Venue Decision!!

James and I will be getting married on June 29, 2013 at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society!! Check out the pictures on their website: www.masshort.org/images

I am so happy to announce that statement, and release all my stress, anxiety and worry about finding the perfect venue that is within reason of our budget. It has been such a LONG process, and we've probably looked at hundreds of websites, visited dozens of venues, but when you know, you know. You know?

So some of you may notice, it has the gardens, but what about the water? James and I realized that ocean front, though beautiful, is squeezing our budget too tight. Kinda like when you try to wear skinny jeans the day after Thanksgiving. Everything else can fit, but it was the ocean that gave us the muffin top. So in compromise, we're going to do our engagement picturs by the ocean.

There are so many unique gardens on the grounds that we can choose from for our ceremony, cocktail hour and pictures. We have the big carriage house for our dinner and it has a huge tent attached, which we will use for dancing! All this space is something we really liked, we have over 30 acres, so our guests can wander, without finding another wedding, or being cramped on top of each other, but also we have all these options for ceremony locations, cocktail areas and different options for the dinner and reception area. This is a huge perk for this venue, not to mention that these perfectly manicured grounds are GORGEOUS and have so many little details that our guests can discover while basking in the warm New England sun!

This is where our ceremony will take place!

This is the other end view where our ceremony will be, and a close up of a lilly pad in the fountain, just pretty, so I wanted to add it! This is the exterior shot of where the reception will be

This is inside, where dinner will be served!
One thing that was important to us, was to find a venue with long rental hours. Some venues will charge you extra to use their location for the ceremony and reception, have limited hours the reception can end or will offer you five minutes with the rental but charge you a million dollars if you want more time. Reality check please, this is the most important day of my life and I'd like to have it last a little longer than a power nap. So when you're looking at venues make sure you ask the question about how long you'll have the location, and it's important to find out if there is another wedding the same day, you don't want to arrive and find some lingering guests waiting for the encore!

Another perk our venue has, is it has tables and chairs for us to use! Granted we may decide to rent different chairs, but this option is great and could save a few thousand dollars, who wouldn't like that?! Seeing what is included in the rental price is a way to get more bang for your buck, literally! Also, if you don't have your heart set on a Saturday in June, like I do, it will spare your wallet! Always ask if they have off season rates or a different rate for Fridays or Sundays. Vendors have plenty resources available for you, and all you need to do is ask!

Now that we have a venue, we can really figure out what to do for all the details that will personalize our wedding! So exiting and I can't wait to make those decisions and share them with you all!

Stay tuned and stay questioning, you never know what it can bring you!

Back in Action!

I know I've said this before, but I'm back. I have been a little busy over the last few months, doing some wedding things, life things, work things, just a lot of things going on. First off, I've been working on my weight loss. I've been going to the gym about 5 times a week, eating better and drinking lots of water! I have lost 60pounds so far and I've got some more to go before my wedding! Also I moved out! I'm a closer to work, which is great, but also getting ideas for decorating, making some new recipes and really focusing on my wedding planning. PLUS I FOUND MY DRESS!!!!!!!! So I apologize for being so absent, but time has literally been flying by and I promise I have been doing things other than going to the gym! Right now James and I are working on booking our vendors: DJ, Photographer, videography, caterer, etc. Our wedding is only 414days away, YIKES! Where has the time gone??? As of tomorrow, we've been engaged for a year already and our wedding is only a year away!! Literally, time has flown by. I'm also trying to do mostly everything on the cheap because things can easily rack up and pretty soon I'll be spending as much for the wedding as I did for my entire college education. So I'll have lots to blog about from dress shopping, to the dreaded Bridal Expo to finding the perfect vendors!! So stay tuned and get ready for the planning whirlwind to begin!!!!

2012.. just a little late.

HIIIII!! I'm back!!

