Vintage Butterfly on Paper

Did you know that I design gorgeous things for your home as well as invitations? Well, now ya do! :) One of the new things I'm doing in 2014 is each week I am going to choose a design to highlight with pictures! ooh la la! These are great for your own home or to give as gifts.

This week's feature is this Vintage Butterfly on Scrapbook Paper design. This pretty design called, Vintage Butterfly on Paper, has a cute feminine feel. This design has a cool vintage paper collage background with a grunge effect at the edge. There is a black butterfly outline in the center - modern with a vintage feel. This would be a beautiful addition to your home decor. Personalize it with your name (or leave the customization blank to remove).

Not So White Weddings on the Rise

WHITE weddings will be off-color next year as tying the knot moves from the traditional into the unique.

Wedding experts predict 2014 will see a swing towards color and elaborate personal touches.

"Weddings are becoming the day that shows what people are and who they are, not only as a couple, but individually, so they are really putting a lot of effort, time and money into weddings," Emily Tredrea from Gold Coast bridal boutique A Darling Affair said.

Couples are spending more than ever on elaborate ceremonies and receptions to ensure they have a personal touch.

"What we're finding is that weddings are the one thing people allow themselves to go all out on," she said. "They are spending a lot on their gowns and suits and on styling.

"People really want to create an atmosphere for their guests that's unique to them so they're putting a lot of money into the styling and decorating than they have before, with centerpieces and decorations hanging from the ceiling and altered backdrops."

Flowers will play a big part, with elaborate floral centerpieces and chandeliers making a mark. Industrial-style venues are likely to be popular ahead of conventional reception centers.

The biggest shift, though, will be in wedding fashion.

 

Brides are ditching traditional white and ivory in favor of floral prints and rainbow hues, while blokes are opting for bold colors rather than basic black.

"People are really stepping out of the box and moving a little bit more towards something unique," bridal wear designer Begitta Stolk said.

She said floral frocks and dresses in pale pastel shades were the most popular.

"I think ultimately brides will move into something a bit more unique to their personality that shows more of who they are, rather than feeling like someone else in a white dress," she said.

Sam Abi from men's wear store Urbbana said maroon would be the must-have shade for wedding suits.

"It's still a manly color. It's rich looking and it doesn't have the casual feel of something like light blue or orange. It's nice and classic," he said.

Mr Abi said men were also being more adventurous with their accessories than before, embracing bow ties, pocket squares and suspenders in bright colors.

Aqua and Grey Band Starfish Wedding Announcement

This beautiful and elegant design, called Aqua and Grey Band Starfish and Sand Dollar Wedding, has a grey background. There is an aqua blue band on the left with starfish and sand dollars. This would be perfect for your beach wedding or destination event! This set has invitations, save the date cards, response cards, thank you cards, table number tent cards, envelope seals, wine labels, binders, and return address labels available. Use the envelope seal stickers for any of your DIY gifts - these are available in both large and small sizes!

Aqua and Grey Band Starfish Wedding Personalized Announcement by NoteableExpressions

 

Zebra Heart Valentine Party Invitation

This fun St. Valentine's Day invitation is perfect for anyone you'd like to share your love with. This invitation has a fun zebra pattern background. In the center there is a scalloped inset in white with a red border for your text. At the top there is a heart shaped cut-out so that the zebra stripes show through. Edit the text to fit your party!

Zebra Heart Valentine Party Invitation by NoteableExpressions

10 Things You Must Do At Your Wedding Reception

Eat, drink, and be merry? Yep, that pretty much sums it up! Your wedding reception is the one time–maybe in your whole life–that the universe will truly revolve around you. It’s your 5 hours of fame and you’ll want to use every minute wisely.

Now there are a zillion ways to plan a party, but only a handful of things you really must do at your reception regardless of venue, time of day, season, or style of wedding. Whether you’re going for totally traditional (bouquet toss and all) or completely “you” (bocce ball, a swing band,  belly dancers, fire eaters, and food trucks), don’t underestimate the value of basic expectations. Be sure to include these 10 items at your wedding reception and we promise, you’ll thank your lucky stars you did.

Oh, and by the way, you don’t need a bazillion dollars to have a ridiculously fun reception. Here are 10 ways to save big on your reception but still have the best time ever.

1. Laugh during the speeches. They’re not laughing at you—they’re laughing with you. Oftentimes, images of the bride and groom smiling together during the speeches are some of the more intimate images of the whole day.

2. Cut the cake. This doesn’t have to be a record-scratching “look at us! look at us!” moment. You might even want to carve a few minutes out of your reception to cut the cake secretly and quietly—maybe just the two of you and your photographer (plus a few observant onlookers).

