Music Mondays: Part Three

part one, part two

I'm skipping around a little today.  I'm looking for a song for our Anniversary Dance.  I want it to be something that everyone can relate to and appreciate.  Maybe something going back to an older era?
This one's not too old, but it is older than my generation.

"My Endless Love" by Lionel Ritchie & Diana Ross

DIY: Keepsake Garter, Version 2.0

I suppose this is a kind of like a repeat post.  You might recall a previous DIY post about a garter I made

Remember this one??

Well I decided it was just a little too bulky, so I made a new one.  Mr. T and I both went to the same college, and he actually played football here, so I thought it was only appropriate to have a University of Illinois garter.  (This way I can use it as my "something blue" also).

I had the Illinois material left over from another project I'm currently in the middle of, and there's a variety of elastic sizes and lengths in our sewing room, so all I needed to buy was 3" sheer ribbon.  I got 1 1/2 yards but ended up using only about a yard of it. 

I didn't take pictures of the process, but it was even easier than the first garter.  Since the ribbon has finished edges it was ready to be used.  I cut the Illini fabric to about 1/2" wider than the elastic I was using, so I think it was about 1 1/2" wide.  I folded under the top and bottom about a quarter of an inch and ironed the edges.  Then I just pinned it on top of the sheer ribbon and sewed along both edges to create a pocket.  Then you just slide the elastic through and sew your ends together.  Super easy.

I like this version much better since it's not so bulky and thick.  I'm going to make another one to use for the toss garter, and I'll do the same thing, but with a skinnier sheer white ribbon so it has less of a bottom ruffle.  Then they'll both need a bow of sorts of the front.  Maybe I'll get a charm of Mr. T's football number to put on my keepsake one.

Do you have any projects you've made multiples of, or do I just have too much time on my hands?

Happy Sweetest Day ( a day later...)

Hey guys...just wanted to pop in and say hi.  I don't really have anything exciting tonight; I've got to catch up on all my homework and study for make up tests since I was sick with bronchitis last week.  I did a couple projects while I was home this weekend that I'll share with you starting tomorrow, so be on the lookout for those.

In the meantime though, I wanted you all to see how cute Mr. T is.  He had these sent to me at work yesterday for Sweetest Day. 

Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?!  He did an awesome job, and they smell amazing.  I carted them back to school with me today so I can look at them all week until they die.

I have actually never celebrated Sweetest Day with anyone so I asked him to just humor me this one time since he hates Hallmark holidays.  He did a pretty awesome job, so I'll let him off the hook for the years to come.  I've also never gotten flowers delivered to me before, so he hit two birds with one stone.

I'm one lucky girl =]

p.s.  There's a giveaway going on over at "Living in the 'Burbs with the Lenz's" for an adorable apron.  Go check it out and get signed up before the deadline tonight at midnight.

Dressing The Guys

Last week I got an email from J P Tuxedos in Oak Forest, IL asking me to preregister my information online to lock in the current deals they have going, in the chance that I'm interested in renting our tuxes from them.  So I filled out a little form, and a lady called me the other day to tell me about their specials.

Here's what they currently have going:
     - $49.95 tuxedo rental (includes shirt, pants, and jacket)
     - 6th tuxedo rental free
     - Free suit for the groom after the wedding
     - If I complete the registration in store before the end of the month they'll throw in a 3rd rental free

The tuxes would be ready to pick up after 4 PM the Thursday before my wedding, and wouldn't need to be returned until the Monday after.  It seemed like a pretty good deal to me, but then again, I have no idea what price tux rentals cost.  That price also does not include the vest, tie, or shoes and when I called they couldn't give me a price over the phone.
Also, this place is a good hour from home and where the wedding is going to be, which is probably not the best option.  All of the guys will have to go up there to get fitted, and will then have to go up there to pick them up and make sure they fit.  They can probably all be returned by one person, but that's a lot of driving back and forth for tuxes
The other big thing... I have no idea what quality these tuxes are and would have to drive an hour one way just to find out if they're even worth renting.

I needed something to compare this price to, so I ran into town to our only men's clothing store, Sklut's, which is the only local place to rent tuxes within 25 miles.  I looked through their books and got an idea of how much we would be spending if we went with them.  They rent from Jim's Formal Wear and bring in the tuxes as needed.  We will have to have all of our guys fitted by February for our May 22 wedding, since they get really busy during prom season.

I used the Build-a-Tux feature on the website to show you the tuxes I liked while looking through the books. 

As you can see it shows you the style names in the chart. 

This first jacket is "Radnor" by Calvin Klein, and was one of the two I liked.

The second is "Crossroads" by Chaps Ralph Lauren.

The jackets are both very similar in style, and I belive they are about the same price.  The all black version is what we're going to go with for the groomsmen.  I knew I didn't want a colored vest and tie; that just screamed "Prom" to me, especially since it would be a bright green.

