Tag Archives: fall

wedding

making progress

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Everyone in the blog world is talking Thanksgiving and Christmas and here I am talking spring.  As most of you know, we are planning our dream wedding.  Ok, my dream wedding.  Ryan is a doll who seems to agree with all of my ideas for our wedding.  So at this point, we’ve made a lot of progress including securing a date, venue, photographer, officiant, band and some of the other “big things”!

No I didn’t choose a dress yet.

We’re getting into the nitty gritty details at this point so I thought I’d keep you up to date.  Details, as you know, are my thing.

About 6 weeks ago we had an engagement photo shoot.  We lucked out that crisp fall morning with a wonderful showing of bright autumn colors at Maple Acres Farms.

They were so very accommodating at the farm.  They even let us bring Wilson although he was a bit of a diva (or is that divo?) when it came time for his close up.  I thought you’d like a peek at our photos since there are rarely pictures of us posted.  But let’s start with Wilson since you see him all of the time.

Our e-session photographer, Mandy Keep, captured just how vivid the autumn day was and all of the natural beauty and charm the farm offers.  I particularly like how the photos emphasize the primary and secondary color scheme which is very opposite of how the wedding color scheme will most likely work out.

It was important to me that we look like ourselves and dress like ourselves.  Ryan and I shopped our closets for favorite clothes we already own in complementary colors.  We didn’t do anything over the top to prep for the shoot.  We were just us.  Wilson too.

Now this is where Ryan would probably point out that we don’t normally take a wagon full of vintage props out on a walk with us.  And he’s right.  That’s where I may have gotten carried away but overall I like how the props and colors worked into the farm setting.  Subtle right?

Check us out on the vintage Orrlaskan wool blanket (similar to a Hudson Bay blanket)!

We also had a pair of vintage industrial stools out in the field which is totally natural.  I love how Mandy captured the foliage in this shot.

And who doesn’t love frolicking in the cornstalks?

We’re just about 6 months out from the big day. I am starting to think about our invitations and what they might look like.  As you may have guessed, I would like to hand make them.  I had initially thought we wouldn’t send Save the Dates mostly because it would be too laborious to make them all plus how could I practically make them and add engagement photos?

However, our wedding is essentially a destination for 99% of our guests since we are getting married at the beach which is about 2 hours away for most.  We decided it would be considerate to send Save the Dates after all.  And I’m glad we did once I heard the date morphed from May to March in one line of communication in my family!  Now everyone has plenty of time to  make accommodations.

We partnered with Wedding Paper Divas to create the perfect Save the Date.  After narrowing down several hundred Save the Date choices to about a dozen, we ended up going with Chalk Frame Charm for our layout.  I like how it had the look of an erased chalkboard but also allowed us to incorporate 3 pictures from our shoot.  It definitely foreshadows the fun, casual vibe that we’re creating for our wedding.

We received the Save the Dates in less than a week and sent them right out to our guests.  We actually had the opportunity to speak with a live consultant at Wedding Paper Divas and provide feedback on our proofs so we were sure they were perfect!  I’m glad we ended up doing Save the Dates.  It wasn’t nearly as daunting of a task as I’d initially thought.  Check that off the list!

And the money shot of the day goes to Wilson.  This one is going up on the wall.

There are a few other favorite photos that have a vintage vibe to them.  I am using them on other areas of the blog and for business purposes.  My favorite one is on the ‘About‘ page.

Photos by Mandy Keep Photography

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garden, musing, treasure

on the road

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Today was a pretty great day.  The perfect fall day to be on the road with my sidekick, Wilson.  (This was the best shot he’d give me.)  Fall is still hanging on and the sun was shining high.  We had a gorgeous drive.

We made a new friend who was all about posing for the camera.

She wasn’t shy at all.  In fact she gave me her better side.

And then invited me in for a tour.

I don’t know what it is about barns and farms in general that I am enamored with.  I suppose it is a lifestyle that I know little about having grown up in the suburbs but I’m always caught off guard by all of the simple, natural undeveloped beauty a farm offers.

And the old construction of the barns plus the new patina.  Boy, what I would do with that door.  It would look great above my mantel.

