PINK!!!

You know your husband loves you when...

He lets you decorate the kitchen Pink!
(Well, pink, green, and white to be exact)

I know, doesn't it just blow your mind?! My Joshua is actually letting me register for pink, white, and green appliances!



The rest of our house is decorated in more subdued colors such as a blue and white living room, or a red, gold, and cream bedroom. I wanted a room to let the more girly side out, and what better place than the kitchen?!?! It will be mostly my domain anyway with how much I love to bake and experiment. He did laugh when he realized he'd be making toast in a pink toaster, but then he gave me a kiss and said it was fine. :-)

Here's some images of random things that have inspired me:


Pink Hydrangeas, more specifically, but I do love the wreath.


I collect tea cups--of all colors and styles, really. But having a shelf of specifically pink ones in the kitchen might be kind of nice!


I like this kind of fabric--I think it would make some really nice curtains.


This would make a really cute spice rack


And of course you need a good rug for in front of the sink.

Dreams

Last night I had the most awful dream. It seemed to last forever, and it was one where I couldn't seem to wake up from it. I dreamed that I told Josh that I was going to marry someone else--not him. It seemed that instantly, he was gone. And I never heard from him again. Suddenly, it was then my wedding day. Yet, all the plans, decorations, and my dress was the same as I'd been planning for Josh's and my wedding. I dreamed that there was a war going on outside in the area with guns and explosions. (It's a dream, it can't be too realistic!) Two of my bridesmaids weren't there. In my dream, I barely knew the man I was going to marry. We hardly spoke to each other, and I had to keep asking my mom how to pronounce my new last name. The ceremony went by very robotic, yet it was obvious there was a war going on outside. Then, things got really bad, and everyone had to leave an scramble. And it ended up that we all left and went into hiding, and I had no reception. I didn't even leave with my new husband--I went back home with my mother, and had no idea where that man was, and I kept forgetting his last name! I tried to call Josh several times, but without luck. So right as I began to wake up from this dream, I ran out of the house to go find him. And that was the end.

I know dreams sound silly when you retell them, and when you reflect on it, you typically laugh and say, "Oh my goodness!" Yet, isn't it also true that in the midst of a dream, it seems very real and has a real effect on you? That's how this dream was for me, and it was truly terrible.

Something as simple as a dream though can really get you thinking, and when I woke up with that ugly feeling in my chest, I also thought to myself about how glad I am that I AM marrying Josh, and that he's wonderful, and that we may not always get along, but we know each other and love each other. It also makes me think that no matter what could go wrong with the wedding or what difficulties I stumble across, I'm so thankful that the point is: I'm marrying a person I love. I have found love in a man, and I will be joined to him forever. That's what makes everything turn out alright. :-)

Little things I love

I love to browse the Internet for cute thing, whimsical things, good party ideas, etc. Here's just a few things I've come across lately.


Customized party plates from LA Plates. You pick the design, the colors, and the wording. Each plate is $20.








Notecards from Carrot & Stick, 8 pack for $16




Summer Cupcakes ideas from Martha Stewart.



Banana Republic, $64



Knitted ring pillows from Martha Stewart



Tucker Blair, needle point headband, "coming soon"




Waterbottle koozie, $15 by So Pretty



Sailboat Key Fob, $32, from Etsy seller PreppyPetunia




Nantucket Earrings, $18, from Etsy Seller WildWomanJewelry

Wedding Croquet

I found these wedding pictures on the blog Snippet & Ink. May I say that if I was having a summer wedding, I would steal this idea in a heartbeat? Instead of dancing at the reception, the guests were invited to play rounds of croquet after lunch in the yard. How fun and original is that?! Here are some pictures.








And of course, if you are going to go outside and play croquet at your wedding, how could any girl resist swapping out their veil for an elegant birdcage veil?



I found this particular veil from Etsy seller, ktjean.

Shop Addict

I turned half my paycheck over to J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Ann Klein today. My mother and I went shopping at the Lighthouse mall in Michigan City and oooooh it was love! :-D I found an amazing blue and white striped button-up sweater and a blue wrap-around oxford from Banana Republic, bermuda shorts and a pink polka dot blouse from Ann Klein, and J. Crew... oh J.Crew! An anchor print tank top with rope neck (it's cute, trust me.), a blue and white striped pants, khaki chinos... YAY!

I found a new yoga video that I'm about to test out. I've gotten out of the habit of practicing yoga, and I really need to get back into it. I have a wedding dress to fit into! No slacking!


J. Crew chinos (soooo excited!)

In more serious news, a few days ago, I ordered "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch from Amazon.com. I've been so anxious to get it ever since I first heard about Randy. And then this morning, I read on CNN that he'd passed away. It makes me a little sad in my heart, but even more anxious to read the story and wisdom of a remarkable fighter. If you've never heard of "The Last Lecture" (which I doubt, by now) then I highly suggest you check it out. I may just have to break from East of Eden when it comes.

Also, I'm on the hunt for some good stationary. Not note cards, but letter writing stationary that's not too pricey. So if anyone has some recommendations of where to look, I'd be very happy!