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No thanks!! Although that is the closest match to our green I've seen yet.

I definitely think some wedding colors can pull it off, like pewter, or darker jewel tones, but ours definitely isnt one of them.  I thought about going with a black vest and a colored tie, but then decided all black would be much easier, and it looks very classy.  Mr. T will then be in a white vest and tie.

Price Breakdown:

Tux rental (includes jacket, pants, shirt, vest, and tie) - $104

Microfiber shirt upgrade - $5

Shoe Rental - $15

Insurance - $2

Total = $126

I still need to talk to Mr. T about this, but I'm heavily leaning this way.  The quality of these tuxes is wonderful and the store is right in town, which besides being convenient, will save people time and money on gas.  I also know the store owner, and the lady who is always working, and they are both so nice and helpful, it will be one less stress for me to worry about. 

Are you keeping your tux colors simple, or are you matching them to your girls??

Non Wedding Related: Episode Two

episode one

"Write that down....." "Here's another life skill, add that to the list."

Mr. T thinks its funny all the various things I've picked up along life's journey.  Like my excellent bow making skills, or the fact that I used to make glass beads, or that apparently I can draw well.  So now any time I do something crafty, or introduce to him another side of me, I like to joke with him. 
If we were to write it all down, we'd have a pretty long list!!

But here's another one of my hobbies.  I knit.  And Mr. T's mom just taught me how to crochet this summer as well.

But I've been knitting since I was a little girl when my grandma first taught me.  And by saying I knit, I use that term loosely.  I have an almost finished afghan that I've been working on for about 2 years now.  I kind of tend to go through phases of being interested, and not.  So right now the panels are just waiting to be sewn together, but who knows when I'll get around to that.  I haven't touched it in about a year now.

So anyways, this isn't exactly wedding related, but I do have another DIY project that would be perfect following a wedding....a baby blanket!

I made this blanket last year when my boss's daughter was having a little girl.

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I hadn't been introduced to the blogging world back then, so needless to say, there aren't pictures of my steps.  But I just used the pink baby yarn and knitted a simple rectangle to the measurements I wanted.  I can't say how many stitches it is across, or how many rows it is long, but I basically just started knitting, and continued until it was what I thought was an appropriate size.

I used very small needles, probably a size 18 or something along those lines.  It took forever!!!  But I'm happy with the way it turned out.

Then I cut out yellow satin for the back, and attached yellow satin binding around the edges. 

Then I simply ironed on a cute giraffe applique that I bought at Walmart.  I made sure to cover it with a towel when ironing so it didn't melt the yarn.

So there is a cute, simple project that matched with the theme of her nursery.

Honestly, if you know how to knit a row, and sew a straight line on a sewing machine, this project is super easy!!

DIY: Recipe Cards

I love cooking, or attempting to anyways.  And I'd love to be that domestic housewife that has dinner ready for her hubby when he gets home from work.  Some days anyways, definitely not every night.  But I'm definitely lacking in the creativity area.  I've got a few fool-proof recipes in my repertoire, but we tend to rotate the same things from week to week.

So before I leave home I want to copy over a bunch of my mom's recipes and I'd also love to have guests bring a recipe with them to whatever showers are thrown for me.  I want to send recipe cards out with the invites so they all match and can be put together in a cute little book.

I came up with the following cards, they all measure 4x6".  They all coordinate, but each is a little different.  I can't wait until I can put them all together and see loved ones' handwriting each time I use their recipe.

Feel free to borrow any of them!!

Boutonnieres vs. Pocket Squares: Part Two

part one

Okay, I know that part one was probably super boring . . . lots of words, no pictures.  My least favorite kind of post.  I'm sorry!!  This one will be much better, I promise.

Summary of part one:  I'm currently trying to decide between bouts or pocket squares for the guys.

What better way to make a decision than to look at lots of inspiration pictures?!  Here goes...

First up: Green Boutonnieres

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theknot

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The Contender: The Pocket Square

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Umm, how cute?!

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I think what will tip the scale one way or another, is if I can find the right color green material to make the squares out of.  If that happens, then I'm leaning 98% towards doing the pocket squares instead of the boutonnieres.  Good thing we still have plenty of time, for me to find the material, and to change my mind a few more times!

Boutonnieres vs. Pocket Squares: Part One

Side note: I cannot for the life of me manage to spell boutonnieres right the first time, so for the remainder of this post they will likely be called bouts, or some other derivative.  I'm just lucky the title is spelled right currently, it took me three tries!

In a previous post, I clued you into how much my florist is charging me per bout ($7.00), and at 16 bouts I'm looking to spend over $100 on flowers....for guys!  Don't get me wrong, I love these guys, but that's a lot of money to spend on something they'll throw away the minute they get the chance.  I'm at least hoping the girls might bring their bouquets home and put them in water to look at for a couple days until they die.  The guys on the other hand, not gonna happen.