So what was a non-farm girl like me doing on this beautiful horse farm?  My upholsterer’s studio is located there!  I know.  Amazing.  I love taking that trip.  There are a couple of cute outbuildings and several homes on the property including a grand old farm house!

Back to biz though.  I picked up a fabulous club chair that I will post about next week after I tweak the finish.

Wilson and I made a few other pickups today.  Mostly of the holiday merchandise type.  Specifically vintage and handmade!

We also made some wreaths, painted a bit and planted paperwhites when we returned home.  Actually who am I kidding?  Wilson took a nap!  I did those things.

Prep mode continues for the holidays at our Brick & Mortar.  Hope you’ll come visit this weekend!  Open Saturday & Sunday 10-5.  Don’t forget, we have Miss Mustard Seed milk paint in stock too!

Other local events that I am participating in this weekend include viewing Freud’s Last Session at Arden Theatre after attending The Scene.

And on Saturday night I will launch my modeling career at The Frock Shoppe’s charity fashion show.  And then I’ll retire my modeling career.

What are your plans for the weekend?

wedding

a rustic modern wedding

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Hey guys!  It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas over here!  I know, I know many of you do not want to hear about Christmas yet.  You’re thinking you have at least a week until the season begins.  Right?

I’ve spent the last couple of days decorating my shop at West End Garage and my Brick & Mortar for the holidays.  It’s go time!  This weekend we’re opening the doors to the holiday season.  I’m pretty excited.  We’ve got lots of goodies in store including vintage kitschy decor, ornaments & serving ware, new handmade stockings, tons and tons of unique gifts from vintage and handmade jewelry to paperwhite bulbs, reclaimed frames and wreaths.  Come see for yourself.  More items will be added weekly!

So you still want to talk about fall?  Ok.

Today as I was sorting through beautiful vintage jewelry for the shop, I recalled the vintage brooch bouquets that I shared earlier this fall.

There are more details from that wedding that I have yet to post about.  Before fall is behind us, let me post away!

The event was the perfect mix of what I call rustic modern…with a hint of vintage.  Other than creating the bouquets, I also designed the stationary from the invitations to menus to escort cards.

The unique escort cards were vintage style tags donning tasty and cute little bottles of real maple syrup.

The golden maple syrup bottles accented the tables perfectly amongst the large green hydrangea bouquets.

The couple had me make donation cards to include at the place setting.  I love how they turned out with a playful nod to their cats who obviously couldn’t make the event.

A little more glitzy gold on the the menu.  Oh the food was so good!  I love how the gold cardstock shimmers in the dinner lighting.

A few more memorable details that I had no part in creating but certainly enjoyed…

This divine cake couldn’t be much more modern but the juxtaposition of the vintage bouquets suits the style of this wedding.

And very possibly the most talked about part of the evening was The Party Painter!  The artist painted the scene of the reception as the night progressed.  Very original entertainment.  Rumor has it that the newlyweds will be doing an unveiling of the masterpiece soon.  I can’t wait to see the finished piece.

Ok back to holiday mode.  Lots of wreaths and ornaments to be made.  These trees aren’t going to decorate themselves…

garden, home

fall vignettes

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I can’t believe Halloween is just a week away! I have only done some light decorating this season. Like no frills, go with the natural flow type of fall decorating. I didn’t get very Halloween specific.  I kind of like it so I thought I’d share some of the vignettes that are around my house.

I stepped onto my back patio to fallen dogwood leaves.  Some people are hyperactive about removing leaves as they fall but I happen to love the surprise that nature left us!  The leaves crunch below my feet and dot the bistro table and chairs.  Simple decorating!

Around the corner this big ol’ pumpkin that we haven’t gotten around to carving yet waits patiently on my favorite rusty, aqua chair.

I am a big fan of the contrast in colors between orange and aqua.  In the house I left my growing collection of antique blue and green mixing bowls on display and dispersed decorative pumpkins and things among them.

Aren’t these candy corn just too cute?

On the hearth, I have a vintage shopping basket full of pumpkins, squash and gourds.  Is it weird to keep squash for dinner in the living room?  Not when it is this cute & festive!

