Austin – Uncommon Objects

My Austin trip two weeks ago was great.  Although it was for work, I still managed to have a great time…isn’t that how traveling for work is supposed to be?!?  I did go up early to do a little bit of wedding stuff, which I’ll get to soon enough.  (I would have had a HUGE Austin post with all the stuff I did in it, but despite how easy it is to upload photos here, there is some trouble inserting many photos into one post, because I have to do them one by one if I want to make commentary. And I’m lazy.)  Anyway, enough blabbering. 

One of my favorite finds of the trip was Uncommon Objects on South Congress. 

This antique store is SO GREAT!  Actually, calling it an antique store is probably an understatement.  They don’t even have the Welch’s jelly jar SLASH drinking glasses that antique stores around here have and call antiques.  There are old pharmacy prescription records, petticoats, valentine cards, pictures, books and so much more.  My colleague (who attended the conference with me) and I went there twice, and spent probably 3 hours total there. 

I could have bought a lot more but I settled on Skip-Bo.  This edition is from around 1967  and has a  sweet, velvety red box top. 

Taylor and I have played Skip Bo with his great aunts and their friends on our hurricane evacuations. 

I think the rules of this particular Skip Bo game are a little different than the new rules, but that’s ok with me.

Oompa Loompa doompa dee do

I used to LOVE the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  I hated it when my brother got to rent Herbie the Love Bug at the movie store when we were way younger. 

Let’s flash forward to last Wednesday.  I went and got a facial.  Actually it was a Purity Peel.  With the soonest appointment to a dermatologist in 2 months, and with my wedding being only 3 months away, I decided to try the facial route to getting beautiful, glowing, pimple free skin. 

It’s a very good thing Taylor and I have a good, humorous relationship, and that I was not offended by the name calling. 

I bet you’re asking what this all has to do with the Oompa Loompas.  This is what my skin looked like with the peel on. 

I was directed to leave it on until the next morning, then wash it off.  I know it’s supposed to have minimal peeling, and is supposed to draw out the “bad stuff” but other than that, I’m not sure exactly what to expect. I’ll go back in two weeks and the aesthetician will do some more stuff to my face.

To document the process, I’m showing you the “post peel” picture.  But you must promise, no making fun.  Ok?  Good!

I wish I could say I usually look hotter in the mornings, but not so much. My skin was smoother and it seems that some of the existing blemishes are drying up. 

I’ll keep you posted.

Bridal Party Proposal

You already knew I was having some trouble deciding what to call the members of my bridal party.  Two of my girls are technically “matrons” but I really don’t like the way the word matron sounds and the definition is pretty ugly too…ESPECIALLY for your best ladies.   I also wanted things to be fun and not so traditional.  Even though it’s a bit dorky what I decided to call my ladies, I love it, and it really exemplifies what they mean to me.  But before I tell you, check out my cards!  This is really my first major DIY attempt! 

I bought a 12 pack of ivory colored cards, black ribbon, and black envelopes.  My colors are going to be ivory and black so I thought this would be a good way to continue the color scheme.  I also gathered some tape, glue, a corner rounder, some miscellaneous scrapbooking paper & sticker, and a razor blade (an x-acto knife would also work!) 

I used 3 cards for each of my ladies.  I cut a slit in the center of the fold in the cards (measure all of them so the slits line up.)Then, I slid 1/3 of the ribbon through the slit (of all 3 cards) and lined them up.  I taped the ribbon in place, then glued around the edges and a line to secure the ribbon down.   

 They looked like this when I was done. 

Then in my best handwriting, using a marker, I wrote each girl’s name on the top card.

I wanted the cards to be silly and sweet, so I found a pic online of 3 awesomely bad bridesmaids (since I’m asking 3 ladies!).  I sized it down, and sized down pictures of my ladies faces.  I printed these on cardstock using a regular inkjet printer.   

I cut out the faces.

Then I glued the faces on the bodies. 
 

I put the awesome bridesmaids photos asides for a bit and used some sticker bridesmaids for a little extra decoration.

I stuck them to black paper and cut out around them.

I also planned on hand writing a sentimental message for each of the ladies’ cards, but after many mess ups…

and a wine and Rocky Road icecream break…
 

I just ended up typing everything out and putting it on a red paper background. 

I assembled everything and added a few more flowery embellishments.  And here’s the finished product. 

So, in case you didn’t catch what their titles are.  My ladies are collectively the “Bridal Posse.” 

The members are: 

Sister of Infinite Laughs and Memories – My Best Friend from college.  We have known each other almost 10 years now, since our freshman year of college. We pledged the same sorority together, and were roommates.  I helped her get her drivers license and learn how to cook.  She’s the kind of friend you might not see for weeks or months, but when you get together, you pick up right where you left off. 

Sister of Friendship & Travel – My Former Boss Turned Friend.  She taught me to be the employee and boss I am today.  She’s lived abroad, is a great writer, a travel enthusiast, and runs a B&B with her husband in Italy.  I’m so lucky to know her. 

Sister of All Things Fashionable & Cool – My Biological Sister.  She’s a few years younger than me, but around the time I went to college, we started to get closer.  She’s a wonderful, smart, beautiful young woman.  I love it that as we get older, we have become great friends. 

I’m so fortunate to have all three of them in my life and as a part of my Bridal Posse! 

After I let everything dry, I folded them up and carefully stuffed them into black envelopes.  I wrote my ladies’ names, again in my best handwriting, using a silver pen.

 I “popped the question” to each of my ladies in private.  They loved their cards and accepted my proposal.  There were even a few teary moments. 

Now it’s your turn, did you “propose” to your ladies in a special way?

On it’s way

My wedding dress…it’s been shipped!   I ordered it on the 12th of February, and it shipped today!  The time frame estimated was 8-12 weeks…so I’m very happy I’ll have plenty of time for alterations if I need them.  I’m so excited.

100 Days

I’ve been traveling for work the past week. The conference I attended was also in Austin so I had a chance to do a tiny bit for the wedding. Mom traveled with me and we stayed at one of our blocked hotels. Thankfully it was nice. And the two hotels we booked are a parking lot away from each other, which is nice. We also ate at the restaurant/winery where we are having lunch after the ceremony. We were there for about 3 hours, enjoying the delicious wine and food. I’m so pumped about lunch after the wedding! And fortunately the leaps of faith (not seeing the hotels or restaurant before booking them and only seeing them less than 4 months before the wedding) have worked out. I was starting to build our wedding website and it told me we have 100 days to go. So in the next 100 days, there is a lot to do.

A few things include:

• Finish the website
• Print and mail invitations
• Decide how to do my hair & makeup
• Decide about flowers
• Make sure bridal party has rooms reserved
• Buy shoes & appropriate undergarments
• Book honeymoon flights and hotels
• Write our ceremony & vows

I’m not stressed yet, would you be?

Coming Soon

I’m headed off soon to Austin for the next week-ish.  This weekend, I’ll be doing a bit of wedding planning with mom and after that attending a conference.  When I come back, I’m sure I’ll have lots to tell you.  See you soon!