Style Lush

Pretty Paper Doilies

By Janet

Do you remember cutting and gluing doilies in elementary school to make Valentine's Day cards? It's been years since I've purchased a pack of doilies, but I suddenly have a renewed interest in making things pretty with a pack of delicate paper doilies. They are so inexpensive and they definitely don't need to have the third-grade cut-and-paste effect. In addition to Valentine cards, doilies can help make presents and weddings and notecards ever-so-lovely. For example:

See what I mean? I'll bet if you spent $2 on a pack, you'd find tons of pretty uses for the doilies. 

{Images via fromsoul, Martha Stewart, Papermash, Daydream Lily}

A Spin on the Classic Stud Earring

By Sara

There are times when a classic stud diamond (or CZ!) or pearl earring is perfect. Stud earrings go the distance and can be worn as easily to the grocery store as a night on the town with your favorite person. But sometimes you want just a little something more, a little something unexpected and these earrings are just right:

The Blooms Stud Earrings from Vale Jewelry come in silver or gold-plated and have six little cubic zirconia crystals in the center. At $30 a pair, you can buy both! I think these tiny beauties could bring that extra sparkle to your day. Or wrap them up and give them to someone you think deserves a special treat. 

Christmas Gifts for Newlyweds

By Megan

My very good friend recently got married after a whirlwind three week engagement. Needless to say, there was no time for registering, and even if she had registered, I would have wanted to get her something more meaningful than a toaster. I would like to get her things that are useful, but also come from the heart.

Fortunately, this is one person on my list who I'm not having a hard time shopping for.

Christmas Ornaments for decorating her first married Christmas Tree

Crate and Barrel Set of 12 Mini Glass Ball Ornaments

Recipe Binder - My friend's vows including attempting to learn to cook without also burning down the kitchen. Her kitchen actual DID burn down at one point - although she wasn't at home when it happened, so this is a particularly important point.

I'm planning to print all of my tried and true recipes and put them into a binder for her, using these free printable templates, and wrap it all up with a cute potholder.

Personalized Stationery - I'm a sucker for pretty notecards, and so is my friend. Naturally, she'll need something in her married name.

Chevron Stripe Flat Notecards

These would be great packaged with a new address stamp.

Can you think of anything else a newlywed might like to find under their Christmas tree this year?

{Photo Credits: crateandbarrel.com, prudentbaby.com, and Rowhouse14 on Etsy}

Do-It-Yourself Etched Glass

By Jen

My daughter’s birthday is in December, so between Thanksgiving, her birthday, and Christmas, we tend to pretty much have house guests and very little downtime starting in November. So this year, I am working on starting our Christmas presents very early. I’m really picky with Christmas presents because I have a very low tolerance for junk in my own house and I don’t like to give people gifts that aren’t either useful or consumable.

This year, one of the ideas I am considering is etched glass. I'm also keeping these in mind for wedding gifts because it is so easily personalized. I’ve seen some tutorials around the internet lately and it doesn’t look that difficult to do. Depending on what I decide to etch, and it will be something useful, it can also be quite inexpensive. And look at these gorgeous results:

{Photo credit: Martha Stewert}

{Photo credit: Make It and Love It}

And I'll admit that a trifle bowl isn't as practical for daily use, but this one is just so gorgeous I had to include it. 

{Photo credit: Make It and Love It}

Do you think glass etching is something that you might ever attempt? 

Wedding Registry Questions: Silver and China

by Natalie

My mom and I were on the phone the other day talking about the upcoming wedding of a dear friend of mine. My mom asked what my friend's silver pattern was, and after we got off the phone, it occurred to me that she didn't ask "if" my friend had a silver pattern; she asked what it was. I don't know if this is a regional thing or not; when my husband and I got married, we registered for both fine china and silver. I'm not sure that I thought about it one way or another, but my mother and grandmother both went with me to register and I, pretty coincidentally, chose the same silver pattern that they both have... Kirk Stiff Repousse, for those of you interested in details. I have to say, for someone who doesn't do a lot of entertaining or do anything fancy at all, really, I ADORE my silver. It's something that I hope to have for years and pass down to my daughters.

(Confession: I sometimes eat my morning cereal with a silver spoon. What is silver for if not to be used, I ask you?)