3. Be playful. Your guests will follow your lead. If you’re uptight at your wedding, your guests will feel awkward and anxious. But if you’re letting loose, having fun, and being playful, your guests will be all too willing to get in on the fun.

4. Do something special with just your bridal party. Give your best friends some TLC with a special “something” just for you and them. We love the idea of a balloon release. How cute that someone many moons away will stumble upon a personalized “I Do” balloon?!

5. Entertain the kiddos. Kid-free receptions are a thing of the past. But you need to make sure young ones are properly entertained (and closely supervised!). Hire a magician, play a movie, or have a room full of dress-up clothes. And book a ridiculously fun and responsible sitter with a whole lot of energy!

6. Try your signature cocktail. You selected it so be sure to taste it.

7. Eat something! Please eat something. Really. No one wants to party with a cranky bride. Seriously, if the issue is not wanting to pop buttons off your gown, you need to rethink that dress you’re squeezing yourself into. And if the issue is time-management (must-make-rounds-now), we can help! Seat yourselves WITH your guests, family-style, and you’ll be able to partake in at least part of dinner guilt-free.

8. Dance with your dad. Even if you had a totally non-traditional wedding (Dad didn’t walk you down the aisle, for example), you’ll still want the customary Daddy-Daughter dance. Trust us—it’s THAT important to him. Surprise him with his favorite song.

9. Thank your guests for coming. You can thank each guest for coming to your wedding by going table-to-table during dinner. Or you can deliver a heartfelt, thoughtful, and personalized speech to all your guests in between courses.

10. Spend time alone with your groom. Pick a time when your guests are having so much fun that they won’t even notice you’ve slipped away. Hold hands and go for a stroll, have your own private toast or do a quiet dance under the stars. You need those “regrouping” moments to remember what this day is really all about.

Vintage Butterfly Garden Home Decor

Did you know that I design gorgeous things for your home as well as invitations? Well, now ya do! :) One of the new things I'm doing in 2014 is each week I am going to choose a design to highlight with pictures! ooh la la! These are great for your own home or to give as gifts.

This week's feature is this Vintage Butterfly Garden design. This pretty design called, Vintage Butterfly Garden, has a cute feminine feel. This design has a pretty light blue background with a soft grid pattern. There are colorful illustrations of flowers and leaves and pink and yellow butterflies. This would be a beautiful addition to your home decor. Personalize it with your name (or leave the customization blank to remove).

DIY Wedding Tips: The Dos and Don’ts!

We think the internet and having inspiration instantly at the touch of a button is why we are all loving (possible obsessing over) DIY weddings. Yes, they are entirely personal to the couple, usually awesome and always interesting, but if arts and crafts aren’t your ‘thing’ we suggest you read our DIY wedding tips to help you through the process…

Do be realistic with your ideas and your timescale.

As we said, if DIY is totally alien to you, try to keep your projects within your comfort zone. Now is not the time to practice! You may find that it will take you a few attempts to get your pieces exactly as you want them, so don’t be surprised if it takes twice as long as you first thought.

Do ask for and accept help from friends and family.

If you have set yourself the challenge of making all your wedding stationery, this will take a long time to get through. Why not set up a few crafting nights with your mam and bridesmaids, and create a stationery production line? If each invite takes three steps and you have 100 invites to make, that’s 300 individuale elements. Remember, many hands make light work!

Do check with your venue/wedding planner about set-up of DIY props.

If you want to be relaxed and have nothing to worry about on the day, make sure you have all elements covered. Who is going to set your items up before the wedding? Can you do it the day before? When can you leave your items at the venue? Where will they be stored? You should get answers to all of these questions to make sure there is no fretting on the day.

 
Do go for DIY packs – it’s not cheating!

Several stationery stores and online sites offer printables and stationery packs which include everything you will need to make your invites. Why make things difficult for yourself?

Don’t leave things to the last minute.

The last few weeks before your wedding are frantic enough and you really don’t want to add to this pressure anymore, therefore plenty of planning and doing during your engagement is a must!

Don’t forget about setting your items up.

If you have spend hours and hours making items for your decor, you probably have a particular image in mind of how they will be arranged in your venue. If you have time the day before the wedding, check with your venue to see if you can set them up yourself. If not, leave detailed instructions as to your wishes, with pictures if possible.

Don’t think your DIY will save you loads of money – it won’t!

Purchasing raw materials won’t be as expensive as going directly to suppliers, because you won’t be paying for the expert’s time, but be prepared to spend on materials none the less. To help save along the way, make sure you have a clear list of what you need and visit charity and antique shops, car boot sales and auctions to unearth any hidden gems.

