It's in the Details: Cotton Florals

Ever since I saw this wedding shot by Jasmine Star, I have been in love with the idea of using cotton in florals and wedding decor.  I mean, it is chic, vintage but fresh, and unique.  And just so pretty!

{cotton bouquets}

Top:  Duck Duck Collective via 100 Layer Cake, Jasmine Star

Bottom:  Jupiter Images via White & Wander, whitebox weddings via Southern Weddings

{cotton boutonnieres}

Top: Heather Curiel via Style Me Pretty, Bella Grace Studios via Southern Weddings

Bottom:  Heather Curiel via Style Me Pretty, Jasmine Star

{cotton decor}

Top: Both images by Jasmine Star

Middle:  Juliette Elizabeth via Love and Lavender

Bottom:  Jasmine Star, Brandon Kidd, Jasmine Star

That cotton garland lining the aisle and decorating the alter is just brilliant, and I love that cake by My Sweet and Saucy.  I think mixing the cotton with other textures, like balsa wood or even succulents would look amazing.  

Anyone else love cotton florals or use it in your own wedding?  I'd love to hear more ideas or see photos.

Hunting and Gathering

During my wedding planning process, I had specific vintage items that I hunted for:  mason jars, antique skeleton keys, milk glass...  And I loved the hunt.  It was so much fun.  But a lot of brides don't like to hunt.  Or they hunt but can't find what they are looking for.  So what's a girl to do?  Well if you can't find what you're looking for, you can rent it.  Or you can hire someone to find it for you - Like me, I would totally love to hunt for you!  I do custom searches for unique items for your wedding, event, or photo shoot.  

There are other places you can turn to as well.  Found is a vintage furniture and prop resource where you can look at an inventory of items that are already, well, found.  And if they don't have what you are looking for, they will do a custom search as well.  Ribbons and Rust is another resource with an extensive inventory and willingness to hunt for a specific item for you.  Both are located in Southern California (as am I!).  

So if you have a desire to find vintage china, crystal punch cups, skeleton keys, mason jars, an old door, mismatched chairs, or something else of the vintage variety, but don't have the desire to hunt for it yourself, hire someone to do it for you.

Images via Found and Ribbons and Rust

House Envy

Everytime we visit a friend who owns a home, I get house envy.  My husband and I live in an area of Los Angeles that we absolutely love, but where we will not, in the fututre that doesn't include striking it rich, be able to buy a home.  But we choose to continue living in the area we love and renting a nice apartment.  And we are happy with that for now.  Until we visit someone that owns their own home, and then I get all, "oh, look THREE bathrooms, a laundry room, a YARD!"  I know that eventually, we will buy a home too, so I'm collecting little projects, ideas, and furniture pieces to use one day...  Here are just a few of the things I've collected for my dream home:

Source

Sources:  Apartment Therapy, Pottery Barn, Country Living, 

Restoration Hardware, Crate and Barrel, World Market

Buy: Baby Stuff

If you are expecting, or have a little one, I highly recommend joining sites such as Totsy, Zulily, and Gilt Groupe for lots of baby bargain opportunities.  Zulily is having a great sale on adorable bedding and nursery items in fun colors by Babylicious.  If I wasn't already fully stocked, I would be buying it up!

Here is an invitation referral to sign up for an account on Zulily (click here).  Happy shopping!

Decor: Silhouette Wall Art

I love these quirky silhouette drawings by Charmaine Olivia.  Just one, or all three, would be lovely hung in your home.

Found via Sara Louise Evans

New Favorite Blogs

While weddings are my true love, I'm also a sucker for DIY blogs, home blogs, food blogs, craft blogs, or any combo of those.  While these blogs aren't new, they are newer to me and I wanted to share them.  Whether you own or rent your home, are handy around the house or not so handy, have lots of money to spend or very little, there is something for you.

Young House Love
I absolutely love this blog and what it represents- a young couple who bought their first home and renovated it with lots of love and little money!  There are so many great household projects featured and I have a few on my list thanks to this blog.  I also love how they show you the before and after photos of their own house and tell you where they bought everything.

Mod Cloth Blog

This blog has a little of everything- fashion, travel, food, crafts, DIY projects, music, and more.  I particularly enjoy the "DIY" and "Now You're Cookin" sections!

City Cradle Designs
For any type of event or party planning details, this blog has it!  There are tons of cute party DIY decor ideas, personal touches, and fun ideas.  It is a perfect resource for that cocktail party you want to throw for friends, or your baby's first birthday party.

GOOP

Ok, so many of you probably know of GOOP, and it isn't new to me either, but I've developed a renewed love for all things GOOP recently.  If you aren't familiar with GOOP, it is a blog written by Gwyneth Paltrow about her favorite things, places, people, restaurants, must-dos, etc.  While you may not be interested in the cleanse she does to drop 10 pounds quick (I wish I could but I'm just not that disciplined!), you may want to check out her favorite restaurants in a city you'll be visiting sometime soon.  Also, I just adore Gwyneth!  I think she is fabulous, and I appreciate the time and information she pours into this site.  And I think she would be a fun girl to have a beer with.

Inspiration Board: Fall on the Farm

Autumn is my favorite season.  Cooler breezes and scarves, colorful leaves, pumpkin spice lattes- there is so much to love!  Unfortunately, it was 96 yesterday in LA, and we don't get a lot of the fall weather or changing leaves that I'm used to from my childhood days in Ohio.  So, I look to the internet for autumn inspiration!  And Kathryn from Snippet & Ink never disappoints in the inspiration department.  I'm loving this fall inspiration board she created:

Go here to see the full credits on S&I

DIY Succulent Wreath

You know I love DIY and I love succulents, so imagine my excitement when I spotted this DIY succulent wreath project in my recent Better Homes and Gardens issue!

