Once the bride, now again the bridesmaid

I think I'm still behind in posting images of my own wedding invitations (bad designer!) and I promise they're coming, but in the meantime I just finished labeling and stamping my sister's save the dates and couldn't wait to get them into the public eye.

She and her fiancé Jason LOVE their dogs–so much so that the save the date introduces them as the bride and groom with the fun line "it's not just puppy love". I'm going to say now that there wasn't MUCH puppy love doing the photoshoot with those poor dogs, but I think they now understand the pressure of having to fit into a wedding dress.

We went with an oversized 9" x 12" invitation and rolled it into mailing tubes for ultimate splash when received. The Barbie pink color palette will continue into future wedding items from invitation to bridesmaid dresses. I can't wait.

Something...happy

 I haven't had a chance to photograph all the invitation components yet from our wedding, but I loved this little montage that Jenny put together of the wedding bits. The mason jars Staci and I painted made me giddy to see all decked out, and scouting the perfect nature trail was a total success when paired with Jenny's amazing eye.

Afterglow...and afterglow photoshoot

I couldn't have imagined a better wedding day than Saturday; with all of my best friends and family present; gorgeous weather after a stressful weather report for the last week; and the most amazing wedding photographer and friend by my side through all the stress, smiles and tears.

And after a day of fun, we set out for a (very short) day of work yesterday for an afterglow shoot without the wedding nerves present. I had to laugh at this shot we planned for the invitation details: I've definitely never art directed a shoot so decked out before!

Is it too late to get a real wedding cake?!

I've been in the cupcake camp for my wedding dessert since the first day of planning, mostly because I'm usually that girl crowding around the table full of extra slices, and that's plain awkward at your own wedding. But today I found something that makes me want to turn back the hands of engagement-time and take a mulligan:

Miniature wedding cake replicas!!! 

Jessieraye, you may be the coolest designer around. My champagne glass is tipped to you.

I would like to dedicate this post to my computer

Christmas in July!

My very own scoring machine.... let the card-making begin!

So what if Real Simple gets the credit, at least we're in the same idea ballpark

I'd love to think that Real Simple stumbled upon P as in Peter and got inspired for their gorgeous mason jar shoot. I'd love to think that 100 Layer Cake did too (courtesy of Brides magazine). But while I can only dream for that to be the case, I am happy to think that the creative bubble of southern thinking that these two powerhouses are a part of is large enough to include me too.

You say 'Crazy', I say 'Creative'

But if I were obsessed enough with the typeface and OBVIOUS font size difference in the logo of the driver in front of me today (the 'olin' is definitely larger than 'fairweather'), isn't that a testament to how meticulous I will be when I design an invitation?

One small step for a bride, one giant leap for one who designs her own invitations.

I really never thought about how much I obsess about every detail until attempting to hammer down a design for my upcoming wedding. After months of sitting and mulling over the big things (pantone swatches and design icons) and the not-so-big ones (going cross-eyed over kerning dilemmas that only I would ever notice) I finally said 'I do' to a design. I look forward to a much easier one to say on September 24.

 

Throw in a donut, and it pretty much sums me up.

Thank you, Mike, for my birthday goodies and for not only loving my quirks but finding birthday presents that support them.

Kismet, fate, serendipity: whatever you want to call it, Jane Austen would find the symbolism.

Not three hours after I posted about the amazing cameo shoes I saw online, I was shopping in the (truly great) vintage jewelry store Preen in Greensboro--who just happens to have an entire case dedicated to cameos. Do I need to reconsider having them in my wedding now?

(Note to self: Karen, walk away from the cameos...suggest to a future bride-to-be)

Jane Austen, circa 2011.

I've been on the hunt for wedding shoes and trying to find something that that just hits me as perfect--and while these don't totally do it, I LOVE the new take on an old fashioned cameo.

Canfora shoes

Wedding gift time and a craft project that I am jealous of

Last night after bombing at roasting artichokes (I hate you, epicurious), I had the perfect bit of dessert to cheer me up: this adorable ring-bearer (or just plain decorative) pillow from my sister. It might be the perfect pop of color that our living room needs...

Until next year, Javits Center

Cool old tools and some man-pampering

Mike has decided to go with a custom suit instead of a traditional tux for our wedding, and last night we had the tailor over for a fitting. I had never known that men's suits had so many choices (I was in heaven with all the shirt options; it was like a Pantone chart of cottons) or cool tools for measuring. I felt like we were in Italy in the 1950s, and these photos support this blast to the past.

J'aime mes amis

I needed to find some French images for a work project and while doing so I took a quick sentimental time-out to remember my reunion in Paris with my dear friends Jenny and Tom for our 52nd Tuesday shot in 2009. I can't wait for our next reunion come September 24 when Jenny will be photographing my wedding!

Now onto finding a location in Raleigh so that Jenny can recreate this shot for me. Any thoughts?

Cotton: Week 3

I haven't seen where Staci's overachieving cotton sprouts have gotten this week but my little late bloomers have finally made a showing. Perhaps because they feel cozier in their new home. Thanks, Razor, for sharing.

Note: Yes, I still need a tan.

Have Cotton, Will Travel

So I'm on my way to the bi-yearly Furniture Market in High Point. And this time around, not only do I have my new gallery theme to install, but also my little cotton babies to watch over... I was told that they'd starve if left back home in Raleigh.

Cotton: Week 2

I'm beginning to sense a trend here.

Staci:

Karen:

Cotton: Week 1

Staci:

Karen: