ive missed you dear friend...

i have been ridiculously lacking in the blogging and etsy department for a year. depressing. i think its high time to bring it back.

lemme catch everyone up on what has happened in the past year. so dave and i got married. in a fabulously, fabulous handmade/DIY wedding. it was the most amazing wedding we could have hoped for. it was completely us, and even looking back a year later, dave and i have talked about it, and we would not do a single thing different. (i will do a dedicated blog post soon.)


man, we are precious.


 first dance to monte montgomery "romeo & juliet". so sweet.


we headed off to new orleans for our honeymoon, which was the best week of my life. i have no words for how amazing the honeymoon was. the most delicious cajun food, cafe du monde trips, cemetary and haunted tours and just soaking up the rich history was life changing. we even got tattoos. im obsessed. if i wasnt planning on having kids, i would move to new orleans in a heartbeat.

during our tour of st. louis cemetary number one.


 jean lafittes bar. the drinks are amazingly tasty and ridiculously strong.


breakfast at brennans. hands down the best meal we have ever had.


the holidays came and went and dave got a job offer working for an engineering firm here in the dallas area. so here we are. living blissfully in rockwall with my millions of craft projects. there is one thing about rockwall, it definitely makes us want to have babies ASAP. the school systems here are phenomenal and everything here is so family friendly. so who knows what the new year will bring...

but the best news is, dave has been helping and putting in his creative ideas when im crafting so its turned into a pretty great collaboration. for example, here are three of my favorite latest crafts...

i wanted to attempt a yarn wreath and here is the final result.
of course we added a cute little reindeer to make it "more manly".


i wanted to make a vintage paper wreath and dave upped the awesomeness
by helping turn it into a functional clock and he made the hands out of 
cardboard to keep with the paper/recycled feel.


finally got around to making a shadowbox from new orleans. 

i promise it will not be another year before i post again. in the meantime, while you sit at your computers and anxiously await my next blog post (ha!) you should check out pinterest. in case you have been living under rock (like apparently i had been!) pinterest is my new growing addiction, i just found out about it last week and its UH-may-zing. until next time...

so much to do....

i think about blogging all the time, but making time for it is a different story! time is quickly passing me by and there is still SO much stuff to do. but like i was telling dave, at this point, its all trivial. at the end of the day, we will be married. and we will have each other, and thats all that really matters. so im trying not to stress, keyword trying. but we got the invitations in, and i have to give mad props to laura nehls. she is SO creative and does SUCH beautiful work! we really could not be any happier with how they came out.

so even though i have a laundry list of things i should be doing wedding related, i wanted to share some adorably sweet etsy finds i have recently run across, most of it is jewelry! i cant help myself!...enjoy!


topaz swarovski crystal sold earrings by VeraidaGifts.




tiny pansy flower necklace by madebymoe.




alice naps in the garden vintage 3 tier stand by orangeandblossom.




ophelia french couture hand painted silk headband by HerRoyalFatness.

 


andora lace necklace by whiteowl.


purple amethyst vintage cut glass lamps by funkiefinds.


anchor door stop by monkeyandsquirrel.


film noir - nine piece enamel bangle set by bullfinchbarbury.

 

1930s vintage lux pendulette clock by calloohcallay.

 

mishmash - bold summer necklace by bonheur


instant collection, vintage hankies by sadieolive.


13 x 19 you are my sunshine by thewheatfield.


summer loves....

ok, so again, even though i am still half failing miserably at updating this thing, i have a few quick updates and then some awesome etsy finds.

i keep talking about fixing up kate cotten designs on etsy, and have yet to do it. so i think instead of adding it to the ever-growing to-do list, i am just (sadly!) going to put it off til the new year. i know that sounds forever away. BUT, two months, then two weekends in a row is dave & i's respective "bachelor/bachelorette" weekends. then im going to dallas. then the wedding. then honeymoon. then thanksgiving. then belated reception. then daves birthday. then christmas. then new year. so were going to be slammed, and i am tired of pretending i am going to update kate cotten when the chances are slim! SO, instead i am going to hold on to all my pictures and new items to list, and wait it out, or at least see what happens. who knows, i could end up eating my words and get bored next weekend and upload it all. we shall see, but dont hold your breath.

