Yep. I have to do it.

Ok, I've been consciously and subconsciously thinking about wedding stuff for...well, years probably, but I have been giving it extra consideration since my engagement almost 5 weeks ago. I want this wedding to be a reflection of me and Chris as a couple. I already know that Chris isn't terribly into the vintage things I love, but he's happy if I'm happy (I actually believe that when it comes to wedding decor). I want to find a way to incorporate the things he loves as well, and I'm working on that. But, I want to include the things I love, and I love two things the most: baking and dancing. It's been a foregone conclusion since the day after my engagement that my dance girls and I are going to do some ridiculous dance thing, so that decision is made. :) But, people have been asking me if I am going to bake the dessert for my own wedding. Usually the question is posed like this: "YOU'RE not going to bake for the wedding, are you!?" You know what, darn it!? How could it really be MY wedding if I don't bake at least some of the desserts? I'm thinking a dessert bar with candies, cupcakes (some for my vegan/lactose intolerant friends), rice krispie treats (I'm sorry, I LOVE them), and perhaps some bakery bought mini-tartlets. I just realized that I feel strongly that I wouldn't be truly sharing the things I love with the people I love without some homemade baked goods. So, yes, yes I AM going to bake for the wedding. So there!

And I love blue and brown together, so how much do I love this blue and brown cupcake I made for a baby shower (it's a boy - duh):

Ten!

Ten raw silk fabric yo-yo flowers! The crafting bug has hit. Now if only the clean-my-house bug would hit, too.

Obsessed much?

I may have spent waaaay too much time thinking about pretty wedding things. And this may or may not have been before I was engaged. I'll never tell.

Pretty wedding things. by on Polyvore.com

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On Your Mark, Get Set, DIY

I did it. I knew it would start early. I went to the Pacific Fabrics in Northgate and stocked up on lovely creamy, ivory, champagney fabrics in an array of textures: muslin, cotton, polyester silk, dupioni silk. (Thank goodness for friends that will compare fabrics for 3 hours.) I can't wait to start making silk flowers, muslin "yo-yos" and cotton poms. We don't have a date or a venue, but it's never too early to begin crafting. (If I were Chris, I'd write: "that's what I always say" - man, I can't get that guy out of my head. Good thing I'm marrying him.) And, yes, I've decided on a simple, monochromatic color scheme of off-whites, ivory, cream and champagne colors. This is sure to disappoint some folks, but I'm in love with the colors and that's all that matters right?

I guess I wish that were the case, but despite not having discussed a budget or picked a date, the wedding politics have already started. I've been involved in enough weddings to know that it really is a lot about friends and family, rather than just about the bride and groom, but the selfish bridezilla buried deep inside me (who I will punch in the face if she comes out) sometimes wishes it were just about us.

Also, while I'm so excited to start planning for my wedding (this may be the job I was born to do), I wish I could also say that I was working on my relationship and preparing it for the joys and the hardships involved in a marriage. I can't say that I'm doing that just yet, but it's at the top of the "to-do" list (and there it shall stay).

Introduction and more goodness

It seems I didn't introduce myself, although I'm not entirely sure that it's necessary, since I may never actually publish this blog to the public. But, just in case, I will make a more formal introduction. I'm Kerissa and I like pretty things. I love paper - beautiful, buy-by-the-sheet, delicious paper. Snow and Graham, Peculiar Press, Whimsey, Elum, Hello Lucky - all the usual suspects. I love letterpress, and I just bought the L Letterpress machine (for a steal - I also like sales), and I hope to be able to make my own invitations and paper goodness for my wedding, although I may not be that cool - we shall see. I love baking. Cakes. Cupcakes. Handpies. Regular pies. Cookies. I could go on, but I won't. I love beautifully arranged flowers on my table for no reason. I love pretty vintage things, especially those with modern, clean lines: skeleton keys; fat little sparrows painted on plates; my grandmother's tablecloth she brought back from Europe; cluster engagement rings (I'm such a lucky girl!). I love throwing parties, although I rarely have time to make all the pretty things I envision for my parties. I'm not a big fan of meat and I'm marrying a man who is from Wisconsin, so also, I'm not afraid of a challenge. I think my cat is awesome, but I don't want cat paraphernalia cluttering up my house (the cat herself is sufficient proof that I like cats), so please keep that in mind everyone. Thank you kindly. I love to dance (lyrical is my personal fav), and I love to teach kid's dance (and take adult classes) at D&G Dance Company. I hope to be able to continue to do that for a very long time. That mostly sums it up, I think. Oh, and I'm a lawyer.

It's only the beginning...

And I already have a zillion ideas for our wedding, stemming from years of helping all my amazing friends plan their weddings (or at least that's my excuse for being in love with all things wedding). The fiance is, in his own words, a "big picture guy," which means I pretty much have free reign over the decor (as if there was any question about that). Here are some of the lovely, charming things I'm currently obsessing over (all pilfered from other amazing wedding blogs, of course).

Fabric pom-poms are so gorgeous. I just want to smother them to death. Weird, I know - we all have our issues, right? Ever since I saw them here (and by the way, as a lawyer lacking in creative outlets at my job, I want to BE her) I have been obsessed. Imagine the squealing noise I made when I found this tutorial on Once Wed. There are tiny Chinese lanterns under all those fabric ruffles. Um, brilliant! I never would have come up with that. But, now that I know the trick, I can whip these up in a snap, and I can't wait to start! (Granted, I'm guaranteed to burn my fingers with the hot glue gun - I've done it so many times, I'm pretty sure that's just an inevitable part of the process.) I see a trip to the fabric store in my near future. Also, a severe lack of sleep, but who needs sleep when they can peer through blurry eyes at pretty? Not me!

I also want to try my hand at making both of the following fabric flowers. Someone come over and check on me if you don't hear from me for a while...I may have been buried by a bolt of fabric! Hmm...or don't - I wouldn't mind being buried in fabric right about now.

Fabric Yo Yos can be found here on Style Me Pretty (project by Posh Paperie).



And another lovely flower project can be found here - thank you 100 Layer Cake!
I think I'm in heaven.