Craftiness Freezer Paper Stencils Part 1

I spent a week in the woods with very limited access to technology...I had a cell phone only to talk to Groom and to check messages for interviews...speaking of which I have one!!!!


My favorite craft project of the week involved a surprisingly easy method and result in totally adorable t-shirts. Before you begin you need:


1. Freezer Paper (important to be waxy on ONE side only)

2. Exacto blades

3. Pencil to free hand or trace design

4. Cutting Mat

5. Clean paint brushes

6. Fabric paint Dharma Trading Co has starter kits to get you going

7. A T shirt, onsie, or any other fabric to paint

8. An iron

9. Piece of paper-newsprint, construction, whatever you have handy

I'll give you some time to gather the supplies...in the meantime I'll work up a sample with some pictures and show you what I'm working on. Check back in a few days.

This week I'm out... (July 19-26)

I'll be counseling High School students at Camp Emmaus for the week. The theme of the week is "Go Green" so maybe I'll come back with some eco-bride happy ideas.

Floor Seating?

UK based Shenai Weddings has a neat idea for a very Indian themed set up. Why not put guests on the floor? They do it India, why not here? This idea includes floor pillows that your guests will thank you for. Very colorful and a neat way to incorporate the lavish Moghul reclining style of relaxing. I don't think this will work for my crowd, but maybe for those 'young people' or even kids tables. If you need to set up tables on the dance floor, this is an easy way set up to tear down to make room for the music. Alternatively, this would also be a good use of pillows for a mendhi or engagement party. Again, assuming your guests can get up just as easily as they sat down on these colorful cushions :)

To set this up, get lots of floor pillows, small tables and TONS of fabric. You could also use old sari's. You know, the one's that your mom insists someone will get use out of someday....well my mom says this all the time. Maybe you can borrow her's.

Ushers for Hire

My friends are an endless source of support AND laughs. Check out Nick's ushering antics.


Wedding Ushers for Hire from nickschmidt on Vimeo.

FOCCUS follow up

While this isn't so wedding planning-y, it is an important if not the whole reason one should get married. As it turns out Groom and I are in great shape for getting married according to the FOCCUS inventory and the Deacon at the Catholic Church. While we might not agree, we're compatible on big and small stuff- lifestyle, children, religion, finances, intimacy, career. We're very aware of how we resolve issues that arise between us, accept the other person won't change by walking down an aisle and know one another extremely well. We talked about going to Church and got 'the' lecture from Deacon. I informed him that I generally don't understand what happens and end up asking Groom 1001 questions about the service and the symbolism. To alleviate that issue, Deacon gave me a book called The Catholic Source Book. It's fantastic, easy to read and breaks down the prayers, saints, symbolism, & liturgy.

Desi Girl Articles

South Asian Brides are combining their Eastern roots with their Western heritage (side note, East and West are SOOO Christopher Columbus, can we find something new please?). I digress.

Nirali and Sapna have a lot to say about fashion, culture, career and beauty. Nirali has some wonderful articles on beauty tips for the Desi (Indian) bride. The Sapna article talks about South Asian Brides combining elements from both sides of the globe and mixing things in from pretty much anywhere she darn well pleases to plan a day to remember.

I struggle with the excess of the wedding industry and the simplicity of just saying "I Do...now and forever". I am hoping to find that balance as we plan our big day. Groom and I are headed to find out the results of our FOCCUS inventory tonight. Will let you know how that goes tomorrow!

FREE Templates

Click on the title link to find a list of downloadable templates by Minneapolis based Russell & Hazel. They make a FABULOUS wedding binder (retails for $75) and you can download the lists for FREE. They've thought of every list you haven't even thought of making yet. How fun is that?

Sweets...

Indian food is not always about extremes, but to the untrained tounge, it can taste that way. While we won't be including Indian food as a way to express our style, we might include Indian Desserts (don't worry, we're still going to have cake, more on that later). Tahoora will box and ship them to you to share with your guests. The Motichur (Mo-ti-churr) Ladoos are my favorite. They're sugary sweet, made from a gram flour and will definitely match the colors we've chosen for our wedding. There are assorted sweet varieties available and would make a nice touch to a dessert table. I am hoping to find a baker who can incorporate these sweets into the design of my cake. Not IN the cake, just part of it...in place of those flowers that separate the tiers, most likely.

Beauty Find for the Big Day

San Francisco's Benefit Cosmetics is my favorite make up company right now. The Erase Paste No 3 in "Deep" is perfect for camouflaging blemishes and those I-stayed-up-all-night-finishing-DIY-decoration-projects under eye circles. Just remember to warm it up and apply to your face with a light touch. Take a seat at any Benefit Counter and ask the make up artist to show you how. While you're there, ask about the Simply Gorgeous Foundation...don't forget the brush. What I like most about their product line is that it doesn't look like it's someone else's skin color on my face.

Miss Sri Lanka for inspiration!

Miss Sri Lanka 2008 Compeition & Saree Dreams gives me great inspiration. What if I use this strapless top from Eden Bridal with red sari draped the way these ladies did in the competition? It will echo the straplessness of my dress AND still be Indian. I would have them wear the pleats in the center (my gown splits in the center) and then have the fabric drape over their left shoulder as pictured. There was a dress I saw in Chadwick's that was very similar to that look. You don't have to worry about a sari not fitting so we can start shopping!!! I realize the fashion police might have to say otherwise, but it's my day and I'm the one in the big white (ivory) dress!

Stamps for invitations

I want to make my own invitations. The pocket fold with four or five inserts is what I am leaning towards. My Groom is going to make the maps (see below) and I want to make the rest on my computer. I will be putting them together with the help of my family assembly line style. Click on the pictures to access the stores.

How is baking an Eclectic Bride topic?

It's when Groom has a birthday, that the future Eclectic WIFE has to shine, right? I used a recipe from the Cake mix Doctor and it was a hit. I baked a mint chocolate chunk ice cream cake that wasn't frozen! You're curious, I know. You can find a copy of the book for under $5. It's worth it. I am making a chocolate pistachio cake for my dad's birthday tomorrow and another birthday cake for Groom's birthday party. The one pictured left is the hummingbird cake (spice cake with cream cheese frosting). (Yep, both my man and my dad's birthdays are in the same week)

How to Wear A Sari

Here's a pictoral on how to wear a sari along with a link to the whole article which includes tips for how to pick a sari that's right for you.

More Bridesmaid Dress Ideas

The more I think about it, the more I'd like to see sarees on the bridesmaids. They can wear them to future family functions or turn them into a host of other things since it is really just like giving someone 6 yards of fabric...very pretty fabric.

Guest Book Alternatives

Have each guest sign a cork or write a wish in one word for your marriage. Make Cork Trivets out of a wooden picture frame (round or square), Cardboard and corks. If you must include power tools to entice your groom to get crafty, try MarJenning's method.

Either way, you'll have a functional, eco-friendly keepsake from your wedding.

If you and your beau are budding gardeners, have everyone do the same on a rock and include along a path in your garden.

Caketopper

To personalize the couple, choose one that looks like you with interchangeable brides and grooms! You can find them at Ice Standard for under $20 each. I'm not positive if the Indian bride will work with the Dancing Caucasian Groom without looking a bit awkward. There's also an Indian bride in a white sari which is cute but not for me since I'm wearing a big white dress!

Bridesmaids

From l-r
JC Penny
David's Bridal
Eden Bridesmaids

Each of these dresses has some element that reminds me of my gown. They are all under $200 and should flatter each body type in the bridal party.

Dress Detail

Here's what my dress detail looks like. Soon I'll post choices for bridesmaids dresses.