CHARMED

'Inspiration' slash things I love BOARD at work Blueberries, oatmeal, vanilla soymilk, splenda........best. breakfast. EVER. It's my water.

Since we're having our reception AT a music venue......I came up with the idea to stage a MERCH area with custom designed wedding-esque wares (of course FREE for guests to take.....) After coming across Minepress on ETSY......I died a little, and knew I had to order some button pins. What's great is you can send over the photos or text you'd like and have Rebekah arrange for you onto a pin template.....OR you can do what I did, take her blank template and GO TO TOWN creating a custom masterpiece. Absolutely in love. What a conversation starter......and I can't wait for the POKEMON effect to happen with our guests - gotta collect them all! Got the finished product in the mail yesterday......in love. Will post photos!

More inspiration..... [tissue paper poms] [monogrammed floral flag] [hanging lanterns] [cupcake towers] [fabric flower garland] Sigh . So much to do, so little time.

I think we've given in! After endless back and forth.....we've decided to NOT run off and elope completely alone for the attractive cost of $50........we've decided to rent a space and throw a party for our wedding. It really would be special to be surrounded by those we love. Not a full-on-traditional 'reception' however.......a rough around the edges laid back live-music EXPERIENCE. We're looking at a really sweet music venue - and hopefully planning on having a friend's AMAZING band play. I've been up ALL night researching. I want to stay on a strict and tight budget..........and I want it to be DIY/handmade/homemade.......simple, eco-chic. Some inspiration I've fallen in love with thus far....... [Clear wine bottles - with gorgeous tapered candles at all different heights......how GORGEOUS and stunningly simple is this. I can hunt these bottles for free and pull this 'centerpiece' idea together for just the cost of candles!] [Lovely home...

My mom is my everything! I don't have enough proper vocabulary to begin to describe how marvelous she is. I affectionately call her my momma bear, and yes, although I am a 25 year old 'grown up' lady, I will always be her BABY BEAR. On a girls trip to New York City last year, during which I was esteemed tour-guide, my momma pulled her shoulder dragging a suitcase with broken wheels through the maze of staircases and train stations. I to this day feel terrible that I didn't snatch it from her and help more along the way.......because her shoulder has been bothering her ever since. She's recently been getting acupuncture which seems to help. I was thinking what I could possibly do to help in some way. A way that preferably utilized my sewing machine. :-) I GOT IT. A homemade rice-filled HEAT PACK! (or cold pack - if you pop it in the freezer) All-natural to boot, gotta love that. I excitedly went out to get all of the 'ingredients' for this project. Muslin for...

I've been extraordinarily busy at work lately. Which I'm happy for - since I absolutely LOVE my job. Being the PR/Marketing person for a branch of doctor's offices doesn't sound like it would be a dream job.....but it certainly is to me, my friends. It's been chaotic since our practice has merged with another and now we are officially a NEW practice all together - since January 1 2010. I've designed a new logo, announcement ads for the newspaper, written radio spot scripts, and put together press packages to send off. In my case, I really believe just putting myself out there has served me more than I even realize. My job 'description' has surpassed any kind of outlined list of tasks you can put on paper. I walk through the reception areas in our different offices and my photos are framed and hanging on the walls. I have a make-shift photography studio in the X-RAY department. I update the employee "INTRANET" with my latest photoshop creations...

I am a DIY-design-blog junkie. A. JUNKIE. As in........21 messages on my phone, a pile of work to complete in the next 45 minutes, people stopping by my desk for a quick favor, 3 pages of to-do-lists (99% of the lines highlighted for importance........) yet...........my eyes cannot be peeled away the How-To on creating my own winter hat fashioned out of a crotcheted rectangle of yarn and a puff ball. Anything I can make on the cheap that looks outrageously fabulous and endlessly interesting is something I am obsessed with. With my new sewing-love I'm finding myself surrounded by tons of little scraps of fabric.....which I cannot bring myself to throw away. WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE SCRAPS?!!?!? Solution #1 {of I'm sure a million} - Sew them onto homemade Thank You cards!

A freak stomach-virus has swept through my household. I stayed home in bed sick all day yesterday....dragged my butt into work today, although I remain half-un-concious and hazy....floating through the day under a slow cloud of Tylenol PM and general weakness. I find myself unable to focus.......and have just been staring blankly at my wall for some inspiration. I have SO MUCH WORK TO DO!