So in that post, I came up with a fake floral alternative that I am pretty happy with.  It cuts down the cost dramatically, and were super easy to do.  But then my lovely mother voiced her concerns about them and got me thinking.  She has an incredible talent for this, by the way.  She thought that maybe it would be weird, or look funny, or the guys might actually care that the bouts are fake when everyone else has real flowers.  I'm not worried about the guys caring, but I am wondering if it matters that the bouts will be the only fake flowers.

As a solution to this whole ordeal, lately I've been thinking about doing a pocket square instead of a bout.  Just totally scrapping the flowers altogether.  I think you can still get the visual interest with a pop of color peeking out from the pocket.  I was looking at tuxes this weekend, and priced out pocket squares out of curiosity.  There the guys would each buy a $6 pocket square that they would keep after the wedding is over.  There's two drawbacks to that: it would cost almost as much as the originally quoted bouts, and they didn't have the green color I would need. 
The nice thing about a pocket square, though, is that it's essentially a square piece of material with finished edges.  DIY anyone??  If I make them myself, I'll know that the green matches exactly, and it will cost a whole lot less.

Part two will be a picture heavy post, with ideas for bouts and pocket squares.  So while this post may have been a little boring, you won't want to miss the next installation!

Our Ring Bearer

My cousin just put up new pictures of his son Liam, our ring bearer, on Facebook and I have to share some of them with you.  He's getting so big, so quickly!

How cute is this kid??

Note to self: Actually ask him to be the ring bearer and find a cute way to do it!

The Anniversary Dance

For those of you that have been following me for a few months, you might remember my post Honoring Those Before Us.  Mr. T and I are both so lucky and blessed to have great examples of loving and successful marriages in our families and we want to celebrate that on our wedding day.  The previous post is about something I'd like to put together using everyones' wedding photos.  I would also like to incorporate an Anniversary Dance at our reception.  I have attended numerous weddings that did this, so to me it's not a new concept.

For those of you that may not know, or be familiar with it, an Anniversary Dance is a special dance at the reception that can be done following the first dance, father-daughter dance, and mother-son dance to encourage people to get out on the dance floor.  We'll pick a slow, lovey-dovey song, and the DJ will encourage all couples to come out to the floor and dance with us.  Then throughout the song, in intervals, he will ask anyone that has been married for less than ___ years to take a seat.  You fill in the blanks, starting with one year, five years, ten years, and building your way up.  The last couple on the dance floor at the end of the song will be married the longest.

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I have no idea who this couple is, but I want to be that happy and in love when I get old and wrinkly.

I think it's a really great way to celebrate the marriages in our family.  It will be fun to see who makes it the longest.  I remember my grandparents celebrating their 50th anniversary when I was younger, not quite sure what they're up to now, and I'm sure Mr. T's grandparents have celebrated theirs as well.  It will be one more reminder for us that love really does last, and not all marriages are doomed for divorce.

What are you doing to celebrate your loved ones on your wedding day?

Music Monday: Part Two

part one

Yes, I realize it is in fact Tuesday, and not Monday as the title implies....but I was sick yesterday and didn't quite get around to posting this.  I finally got around to downloading some new songs last week and updating my iPod and I heard this on my drive back to school this morning for the first time.  I'm not gonna lie, I cried a tear or two imagining Mr. T and I dancing on our wedding night.



"History in the Making" by Darius Rucker
If you haven't noticed yet, Mr. T and I are country fans, and I'm sure our first dance will reflect that.
I've only heard it on the radio a couple of times, and I'm really hoping it's not one of those songs that gets quickly overplayed and everyone gets sick of.

Have you picked your first dance song yet??  Feel free to send ideas my way.

Miss Mojito, Your Blog Is "Over The Top"

part one

I left you all hanging last night because I needed to get to bed, silly bronchitis, and couldn't possibly pick a winner for the "Over the Top" award.  But I did a little catching up today, and going back through some of my favorite blogs, and made a decision, as you can see by the title.

Miss Mojito, from With this ring, I thee blog.....you are the chosen one. haha.

Rules include: Fill out the survey from part one, pick another winner, and do a happy dance*.

*Happy dance optional.

For those of you that aren't familiar with Miss Mojito, or her blog, quickly make your way over there.  She has some awesome ideas, and has shared numerous websites that have helped me out.  So go...check her out!

Missing In Action

Just wanted to pop by and say I'm SOOO sorry for being MIA lately.  Last week I had strep throat, and I just found out this morning that I now have bronchitis to top it off....wonderful.  So I've just kind of been hanging out, trying to kick this thing in the butt.  Oh, and did I mention...I got to see Mr. T this weekend!

