Camilla the pup!

Sorry for the wait but here are pics of our new puppy! (and her hedgehog toy, how awesome is that?)

Registering Madness

My friend Megan and I were talking about my wedding plans a few weeks ago and she said "all of my other engaged friends have wedding websites up and registries, what is the deal?" (paraphrasing probable). Basically, I was way more obsessed with all of the other details of wedding planning than the registering for presents (that we might not even need, but instead just think are cool gadgets). This is one of the few times I'll be able to request super awesome and specialized presents though, so I don't want to waste it. I probably won't be buying a kitchenaid mixer on my own any time soon, or a potato masher, or an SAT words shower curtain. That doesn't mean that we don't desperately need these things.

Here are some images of things I have on our list so far.



Garrett thinks we should only register for a few things so that we'll be sure to get what we want, but since there is nothing absolutely crucial that we're asking for anyway, and you can't let people run out of things on a registry to buy (in my mind at least), I feel this need to pick out things I've never cooked with before and go crazy. Plus, some people will give gifts no matter what and I'd rather give people some helpful hints. And Amazon has a priority list.

We're being really classy and registering for cash gifts too, but it's for our honeymoon to Iceland, Paris, and Belgium. We'll need it.

I'm hoping we'll go to target and do the whole gun thing. I think Garrett would enjoy it though getting him there has been impossible thus far.

So, if you are an amazing chef, what can you not live without in your kitchen? If you are married or engaged, what were some of the items you found necessary for your registry? Is there anything you regret not having/registering for? And, general advice. When you go to a wedding, what kinds of items do you like to buy for people (Garrett is surprised that people really like buying people things like plates and mixing bowls and such), and what price range of items would you want to see on their list? Do you prefer to buy in-store or online?

And I found my bridesmaid dresses today! I'm hoping to go back and take a picture of me in it so you can get an idea of what I'm thinking. But they are silky navy with white polka dots (and I wanted a print), wrap dresses with short sleeves. Hopefully very flattering on everyone, and I really liked it on me too! I should make amelia wear one on my wedding day. :)

And...we'll have some news to post after Thursday!

pb&j and an mvd hat.

my [unsuccessful] trip into the [fabric] jungle

Today I set out into the great unknown of the fabric jungle...a store going out of business, about 20 minutes outside of Birmingham (which seems to be a great distance for the dwellers of Birmingham, even though where I'm from until maybe a year ago the nearest walmart (great landmark of success and civilization, I know) was 15 minutes away. The nearest decent mall, 45 minutes. People think I'm crazy to have ventured to Jasper to get my dress (about an hour's drive). But sheesh, Atlanta's only 2 hours away. I guess I'm more optimistic about Birmingham life than most natives.

Anywho, I went to salvage something from this fabric jungle (which I did not find first time around with my gps. And they only take cash or check, so no debit or credit. Here are the swatches I returned with, however I made no decision.



I want a fabric backdrop at the reception for a backdrop for an Amelia-run photobooth, but I want it to be fun.


from Lena and Joshua's wedding (I really like the whole thing)

I realized that I have no real theme, thus excluding the tropical fabrics, the nautical fabrics, the monkey fabrics (Garrett hates monkeys anyway)... I wanted to stick to our theme, navy and yellow, but everyone seems to think I shouldn't want my bridesmaids or guests to blend in. How fun would a Zach Braff re-enactment of Garden State be though?


(image source)

Maybe I'll just make my girls' dresses. Out of the same fabric. I do kind of have a 20's love. And want a birdcage veil for the reception, maybe some hats for people to wear, maybe a dry erase board. I'm pretty sure Garrett thinks I'm lame. I want vintage suitcases at the reception, and the courthouse is art deco. But is vintage 20s a doable theme? Any fabric suggestions, heh? We're in the process of getting internet in our apartment so it's been a painfully slow experience of getting free internet through some unknown numbered and weak signal.

Here's a fabric I like... I'm not damask obsessed but I think it'd make a pretty backdrop or table runners. Thoughts or suggestions?

The ever important fitness.