Don’t be annoyed with yourself if things don’t work out.

No one will know! If you are a beginner, you will soon find that some things will work, others won’t. Don’t be disheartened, taking on DIY projects for your wedding are tough, not everybody is brave enough!!

One final DO – Enjoy it! When you are knee deep in glue, tissue paper and lengths of ribbon, remember it will all be worth it – no one else will have a wedding like yours!

Good luck!

Blue Fish and Coral Wedding Invitation

This beautiful and elegant design, called Blue Fish and Coral Wedding, has a bright white background. In the lower left corner is a pretty blue graphic with fish swimming and coral. This is a great option for your beach theme, destination wedding, or even any time you'd like a more relaxed mood for your event. This set has invitations, save the date cards, response cards, thank you cards, table number tent cards, envelope seals, wine labels, binders, and return address labels available. Use the envelope seal stickers for any of your DIY gifts - these are available in both large and small sizes!

Blue Fish and Coral Wedding Invitation by NoteableExpressions

 

Cupid Wanted Poster Valentine Day Party Invitation

Who says Valentine's day has to be sweet and nice? Throw your own un-Valentines day party! This invitation has an old parchment style back ground with an old west style "Wanted Poster." It says, "Attention Priority Alert. Wanted Dead or Alive. Cupid a.k.a. "Bullseye." Reward!" Your party text goes on the back. Edit the text to fit your party! Anti-Valentine's Day has never been so fun!

Cupid Wanted Poster Valentine Day Party Invitation by NoteableExpressions

Checklist for Maid of Honor

Checklist of MoH for the Days Leading up to the Wedding

Besides the bride and groom, the best man and maid of honor are the most important people in the wedding party. They are the ones who keep everything under control and running smoothly for the bride, the groom, and everyone else involved.

However, I have to say that the maid of honor (or matron of honor, if already married) has a lot more to deal with than the best man.

Along with the basic maid of honor duties, the emotional, physical, and even financial considerations that this position requires are way more demanding than the duties of a best man.

So, if you have been asked to be a maid of honor, do you think you’ve got what it takes?

Following is a list of all the maid of honor duties, beginning months before the wedding and going right up to the wedding reception…

Things To Do Before The Wedding Day

Go Shopping — Not only does a maid of honor assist the bride (and bridesmaids) in finding the perfect dresses, she also has to find and buy her own dress, shoes, and accessories.
    
Help The Bride — There is no ending to the range of items that fall under the realm of "helping the bride." While your assistance is required all throughout the wedding process, as far as the pre-wedding duties are concerned, the maid of honor helps the bride choose the wedding gift registry, flowers, colors, reception sites, decorations, guest favors, and cake. The maid of honor may also help by addressing wedding invitations, organizing playlists, and writing out place cards.
    
Coordinate With The Bridesmaids – The maid of honor’s primary goal is to keep everyone on the same page. Make sure to remind bridesmaids of dress fittings, pre-wedding parties, and any other details that need to be addressed in the days leading up to the wedding.
    
Plan A Bridal Shower — Sometimes the bride may choose to help with the planning of the bridal shower, but in most cases, it is left up to the maid of honor with the help of the mother of the bride and bridesmaids. Here is a bridal shower checklist and some bridal shower ideas that will be helpful. Remember to include where the couple is registered on the wedding invitations and keep track of who gave what. (Don’t forget your wedding gift too!)
    
Plan A Bachelorette Party — This can be planned with the help of the bridesmaids. Although the bachelorette party is usually entirely paid for by the maid of honor, sometimes the bridesmaids help split the cost or the mother of the bride pays for it all. With lots of fun t-shirts, games, ideas and accessories to choose from, the bachelorette party can be naughty or nice, depending on the bride’s personality and the others involved. However this party is done, just make sure it’s a ton of fun because it is, after all, her last hurrah as a single lady!
    
Attend Rehearsals – Along with attending pre-wedding parties, the maid of honor (and the bridesmaids) are also expected to attend the wedding rehearsals and rehearsal dinners. This is a great time to make sure everything is ready and everyone knows what they are supposed to do during the wedding ceremony. The maid of honor should also help guests with finding seats and restrooms, signing the guestbook, and assist with presents.

Things To Do On The Wedding Day

Before The Wedding Ceremony…

    Help the bride get dressed.
    Make sure all bridesmaids are on time and dressed with makeup and hair done.
    Hold the groom’s ring until the ceremony.
    Pick up or receive the flowers.
    Give out the bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages to the wedding party.
    Decorate the reception site.
    Assist the bride with whatever she needs to keep her calm and stress-free.