more and more things are getting crossed off the list for the wedding. and its pretty exciting! the days just seem to be flying by! plus, random coolness-- on tuesday we went up to this show put on by DCI (drum corps international) called Thunder in the Desert with jefferson, ashley, patrick, and tryann. and it was pretty cool. it was nice to get out and do something different! plus, noah and charlotte were being extra precious. and then we headed to the cox's but not before we picked up starbucks of course! and then....we taste-tested some dessert goodies for the wedding. and can i just say (yes, just one more time!) that whimsyandspice is AMAZING. dave is in LOVE with their hazelnut whiskey sandwich cookies, and i would kill for their coconut 5 spice cookies or black pepper and rose thumbprint cookies! and we both viciously fought over their dulce de leche espresso brownies! i STRONGLY suggest for you foodies out there, or hell! those of you who have a sweet tooth, definitely check them out. their goodies may sound intimidating, but seriously, probably some of the best cookies i have ever had!

ok, and now on to the fun stuff! after scouring etsy for hours upon hours for wedding stuff, i have found even more of the coolest stuff ever. and decided to share just a few of my favorites! enjoy!


bohemian vintage 70s wallet purse by tialeyvintage




alice finds a cobalt room tiered dessert tray by orangeandblossom.




cinderella, your carriage awaits vintage book page by LoveElizabeth.




squirrel couple by melabo.




vintage enamel, 1970's boho bangle bracelet by bethtastic.




free at last - textile wall art by bubbleandboo.




purple rain pansy cluster headband by JustLiv.




vintage hand mirror shabby chic by suesuegonzalas.




vintage red suede bow back heels by PorcelainThreads.




la paon grande necklace by whiteowl.



random smattering...

ok, so i have totally failed on the blog. its not that i forget, or do not want to, i just dont seem to have enough time for anything lately!

but, good news is, this week alone, we have accomplished the centerpieces for the tables for the wedding reception (thanks to my mom, cause she totally rocks and found all these great vases!), daves suit, and talked to the jeweler and picked out his ring, and figured out how were going to make my ring and band work together. and let me tell you, just that has taken a TON of stress of my shoulders. i am finally starting to breathe a little easier!

so, because of my lack of time, and lack of creativity at the moment, i just wanted to share a random smattering of adorable etsy finds that i have recently come across! enjoy!


el medano porcelain ring by MaaPstudio.




alas by ohmycavalier.




mama and baby birdie vase by redhotpottery.




dainty parnassia solitaire by PearlEverlasting.



 
tiny little vintage bottles by blueeyeddesigner.




woman's head sculpture shadow box by sofralma.



vintage brooch bouquet...

ok, so please dont judge me for my lack of blogging lately. i promise once i finally get some wedding projects completed and crossed off of my list, ill be back to it like a fiend. i miss my lovely blogging and sharing all my great etsy finds! and im blaming the fact that since i havent been blogging, i dont have an outlet, so instead i have just buying everything i find on etsy like mad!

so todays blog is a short sharing session about my recent wedding plans, etsy buys, and my *finally* completed vintage brooch bouquet! enjoy!

.......................................................................................................

i lucked into finding THE MOST GORGEOUS dress for the rehearsal dinner! hand made by the ever talented iesha of audreyandgrace. just try and tell me that it isnt beautiful! with that special vintage flair? i feel so privileged to be able to wear one of her gorgeous creations!

Ravishing Ultra Elegant Custom Floral Sweetheart Dress by audreyandgrace.

 

 

dave and i came across this amazing vase one night when we were actually searching for boutonnieres, it fits the wedding so perfectly, how could i pass it up?!

 

 art deco style bird vase by redtruckdesigns.  



one of my favorite finds has been by a talented fellow fun-lovin' texan, courtney of timelessNchic. not only did she make me laugh in all of our traded messages, but she takes these plain picture frames and creates these perfectly "aged" antiqued frames that are just wonderful! my mom and i each purchased a lot from her, and theyre super kick ass! i cant wait to use them at the wedding, and then hang them in my living room!


bohemian eclectic chic - a vintage gathering by timelessNchic.




another one of my finds i am super excited about is by becca of DivineLionesss. everything in her shop is eco-friendly! made without adhesives and all that, and anything that is not biodegradable is either recycled or repurposed. and i had been eyeing her tapioca wood blooms for a while, and finally purchased them! two sets that were planning on putting them on the table with the guest book! we also purchased tags for our favors that are plantable! how sweet is that? so when the guests take the tags home they can plant them and up pop oregano and thyme. awesome!


tapioca wood blooms by DivineLionesss.