Shoes: Let's get some shoes!

My feet and I have a little agreement between us. The agreement is that I wear flats. If I don't, I'll break my feet. With such agreement in mind, I'm on the hunt for a new pair of shoes. My preference is a new pair of brown boat shoes or penny loafers. However, how can my mind help but wander to other things too? Here's some of the shoes I've been considering lately. (Please feel free to vote. *smile*)



Sperry Top-Sider, $65


J. Crew, $128


Timerland, $90


Payless, $21.99
(I realize it's not brown, but like I said... my eyes wander!)


Croft & Barrow, $21.97


St. John's Bay, $39.99

Coach

You know, I've never been the biggest fan of Coach purses. I always thought that paying several hundred dollars for a bag with brown "C's" all over it was silly. I think my distaste for them grew when I worked at Hallmark where proud and crabby women would plop their bag of C's on my counter and rummage through them to dig out plastic cards for the junk Hallmark sells that you'll never need. I saw those Coach purses constantly. They were so common that if one didn't know anything about fashion, you'd assume they were shopping bags passed out at the door or something! I think the commonness of the purse and the uniformity of their look drove me away from them.
But this morning, I may have had a *small* change of heart towards Coach purses, because through aimless browsing when I should be working out I found this:


Coach, $138

That price is actually very good for Coach bags, but my eyes still get a little wide at that. However, I really love that purse. I love the boldness of the stripes and although fashionistas could probably recognize the bag, at least it doesn't scream Coach with a bunch of brown C's. Hmm... Maybe if I ever get an abnormally big pay check or something I'll make a splurge. But for now, I'll just settle that I'm not completely against Coach any longer. :-)

Many things

Last night, when I was at Barnes and Noble with my fiance and my good friend Shanna, I bought a copy of East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I've never read it before, but I've heard so many good things about it, so I couldn't resist. It's become my "work-out" book, because I read it while I'm working out on my exercise bike. So far, I've come to really enjoy it, but I'm only about five or six chapters in, and the length is a little daunting.
This Sunday was rather special for my family. It was my Dad's ordination service in church this morning. He's been a licensed pastor for several years now, and this morning he was officially ordained. I must say, I'm really proud of him.
The table and chairs I found are coming along nicely! The table is painted and just needs to be distressed now. I've scraped the chairs and they're ready for painting. It's been so hot out though I don't know when I'll get to it.
The other day I had the opportunity to visit an old friend from high school. We were friends, but not exceptional friends--the kind that are in the same social circle, mostly. Once college began, we almost nearly lost touch. But she's back in the area now, so we decided to get together. There's a cafe in my town, the Riverfront Cafe, that sits across the street from the river. When it opened years ago, it became one of the most popular places in town, but then it closed for at least a year. The paint on the outside was peeling and it sort of became an eyesore. But some people bought it, kept the name, fixed it up, and now it's open again. It was the first time I'd been back in there, but it was really nice! Their desserts come from the Indulgence Cafe in Mishawaka, and they were so delectable and beautiful! It was very good to catch up with my friend again, and I enjoyed my time with her immensely. In a time where I feel as though I'm searching for friends, it was nice to connect with someone. I hope we keep seeing each other.
On the conversation of friends, I ended up making a difficult decision today regarding my wedding--as I'd written about earlier. It wasn't easy, and I'd thought a lot about it, but even though it was a sticky situation and a difficult decision, I feel like it was still a justifiable and respectable choice. I'm just hoping for the best now.
And to end on a lighter note--this Wednesday is the date for Josh's and my engagement pictures to be taken! I'm throughly excited.

Murphy's Law

I never had a slice of bread,
Particularly large and wide,
That did not fall upon the floor,
And always on the buttered side.
--printed 1841

Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic, but whenever it comes to wedding planning thus far, I get really discouraged. It doesn't feel like the wonderful I'm-a-princess-now feeling I used to imagine it would be in high school. I've had many break downs over the phone with my fiance, and I've even had a few fights with some people regarding things like the size of the guest list, who is on it, or where the ceremony should be.

But all of that pales to the situation I'm grappling for wisdom for right now. I'm trying to be diplomatic yet sincere, I'm trying to handle this like a lady should and save face for everyone with as much grace as I can. It's really difficult though because of this awkward situation I find myself in, because it's the kind than can break a friendship in an instant--particularly because the areas where I've felt injustice on my part extend beyond things regarding my wedding.

Think of me if you will, good friends! It would be greatly appreciated.

Greeting card/Party invitation ideas!

Martha Stewart's web site had an craft for making tissue pouches for guests at a wedding by folding regular card-stock into an envelope. But the more I looked at it, the most I realized those would be so cute for little notes or party invitations. I tested it out, and a 3x5 card fits perfectly into the pockets I made! Here's a picture of my creations:



Oh the joys of crafts and rubber stamping! I think I may use them for tissues at Josh's and my wedding. Some red card-stock with a snowflake stamp sounds really cute. :-)

Yard sale treasures!