During The Wedding Ceremony…

    Arrange the bride’s veil and train before going down the aisle and when she arrives at the altar.
    Hold the bride’s bouquet while vows are exchanged.
    May be asked to hold a copy of special prayers or readings for the wedding ceremony.
    Stand by the bride at the alter.
    Supervise bridesmaids.



After The Wedding Ceremony…

    Sign the marriage license as a witness.
    Gather everyone together for photos.
    Help direct the newly married couple and guests to the reception area.

At The Wedding Reception…

    Sit at the table with the bride and groom.
    Dance with the best man, groom, and groomsmen.
    Make a toast or speech after the best man does his.
    Assist the bride, and make sure she has food and drinks.
    Gather the single ladies for the bouquet toss.
    Mix and mingle with the wedding guests.

After The Wedding Reception…

    Help the bride change clothes for the honeymoon.
    Make sure the car is decorated and ready to go.
    Gather the bride’s dress, accessories, gifts, and anything else and return it to her home.

Red Crafty Love Home Decor

Did you know that I design gorgeous things for your home as well as invitations? Well, now ya do! :) One of the new things I'm doing in 2014 is each week I am going to choose a design to highlight with pictures! ooh la la! These are great for your own home or to give as gifts.

This week's feature is the Red Crafty Love design. This pretty design called, Red Crafty Love, has a cute feminine feel. This design has a pretty cream background with red borders on either side. The center is cream with a woven look texture. To either side there are gold hearts and a abstract sunflower graphic. This would be a beautiful addition to your home decor. Personalize it with your name (or leave the customization blank to remove).

Going Green On Your Big Day – Eco Friendly Wedding Ideas

Thankfully we are now all of a generation where we appreciate the world around us. We know we’re only getting this planet once and many of us want to do our best to care for it.  Your wedding day, as fun and as planned as it will be, is one area ripe for wastage. Unless you are careful, the day after your celebrations a truck full of discarded wedding paraphernalia can be rendered useless. If you care, don’t let this happen!

Going green and helping the world out doesn’t  have to mean giving up on your dream day. It simply means taking more time to think about where you can save on rubbish, what can be reused and recycled and most importantly, not become ‘stuff’ for the scrap heap once the band have played their final song.

Here are a few hints and ideas on helping your day be friendly to the environment:

The Invitations

Usually the automatic way of cutting down on tree cutting is to go digital by emailing your invites, save the dates and RSVPs. This however, does not work on all levels. Does your 92 year old great granny use email?! Thought not. Not everyone even uses the internet, so this is not always the most secure way of sending invites. Instead you should think about using recycled paper and cutting down on the size of your invites. Luckily, you can get all of my invitations on several different types of paper - including recycled!

Western Calla Lily Posh Wedding Invitation by NoteableExpressions

The Clothing

Going down a greener route does not mean you have to forego style, particularly if you go for an authentic vintage style. Dirty Fabulous in Dublin specialise in original vintage wedding dresses ranging from the 1920′s onwards. This is also a sure way to guarantee you have a one of a kind piece – bonus! For the rest of your bridal party, choose bridesmaids dresses that will be worn again, and as for the gents, ask them to wear their own suits for a perfectly acceptable look.

Flowers

Flowers cost a lot for wedding and are one of the biggest areas of waste. You could always go down the artificial route, and with brooch bouquets making such an impact at the minute this is a great choice. However, if you really want the real deal, try and source organic flowers. Organic flowers are grown naturally with no nasty pesticides being used and are better for the environment all round. When you are finished with them either give your guests an arrangement to take home or make sure they are headed for a compost heap. Potted plants also make beautiful table centres and gifts for your mums.

Decor

When it comes to your decorations, remember to throw out throwaway things! Try to use decorations that can be used again, such as chalkboards, jam jars, old china hidden away in your mum’s attic. You’ll find that reusing things will add a very personal touch to your day. If your mum hasn’t been saving the vintage china for you, there are loads of cool shops that offer vintage prop and china hire.

Favors

Wedding favours can be expensive and are lost on some guests. For an eco chic wedding, go for something real, such as seeds or donate money to your favourite charity in your guest’s name.

Food & Drink

If possible, choose food that can be sourced locally – your hotel or caterer will be able to advise you on this. Even if there aren’t many vineyards in your area, there may be plenty of local breweries, so why not approach them and ask if you can use their brew as your signature drink on your big day! To cut down on waste, ask that reusable napkins are used if this is not standard practice.

Other ways to be greener on your wedding day:

Wedding rings

Do your parents have a heirloom ring they would like to pass on to you on your special day? If not you could always choose a chic antique ring, look in local jeweler.

