, and next to it is the directions on how to make it.) If I was this creative, I would loooove to make a special hat for everyone I know too!
The trial: I let my husband pick out his favorite design in the book (which is the picture above), and I made it for him! The bottom picture is the finished product. I tweaked some directions because I was missing one of the size needles, but it still turned out satisfactory. Handsome handsome! mmuah!

Almost that Time of Year: Tea Time

2010-09-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

I'm getting antsy about sweater weather! It's been a hot summer, especially with no ac in the house...so my mind has been a wanderin' through thoughts of leggings, fall boots, pumpkins, crunchy leaves, and tea. I LOVE hot tea, but my body can't physically take it unless it's at least 70 degrees or colder. If I tried, my head would get over-heated and I would feel like throwing up (like at yoga this past Tuesday. I have never sweated so much in my life!). Since I can't quench my tea cravings in summer, then I scurry around and store all my lovely tea things in a pile in the cupboard for when I can snuggle cozily inside my home and indulge. Now, I have a number of new loose leaf teas, some old but still good tea bags from last year, a couple happy mugs I like to use, and two infusers. I just bought one of the infusers at an antique store and thought how whimsical it would be to make a collection of them. Here are some neat ones I came across online and am secretly coveting...shhhh....

Too fun. Blurp...bluuurp...(I'm trying to write out how I think a submarine sounds, but it sounds better when I say it in person.) Tea Sub [by Ototo, via Monkey Business]

Wonderfully morbid; rooibos is the tea of choice for this floating trinket. [by Pablo Matteoda, via Matteoda's blog, Trends Updates]

I like round things... tea infuser and sacuer [via Arta]

Just plain cute. The Better to Brew You With Teacup and Infuser [via ModCloth]

Early Spring Cleaning

2010-03-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

To brush away my winter blues I have decided to do an early spring cleaning (early-as in, there is still snow on the ground). And what cheers me up more than spring cleaning is METICULOUS spring cleaning! Don't judge me; it's just the way I am.

For example, I usually wouldn't care about this pile of embroidery thread lying around. But it looked way too fun! I've looked at ideas of cutting pieces of heavy paper and winding the thread around it and color coding them in a box. Eh, too much tracing and paper-cutting.

So instead, I used corks as a kind of spool. First, I taped one end of the thread down. Then simply wound it around.

I used a craft knife to make a small nick at the top to pinch the loose end of the string in place.

A little basket will be perfect for holding the rest of these cork spools in.

2009-07-17T20:53:00.001-07:00

bcgw3zydkt

Blueberry Mint Cupcakes

2009-07-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

Coconut & Lime Blog

Mmmm...this blueberry mint cupcake recipe looked so delectable that I had to try it.

But mine didn't turn out so wonderful as the recipe sounded, just mediocre. I couldn't taste the mint because my mint plant is really limpy and pathetic. And I couldn't taste the vanilla in the frosting because I didn't use a real vanilla bean and do not know where I could buy one. So they just taste like the usual blueberry cupcake, which isn't at all too bad I suppose.

At least my husband likes 'em.

Wedding Calendar

2009-07-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

If you're figuring out an alternative to the usual guestbook at weddings, try this idea! I wanted something that I would keep using and looking at even after the wedding. So I made a one year calendar starting with our first month of marriage. I tried corresponding pictures chronologically along with the months that they were took.

I made sure to leave plenty of space free for wedding guests to write their well wishes and blessings.

The calendar ends with May, allowing us to celebrate our first year of marriage together. Since we really liked this idea, we are going to make it a tradition to save pictures to put in a calendar for the following year.

Flickr Button Ideas

2009-06-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've been searching on Flickr for ideas to be inspired so I could figure out what I'm going to do with all those buttons I bought from the antique mall!

these ones are magnets.

Toilet Paper Holder

2009-06-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

The fun part of moving is decorating your new place! I wanted to add color to our yellow bathroom by hanging a shower curtain with more neutral shades and making these button pillows and toilet paper holder. Ahhh, much better.

Making the toilet paper holder is easy schmeasy.

1. Draw a rectangle on cardboard using the measurements of the diagram below. Mark all the lines. This will be your stencil.

2. Cut out your cardboard stencil and trace it on your cloth with all the lines. Cut out leaving a little room for sewing. Make two pieces.

3. Pin pieces together and sew along the lines indicated by red in the diagram below.

4. Sew on ribbons to the one inch margin so you can hang it up.

5. Stick TP rolls in the pockets you've just made. And voila!!

Now you'll never run out of TP during those important occasions. Feel free to add lace, buttons, and other embellishments.

Antique Malls

2009-06-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Going to antique malls is my new favorite funtivity!! My husband and I went to a couple of them yesterday to see what we could find. I ended up getting wonderful things for crafting!

bag of buttons for only $8.00!! my brain is going crazy with ideas of what I could do with these!

pack of vintage greeting cards. perfect for sending to friends far away.

Beer Goggles

2009-06-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of bottles...No, I'm not an alcoholic! I just have a lot of glass bottles lying around the place for some reason, and I don't know what to do with them. Pittsburgh said they would recycle them if I put them in a blue bag, but I am skeptical.

I will continue my search of glass bottle ideas, but for now here is a pair of spiffy beer goggles this guy made.

I would totally wear them out and enjoy a yellow tinted world :)

Refreshing Mint Lime Water

2009-06-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Today was HOT! HOT! HOT! And I found out how much I stink at tennis...*lowers head in shame* So it was nice to come back to my apartment and cheer up by drinking a glass of refreshing water! Not just any kind of water, mind you, but with a hint of lime and mint!

1. Add a few slices of lime and sprigs of mint to a cold pitcher of water

2. Let sit for 30 min. in the fridge or until you can taste the lime and mint in the water

It is so much more delightful than drinking plain water, and it's fun to look at. You can also use other fruits such as lemon, strawberries, rasberries, and even cucumber. Here are links to other variations you can try...

Cucumber mint water

Lemon mint cucumber water

Wedding Tree Centerpieces

2009-06-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Just because you add the word "wedding" in front of a word does not mean it should automatically double or triple in price (for example, wedding invitations, wedding dress, wedding cake). And just because you are having a wedding does not mean you should spend way over your budget hiring other people instead of using your own hands and creativity. Make it yourself = more money in your pocket.

So for my wedding we dropped the whole wedding flowers idea and made our own table centerpieces.

We saved branches from a tree my mom pruned in the front yard, let them sit out to dry for a couple days, painted them white, and glued blue cardstock and vellum leaves. The result-unique and crafty centerpieces that made my piggy bank happy. We stuck the branches in candle votives we found at a thrift store. Since there was already wax in the votives we just melted it enough that we could stand the branches upright and let the wax harden around it.

And unlike real flowers, I can enjoys these still today and use them for entertaining.