I woke up this morning and began my yard sale hunt for some furniture to refinish. My own neighborhood was having a collective sale, so I started there, but I didn't find anything. I went all over town scouting down those little "garage sale" signs on the corner of streets. At one place, I did find a table I liked, but the top was just wide enough to where it couldn't fit into my car. After hours of hunting through thrift stores and yard sales, I headed home. But as I was driving down my street, I saw another yard sale that hadn't previously been open.
Sure enough, I walk into the garage of this sweet older woman and I see two wooden chairs--small, but still adult sized, and on the other side of it, I see a neat wooden end table. They weren't meant to go together, but I set the table near the chairs, and they were perfect proportions. As I looked at them, I thought about how cute this ensemble would be to make a little "tea corner" in the living room! I thought it would go great in the corner of the living room and make a miniature sitting area. I could even display my antique tea cups above it on little white shelves.
The lady told me that she found the chairs at an antique store in Rhode Island, and she offered to give me all three pieces for 18 dollars. I took the deal and put them in my car and set them in the garage to begin working on. Most the of paint that can be scraped on the chairs is already off, but I worked a bit on one of them anyway, and the table didn't need any work before painting, so I put the first coat of white paint on this afternoon. Here's a couple pictures. (Don't mind me in my messy, dirty hair and clothes!)





Oh, and since I was uploading pictures from my camera today, I thought I'd post this nice picture I found of me and my mom. I'm pretty sure it was taken on Mother's Day this year. My eyeshadow looks really bright in this picture (a lot brighter than it really is!) but it's still a nice picture of us:

Yay craftiness! (and other things)

May I first say that being a bank teller is not easy work. It's especially hard being new. It's even harder being in the middle of a bank crossover and dealing with four processing programs. It doesn't make it easier to have a computer that crashes and needs to be restarted five times a day. It's even harder being left to be the only teller at the line on a Friday afternoon. And angry, unpleasant customers aren't exactly helpful either. (It was a bad day at work)

I've decided I want something to DO with my hands--besides type or pass out money all day. I want a project. So since I'm getting ready for a new home in five months (and Josh may be moving into it sooner), I figured it would be wise to relate it to that. Therefore, tomorrow I'm going to the local thrift stores on the hunt for a cool end table. Something that would look nice next to a sitting chair and cozied beside a bookshelf in the living room. I'm going to find a wood one, strip it down to its wood, and then I'm going to paint it an antique white. Then, I think I'll get some sandpaper or something and distress it a bit to give it an aged, New England cottage look. I think it will be really fun and give me something to do in the evenings and weekends.

As always, here's a couple "inspiration pictures" of what I'm going for:





I'm also interested in doing a coffee table the same way to match. If I can find a *trunk* to double duty as a coffee table/blanket storage, that would be even better! Something like this, but not with double lids:



I may also run to Macy's tomorrow since they're supposedly having a great sale. :-D Obviously, I'll post pictures of any good finds I may pick up.

Project bridal registry

It has been so exciting working on my wedding registry lately. I've been mentally decorating my whole future house! Lately, I've been working on the living room. Josh and I are going to have a blue and white living room with brown accents. I think it will look really clean and fresh. Here are some of my "inspiration rooms" that I've found online:









I really really like the striped upholstery on the sofas and chairs--I hope to find some when we go shopping for our furniture, and I also like the idea of darker wood to accent the lightness.

I've already registered for a taupe slipcover for Josh's recliner, some blue/white/brown accent pillows, and a pair of beautiful white vases with blue flowers on them. I think the rest of the decorating will come out of the furniture, which I don't think Josh and I will register for--we'll just go pick it out in a few months.

I absolutely love interior design!

Operation: Invitations

I've been searching for months and months to find an invitation I actually liked for Josh's and my wedding. I found a lot of spring and summer invitations that I found to be adorable, but unfortunately, they wouldn't fit in to my Christmas wedding. I wanted something classy, preppy, and beautiful. Finally, I found what I was looking for on MyGatsby!

Here's the website's picture of the invitation we picked out:



Except, these aren't our colors. The pocket is actually a textured black, and the invitation is an ecru color with black ink and a crimson border around it. I'm so excited about them! It gives it a formal look, but I feel the pocket creates a fun flair. Perfect. :-) Sadly, I'm just as excited about the text too. :-)

It was so fun to pick them out with Josh. We enjoyed messing with the fonts and the spacing and the motif in the circle is a snowflake, which we were extremely excited about! That brings in a little more of the Christmas flair.

In other news, I'm in the process of setting up an engagement pictures session with my photographer. I just love my photographer. She and her husband run the business from their home and it's called Guided Light Photography. They have fantastic prices for what good work they do! We're having our pictures taken at the Fernwood Botanical Gardens, which should be beautiful this time of year. I'm particularly excited about taking pictures in the herb garden and by the water wheel. :-)

Just look at how lovely it is there:



The other day, Josh and I went shopping for him, and we found these awesome khaki, black, and light blue plaid Bermudas, and we also got him a baby blue polo to go with it, and I'm thinking I'll go out and find some pink Bermudas for myself and then we can have coordinating colors for the pictures! Hmmm.... it's a thought. I'm still debating if being that similar is more corny than cute. ;-)