Handmade Wednesday: Scrapbooking with Fabric

I am a scrapbooking fool. You may not know this about me, but it is totally and entirely true. I have far too many books completed or ever on-going as well as an entire cabinet in my hallway filled (and I do mean filled) with supplies. Photographs make my heart flutter with excitement and I love putting the memories I create on pages to mull over on those days when life feels sad and overwhelming.

Now to the craft you came for! While I was looking for inspiration on turning my recent dull-drum pages into awakening breath, I came across something that I've seem before but never actually done: use fabric! I have not created these beauties yet myself, but I just thought I would pass them along to any of you other ladies (or gentlemen) who love scrappin' your memories and might need some creative encouragement to keep at it.

This page is from Elizabeth Kartchner from Dear Lizzy (who by the way is gorgeous!). As you can see she has a fabric strip stitched across the pager but the most wonderful bits of fabric on this page are the roses. Though you can purchase them at 2 Peas in a Bucket, I think I could make these little cuties myself.

1. Take your fabric and cut a thin strip and twist.
2. Roll your twisted fabric around in a spiral, making it look like the above picture.
3. Use a glue gun to attach it together, then plop a button or a gem on top to finish!

This one is from EMI Scrapbooking. I loved it because it is simple and easy but will give your page a much desired lift in life. Obviously, you would need a piece of fabric with an embroidered image or words as they have with this lovely flower, but if you embroider yourself them go for it! Then you will need thread and green fabric strips as well as buttons and paper or fabric flowers.

1. After attaching the pre-embroidered fabric on your page, move on to the flowers!
2. Take some white or ivory embroidery thread and work a simple straight stitch down a piece of thin green fabric.
3. Attach to your page.
4. Stitch (or glue on) your flowers and buttons to the page and walla! You're done.

This last one is too easy for words. But I'll try. Thank Studio Calico for showing us how three simple pieces of uncoordinated fabric can turn your plain jane page into a fun surprise!

1. Choose your fabric. Cut it to your desired length and width. Stitch it your page!
2. Now you can stitch using a machine, but the Studio Calico ladies look as though they've just put a quick stitch at either end of each fabric piece.

Have fun scrappin'!!

The Mason Jar: A Versatile Wonder

I have always loved creating interesting lighting in and outside of my home. And here is my story of discovering something new for myself.

Recently I was at the 99 cent store (yes folks, you can find things you need or want there) walking down the dish aisle. I glanced at cups and picked up a few plates, but nothing struck my fancy. Then all of the sudden, out of the corner of my eye, there they were: Mason Jars. My heart lit up! I have one mason jar at home which I use as a vase, but to find 15-20 jars just sitting there, waiting to be taken home by little old me was trilling. I wanted to fill my cart with them but before I could do that, I needed to know "Just what am I going to use these for?"

Image: Ruby Press

Slowly and sadly, I walked away from the jars quietly praying they would still be there in a few days. I had thought of just buying them and deciding what to use them for later, but over the last few years (where money has been tighter than bark on a tree) I have had to be cautious of over spending. "Just buy what you know you need right now," I have to tell myself. It's a pressure..... Anyway, I came home and searched the internet. Here's what I found!

Image: Beth Helmstetter

Making this seems like a piece of work, but with the tips I found at asubtlerevelry.com, it may not be as hard as it looks. Just grab your buff man or that handsome guy next door you've been dying to talk to. Trust me, if he's at all interested in you, he'll be all too happy to help and show of his muscles. In additon to those rough hands, you'll need a large piece of wood, mason jars, tea lights and heavy rope. Then all you have to do is cut holes in the wood (that's where the handsome man comes in), put the tea lights in the mason jars, slip the jars into the wooden holes and tie on the rope. Classic and simply gorgeous!

For more Mason Jar lighting tips, head to Design*Sponge one of the sites on our blogroll.

