Masquerade Bridal Shower

My first time throwing a bridal shower happened this past weekend. I spent months planning this with my mom and the bridesmaids. My sister decided early on that she wanted a masquerade theme (she has always liked peacocks, feathers, and Phantom of the Opera), so I got to Pinterest and Etsy and came up with some great finds that I had to share.

Masquerade engraved mint tins (that we later embellished) were the favors. They say "Katie and David" and their wedding date on the back. Bridesmaid Mayra used engagement ring ice molds to make ice for champagne and drinks. My sister bakes a lot so her cupcake standards are high. She is a fan of Dolcissimo, so we chose a dozen lemon and lavender and a dozen mini chocolates to adorn with mask rings. These cupcakes were absolutely amazing and I don't even like lemon flavored desserts that much! Purple crystals made the tables glisten while we toasted with purple champagne glasses. All purple items (my sister's wedding color and favorite color) and balloon bouquet came from Party City. I picked up the perfect gift for my sister on Black Friday when Kate Spade had a great sale on bridal accessories, including these bride and groom stud earrings. I then got a great last minute deal on this bridal hanger from Etsy. This seller is wonderful! I ordered last minute and she made sure my hanger reached me in time. The "Miss to Mrs." banner also came from Etsy in record time.  I then used my Polaroid camera  to take actual photos and put them in an album with messages for my sister. Lastly, we all decorated actual masks with crafting supplies my mom picked up from Hobby Lobby and Michaels. We even glued dowels to the masks for an authentic feel. Of course I had to include the quilt my great grandmother made that my grandma gave to my sister. It will look perfect in her new home!

This experience taught me that attention to detail is what counts the most. By listening to my sister's wants and needs and working together with friends and family we made it happen. While the shower did feature some crafts, we made up for the work by having the food catered. The only decoration we actually made were purple pouffs. Now that the shower is over I can appreciate how it all came together. While it seemed stressful at the time, I am sure that the lasting memories are better than any gift off of a registry.

Wedding season is here. Will you be throwing or attending any showers? Happy partying!

i carry your heart

My boyfriend and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary this past Saturday. The time has gone by so quickly. It seems like we just met, and yet, it seems like we have known each other our whole lives. It's a great place to be.

His gift to me was this storage unit he built after several trips to Home Depot. It is specifically built for shoe storage! Isn't that amazing? It has helped keep my room much cleaner. And now I can go buy more shoes!!! He told me that he loved that I have a passion for shoes. It was such a relief to hear that he gets me. I have dated some horrible guys in the past; guys who used to give me lots of grief about the stuff I bought. So it is so nice that this guy not only helps me add to my collection with a place to house my hobby, but he also buys me shoes on occasion (like the Lobster Crocs pictured above). I am so blessed.

We have a thing about lobsters, my boyfriend and I. We are each other's lobster, and it has become sort of an inside joke. So for my gift to him, I altered a T-shirt. I stenciled on "Smug Lobster" and used a design from my friend, Virginia, to complete the look. The shirt looks very cool, almost vintage. And I love that we both handmade each other gifts this year. I even baked cookies! Something I never do. But these pumpkin, chocolate chip, cinnamon cookies were well worth the try.

I didn't get a card this year, but I did do something quite romantic and write down ee cummings' "i carry your heart" on stationery and gave it to him. Hands down, this is the most romantic poem I have ever read. And it really got me thinking about love. Good love inspires us. It makes us want to write. Even if we are not a poet, love is the guiding force to finding the right words, the right expression. I have been so lucky in love of late. The blog comments I get here have been full of support and encouragement. I feel so deeply loved by everyone who reads and writes some words. Your comments are like poetry to me, and they too get me thinking. Because I love to write and because I run across so many people who inspire me, I am able to blog. It is how I share in that dialogue of sentiment and warmth with friends, family, and maybe even strangers across great distances. Your words are appreciated. Your words are kind. I carry them in my heart.

The Many Faces of Rhinestone

I just bought this super cool statement necklace from Nordstrom and I have been living in it. I love the orange, pink and yellow neon coloring. I also love the different shaped jewels. It reminds me of a Dannijo or a Tom Binns piece. Except, this necklace was much more affordable at just $24. But of course, my favorite thing about this necklace is the possibilities it holds. It is perfect for layering. While it is already a layered look, I love wearing lots and lots on top of lots of jewelry. Especially when my outfit consists of a simple T-shirt. So on Friday I did just that and stacked my vintage rhinestone necklace on top of my pink neon H&M piece on top of my Nordstrom find. I love how expensive and unique this look is. Some other variations on my necklace layering are above: hot pink H&M plus mint necklace from Forever 21; hot pink H&M with vintage necklace.

Needless to say, colored rhinestones are in. It's a trend I love. But if you're like me and will always love the classic clear look of a good rhinestone, layering is the way to go. And if you want to create your own color scheme for this trend, it is super easy. Simply pick up a cheapie rhinestone necklace and use Sharpies, nail polish, or spray paint to create your own color effects as in the DIYs above from State of Unique and Bonnin Designs. And again, if clear stones are more your thing, try layering classic strands on top of each other like Maegan did (this tutorial is also featured in the premier issue of Jewelry Affaire). 

Happy Jewelry Wearing!

Impromptu Shoe DIY

By now I am sure you are all aware of my shoe and shopping addictions, eBay being one of the best sources for fueling those addictions. After buying my beloved pair of Sam Edelman heels with spikes and rhinestones, I saw a pair of flat sandals with the same detail (also made by Sam) on eBay. I bid, but the prices got out of hand for used shoes (they were missing a rhinestone too) so I gave up without winning, sure I could find them elsewhere. As I've learned sometimes with bargain hunting, some things are just elusive. I cannot find record of those Sam Edelman rhinestone and spiked sandals anywhere. Anywhere! Not even a Google image! And forget finding another pair on eBay. I resigned to waiting a while ... but in matters of fashion, I am seldom patient.

But then, I noticed these Simply Vera Vera Wang sandals at Kohls. They were almost the same, sans the rhinestones at the back of the Sam Edelmans. I bought them for $30, but found myself still seeking after Sam. So I did what any editor of Altered Couture / broken hearted shopper would do, and got out the adhesives and Swarovski elements. Armed with inspiration from recent Zara purchases (rhinestone sandals & crystal shoulder top above) I began my project. I adhered a few crystals as I saw fit here and there with tweezers, mixing size and color of crystal. I love the end result with that look of bronze, gold, and shine; the toughness of spikes and sweetness of sparkle.

I am waiting for these to dry so I can parade them around. You wouldn't think I would need any more sparkle in my life, yet here I am, DIYing into the wee hours of a Thursday night. I love the simplicity of this project and how they turned out. Kohls also now has these sandals in white and black (I'm contemplating the black ones ...)

Happy Friday! What will you DIY (or buy) this weekend?