Wedding Blogs and Inspiration

Since I got engaged in May of last year, I have done a lot of wedding research on-line and have come across some awesome inspirational sites.  There are also a few great ones with freebies, like invitations, monograms, save the dates, and table numbers.  Here are the sites that I visit most often and that provide the most inspiration and help.

Wedding Chicks is an awesome site with free invitation downloads, monograms, personalized menus, diy ideas, photo inspiration, and more!  A total must for any bride to be.

Intimate Weddings Blog has all kinds of DIY inspiration, vendor info, and loads of pictures to help you imagine your big party!

The Knotty Bride is an awesome site for all things fun and bridal!  Even if you aren't getting married, and just love to throw parties, this site is pretty cool.  Tons of DIY ideas and loads of great photos.

Are you one of those people that love crazy cakes??  Like over the top stunning cakes?  You HAVE to check out this site, The Caketress.

Another fantastic site for inspiration on ceremony decor, dress ideas, photography, etc.  Beautiful featured weddings and cool DIY ideas.  100 Layer Cake Blog

Let's just say you love the look of DIY, but you aren't the crafty gal you thought you were.  Here is etsy to the rescue!  The best wedding goodies from invitations to veils, dresses, grooms gifts, and stickers::: etsy is your place to shop!  Etsy Weddings.  You can even find your dress on etsy!

What can I say?  Tons of inspiration and freebies.  Another cool one for party planners!

DIY Wedding

Got a cool site you've come across??  Share it with me!  Enjoy!

Bird Love

Today I am feeling my serious obsession for birds and I thought I'd share a few of my favorite bird graphics.  My go to for free graphics is the graphics fairy blog.  She posts super amazing vintage clip art and great ways to use it.

This one is so cute!  He looks so proud...

Squaty body, so adorable.

I am dreaming up wedding decorations, projects, prints, ... what else?  I would love to use these are place cards or table numbers somehow...

Do It Yourself Invitations from Merriment Design

As usual, wedding planning is on my mind and I can't help but wander through the many invitations on the internet.  I stumbled across Merriment Design's sewn invitations and fell in love.  Are they time consuming?  YES.  Are they beautiful?  YES!  Do I want to make them?  ... ... ... uhm... I really do.  :)

(from here)

Yep she cuts each piece by hand.  Then sews it.  One of a kind magic.

Anyone feel like having a sewing party??  MOM??  (Perfect timing since you are on break...)

Pumpkin French Toast from dana-made-it.com

Pumpkin French Toast anyone??  I can't take any credit for this recipe...  I found it on dana-made-it, a great blog about ... everything.  :)   I love love french toast, and any reason to make it is... well... fantastic!  This is more of an old school "pain perdu" recipe.  (but still amazing)  Very similar to bread pudding, but in individual pieces instead of all diced up.  Anyways... this recipe looks amazing, can't wait to try it, and couldn't help but share it.  So thanks dana!  I think this would be great for Christmas morning, or the day after Thanksgiving.  Or maybe for dessert tomorrow night!  You probably have all the ingredients on hand, so go for it!

For the recipe click here.  (along with a step by step tutorial)

Soft Flex Bead Show September 2010 Hawaii!

Another great chance to shop for beads and goodies is coming to Honolulu!  The Soft Flex Bead Show will be at Ward Warehouse September 24th - 26th.  If you missed it earlier this year, this is a great show.  The prices are really good on findings, chain, and tools too.  If you have been holding out on stamping, this is the place to go.  Go early though for tools because they tend to sell out fast!  Want to see more information??  Click HERE for the official page and location details.


WHEN:
-Friday 9/24, 10am - 6pm
-Saturday 9/25, 10am - 6pm
-Sunday 9/26, 11am - 5pm
------Admission: FREE!


There is even an on-line coupon!  Spend $100 at a soft flex booth and save $10.  

Coupon image taken from the official soft flex page.  Original image can be found here. Print either image and bring it with you to the show to save!

Soft Flex has a great blog too with inspiration, fun projects, and information about all of their upcoming shows.  http://softflexgirl.blogspot.com/

Natalie Dee Sweets Comic Love

When I used to be a waitress I got this question all the time.  Somehow it is a whole lot funnier coming from a cupacke...

If you aren't laughing yet, go get your laugh on already!

www.nataliedee.com

nataliedee.com

Hmmm... Someone else had a few too many pieces of chocolate mousse cake did they??  It's okay.  You still look cute.  

nataliedee.com

Finally someone drew a picture of the science of ice cream sandwich eating.  So very important and incredibly satisfying if done correctly.


nataliedee.com

Yep.  I am not really into chicken but cake... cake I can do.

Natalie Dee has been making me laugh since my college days at UH.  I love to look through her old comics and laugh and laugh.  This little collection: some of my favorite sweet comics.

Mayberry Sparrow giveaway!