I used to be a runner. I might say that even saying "used to be" means I never was, because let's face it. runners die running. They run until they are 80 something. So I am to running what a social smoker is to cigarettes. I started running cross country in ninth grade after previous attempts at sports were unsuccessful (didn't make basketball in middle school...being 5'2" didn't help, and I "made" softball but that just meant that I shared a uniform with someone else and got to play in one game all season...and the next year stuck to stats. I had a brief stint with cheerleading and I loved flying, but I'm really just not a cheerleader either). That was the first year that we had XC at our school and I got "most improved" because my time went down 7 minutes during the season... which led to the comment "geez, how slow were you?" Which was fair. I got lost in the woods my first race because I was that far behind. But I did improve quite a bit, stuck with it, got top ten in my conference as a sophomore, etc.

I ran on a club team in college and finished a half marathon. But I dropped off and getting back to running has been a lot like a yo-yo diet. When Garrett and I met on a field school in Natchez, MS I was getting up at 6:30 every morning to run 3 miles before digging for the next 8. That lasted for about a month. The time changed and I was tired. I go on health kicks and then not so healthy kicks pretty regularly but having a wedding date is definitely motivation to get into gear. As soon as I got to Birmingham (I moved here from NC with my fiance) I got engaged (the day I got here) and started running. Then I hurt my knee on the kitchen table and was out of commission for weeks! So I'm back to it now. There are lots of pretty parks around here and a lot of runners. I did have a gym membership back in NC but right now I'm not working completely full time and running is free. So a little closer to October I'll probably start gyming so I can tone. It's still hard though, my brain finds any excuse not to run and the only realistic time being the morning is hard too.

What keeps you on track (no pun intended)?

Red Lips

Garrett isn't crazy about red lipstick on me. yet.
I am determined that unlike sunglasses, red lipstick is one fashion trend that could work for me.
I doubt I'll be able to talk him into red lips for the big day, he much prefers the muted lipgloss in shade #16, tenderheart, that we bought when I fully intended to walk into belk and purchase some longwear red lipstick and walk out. Instead, I now have foundation in shell, all about eyes (in as pale as it gets), the lipgloss and eyeliner.

image source

for more on red lips, see weddingbeepro!

guestbook ideas

if you are here to see engagement pictures, scroll down to the next two posts...

I didn't wear green today. and didn't get pinched. oh the joys of adulthood.

I'm obsessed with weddingbee.
You have a question about weddings? They have a forum with millions of answers and ideas and pictures. And, my engagement ring was up there which made me feel famous!

So, I came across a photo guestbook forum which is making me wonder what the heck I'll do for my guestbook.

(photo is an album from Adesso)

I thought about using our engagement pictures to make a photo guestbook (a la Nick and Linden) but I want Amelia to take pictures of guests in front of a fabric backdrop and I figure that would work well for a guestbook. So maybe we just make a book of our engagement pics to set on a table along with cards people can write on? I don't want to force people to write a message if they'd rather sign their name, so maybe I'll make different sizes? Then I could have a scrapbook style guestbook with the cards and the photos that I'd have printed later. And I can send thank you notes with a copy of the picture they are in if they had one taken. Or a pic of us and them if we have that. I'm long winded.

Hmmm... I could scan it what they write and make a digital album combining the images and text. thoughts?

more for you and you and you

love it

Garrett and I had our engagement shoot yesterday and this is my absolute favorite. more to come. Our photographer: Amelia Strauss, genius.

edit...
here's another


and another

my ice

Chalkboard? Yes please.

I want a chalkboard or dry erase board for reception pics that will/can end up as a guestbook, maybe? Or something.

etc.

my life continues

my life as of late in photos.

What's your blog?

I want to frequent some new blogs, so...comment with your blog or your favorites. really.

My life as a drama queen

Okay, so I have been leaving you all in the dark about what I've been up to planning wise because you would've thought I was crazy. And I changed my mind every day. And nothing was final. And now things still aren't final. But here we are.

