Arrow Valentine

My last minute crafting will absolutely include these diy vintage arrows. Step-by-step, here.

{photo credit: Halligan via design*sponge)

Valentine's Day Fort

Build me a fort and I will be your Valentine. I'll even send you the step-by-step. You know, to make it easier on you.

  {photo credit: Carla Richmond via Design*Sponge}

Embroidery, Neat & Tidy

It must be a natural progression. Learn to sew, learn to embroider. But first, I need to find precious ways of storing my thread. For this, I turn to my favorite parts of the interwebs.

In order from the most resourceful to the most spendy.

Clothespins. I have an entire lot of clothespins stored away from the wedding, ready for use at my disposal. In which case, I wouldn't be limited to how many colors of thread I acquire and I could easily build a dangerously colorful collection.

Found on Naturally Dyeing, a blog dedicated to silk yarns dyed using locally grown vegetal species. A topic entirely cool in its own right. But there isn't a single mention of the ingenious nature of the use of clothespins. I might need to clue her in on how awesomely brilliant this idea is. Is it new, only to me?

And the author of that blog (and this one)? She lives in France. All good ideas seem to come from France. 

{photo credit: Sonia via Naturally Dyeing}

This pdf from Mollie Johnson at Wild Olive has been saved in my docs for some time. Turns out I'm fairly good at predicting what my next obsessions might be. Download your own set of free bobbins, here. 

  {photo credit: Mollie Johanson via Wild Olive}

Although, I do love my critters and I wouldn't mind the help of Henry the Hedgehog. Made by the Giggle Snort Society shop on etsy. Come on, I'd order these just for those names. 

{via}

Or Flossy the Pony. 

 {via}

Need to cure my itch to stitch.

A Teepee

I am in need of one more than ever. It's been many, many months since I've clamored for one and I think it's about time I clamor some more. Perhaps if I make my clamoring public, I won't have to wait another year. 

A teepee undoubtedly makes for a quaint hideaway at home. And to think that I could have one for but a few wooden rods and canvas cloth- and some embellishments to make it pretty, of course, makes me wonder why I don't have one already.

It's a bit Virginia Woolf like. Except I seem to be seeking a teepee of one's own, instead.

 {photo credit: Tonya Williams Ruanto {Life a Mundo}, Rachel Denbow {Smile and Wave}, 
via sfgirlbay}

 Full tutorial, here. 

I have the perfect corner saved for my little hideout. And I am quite prepared to use it.

I Heart Pumpkin Spice

This morning, a friend of mine bought me a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Capital letters for respect. Reason #1 why I love fall. I'm not much of a coffee drinker. In fact, I'm very much a wimp. I get a little shaky and my heart starts to beat just a bit too quickly. But I put it all aside every year, at this incredibly special time. Pumpkin Spice Latte, you make my heart melt.

And you make me want to learn how to embroider. So that I may proclaim my love for you in permanent stitches.

 {photo credit: Mollie Johanson via Wild Olive}

Mollie Johanson over at Wild Olive has created and shared the most adorable pattern. Download it here. Isn't it just genius?

Some stitching and (more) sipping might be in my future.

Paper DIY

Alas, photos of my very own wedding on my very own blog. These pictures aren't new across the interwebs, but I think they are still quite pretty. Don't you?

I'll focus on all the paper/wood/fabric on this go around. The majority of my DIY prowess. HA! 

Our invitations printed on wood. Wrapped in gorgeously patterned paper and textured twine. Plus a vintage button for a touch of glam.

 

Wedding books. With all the important wedding day details.

Handkerchiefs! My dear, dear, handkerchiefs! So many days devoted to these babies. I wish I had been lucid enough during this DIY to document it and share a tutorial. Maybe one day I'll recreate and post. One day.

Escort cards, hand stamped, letter by letter. Strung across Smog's bookshelves. Loved the idea! Love their funky shelves more.

Tis the most important place card. Tee hee. The Bride. That was me, for all of one day. Woohoo!

 

Simple table letters. Made pretty looking by the tin can and flowers.

Poms. Strung just so across the patio, hanging over us as we exchanged our vows. Love them against the blue sky. And much unlike the hankies, they were stupidly easy to make. Tutorials abound in the interwebs. Follow this one from Martha.

 {photo credit: Natalie Moser}

So there they are, my most cherished projects from the wedding. I wouldn't have changed a thing about them. All the DIY was really only worth it because I just had to have each of these things, lest my wedding be incomplete.

What do you think? Like 'em?

More soon!

A Labor of Love + DIY

A labor of love. The only way to describe these little goodies. I wanted printed handkerchiefs and I wanted them bad. So bad that I deemed it appropriate to spend 3 full days on the process of DIYing each unique piece. After all, people need something to dry their eye with during the ceremony, no?

{poor photo quality due to combination of  use of  iPhone & severe exhaustion}

But they are beauties, me thinks.  So, so very worth all the laboring. 

2 days... 

Saturday Breakfast

It's busy here! And as a result of the busyness, I took a long break from reading any of my favorite blogs. But in a moment of pure procrastination, I found it necessary to catch up on them all last night. Whoopsy daisy!

This post from Design*Sponge went up last week, but it reminded me that even through all the crazy, my honey and I have found time for Saturday breakfast, every weekend. We wake up, relax for little, and he makes us the most delicious things. We sit together, and just take a moment to enjoy the calm.

Let this gorgeous DIY pancake breakfast inspire you! See more photos and DIY decor how-tos here.

{photo credit: Jesse Chamberlin of Our Labor of Love via, Design*Sponge}

DIY Gift Wrap

 {photo credit: Summer Watkins, via  Style Me Pretty}

Freakin' gorgeous, right? These were carefully created by Summer Watkins of Grey Likes Weddings. I've saved up a lot of DIY projects in my time, but THIS? THIS is what dreams are made of people!

Step-by-step instructions are waiting for you on Style Me Pretty!