Image: Print Nest

Oh my..... Use mason jars for craft storage? Yes please. After staring at this photo and trying figure out just how they did it, I stopped (cause I was getting nowhere) and asked Movie Star. Outside of his name, he is also quite a handy fellow. He told me they just screwed in a clamp. A what? If you are as daft as me when it comes to stuff like this, here are two options you can try at Home Depot. If you use a 2-Hole Clamp it's pretty obvious how you screw it to the wall. If you use Stainless Steal Clamps, Movie Star said that it would be screwed behind the mason jar and then tightened in the front.

Image: Paul Johnson

I am going to be 100% honest with you right now: This is my favorite idea and the one I'm going to do. I have alway loved pictures and this seems like a cool, vintage way to display them all over!

Needless to say, I'm going back to that good ol' 99 cent store to pick out my mason jars. Have fun with yours!

Wedding Trends: Bouquet Decorations

Now we move onto a truly pretty element of the wedding: the bouquet. Today I'll only be talking about the bouquet decoration. As weddings become more original and couples take more charge with their own DIY touches, each detail of the wedding is becoming more ornate and thought out. Proof of this is that bouquets themselves have decorations now. They can span from simple white satin ribbon enveloping the flower stems or more intricate designs including feathers, pearls or photographs. Designs are differing greatly as originality and uniqueness abound. No matter what though, the overall trend is a return to classic elegance and intricate, yet simple designs. It's a rejection of clean cut modernism and a new emergence of old-fashioned simplicity and delicate beauty.

One piece finding its way into the majority of bouquet adornments is jewelry. This is a wide field, but because it is a classy occasion, usually only high-end and sentimental jewelry is used. A classic item now being repurposed for the bouquet are pearls. They make for a beautiful decoration that match any color and most designs. Obviously, it would be hard to pull them off with fabric such as linen, but anything is doable if you use some ingenuity and true design expertise.

Another classic and sentimental element returning is the brooch. I think I love this adornment the most, because it can work on any color and on minimal or ornate designs. It's also an old-fashioned touch that never goes out of style and a perfect way to add your 'something old'.

A new way of incorporating jewelry into bouquets is to simply tie a small bracelet around the bouquet. It can be gorgeous if done well. Bracelets with hearts dangling from it around your bouquet will only add to the sweetness of the day and the simple elegance of the ceremony.

As originality increase, so does the use of new decorations. One design beginning to become popular is the use of feathers. This is a new and truly unique bouquet design, and actually has quite and old-fashioned feel. It beckons the feel of the days when boas and feather headbands were popular in the 1920's. For a very classic elegant feel, this is a great option.

Lastly, no matter what the theme of your wedding is, be sure to include the season into your motif. If you incorporate your bouquet in this, use elements specific to the season (and possibly the location). For spring, use flowers that are in bloom. For summer, a homey, unique option is to use small amounts of wheat. For fall, use leaves changing colors or dark berries. And for winter, consider using pine branches, ornaments, or ivy. The season doesn't need to rule wedding motifs, but it shows consideration for your date and location to use elements of both.

As I said above, bouquet designs are increasing in originality all the time. One thing that I've realized above all is that regardless of motif or wedding colors, white always wins. The majority of bouquets that I see involve white lace, ribbon or other fabric. I love seeing new ideas, but also homage to traditions. This may be due to the return of old-fashionedness, but above all, for bouquets, the trend is white in some way. A truly imaginative bouquet would be to find a new way to include the traditional white, but that seems almost impossible :-)

Bouquets are one of the details of a wedding that is entirely the design of the bride, and is becoming a showcase for her personality and style. Use ideas, but truly use your originality to make them your own, and just remember that white and elegance never go out of style.

Want to see your wedding highlighted on Inspiring Pretty? Just submit it to us for review here. Then be sure to check out our new Wedding of the Week every Saturday!

