bride DIY: coloring mason jar

I adore mason jars, cold hard fact. I have always been a fan and started collecting them in high school. I always dreamed of using them in my own wedding, so guess what project I started this week?

After a visit to the store with over 80 jars in tow I started in on my project. I have seen a few DIY tutorials about coloring mason jars to incorporate the colors of you special event, and I was instantly hooked. Mason jars with a hint of pink was the perfect way to add more color into our decor. It took a few rounds, but after some 'trial and error' this is my version of coloring mason jars:

How it works:
You add color to some mad podge and coat the inside of a mason jar. As the jar dries the mod podge will dry just about clear leaving you with a wonderful translucent hue of color.

Ingredients:
-mason jars {what ever size you desire}
-food coloring
-mod podge
-popsicle stick or something disposable for stirring
-wax paper
-paper towels
-heat proof tray
-disposable cups

Step #1:
In a disposable cup mix together mod podge and a few drops of food coloring. I added about 7 drops to a cup of mod podge. Add a few tsp of water to make the consistence a little more runny.

Step #2:
Pour a few tbs into a mason jar and swirl around, coating the whole inside of the jar. Hold upside down for a few minutes, pouring out excess mod podge back into the cup.

Step #3:
Place upside down on a paper towel to absorb the excess fluid for about 10 minutes. Place on wax paper and a heat proof tray.

Step#4:
Put upside down jars on the wax paper and in the oven {set on the lowest temp} for about 10 minutes. Turn right side up and keep them in the oven for another 30-40 minutes.

Step #5:
Take out of oven when there are no more streaks and let air dry for a few hours before you continue with your decoding.

This is such a cute way to add color in a very inexpensive way. It's also a great project for you to invite the girls over and make a day of it. My jars vary a little in color, but I really enjoy that each jar is different from the next.

And now for the obvious comment of the day: of course you can add any food coloring you want to the jars to make them fit with your style. I choose red food coloring to make my jars light pink and it turned out perfect. It pretty much looks like pepto or liquid bubble gum to me, but dries just about clear leaving the pink color behind. Perfect for our wedding!

firsts and lasts

This past year has been filled with firsts and lasts:
- the signing of our first apartment lease together
- his first time being a Godfather
- my last year of college and got my first career job
- his first visit to California
- my first permanent ring on the 4th finger of my left hand
- our last 'first kisses'
- our first family vacations with each other
- the last time we have to wonder about our forever's
- our first road trip together
- first time we gained new family members
- our first holidays together
- last time dating another girlfriend/boyfriend again
- first and last time he proposed and I {after many 'oh my goodness'} said yes

A year ago there was only one set of feet in the picture.....


....now there are 2

The picture above was taken last weekend at the 20s & 30s retreat: Arise and Shine. Does that sound familiar at all? It's been a whole year since we met there. Who knew how different our lives could change in just one year. It was a whole different going back there with B, knowing that all of our firsts happened there. The first time he held my hand, put his arm around me, hugged me with his protective arms. But it was more then just the physical aspects, he looked me in the eyes and seemed to be looking right into my soul. Not sure if that makes sense, but for those of you who remember the first few days that you spent with your best friend, you know what I mean.

 It's places like these that we will continue to visit each year as we grow as a couple. The Brad Paisley song seemed to run into my mind so many times over the past weekend. Last year I thought how much I liked him, this year I know how much I love him, and I'm sure next year....I will think: I thought I loved him then, this is a whole new kid of love.

decisions decisions

our peony flowers are bursting with blossoms, why can't they just wait till our wedding?

Day by day time has been flying by and in all honesty I have been wait for that feeling. Ever since Brian and I got engaged time has seemed to inch by {surprising right?}.

I am all for enjoying the moment and having enough time to plan our wedding, but after major aspects of the wedding were planned {our date and colors, the venue, reception hall, DJ, my dress....} time seemed to slow to a crawl. After about 2 months of engagement we had the bases covered and a solid foundation for our wedding was complete . It was too early to look at suits, too early to do invites or decorations so I kept busy with the little details. It's finally come to the time when most of my free time is wedding spent. I love my little world filled with inspiration, but how do you decide on it all. How do you know when to stop looking and just know that those are the right decorations, or that is the perfect dessert style. How you know when to stop looking? That's my question to previous or current brides.

