Homemade: Twig Tags

Happy Thursday my dears!  Hope everyone is having a lovely week so far.  Mine has been busy, but fabulous.  And while I didn't again have time to put together my own homemade project together for you, I did find one that I think you will love.  With only three items needed to do, it is something for everyone.

I am adoring these simple twig tags I found in Martha Stewart Living April 2011 issue...

All you need for this project is: (1) small branches 1/4 to 1/2 around; (2) a vegetable peeler; and, (3) a permanent marker.  That's it.

At one end of the branch strip a couple of inches of bark with the vegetable peeler to make a flat surface.  Using the marker add whatever you would like.  If the branch is green and oozes sap when peeled, just allow it to dry overnight before you write on it.

Wouldn't these be great to use at weddings either for escort cards, seating cards, table number markers, or even on the dessert table?  Or you could use them in plant favors with "thank you" written on them.  I really love the simplicity of them, and as always there are lots of other ways to use.  Plus, you could dress them up if you wanted to with some twine and a small sprig if using for seating.  So get creative and see what you can come up with!

P.S. - Sorry the picture is slightly blurry!

~ Ciao

...image via martha stewart

~ homemade: linen and lace escort cards ~

Hi my dears!  Happy Thrusday.  Hope all is well with you.  Me, slowly recovering...but I'm getting there! 

Back in May I did a photoshoot at a family friends estate, yet haven't really done anything with it.  I think I was saving it for a rainy day.  And guess what?  Yep, that rainy day is finally here.  I figured that I would end the year off with this photoshoot.  I have already shown you the photobooth area - if you missed it, you can see it here.  So for the next couple of Thursday's I will be showing you the escort area, table, dessert area and the details, and finally ending with the whole shoot.  Let's start with the escort card area, shall we?

My inspiration was vintage linens, lace and books with a homemade feel.  Go figure, right?  So here it is...

I used a vintage drying rack for the escort area.  To make it tall enough, I stacked two drawers on top of each other and covered with a vintage linen.  On each arm there is a "Chapter" page from a vintage book I had.  So there is Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc...  Each Chapter page is the table the guest is to sit at.  And I included favors in with the escort area.  The boys receive vintage handkerchiefs, and the girls receive vintage linens or doilies...both attached with clothespins with their names and chapter on them.

Can you tell it was a little windy?  

So there you have it - a very vintage homemade escort area.  Hope you enjoyed this week's homemade post.  Check back next Thursday for more! 

~ Ciao

...concept, design, styling and photography all by me

~ tuesday thought: connect the dots ~

Don't you remember doing this as a kid...

Well, here is the grown up version...

And I absolutely love this idea!  So fun and playful don't you think?  They can be used in sooo many ways.

So here is your Tuesday Thought:  Why don't you use these as your save the date cards!  There are 3 ways that I am thinking here:

1.  Have the date be the connect the dots and add your names.
2.  Have your names be connect the dots and add the date.
3.  Have Save the Date be connect the dots and then add the date and your names.

...Or you could use them on the seating cards for the table name/number.  With your guests name written out I would then make your guests connect the dots to find out what table they are at!  Have a jar of pens/pencils by the seating cards and let them have some fun!

~ Ciao

...images via black eiffel

Tuesday Thought: Mini Badges

Why not make custom mini badges for your guests?  Have the bride's guests be one color and the groom's another.  Then pin them on a board as below (or get creative), and use them as seating assignments.

Not only will your guests know the names of people at their table, but whether they are friends or family of the bride or groom.  Talk about a great conversations starter!  Just a thought.

~ Ciao


...image via wedding style guide

Horseshoes Anyone?

Ever since Carrie (a la Sex and the City) wore the horseshoe necklace - horseshoes have definitely made a comeback!  Whether you are a Sex and the City girl, a cowgirl, a horseshoe player or just plain love horseshoes - this is a fun way to incorporate them into your wedding!  Fabric-covered horseshoes...

The horseshoes can be found here.  But they only have 3 choices.  That however would not stop me from making them myself...or better yet, having someone in the family make them for me (oh, you know who you are!).  Anyway too cute!  I would use them instead of table numbers, and on the seating cards I would make horseshoe shaped with a piece of the pattern that matches that the table the person is sitting at!  I would them place the seating cards into wooden trays filled with grass or possible dirt (that just sounds so bad for some reason) and hang the horseshoe shaped cards from small metal stakes!  Now, that is one perfect detail, if I do say so myself!  Plus, horseshoes are the sign of good luck...and they ring around the stake...so many ways to play this one.  Hope I provided you with some inspiration!

~ Ciao

Outdoor Details...

I am loving the simplicity of the seating card setup here.  And that arrangement is stunning in a vintage urn.

The use of limes, lanterns and candle holders is perfect for this setting...all have a natural, rustic, outdoorsy element...which keeps with the theme and location of this event.

I love outdoor weddings, and I love it when elements from the setting are used.  Have you decided where you are getting married?  If you  have, take a good look at the location and see what, if any, elements can be arranged, added, incorporated, etc...that you might not have noticed before.  Looking at things from a different angle always works for me!

~ Ciao

...designed by artfool