5 Funniest Marriage Proposals

If you read our site regularly, you can see that I absolutely love weddings. It's a once in a lifetime event, and to have a wedding, you must first have a proposal. One reason that I love proposals so much is that they vary so greatly. Every guy wants to surprise the girl they propose to but most guys go for the most romantic way. Some guys with more of a sense of humor take a funny approach (and I think their girls are the luckiest). Below are the five funniest (but tasteful) proposals I've come across.

# 5

This is the most public proposition of the list. A boyfriend used his girlfriend's favorite show to get her attention. He paid for a commercial during her favorite show to pop the question via national television. His girlfriend received the shock of her life and he got a fiance.

# 4

This boyfriend wanted a live audience for his shenanigans. At a basketball game, he rigged the halftime game so that his girlfriend would be chosen from the crowd to be the participant. In the game, she was blindfolded and told she had thirty seconds to run around the court and find the mascot to win free tickets to a future game. Needless to say, she found the mascot and started jumping up and down for joy thinking she had won. As she took off her blindfold, the mascot knelt down and pulled out a ring instead of tickets. She was shocked, then the mascot head came off revealing her boyfriend. She may have been a little ticked off that she didn't really win the game, but she did get a finance out of it.

# 3

One boyfriend put his movie skills to good use creating a major-motion-picture-quality movie trailer ending with him on his knee. He then got his local theater to go along with him to help him carry out his plan. They played his trailer when he and his girlfriend came to watch a movie, making them both stars.

# 2

One man took advantage of knowledge that his girlfriend checks out Groupon everyday for deals. He hooked up his own deal with Groupon to have the giant coupon company make his proposal deal of the day. Other customers may have been angry that they didn't get a daily coupon, but there was definitely one deal bought that day.

# 1

The most inventive (and personal favorite) is entertaining in many ways. One gutsy guy took his girlfriend's camera and let her think she lost it. A few days later, he magically found it for her at her house. She frantically checked if the camera and her pictures were okay. As she browsed through her photos, she found some that she had not taken. To propose, her boyfriend had made a a makeshift slideshow using his clever wit, a dry erase board and about thirty pictures of as many different expressions he could think of. I'm just curious how she gave her answer of yes.

If you're looking for some inspiration to propose or are just looking for a good laugh, I hope this list helps!

Wedding Trends: The Photo Booth

Now we're moving to a fun part of the wedding. It doesn't involve a lot effort and you don't have to worry if your guests will be able to notice (because they're sure to). It's a simple and fun detail that all of your guests can enjoy. I think you know by now that I'm talking about a photo booth. It's an increasing trend becoming more and more popular across all types of weddings. If you are considering one, know that there are many different ways to a set photo booth up. Here I hope to help you discover some of them.

The most common photo booth at a wedding is a normal photo booth: a small booth with a curtain that you step inside for a printout of a few snapshots. This can be good if you want the least amount of hassle possible and are looking for an activity guests can do on their own. It's also splendid if you want the guests to leave you their own personal keepsake and if you want them to have their own unique momento as well. This is because the traditional photo booth automatically prints two copies of the classic photo strips. Also, if you want strips, this is the only option that allows for that.

Another cheaper and more homey possibility is to use polaroid cameras. Some people see the use of polaroids as cheap while others see it as more down to earth. In the end though, it's just about fun and comfort for your guests. Even at an upscale wedding, it's a fun touch to hand out polaroid cameras to your guests and see what sweet and whacky pictures they can come up with. Polaroids are unique, because they are a great combination of disposable cameras and a photo booth. They allow your guests to take pictures on their own of anywhere and anything like a disposable camera, but like a photo booth, they allow them to take a photo home and leave you one as well. Polaroids haven't been used much in the past, because they haven't been seen as elegant, but as the trend of of comfort and simplicity emerges in wedding, their use is becoming stylish.