50 herb seeded plantable tags by DivineLionesss.



i also bit off more than i can chew with attempting to take on the task of making our own dinner napkins, and pillows. why would i add yet another project to my list? im not sure. but theyre AWESOME fabrics! even if nothing at the wedding really matches! i found all these great anna maria horner fabrics i liked, and bought each design in two different color schemes. here is a sneak peek of the fabrics:

many thanks to the following shops for supplying the great fabric and working with me on creating custom listing and custom yard requests: fabricworm, materialgirlchic, thefabricfarm, sewdeerlyloved, and imaginefabric.

 

 

 

and last but NOT least, diane of the aptly named etsy shop, DianeA creates the most magnificent multi sided paper ball garden that dave says just reads "casual romance". she creates them all and strings them by hand. i was mesmerized the first time i came across them, as soon as i showed dave he thought they were just the coolest things, so we started thinking of places to put them, and so of course i commissioned her the very next day! i am EXTREMELY excited about all the garland! shes wonderful!

 

pretty multi sided paper ball garland by DianeA.



.............................................................................................................................

so as you can tell, i am REALLY excited with everything that has been going on for the wedding. of course there is much more but these are my recent favorites! it literally is an all etsy wedding. and i could not be more pleased with it! dave is also pretty pumped about it because like he told me last night, he feels like we have been fortunate enough to "meet" all these great etsy sellers that are helping us make this wedding VERY us. it has our style written all over it, and our personality will be screaming from every nook and cranny! i just love how its all coming together, i have to admit, it makes me giddy!


now, im only sharing this with blog readers first! so get excited! i completed my vintage brooch bouquet last night, and though i am no expert, i am EXTREMELY thrilled with how well i pulled it off! and much as i was cursing and yelling last night when i kept flipping poking myself with the pins, i am SO glad i did it myself. it means that much more to me, that much more to dave, and we can keep it always. 


so here it is, after two other rough drafts (first, a moss ball, and then a half circle of styrofoam) i just sat down with some 18 gauge floral wire and an assortment of lovely brooches: half passed down in my family, and half from wonderful etsy sellers! and went to town. i wish i had gotten pictures of it in the making, but i was on a mission! so here are the first sneak peeks...(sorry the pictures arent super fantastic it was late, i was exhausted, and they got taken with the iPhone, and we still have to finish the "handle" of the bouquet) and as always: feedback is appreciated :)

 

::drum roll please:: 

 

side view:


view from the top:


wedding registry...

so everyone keeps telling us we need to get on the ball with the wedding registry. which is making me freak out, because i have been trying as hard as possible to ignore that fact, or add even one more thing no matter how big or small to our to-do list. but, i know it will be fun once we get in the mode, or at least thats what everyone keeps telling us. but, can i just say, i love etsy. i am addicted. but i wish they would get on the ball...

i emailed sometime last fall, to the etsy questions and suggestions, and i wrote in that they should have a etsy wedding registry! (how AWESOME would that be!) and they said thank you for the suggestion, they have had other people tell them the same idea, and that they were currently working on it. at the time...i was like i have a whole year until we get married, SWEET ACTION! i can totally register on etsy for the wedding! but its ok...dave and i will register for all the neat stuff we want and then i can keep entertaining myself with me etsy addiction! BUT....hypothetically, if i could register on etsy...check out these sweet finds...enjoy!


1950's or 60's set of six drinking glasses by JeanB123.




top hats and pearls print by blackoutwell.




vintage bird cage 'liberty lantern' by Atelier688.




big bad wolf by rubyslounge.




vintage solid brass matching pair of deer bookends by vyeshi.




set of four bone appetit 9 in dinner plates by foldedpigs.




love in french (knots) embroidered wall art by GoodBehavior.




custom tree print pillow cover by cozyblue.




complete wooden salad serving set by inmynest.




60's glam hollywood regency wall sconces by fabulousmess.




cast iron deer knocker with antlers by mechanicalstag.




tall wood drawer by Hindsvik.




circa 1950's-70's retro green goblets by fixthepain.




vintage gathering bohemian upcycled frames by timelessNchic.




hello i love you print by Juliapott.