I have looked at thousands of pictures and dozens of blogs, websites, and stores. It feels like there could always be something better. I know most people feel this way when they are looking for their dress, but when I found that I knew instantly. I guess I did things a little backwards....how does that not surprise me!

Do I just keep researching or do we just make up our minds and not turn back? Conquering the wedding envy was harder then I thought. It can be a little dangerous to look at the amazing wedding blogs or extravagant Pintrest boards filled with million dollar weddings. So what is your suggestion?

apartment accessorizing: lighting

I wrote them down, mapped them out and was off. I was on a quest for apartment accessories, particularly lighting, nightstand tables, or an entryway table for the apartment. I had almost given up hope after 1/2 a dozen thrift sales with no new items in tow. I was moments away from throwing in the towel when I spotted it.

A thrift sale with about 8 different lamps, from floor lamps taller then me, to an almost matching set of white lamps that were screaming 'Emily take me!' I noticed that they would need a little work, but I would much rather add my own stamps to them. I love taking something worn down and making it new, so that's what I did all afternoon. A few yards of fabric, my trusty glue gun, a can of ivory spray paint and with lots of patience I set off to make these lamps a little more apartment ready.

 

 

 They started like this with their white pain chipping away and covered in a light layer of dust from the months of neglect. After a good cleaning and a few coats of paint they looked brand spanking new again and ready for some stylish lampshades that would match our apartment. The color of our walls in the family room is a very light sea foamy blue, and that goes perfectly with our brown coach. The whole color scheme of our kitchen/family room is sea blue, tan & brown. The color scheme of our bathroom/bedroom is cranberry, tan, cream & brown.

So when it came time to pick out the fabric I knew exactly what I was looking for. You can probably guess which two lamps will be in the family room and which one in the bedroom. These will add a nice touch of color and help to incorporate our themes while doing their real purpose, adding light to our rooms.

I have a few yards of extra fabric and have some ideas in my head about how to use them but I could use a few suggestions. One of the first things people might think of is pillows, but seeing as I just bought a few of those to make resting on the couch a little more comfy I want to use it else ware. I plan to make some wall art with the fabric, but I'm looking for a few other ideas.

Any suggestions? How would you use the extra fabric in your family room/bedroom?

fill ins

1.   When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is, check my phone and take my temperature.

2.   I can hardly wait for summer. I looove the warm weather, styling some nice shades, living off of popsicles & ice cream, wearing tank tops, wearing little to no make-up, sporting a little tan....

3.   The quickest way to my heart is a sweet kiss/rubbing my back {or if you are not my fiance}a tight embrace because that makes my feel loved and treasured.

4.   A little known fact about me is that when I talk to myself in my head {which happens quite often} it's with a British accent. Weird I know, but Lauren wanted something that not many people know, or in my case nobody knows...till now.

5.   The best part about my job is that I get to help people in a very direct way. One of my jobs is in the medical field, I get to care for them, console them, be a shoulder to lean on or just a good listener. I also work with kids, and a little smile, 2 arms reaching out for me, hearing the word "teacher" exclaimed and knowing they are trying to get my attention...that makes all the challenging days totally worth it.

6.   Something I just can't live without is my family {and my extended family of friends}. There would be no living without them.

7.   Something useful that I wish I knew how to do is survive in the wilderness. Maybe it's the influence of reading The Hunger Games, but if I were stranded out in the woods I would probably die in a matter of hours!

welcome

 

For some reason sharing pictures of our new apartment feels just about as personal as it gets on my blog. This is our world that only Brian and I know, but now I am sharing it with you. Week by week, we add our own personal touches to our new place and it feels more like home with each visit. It's been almost a month now, and it's surprising how so much things can change it such a small time frame.

There are so many aspects to this apartment that we fell in love with. First off the view. Pretty breath taking. We enjoyed a fresh snack on Sunday {B's homemade salsa}.

Our couch is finally here! It is the most comfortable couch I have ever sat on {of I really should say reclined on}. You really must try it out.

