Vintage Veil

I found a 1940's era white hat at a vintage store years ago. I have a tendency to buy items that I am drawn to. I didn't have a specific purpose for it, but as my fiance and I started planning our wedding, it dawned on me that with french netting it would be the perfect veil for our vintage-romantic wedding. I purchased my french netting from BirdcageSupply on etsy.com. I gathered the netting and sewed it to the top if the hat to create a veil. I think it turned out to be a great headpiece and I only spent about $25 total. Are you planning a vintage themed wedding? What does your veil look like?

Embroidered Magnets

 Items Needed

Fabric (I used linen)
Embroidery Hoop
Embroidery Floss
Needle
Button Maker (1 inch)
Hot Glue Gun
Magnets (3/4 inch)

Use the button maker stencil to draw circles on the fabric.

In the center of each lightly draw your image or word.

Put the fabric in the embroidery hoop and embroider over the word/image, so no ink shows through.

Cut out each circle and center it over the button maker and press the button back to make the button cover.

Put hot glue on the back of the button and place the magnet on.

Here are your button magnets. Get creative with colors, fabrics, words and image! I know I am!

DIY Save the Dates

Materials Needed:

-Text Paper
-Heavy Cover Paper
-Paper Cutter
-Rounded Corner Punch
-Scrapbook Glue
-Envelopes
-Printer

I designed my own Save the Date. I used Adobe Illustrator, you can download a trial if you don't have it or you can find a printable design on Etsy. Be sure to include your names, the date, where you'll be getting married, and "formal invitation to follow." Get creative with the style of your save the date. I modeled mine off our reception site and our decoration ideas. I printed the design on text weight paper I got from Paper Source which has a variety of colors to suit your theme. Cut the design into a 4x6 and cut the cover weight paper into 5x7 cards. I punched the corners on both the text and cover paper to give them the rounded shape. Center the text paper on the cover paper and use the scrapbook glue to attach the two. I purchased A7 envelopes which fit the 5x7 Save the Date. I am also including our engagement photo in the envelope.

Vintage finds and treasures

I have a slight love affair with all things antique and vintage. Every time I walk into a vintage or antique shop I fall for every little piece and the millions of stories that could be attached to the item. Through my search, I only invite really special pieces to come into my home. Some pieces I’ve found in vintage shops in near the homes I’ve lived in or they have been handed down to me from family members.

The Marie Antionette style Champagne glasses were handed down to me when my great- grandmother passed. I have wonderful memories of New Year's Eve at her house and all the adults drinking champagne out of these glasses. Something about their shape makes me feel like I'm straight out of Great Gatsby or Marie Antionette. When paired with a silver tray like shown, sets up the perfect atmosphere for a party.

The glass salt cellars to left I found at a vintage shop in Metamora, Indiana. They are so small and I think they add so much to a place setting. When ever I visit a vintage or antique shop I look for their salt cellars. They come in so many different varieties and are so fun. I haven't done it yet, but I often wonder if I added a wick and some wax if they would make the most amazingly elegant tealight.

Spoonflower

 One of my favorite websites is Spoonflower. It is  great place for crafters to create their own or check out artists and their designs. You can create your own for yourself or use the site to sell your designs to others. I love being able to make custom fabrics and use them for personalized projects. Here are a few of my designs.
My Spoonflower Shop

Engagement Announcement

Every couple announces their engagement differently. Anymore you know when anyone is engaged because of facebook. Then the question is poised for the bride to be... To post a photo of the ring or not? After a few months of thinking this over I decided to post a photo of my engagement ring on facebook. Here is what I posted. The love earring is from Anthropologie. I am going to be wearing the earrings at our wedding. I love how this photo turned out.

How to Potty Train in Two Weeks

This time last summer, I was potty training my son. At the time he was 2 ½. We had introduced the potty chair to him and he had used it correctly a few times so we knew he was ready to learn to use it all the time. I think that is a big part of potty training, your child MUST be ready.  This is only my account of potty training, but a year later, accidents are rare and we are pull-up free at bedtime. (KNOCK ON WOOD). I had him fully trained in 2 weeks and the perfect time to do this is over the summer. I’ve talked to many other parents and they’ve used different variations of this method. Here’s what I did:

1)      I had 2 weeks off work and no plans of going anywhere. This is very hard to come by, but if you have it it’s the perfect time to train.

2)      You’ll need a training potty, a piece of poster board, markers, stickers and m&ms (or a small treat that your son or daughter can eat several of a day). Also, popsicles, juice and water are helpful.

3)      I let my son pick out different pack of stickers so he was excited about getting a sticker.

4)      We drew up a chart with his name on the top and the dates along the side with plenty of room for stickers.

5)      Now that the prep is done, it’s time for training. It’s best to do this in summer for the next part of training. You let your son or daughter go without shorts and without a diaper. This may result in a few accidents in the beginning, but don’t get discouraged.

6)      If you put the potty in the same room you are playing in, and explain that if he or she feels the need to go to sit on the potty. I also asked him periodically if he wanted to sit on the potty to try to go, especially after he had something to drink.

7)      Every time the child correctly uses the potty and you both help wash hands. They get to put a sticker on today’s date and they get an m&m.

My son really liked to count how many stickers he got at the end of the day. I’m a firm believer that it takes 2 weeks to form a habit and it’s no different with children. I also had my son eat popsicles and drink more water than normal so he would need to go to the bathroom more. The more stickers he got the more he liked using the potty. After the two weeks I still asked him after he had something to drink if he needed to use the potty, but after a while he can just tell me if he needs to go.

Happy Day!