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to blog more. Obviously I haven't done that well in that area, but I've been working on my other resolutions. I've been hitting the gym, saving money and working on my other goals for 2012, but now its time to focus on my wedding, crafting and writing!!

I'm sorry for the hiatus, I promise I won't leave you again. I've been working on some things here and there, and can't wait to fill you in on all of them!

Here's a little preview of what will be coming in the weeks ahead!
-The big reveal of my street desk and chair!
-The sailboat rocker I made my nephew for Christmas
-An update on my weightloss journey!!
-My new found passion for Glass Blowing
-A recipe box re-fab
-Pinterest=LOVEEEEE

That's just to name a few

So I hope you'll forgive me, and I hope you'll join me again in my road to the Big Day!!

Stay tuned, stay crafty and stay faithful!

Found it in the street!

So when I first moved back in with my parents, I wanted to get a desk so I can have a station for my blogging, creating and to keep myself organized. But since my room is smaller, I decided against spending the money on something I don't really have room for. BUT when things are free, how can you say no??

A few days ago, I was driving and I saw a desk on the side of the road. I pulled over, and aside from minor water damage making the sides chip off, it was in great shape! I checked it out, and tried to finagle it into my car. I have a Ford Focus, and had to leave my trunk open while I drove back to my house. While shifting it into the trunk, 11 cents fell out of a drawer, so I made money on this deal.. well, not really. I shoved it in my car and brought it home. Then, I had to go to Home Depot to pick up new wood for the sides, and as I turned off my street I thought, "Now all I need is to buy a chair" and low and behold, some person making some room in their house, and put a perfectly good chair on the curb for a lucky little DIY-er like me. The chair, had a few spider sacks, YUCK, and seriously needed a new cushion, but was perfect for my new street desk set!

I thanked the gods for shining on me and stuck the chair in my car and went on my way! Ever heard of 'ask and yee shall receive' well after I found the chair, I asked for $100, nothing. I guess it's selective grants..

So I got home, did my sanding and started painting the desk. For the chair, I decided to attempt to spray paint it instead of painting with a brush. This was going to make it go faster, especially because I'm heading deeper into December and going to run out of nice days to paint. And just like that, the sun went down, and it started to rain.

I was SO excited to find this, because I truly believe having a desk gets those creative juices flowing and I can't wait to get crafting and finish my Christmas presents, my wrapping and work on my wedding things!

Have you found anything in the street? What do you think about the importance of a desk? Do you have your own creative space??

Stay tuned, Stay crafty and Stay searching!

Say Yes To The Dress Application!

So I just finished my application for Say Yes To The Dress! I tried to do it a few weeks ago, but I had trouble deciding on my answers! It was really long, but fun overall!

I had to describe myself and style in three words each.. HARD. I came up with bubbly, creative and enthusiastic and interesting, colorful and individual for style. I feel like those are accurate decriptions, right? Then say why I think I would be fun to watch on TV.. EASY. Hahaha

I liked the application because it gave me a chance to reflect on what I'm looking for for a dress, think about my wedding style and opinions! Good one TLC, now just pick me for your show!!

One thing I realized that I don't have at all are traditions. We're not doing a church ceremony, and we're sort of making our own ceremony out of a mixture of different things. Then I don't have any specific articles of clothing or jewelery, so I feel like I'm missing something. James always tells me we should start our own traditions, but a part of me wishes I had a family tradition to carry on.

This week, James and I figured out some wedding things, and looked at a venue we both REALLY REALLY REALLY like. This venue doesn't have the ocean view, but we feel so strongly about it, and it fits our budget! We went to visit, and it was SO nice! Decision to be announced soon!

After we got back from the venue, we sat in the car and did this!

So what are your traditions? Do you have a certain veil to use? Are you wearing a family heirloom?? Are you forging your own route and doing things your own way? Are you going to draw moustaches on your fingers?

Birthday Post, Birthday Post

You may know the song "Birthday Sex," so when reading the title of this blog, sing it to that.