The last option is to have a photographer run a 'photo booth'. This choice is great because it is wide open to your imagination :-) The booth could simply be a sheet background, a separate room, an area outside or anything else you can conceive. A cute and original idea is to hang a picture frame from a tree branch, ceiling or something similar and have guests pose inside it. One of the great things about this choice is that it allows guests to have somewhat of their own personal photo shoot. Creativity and silliness will abound and you and your guests will have pictures to last a lifetime. The downside of this type of photo booth is that it can be a bit pricey, as the photographer will probably be working for the entirety of the reception. Depending on your wedding motif and desired entertainment though, it could be just the touch you're looking for.

Having a photo booth is cool, but if not done well, it can become bland almost like school pictures. So, make sure that if you're going to spend the money for this diversion, make it great! To spice it up a bit, you can add a few props for your guests to play with. The most basic and versatile ones are wigs, hats, glasses and boas. It's best to have at least two of each and make them very contrasting. For example, buy a top hat and a straw hat or a cute blonde wig and a clown wig. If you want to add more, think of using mustaches, a monocle and the always amazing groucho glasses. For true originality, leave a chalkboard for your guests to write messages to show off in their photos. And for an artsy touch, have various picture frames lying around for people to work with in their poses.

No matter what, using a photo booth is guaranteed to greatly add to the wedding festivities. Have a blast and be sure to leave many keepsakes for you and your guests to always remember your big day.

What Was That Outfit Again?

I'm wondering if you've ever felt this way: You go to your favorite clothing store, pick up a couple of versatile pieces and while in the fitting room trying them on, the sales associate shows you how to create different, fashionable looks by combining these new items with one's you may already have in your closet. She (or he...) help make you look fantastic! But then a few days, weeks or months later when you pull those pieces out, you've forgotten everything they showed you. You think, "What was that outfit again? I just loved the way it looked on me. Darn it!" I know I've been there a few times, and I'm sure you have too. You can never quite piece the look together yourself. Did they tuck this one in? Should I add a belt? Was this cardigan pared with a ruffly blouse, or just a simple tank? It can turn a quick "getting dressed" moment into "I'm going to be late for work!" And now your rushed and frazzled. It's okay my dear's, I have an experience and solution.

A few days ago I went out shopping with my youngest sister who is currently working in an office as well as heading out to many a job interview. She is a rather petite young gal and dresses pretty casual most of the time with tee-shirts, tanks, jeans and flip-flops (we do live in southern Cali...). Because of the jobs, she needed more professional clothing and had no idea where to start. Having about 8 years of retail experience under my belt (and just plain good fashion sense) my little sis enlisted my help. I was glad to be her leader on this treacherous journey. We stepped inside The Mall!

Luckily, she was pretty willing to try on most of what I showed her and everything fit rather nicely. She has also been on the more Tom-Boyish side most of her life and so ruffles, ribbons, flowers and frill are out! We went with basics: solid tanks for under cardigans, sweaters and blouses as well as black and tan pants. But I did want her to have a little style so we paired things with belts on the outside of tops and simple jewelry that brightens and livens up her outfits. She left the dreaded mall, happy and satisfied. But not being one for fashion, I was afraid she would forget all of the outfits we pieced together. I live about an hour away from her and would hate for her to be stressed when choosing her outfit for the day or even worse, look boring and bland.

So here is my solution to this problem I think may be more common than not: take pictures. As soon as you get home (so you don't forget) from your shopping trip, put on the outfits that the salesperson (or loving sister!) showed you. Then have someone take pictures of you. Once you've done this for every outfit, have the pictures printed and then tack them to the inside of your closet door or on cork board that you have hanging inside for easy view. Now everyday you will have your own stylist right there with you. This will also save time when packing for a trip too! Now if you want to get really crazy (and I know that you do), you can to do this with all of your clothes and begin to create categories for types of events or feelings. Feelings? Yes, you know you dress based on mood or how your body feels. You can have a "Feeling Fat" section, a "Feeling Sexy" section or even Church, Bridal Shower, Tropical Vacation or Date sections. It will make getting ready a real "snap".