Now, on the other hand, my china, though I love it, rarely gets used. We just don't live in a time where we entertain formally... um, well, ever. I've used my china at Christmas (twice) and at Thanksgiving (once), and I think maybe I used it once when we put the kids to bed early and thought it would be fun to have a nice dinner. (I can't remember exactly when that WAS, so it was obviously a rare occurrence.) For reference, my china looks like this:

It's Verdures by Raynaud, and it's much greener than it appears in this pictures; I keep it stacked in a buffet and it rarely gets eaten off of. We've used the dinner plates, and we've occasionally used the salad plates to serve dessert, but there are teacups we've never used at all, and I'm not even sure what the smallest plates are for (bread? Who knows?).

We bypassed registering for crystal entirely because we're not really crystal people, but had I not registered for flatware or china, I have a few great-aunts who would have been horrified. (My mother's family are Southern People, ya'll.)

So my question is this: if you're married, did you register for china, crystal or flatware? If you did, are you glad you did? And if not, do you wish you had?

{photos via replacements.com}

 

 

Unique Marriage Proposals

by Lawyerish

The other day, I was out for a run in Central Park, when I saw a chalking on the asphalt of the loop.  It said, "Attn:  Shannon C!" in big, poufy letters.  About ten yards later, there was another one:  "Will you..."  And then there was an arrow pointing to a small path going up into the North Woods.  I saw a few more chalkings leading up the path, but despite my overwhelming nosiness I resisted the urge to follow them.  Still, it was clear that some romantic soul had spent some serious time and effort planning what was sure to be an adorable proposal. 

My husband and I also got engaged in Central Park, but without the chalk.  He took me to a favorite spot overlooking the Great Lawn and gave me a beautiful letter he'd written, along with a printout of all the emails we had exchanged during the early days of our courtship.  Then he pulled out a blue Tiffany box and proposed.  I knew it was coming, but it was still memorable and sweet, and now we have our own special spot in the park that we pass all the time with our daughter.

I've seen elaborate proposals involving scavenger hunts ending at the top of a skyscraper with the guy on bended knee; surprise trips to romantic cities; and public declarations of love at sporting events on a scoreboard or pulled by a plane.  I've also seen simple moments all around the city (the Cloisters is a favorite, as is the finish of the ING New York City Marathon) of ring offerings and promises of forever.

What's your favorite engagement story?

Fingerprint Guest Book

By Janet

I want to have another wedding (to marry the same man, of course) just so I can have a so-adorable guestbook from Bleu de Toi. The poster allows each guest to leave his or her fingerprint (and sign, if you choose). Such a sweet, frame-able keepsake. 

 

(I'd choose the bicycle!)

Where were these ideas when I got married eight years ago?

Inexpensive and Stylish DIY Party Decor

By Janet

Of all the bits and pieces that make up a good party, the decor is my favorite part to plan (followed closely by the beverages). I've found that party decor can quickly get a) expensive and b) tacky, so here's a small roundup of inexpensive and stylish DIY party decor.  

 

1. Ruffled Streamers (Made via Nice Things Now)

An update on the old classic, inexpensive crepe paper streamers are sewn together to create a much fancier version.

 

2. Tissue Paper Pom-Poms

I recently made these for three parties--a fiesta, a baby shower, and a first birthday party. You can make a dozen large pom-poms for under $10, a big impact for a small price. All that's required is tissue paper, pipe cleaners, and a little bit of time.

 

3. Fruit Centerpieces

A bag of fruit and a glass container are the makings of a great centerpiece (and much less expensive than a floral centerpiece). You could also gather fruit in rustic tins, pretty baskets, or low ceramic dishes.

 

4. Balloons

Another classic party decoration that can be updated by using a monochromatic scheme and long iridescent ribbons. Choose one or two colors, buy the balloons in bulk, and fill them using a rented helium tank.

 

5. Tulle

Tulle is an ultra-cheap, by-the-yard, frilly party decoration, perfect for girls' birthday parties and baby showers. How fabulous is the tutu table skirt from P if for Party?

Do you have any favorite inexpensive DIY party decorations?

{Photos via Made, Martha Stewart, Wedding Paper Divas, Elements of Style, P is for Party.}

Tips on dealing with "wedding ring" dermatitis

By Manda

Somewhere during the course of my pregnancy with my son - who was born last October - my wedding rings would not longer fit on my lovely Sausage Hands. Isn't pregnancy grand!? About two months after my son's birth, the swelling was finally down enough that I could squeeeeeeeze my rings back on. And 24 hours later? My finger looked like this:

(and it felt about how it looked. OUCH.)