Garrett and I had the great idea of just going ahead and getting married, like, now. You know, in a few weeks, let's say. This was about 3 weeks ago. Right around the same time that a check engine light turned into over $2000 in car repairs (that was a 2 week process in which everyone that I had any clout with was forced to drive me to or from work with Amelia and, oh right, I'm not pleased). Right around the same time I lost my sign-making job (let's just say it's the economy, that seems to work for most everything). And in the midst of Garrett, his grandpa, and I slept on three air mattresses in our one bedroom apartment for a week (and have continued to do so). It's been fun. Really. But sometimes not.

Anyway, Garrett's face lit up when I said maybe we could do a courthouse wedding with two witnesses and our photographer/my Bham best friend and fellow rockstar Amelia. Then I thought about it and how much my parents will flip if they aren't involved. So I mentioned us having something for everyone on our original (when I say original I mean the one that ended up on a contract, not 8-8 like I wanted at first and not 10-10 like I wanted at second) date.

Then what to do about the dress? Would I wear it to the courthouse? Yes. So, we have to wait until it comes in...which means May 15th (not to mention alterations).

Once Garrett figured out that I might mean that we would get married, keep it a secret, and get married again and wasn't having it. Then I thought about it and no, I didn't really want to be married for 7 months and then get "married" just so people could watch. And so, the blessing was born. We could get blessed after a courthouse ceremony (garrett doesn't like the sound of a civil ceremony). I was thinking we'd hold off on the blessing till october so that my close family and friends could participate.

Are you even still reading? Sorry. I should really speed things up. Garrett didn't want us to go unblessed forever and that makes sense. I planned to move everything up to June, found a date that would work for Amelia and the reception place, so I was set for june. Garrett's mom had already told people october and thought we should keep the reception for then. my mom doesn't want the reception to be that long after the wedding because there isn't really a reason. What I'm hoping will be agreed to is after all this changing is doing the ceremony and blessing on October 2nd and a reception on October 3rd. That way my hair can grow out and maybe we can save up enough for our post-nuptial icelandic/french/belgian adventure.

I should add in a courthouse pic so that you guys think this post is actually interesting. people just like to look at pictures, afterall.



Bam. Click the pic to get to the photographer's website. I'm not sure if the image is from the courthouse we'd be getting married in or not, but I like art deco so that's pretty cool.

Expanding your urban vocab

Thanks to Garrett's questioning and my google searching I feel both equipped and obligated to share with you.

What are the tracks written by rappers to rag on their fellow rappers?
diss tracks.

What are the rapper minions called that echo words for emphasis?
hype men.

you are welcome.

so cute I'm squirming

from etsy seller peoniesandpolaroids


I am totally ganking this from ten thousand only (if you aren't familiar, it's a girl planning a wedding for $10,000 which is the same boat I'm in at the moment, but I don't know that I'll actually make it).

Alice in Wonderland

I was on the weddingbee boards and stumbled upon an Alice in Wonderland post that has some great ideas for a themed reception! I think Garrett and I are both into subtlety but I think some of the ideas could go along quite nicely. To get you started, here is an inspiration board from snippet and ink:



And some ideas from the weddingbee board


vintage playing cards (table numbers, for guests to write on):


-old copies of the book to stack centerpieces on our use as a guestbook...
-and teapots and teacups with flowers in them as centerpieces, something we'd already decided on...

I think reproducing some of the art from older printings would be neat.
-a"topsy turvy" cake is neat, but I couldn't see us doing that.
-one weddingbee poster said she had an alice themed bday party as a kid, I definitely both wish I'd done that and want to have that for my kid (provided that they are a girl).
-I'm thinking a tea time at the end of the night would be nice.

reject dresses

to tide you over till I can share photos of the snow (when I find my card reader) and when I feel at peace enough to recount my car troubles + pneumonia...




the three of these... are not my dress. the first is most similar.
far left is watters and watters, middle is provonias hawaii, and the far right is probably some moderately expensive designer ($2500 or less though I think). pardon me for how bad I look in the first two, my hair is in an awkward phase.

it's effing snowing!

I was really ticked off when NC got snow after me living there for 22 years with hardly any and it skipped my new home of Birmingham... but there is a glorious amount this morning! fun pics to follow.