 Our 2 butt kitchen, good thing we don't have a personal bubble problem because while this kitchen has a plethora of storage it can be a little narrow for those who are used to cooking by ourselves. 

Just look at those hardwood floors, aren't they amazing! We think so.

The kitchen table & chairs that we put together on a Sunday afternoon.

This beauty arrived with the couch and Brian can finally get the support needed from a real bed, not the floor.

Can you tell I love to add flowers to bring spring in doors? Daises really are the more cheery flower.

 

Here is the out door patio down by the lake where B and I frequently come to grill out.

 B's boat will soon be in the water and we are jumping at the opportunity to cruise around on the open waters.

The view of our porch from the docks. Brian is going to love seeing the boat from our windows.

Simple breath taking, and it's even better in person. I am so bias but don't care in the slightest.

Disclaimer, just so we are clear: I am not living there yet, not till after we get married but it is still our place.

It is our place and each week I seem to add a few more of my belongings to make the transitions nice and smooth. I told Brian from early on that I don't want to have a weekend of 'Emily Invasion' right before we get married, so this is a lovely transition through the months of our engagement, one weekend at a time.

 

fill in the blank friday

It's been ages since I did a fill in the bank from Lauren. Hop on over to see her lovely little girl.

1.   Today is a great day because,  I get to spend the afternoon with a great group of girls!

2.   Tomorrow is a great day because,  I got to spend the day with my guy!

3.   My favorite time of day is  morning  because  it's the start of a new day, with no mistakes in it...not yet. {thanks to Anne with an 'e' for that saying}

4.   Sometimes you just have to  relax and take a breath.

5.   A song that I just can't get enough of lately is  'A Thousand Years' by Christina Perri. It's super popular but so pretty I can't help myself.

6.   My favorite accessory is  a gleeful smile and cute hair style.

7.   My favorite thing about this week was  meeting with our florist for the wedding. She has a great vision and will be a delight to work with.

older

In the words of Stevie Nicks:

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changing

Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older and I'm getting older too
Oh, I'm getting older too

We are getting older.

Some times it hits my like a wake of emotion that leaves me paralyzed. It leaves my mind spinning in the most inconvenient of places, like the canned goods isle of the super market or while I'm waiting for the light to change from red to green. I had a few more of 'those moments' this week. It washed over my again as I cleaned out my desk this week and discovered little bits of my childhood: notes from high school, my baby teeth, confirmation announcements, diaries filled with my dramatic stories.

Another grown up moment came {this was a few weeks ago} when I found out that a dear friend of mine is moving away. I know I will be moving myself in a few months {well 6 months to be exact} but it really won't hit me till I start packing away my room.

I suppose that's why I have been a little absent from here lately. I seem to feel stuck in between. Between my 2 homes. One with Brian in the new appartment {which I will be sharing pictures of next week, once we get a few more touches on the place} and one with my family in town.

I feel sort of restless, in between 2 world. The new appartment is filled with what will be. It will be our place to live after we get married. It will be the place we spend our first year {or maybe more}. It will be the home of my possesions, but not yet. My home here is filled with memories. It reminds me of my childhood and makes me feel as though I am a kid again. It is a place where I would love to paint and decorate but seeing as though I will not be living here in 6 month's time, it seems useless. This is the reason for my feelings of restlessness. I have been praying to have a content heart between my 2 delightful worlds.

Has anyone felt the same way during their engagement? I would love to know that I am not the only one to feel as though I am stretched out between 2 places. Both equally amazing, but so totally different.

our place

the view from our kitchen window
   

Normally just the thought of moving has people running away faster then they can muster, but for this girl, I welcome it with open arms. I love to pack, give a good clean to old spaces, move heavy boxes into newly painted rooms, and wash dusty dishes until I get prunie hands. I love going shopping for new house supplies and taking before & after photos as we put our own touches on our new apartment. Those were just a few of the fun things we did this weekend as we moved Brian into the new apartment.

The crazy things is, it's not just his apartment.