Shh, the secrets of a vintage dealer here…I just pick up this shopping basket every weekend and bring it to whatever event I am selling at so I can disperse some fall cheer amongst my vintage vignettes.  Don’t look too closely or you may find one of my price tags.  In fact, many things in my house are tagged with prices.  My family jokes that everything in my house is for sale.  Umm, they’re kind of right.  Tell me I am not alone.  Do any other dealers do this?

This vignette is a focal in the dining room.  I just keeping adding to it by repeating shapes and colors with objects from around the house and nature.  (And there are at least 3, no wait, 4 items in this vignette that I know have price tags on them!)

And finally, I love to gaze out my office window at the beautiful yellow foliage that the birch trees in front of my house are showcasing.  No selling that view.

So how is your house decorated for the holiday?  Feel free to leave link in the comments!

garden, home

more seeds

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Remember when I shared my vintage sunflower seed packet reproduction a few weeks ago?

And remember how I mentioned that I wanted to make a pumpkin seed packet sign too?  Well, I finally got around to it last week!  You may have seen a preview of it on facebook if you follow Circa Dee there.

I am always on the hunt for old boards and wood that will make a good canvas.  In this case, I used an antique playpen.  This sucker was heavy for an on-the-go mom!

Some of you may cringe when you realize I disassembled this into 6 pieces.  But this playpen was really not functional or safe in the ‘as is’ state anymore so doesn’t it make more sense to upcycle the wood into something new?

The side rails make the perfect towel display rack (more about that another time).  That leaves the bottom pieces.  There were 2 sets of slatted wood with hinges on the side and a finger hole where you’d close the playpen from.

One of those bottom pieces created the canvas for the large pumpkin seed packet.  I liked the raw wood and left it unpainted in some areas to give a rustic, timeworn autumn feel to this piece.

This is the actual seed packet that was the inspiration for this sign.  I modified the colors and made them a bit abstract in my version.  I used latex and chalk paints – mostly custom mixed colors.  Then clear waxed all of it with some dark wax over the pumpkin.

I particularly like how the slatted wood broke up the image a bit.

I still think the sunflower sign is my favorite though.  Although I do enjoy the rustic feel of the pumpkin sign.  I have another, smaller reclaimed wood board devoted to the autumn vintage seed packet collection.  Any votes on what seed you’d like to see next?  I’m stumped!

Linking to Thrifty Decor Chick & Funky Junk Interi0rs

P.S.  Did you guys know that our shop is open this weekend and we are fully stocked with Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint?  Come check  out what the craze is about!

garden, home

thanks and a fall wreath

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First of all can I just start by telling you how incredibly moved I am by all of your support and sweet feedback on Wednesday’s post about Ryan’s diagnosis?

Seriously moved over here.

Social media has become a very powerful tool.  As I wrote about us, reviewed it, re-reviewed it, hesitated to post it, I just hoped that a positive message would be transmitted.  We basically want to take something that we are already doing and that is well-liked and make a contribution with it.  So thank you all for your enthusiasm in this fundraiser!  It truly means a lot to us.

Now how do I follow that up with a fall wreath?

Well here it is.  A mini Indian corn wreath.

In January, after we removed the holiday Douglas fir wreaths from our windows, we saved the metal wreath forms.  They look something like this.

I pulled a few out to make mini Inidian corn wreaths.  You can buy clusters of the Indian corn at just about any Farmer’s Market this time of year.  I laid clusters of 2-3 cobs in between each prong, overlapping one after another.  The corn covers the mechanics of the prongs.

The prongs close over the stalks while adding rustic fall texture.

And of course it wouldn’t be complete without a bow!  I went with a simple 4 loop bow.  The ribbon I used is like a combination of burlap and raffia.  It can be found at flowers shops.  I also looped the ribbon throughout the wreath.

Indian corn can be really brittle to work with.  It naturally wants to disconnect from the stalks so hot glue may be necessary for keeping it in tact.  I wouldn’t recommend hanging this wreath outside.  It will be gone in no time since the squirrels love Indian corn.  Definitely hang it behind a storm door or indoors!