One of my favorite handmade stamp shops is doing a giveaway!  Go to her blog to enter, and of course check out her etsy shop.

http://themayberrysparrow.blogspot.com/2010/06/oh-deerie-me-giveaway.html

The giveaway ends on Monday June 21st, so enter already!  Even though I want to win, I want to share these fabulous stamps with everyone too... Oh the inner battle.  :)

www.corrabelle.etsy.com

You may remember this shop from previous posts, she has been a long time favorite.  So I am pretty stoked to see a giveaway!  Maybe I will just cave in and buy all the stamps I love so much!

Just one of my favorite items from her site.

Passing along the blogging spirit...

My mom started a blog today.  I helped her get it started, and while she hasn't added much, she will!  Check it out and mark it as one of your favorites because she has tons of great inspiring projects.  Her new blog name is polka dot palm tree.  That is going to be her new shop name on etsy too.  :) 

So here it is ...  http://www.polkadotpalmtree.blogspot.com/

Here is a photo of a bag she made at Christmas time.  Wowzas...

Kill Taupe

One of my favorite etsy shops/designers is http://www.killtaupe.etsy.com/.  You can also check out his original blog at http://www.killtaupe.blogspot.com/.  I went to his blog today and read that he will be doing a daily drawing this year!  What a treat.  I am so excited to see all the amazing and funny critters that he creates.  I also checked his etsy site and found some stellar new magnets!  I am trying to decide which one to get...  I like them all!  I really do... 
He also has a really great gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/killtaupe/sets/%20Here  If you like these, go check it out and find some of your own images to giggle at.  Here are some of my favorites from his shop right now.

http://www.killtaupe.etsy.com/

You can purchase all of these items right now at his etsy shop.  What are you waiting for??

Another fabulous handmade stamp shop

So I am a little obsessed with handmade stamps right now, and I found these that I really really love on etsy.  I think what really swayed me is the adorable sheep and birdie... but there is so much more!  Mushrooms, gingko leaves, rain drops, elephants, bunnies... what doesn't she make?  She also has a stellar blog at http://www.themayberrysparrow.blogspot.com/ --so check it out! http://www.corrabelle.etsy.com/ is her etsy shop with all the fabulous stamps and stationery.  What is not to love??

"Corrabelle's Shop Announcement---☆Welcome to the Mayberry Sparrow!☆

The original etsy shop of hand carved, custom rubber stamps!

Simple, whimsical, fun, and colorful original hand carved block prints.

Custom Stationery, business cards, tags and invitations.

Im always happy to carve another stamp!

Check out my NEW shop for art/prints only, at http://themayberrysparrow.etsy.com

Any artwork in this shop will be slowly moved over.

Feel free to take a gander at my blog:) www.themayberrysparrow.blogspot.com"

Which one is your favorite?  Go to http://www.corrabelle.etsy.com/ to view more stamps and other items!

If you make handmade cards or packaging, these stamps are a must.  Imagine a stamped hand carved whale next to the shipping address on your packages or thank you cards?  They would also make a great addition to your scrapbook pages, tags, or notebook cover!  The stamping ideas just keep coming...

Cool Knitting Blog

http://keeponknittinginthefreeworld.blogspot.com/2006/07/band-cuffs-free-pattern.html

I found this really cute knitting blog and this link to a free arm band pattern at Keep on Knitting In The Free Worlds blog. Do I smell Christmas present??  These would be great for a little added touch on top of a wrapped present.  I love that you can make them for guys or girls!  Check out the blog from the link above.  There are tons of other free patterns and super cute project ideas. 

She also has an etsy shop at ::: http://www.etsy.com/shop/starathena

Here is a little tidbit about "Keep on Knitting in the Free World" :: "When I’m not designing, I’m dreaming about designing. I’m also knitting, spinning, dying fiber, writing, doodling, walking, doing crossword puzzles, drinking tea, eating chocolate, stretching, contemplating the cruelty of existence, and exploring the great Pacific Northwest."

 She also sells great patterns for knit items and offers free tutorials.  Here is one of my favorites:

http://keeponknittinginthefreeworld.blogspot.com/

You gotta love a fellow knitter, etsy-an, crafter, and mitt lover!  My latest obsession has been fingerless mitts, mittens, and arm bands.  You are bound to see some of these as Christmas presents this year!

Colorful intrigue on a fellow blog

http://mossansblog.blogspot.com/ 

I was reading through a few of the other blogs following mine the other day and I found this really cool blog.  It isn't in English, so I don't really know what it says, but I really like the art.  There are a lot of pictures of skylines, city scapes, and beautiful sunsets.  This one is one of my favorites because of the bright pink colors.  It makes me think of midwest summer nights and super late sunsets.  Lying on my back staring at the street lights and power lines in my backyard while the sunsets in the suburbs.  Check out more work like this at   http://mossansblog.blogspot.com/