Car pooling

Could you arrange a car pooling system for your guests for the journey between the ceremony and reception? You could also make the journey truly memorable by hiring a party bus! Or better yet - if you are able to, try and plan ahead so that your venues are close enough to walk to.

Digital photography

Most photographers now use digital cameras, but think twice about leaving each guest a disposable camera as they are a great cause of waste. Instead, create a hashtag for your wedding on Instagram for all your media savvy guests to share and enjoy!

Have you come up with a unique eco-friendly element to your day? I'd love to hear about it – leave us a comment below!

Blue Starfish with Silver Coral Wedding Invitation

This beautiful and elegant design, called Blue Starfish with Silver Coral Wedding, has a bright white background. On the left side is a thin delicate piece of coral in silver. Also to the left side, are two beautiful starfish. This set has invitations, save the date cards, response cards, thank you cards, table number tent cards, envelope seals, wine labels, binders, and return address labels available. Use the envelope seal stickers for any of your DIY gifts - these are available in both large and small sizes!

Blue Starfish with Silver Coral Wedding Invitation by NoteableExpressions

 

Formal Red Ribbon Heart Valentine Party Invitation

Valentine's parties can be so fun! If you are hosting - whether it is for an informal party or a Valentine Gala - it is a great time to get people together after the craziness of the holidays.

Formal Red Ribbon Heart Valentine Party Invitation by NoteableExpressions

This beautiful St. Valentine's Day invitation is perfect for a formal dance, party or ball. This invitation has a black background with red curled ribbons and red heart confetti decorating the top and sides. Customize the text for your perfect invitation.

If you'd like some great ideas and inspiration for your party - check out my Ideas for Valentine's Day Parties 

10 Wedding Bands to Blow Your Guy's Mind

Women's wedding bands come in all shapes, sizes, colors and styles, and a lot of the time men's choices are boiled down to "gold" or "white gold." So, I thought I'd do a roundup to encourage the guys to live it up a little. Here's some of my favorite men's wedding bands with some personality…
Psst: These styles could look amazing for women's wedding bands, too.

 I adore this wood grain, titanium wedding band. Perfect for the woodsy, outdoorsy type. Though here's another super cool option…

Of course, for the nature-lover, there's also there's also this titanium ring with legit wood inlay.

There's no reason that men can't also add a little color to their wedding bands. I love this Men's Tungsten Carbide Ring with red and black carbon fiber inlay. It's like the hot rod of wedding bands! If you're partner is not a fan of colored bands, it also comes in black carbon fiber.

 Along with color, who says men can't rock some sparkly bling? Not I! This 14k white gold and diamond men's wedding band is gorgeous. Diamonds can be a dudes best friend too.

 This 6mm black tungsten ring is sexy. All the reviews on it say it's durable and surprisingly affordable for the quality.

With all of the celtic-inspired weddings I've featured, I'm sure this celtic dragon wedding band would appeal to more than a few of you. It's made of tungsten carbide, so it's scratch-resistant and it's cobalt-free to avoid allergies.

Ooh, the onyx and diamond wedding band is one of my favorites! This ring is perfect for your artsy grooms.

 Here's another option for the artsy. It's called the chevron-pattern ring, but I think it looks more like filigree. Whatever it is, it's cool looking.

 Wait, wait — maybe this one is my favorite. It's a tungston carbide ring with river stone inlay.

 It seems that the previously boring world of men's jewelry is getting wilder. Yay for that! Of course, if your partner is like mine and doesn't like wear jewelry, you can always reference this post for ring-alternatives.

Surviving the Polar Vortex of 2014

I Survived The Polar Vortex - LS T-Shirt

Happy Friday!

Today, I'm going to start doing a weekly wrap-up - I think it will help me stay on track for some of my goals for this year and remind me that I AM getting things accomplished! A little affirmation and a kick in the pants when I need it!

The big news this week was surviving the Polar Vortex of 2014! Holy cow did we get cold! We ended up with about 12 inches of snow and -35 degrees wind chill! The kids were out of school until yesterday - so Christmas break turned in to almost 3 weeks off! (which of course they loved!)

I did about half a dozen custom color requests for invitations. I do love helping brides make the invitations that they dream of for their special day.  

Art Nouveau Posh Wedding Invitation by NoteableExpressions

I also worked on Valentine's Day party invitations and got several new designs up in my Artistically Home store -  

Eletric Heartbeat Square Wallclock by ArtisticallyHome

Blue Heart Handprint Throw Pillow by ArtisticallyHome

Dragonfly Lamps by ArtisticallyHome

I hope you had a great week and an even better weekend! 

~Nique