So again, I'm very sorry I've been a horrible blogger for the past week, but I guess I have a good reason.  You guys forgive me right??  I promise I'll try and get back on track a little further into the week.

But for tonight, I have an award to share with you all.  I finally got around to checking my email today and saw that LauraLou at Lucky in Love awarded me the "Over the Top" blog award.  How sweet!!

The rules for this award are simple: fill out the survey using only one word answers, and then pass it on to one lucky blogger!  So here goes...

1. where is your cell phone? pocket

2. your hair? ponytail

3. your mother? couch

4. your father? sleeping

5. your favorite food? carbs

6. your dream last night? sad

7. your favorite drink? lemonade

8. your dream/goal? happiness

9. what room are you in? computer

10. your hobby? crafts

11. your fear? loss

12. where do you want to be in 6 years? love

13. where were you last night? home

14. something that you aren’t? tall

15. muffins? blueberry

16. wish list item? graduation

17. where did you grow up? smalltown

18. last thing you did? tv

19. what are you wearing? pajamas

20. your TV? news

21. your pets? doggies!

22. friends? irreplaceable

23. your life? changing

24. your mood? sick

25. missing someone? Mr. T

26. vehicle? Pontiac

27. something you’re not wearing? socks

28. your favorite store? express

29. your favorite color? orange

30. when was the last time you laughed? yesterday

31. last time you cried? yesterday

32. your best friend? wonderful

33. one place that i go to over and over? class

34. one person who emails me regularly? junkmail

35. favorite place to eat? couch


Reminds me of my Myspace days constantly filling out surveys....cause that was the cool thing to do!
I'm going to do something horrible, and leave you all hanging until tomorrow to find out who I'm passing this award on to.  I've got a little catching up to do, and then I need to pick between some of my favorites, so I'm blaming this one on the bronchitis! Time for me to get to bed.

Stalking My Photographer

I'm kind of sorta stalking my wedding photographer.... but not in a bad way I swear!  I just like to look at her website from time to time and see if she's put up any new pictures.  I'm also friends with her on facebook and I get really excited when she adds new pictures from a wedding or engagement shoot.

I've decided this isn't a bad thing, I'm just doing "research" into her style and it gives me a idea of what my pictures might turn out like.

Just wanted to share a couple from the album she added today.  I'm so glad it worked out with our budget to go with her, and these reinforce that.

*All pictures from Brandy Swartz of Brandy Swartz Photography

Are any of you "stalking" your wedding vendors??

Welp! It's Official....

....and no we didn't run off and get secretly married for insurance reasons or anything.

I'm officially selling my body for my wedding. 

Yes, you read that right, I'm whoring myself out for all those little extras I want, but couldn't justify as part of the wedding budget.  But not my body really....just part of it.

Today I went to the plasma center to donate plasma.  I'd be lying if I said I was doing it solely for the purpose of saving lives.  Yes that's a very good reason, but you can also make 50 bucks a week.  And for a broke-a$$ college student like me that worked a non-paid internship this summer instead of a job...any little bit helps.  So I went in with social security card and ID in hand and started the rigorous process of registering.  And boy is it rigorous.

I went through about an hour and a half of questioning and a physical and peeing in a cup, and all sorts of good stuff.  Oh and lots of waiting.  And a finger prick....I swear that part hurts more than when they stick a needle in your arm.

Then they brought me back to a really comfy chair and started me through the cycles of separating the plasma from the red blood cells.

And then I threw up.

And then I fainted.

And then I almost fainted again.

Insert picture of me being all pale and woozy looking.

Oh wait, there isn't one...and I definitely wouldn't share it if there was!

I love you guys, but just not that much.

It was really quite wonderful.  Apparently all the waiting and filling out forms, and physical stuff took so long, and I must not have eaten enough that there wasn't enough food in me by the time I started donating.  The nurse told me it was probably the anti-coagulant that they mix with the blood cells before putting them back in you that made me sick.  As soon as they turned off the machine and I threw up, I was good to go.  I thought so anyway.  I did the whole slowly sitting up, slowly standing up and letting my blood pressure return to normal.  Then I walked across the room to get my money (I still got paid the full $30, even though I couldn't finish the whole thing!) and my vision started going in and out and I tried to go sit down, and before you know it, I woke up laying on my back.  It was one of the weirdest things that happened to me, I've never fainted before.

So we did the whole slowly sit up, slowly stand up, drink lots of gross orange powerade and proceed with leaving.  Except I started to black out again.  So I sat down for another 30 minutes before I could finally go home.

Like I said...it was pretty wonderful. Ha!  But I would probably do it again...because any subsequent turns I can just go right back to donate, immediately after eating a nice large meal, and I shouldn't have a problem.  So after my 8 week deferral is up (they couldn't return the last cycle of blood cells to me) I just might have another go at it.  I mean it does save lives after all.