Materials needed:
Ready made moss wreath
Cuttings of your selected succulents
Tool to make holes in wreath to insert succulents (screwdriver, scissors, or a pencil)
Craft or floral pins to secure cuttings in place
Galvanized hardware for hanging wreath

For full instructions for this simple DIY project, go here on the BG&H website.  I love this project!

The Ampersand

I love the use of letters and other typography in weddings, fashion, and home decor and design.  One of my favorite things is the Ampersand.  I've "collected" some photos for a while of ampersands and wanted to share that collection with you.

Photos 1&2 via Grey Likes Weddings, Photos 3-6 via Oh Hello Friend, Photos 7-12 via History of the Ampersand

I love how many creative ways you can find the ampersand used!  And if you love ampersands too, check out this blog, where you can find a new ampersand every day.

More than a bookshelf

How great is this bookshelf!?  It would be perfect for a nursery or play room.  I just had to share it.  I'll get back to more wedding related posts soon!

Via Design Artist

Let there be light

As I hunt for the perfect light fixture for our nursery, I have become obsessed with them in general...for every room.

Top Row:  Via Peonies and Postcards, Oilo, Stray Dog Designs, Via gardenhouse
Bottom Row:  Via Beachbungalow8, Anthropologie, via Coco+Kelley

Anyone have any great recommendations for chic light fixtures for a nursery?

Color, Unexpected

There is something so great about pops of color in unexpected places.  The color makes everything feel happy and celebratory!

Top Row:  Kamp Photography, veil photo via Green Wedding Shoes, Ashley Rose Photography
Middle Row:  All from Max (Wanger) and Margeaux's wedding by Our Labor of Love via Once Wed
Bottom Row:  JL Photografia, Katie Day, Gucio Photography

State Pride

Love your state?  Show your state pride in your home decor.  I love the idea of framing a vintage map or a vintage state hanky.  And I love these state shaped pillows (and even own one).

Found here

Found here

Spell It Out

I love these DIY home decor ideas using letters and words from Country Living!

Free Printable Alphabet Bunting

Yesterday's bunting post was more baby focused, but today's could be used for a wedding!  Spotted at Ruffled Blog and designed by Two Brunettes, this printable alphabet bunting would be a cheap, easy, and cute way to label a photo booth, dessert table, or other wedding element.  Or make one with the words "thank you" or "just married" to use in wedding photos!

Go to the full feature at Ruffled Blog and click on each letter to download.  Just print them out, cut them how you want them, punch some holes, and string together with your favorite ribbon or twine!

DIY for home

I'm loving these DIY home projects featured here on Country Living.  There are so many simple and fun ones to choose from, but here are my favorites:

Hanky Table Runner:

To make a table runner, measure the length of your table (plus overhang) to determine how many hankies you'll need (we used ten 12-inch squares for an 82-inch-long table). To connect the first two, flip them pattern side down, overlapping the edges by about ⅜ inch; pin, then stitch together. Continue attaching handkerchiefs in this manner until the runner is complete.  This would be great for a dining table or coffee table!

DIY Vase:

This is a simple and creative way to use those antique bottles or jars you have around the house.  Simply line up nine same-size vessels in three rows of three. Then wrap gardener's twine around the grouping twice and tie the ends. Finish the blooming display by placing two to three stems in each container.

DIY French Country Table Cloth:

I just spent $35 this weekend at the Rose Bowl flea market for a real french feed sack table runner, and you could make one for a fraction of the cost!  All you need is a canvas table cloth, whatever color paint you want (I like it in blue), and a stencil or yard stick to paint the straight lines.  Genuis.

Check out the link above for 30 other DIY home projects!

Alphabet Details

There is something so simple yet so personal about incorporating your initials into your wedding day.  You can use them as your personal wedding "brand" by incorporating your initials into your invitation monogram, paper goods, and decor, or simply hang your initials from a nearby tree or in your DIY photo booth (which is what I did).  I bought craft letters from Paper Source, spray painted them, and hung them with ribbon that matched the ribbon on our programs and other elements.  You can cover them in fabric, flowers, or whatever you can think of.  Anthropologie has metal and fabric letters if you don't want to DIY and don't mind spending some money.

Credits:  Via Style Me Pretty, Meg Smith, Michael Norwood, Ellie Grover Photography, Martha Stewart Weddings

Inspiration Board: Orange & Turquoise Fun

Inspired by rising temperatures, I designed a board with summer fun in mind.

Top Row:  Oh How Charming!, JoAnn Manolis, Erik Ekroth, balloon via Snippet & Ink

Middle Row:  JoAnn Manolis (1&2), Menu by Tilde Designs, Lilia Photo, The Knot

Bottom Row:  Jil Sander flats via Snippet & Ink, Anna Kuperberg via Brooklyn Bride, Jessica Johnston, Anna Kuperberg via Brooklyn Bride

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

I am loving these postmark and postcard details.  Who knew mail could be so chic?

Top Row:  Design*Sponge, Postcards and Pretties

Bottom Row:  Country Living, Ruffled

Vintage Photos in Vintage Jars

Remember the post I did last week on mason jars?  Well, this might be my favorite use of them yet!  For a unique, vintage way to display your photographs just place the photo down in the jar and display.  This is a such a great way to incorporate old family wedding photos at your own wedding.  And then put them on a shelf and continue to display them in your home long after your day has passed.

Photo by Jessamyn Harris