So there I am. 30 pounds overweight. My hair is falling out. None of my clothes fit. I'm an exhausted post-partum hormonal mess with a wee baby and a crazy two-year-old. And to top it all off? Wearing my wedding band and engagement ring (the same rings I have worn for nearly 7 years around the clock) turns my finger into a blistered mess. It was decidedly NOT an awesome time.

My rings are platinum, so I know I'm not suffering from a nickel allergy. An outcry to Twitter for help and a furious Google search led me to the conclusion that I have "wedding ring" dermatitis (this article was helpful to me, although I have no idea if it is a reputable source).

I know this might not seem like a particularly "stylish" post, but to me? My wedding rings are a part of my everyday style. They, of course, hold a lot of meaning for me personally. They are also, however, my favorite accessory, not to mention the most beautiful pieces of jewelry I own. Whether I'm dressing up or wearing sweats, going to a wedding or to Costco ... I always wear my rings. It kills me to see them sitting on the dresser in a ring box.

Apparently this issue - when your finger suddenly reacts with an uncomfortable rash underneath a ring you wear frequently - is rather common so I'll share what's helped me wear my rings again (and I hope some of you will share how you've dealt with this issue if you'd had it).

One of my go-to products for extremely dry skin has always been Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream. It's an extremely thick and rich ointment-like cream. I rub a generous dollop into my hands at night and sometimes rub a little into my finger during the day. It's kinda magic.

Another product I've had some luck with is Gold Bond Medicated Anti-Itch Lotion and Gold Bond Medicated Anti-Itch Cream at night. I tried cortizone cream but found that it didn't really moisturize the area, and in my case that was crucial. Gold Bond does not contain cortizone, and also seems to include some sort of menthol, so if you use one of these products please be sure to take your contact lenses out BEFORE applying to your hands. Learned that one the hard way.

I have also learned to take my rings off before I go to bed at night, something I have never done before (in fact I never took them off because I am terrified of losing them). It gives my finger a chance to air out and necessarily reduces the amount of contact. Now all I need is a special place to keep them at night ... I've been eyeballing this dish (mine would say "to have and to hold" ... get it?!):

(photo via lisaleonardonline.com}

My last recommendation is to keep your rings clean. Every week or so I drop mine in this jewelry cleaner and give them a little scrub with the provided brush, but you could probably also just use some rubbing alcohol an an old toothbrush. You want to be sure that nothing is getting trapped between your skin and your rings, and if you're like me and do your own housecleaning and wash your hands frequently, this is particularly important (soap and chemicals are major irritants).

So there you have it! I now can wear my wedding rings during the day with only occasional discomfort. I still have flare-ups now and then, but I'm confident that if I stay on top of my new regime of moisturizing, taking my rings off at night, and keeping my jewelry clean that the problem will dissipate.

(As a side note? Losing 15 pounds hasn't hurt me getting my rings back on, either. Fifteen to go!)

Have you had to deal with this type of dermatitis? How do you treat it?

Flower Trend: Craspedia

By Leah

Photo from Grower's Box.

Have you guys seen these things? They're from Down Under, and part of the daisy family, and they're just plain awesome. Called woolyheads, drumsticks, and billy balls or billy buttons, craspedia are pretty much the coolest growing thing I've seen this year, and I was lucky to have the genius behind Green Snapdragon (who was also my matron of honor), incorporate them into my wedding last month.

My son and his dadddy. Photos by Sweet Monday Photography.

Far from traditional, they're perfect for arrangements you want to feel fun and/or super-modern. They they lend themselves to grouping in tight bunches or looser bouquets, and the balled heads on slender stalks look as good dried as they do live.

 Photo from Carmen Weddings.

Photo from A Merry Mishap.

Their straight, bare stems made them perfect for these escort cards by Botanical Floral Design: 

Although they're most common in yellow, you can special order white, orange, and green....or you could just airbrush them once they're dried and have any color you like.

Photo from Whole Blossoms, where you can buy 200 for $1 a stem.

Last weekend I found a craspedia plant on sale at a local nursery for $4, and I can't wait to have them popping up in my yard this summer. So fun.