Anyway, so the weigh in of my 22 before 22 goal was yesterday and, I lost 12pounds. I'm actually pretty happy with myself, 12pounds is alot, and at least I lost weight. Small steps here people. I'll keep you updated as to when I finally get to 22, and then my major milestone points along the way.

But I do need to deeply apologize for not keeping up with the posting. James and I have been very busy doing our planning, but also work has picked up tremendously. After spending 8 hours staring at a screen, it's a little difficult to bring myself to look at one at home.

But I do promise to get back into my routine of posting and I'll let you know what I was up to in my hiatus!

Stay tuned, stay crafty and stay patient =D

Bureau Re-Fab!

First off, I want to say, I'm still at 4pounds. Only 18 to go in 21 days, I'm sticking to it!

James and I very quickly realized that we no longer have 2years to go, but am almost down to 1.5years! Crazy how time flies! Anyway, we really got down to business and got some things planned, we even chose our wedding venue and set our date!!! That's to come in a blog near you!

But to the point of this blog post:
When I moved back in with my parents, I quickly realized that my small bureau would not be enough for all my clothes/stuff. I needed a little more space, and was planning on buying a new bureau. I had a bureau I was going to throw out and never did, so my thrifty side came out and same with the nightstand, I realized I had a perfectly good piece of furniture that would do just the trick in my new, smaller space at my parents.

The lingerie chest was my aunt's, then got passed to me. Its been through a few moves, and a younger me who used to write my name on everything when I finally learned how to write. It's been through a lot and structurally is in good shape, but needed some sanding, paint and a lot of love.

Here are the before pictures of the lingerie chest, which I'll call a bureau, because I feel dirty saying lingerie that many times in a post:

*edge has a TON of dings in it

*The top of the bureau is lifting off and needs new screws

*Sorry Alladin, you can have your lamp back!



*NOTE: the staples holding the back of the bureau came loose, so it needed a few new ones


See what I mean? Structurally (for the most part) great! Looking a little dated, but still in great shape, and a ton cheaper than going out and buying a whole new bureau!

For the top, I put in a few new screws and staples and done! All set for the rest of the re-fab! Now the top had some sort of formica top, which is great for resisting scratches and stains, cause it's a counter top, but not my best friend to re-paint. I used sandpaper to rough it up, then more to smooth that out a little. Overall I probably did four coats to completely cover the top.

The drawer fronts were made out of particle board, so in some spots where there was water damage, or cracks, made it difficult to sand without ruining the drawer front. The sides were a piece of cake, thank God for normal wood. Now down to the legs.. as you saw, detailed. I popped off Alladin's lamp and sent the Genie away to live in my craft bag, so I can sit on that and maybe be Princess Jasmine for Halloween, or figure out something else to do with it.. OK done with my lamp raves (for now). The legs were made out of some sort of plasticky resin, so I lightly sanded and painted, they look great!

I painted the whole thing white, and wanted to do detail in blue and gray to match the nightstand. I was going to leave the sides white and do a gray stencil, probably the second worst idea I've ever had. It was horrendous. So then, why not try blue detail, PERFECT! The drawers stayed white, but that divider on each drawer turned blue and the detail on the top drawer was the lucky winner for the stencil!

I love it!! It now looks like the nightstand and bureau are siblings and sort of look like a matching set! Here's the reveal!

TIP: Know exactly the surfaces you have to work with, and get the proper supplies, it'll save tons of time. TIP: Stay confident and don't be afraid to take on a challenge, look at these two great pieces of furniture I now have that were going to end up in a dumpster somewhere! TIP: There's nothing a few coats of paint won't fix! TIP: Look realistically at your budget and see the ways you can save even a teensy bit.

A new bureau would have cost me around $50, but re-fabbing this one, was pretty much free! I already had the paint, stencil, screws and staples so all it took was my time, which was probably like 6hours combined.

Stay tuned, stay crafty and stay thrifty (it really pays off ;])