Right now, it's our apartment meaning: we both contribute to it in our own way {you can only imagine the ideas I have racing around my head to decorate the new space} but he lives in it until we get married. In a few short months it will be our apartment meaning: we live their together as husband & wife. Our place to live.

That was so hard for me to really picture until this weekend. We got just a little taste of what it will be like to be married, and I can only say that......I can't wait!

It feels like a piece of me is still with him in our place as each weekend I will bring a few more items to add to our growing collection. One of the things on my list to bring for next weekend is a dream that recently became a reality. Ever since I was a little girl watching movies like Anne of Green Gables, and Pride & Prejudice, I have wanted one of these treasures in my house. I will save that for my next blog post.

yes to my dress

Photo source: the always lovely blog style me pretty

This is not my dress by the way, just a stunning picture

My stomach had been in knots all day as I ran out of work, forgetting a few things left behind but not bothering to care. It was 4:30 and I was just 30 more minutes away from a moment I had been dreaming about for years, but at the same time so nervous I could barely stand it.

I was on my way to my 1st wedding dress appointment. It would be my first appointment of many {I automatically thought}. Boy was I in for a surprise. I credit those thoughts partly due to one of my favorite wedding shows "Say Yes to the Dress." It seems like many of those brides have tried on dozens of dresses and just can't find the right one. I just thought going to different stores, getting measured, having many tedious fittings, and some sort of catastrophe/melt down was just part of the experience by now.

Once again I was in for a surprise.

I met with my wedding dress consultant and instantly knew we would get along like 2 peas in a pod. She is just one of those adorably sweet people who is positive and not at all pushing what she likes on you. As we {my mom, sister, close friend and I} made our way to the room filled with racks of glistening gowns, one in particular caught my eye.

I had a strong feeling I knew just who the designer of that dress was. I have actually been a loyal fan of this particular designer for quite a while and was tickled pink that one of her designs happened to be the one that first caught my eye. It was hugging the manikin next to it's dashing partner clad in a fetching suit....and it took my breath away. It was overwhelmingly beautiful but glancing at the size {a size too small} & price tag I sighed and tried to push it out of my mind.

For my dress, I knew I wanted some sort of straps up top, so that went into the choosing process and the 5 of us ladies searched through the racks of gowns pulling a few that were similar to my vision.

Dress #1: loved the bodice, but too poofy & way to heavy

Dress #2: favored the laced up back, but not my style

Dress #3: would have looked amazing on my sister

Dress #4: now we were getting somewhere but still not the dress

Dress #5: similar to what I wanted, but just not enough

Now it was time to grab a few more dresses. Do you remember that first dress I mentioned? That first one that took my breath away. Well, it was still on my mind and I couldn't help but let the words slip out "Can we just try that one?" and everyone knew which one I was talking about. So my consultant slipped it away from it's current resting place. I got goose bumps as her and I took it back into the room. Even though it only took a few minutes to get on, I was instantly impatient to step back out onto the floor and surprise the girls with dress #6.

They could see it in my face as I lit up, I was glowing. Likewise, their faces lit up as my eyes filled with tears. The dress was so much more then I thought possible and I was done. I was done looking at the dozens of fancy wedding dresses wondering if that would look good on me. I was done worrying about when I would find my dress, or how many stores we would travel to till we found the perfect dress. I had found it!!

By the end of the night everything was worked out: a few minor adjustments were decided on, my consultant made a wonderful deal to bring the price down a little, we picked out some lovely accessories, and I truly felt like a bride for the 1st time in my life. I was blessed enough to have such amazing people around me, and even a surprise visit from my future parents in law.

In some way, I wish I could share a picture of my real dress, but I don't want to ruin the surprise. Once again, the picture above is not my dress, but just a lovely picture. If Brian can't see the dress, then neither can you, not yet anyway.

Some people might say {or already have said}, "how did you pick it so fast?" or "don't you want to keep looking to see what else is out there?" but finding the perfect dress is just like finding your perfect guy. When you find the one who truly gets you, your best friend, the one who loves you for all that you are, why would you keep looking for another man?

For me, the same was true for my dress: it's the one that makes me feel amazing, it's what I dreamed of and so much more, and most importantly it's the one I will wear when I marry the love of my life.