I shared a few sneak peeks last week, but absolutely could not wait to post all of the amazing pictures my bridesmaid and bestie Taz took of my bridal shower. Am I not the luckiest girl in the world? I have the most talented friends — from the candy bar to the flowers, to the handmade tassel garland, I walked around the room with my jaw-dropped at how much effort they had into throwing me the prettiest bridal shower I’ve ever seen.
All photos by Bring to Light Photography
A few random musings are what I have for you today… first off: my birthday is on Thursday and I have one thing on my mind. Funfetti Cake. Somehow my grocery store was sold out of the mix (didn’t they know it was my birthday?) so I’ve been looking up a few homemade recipes (here and here).
This weekend we also tackled some wedding planning tasks — I got to work pulling together inspiration images for our florist (who happens to be one of my fabulous bridesmaids!). I’m so excited to see all of these ideas come together, I’m thinking beautiful giant peonies, some pretty little billy buttons, and pops of bright pink blooms.
And it will come as surprise to no one, that as we worked on our wedding registry this weekend there were plenty of monogrammed goods added to the list. I’m certain I would have registered for a monogrammed vacuum, had that been an option.
Next up in the Handmade Holidays series is one of the easiest DIYs ever — monogrammed mugs!
I found some plain white oversized latte mugs for this project; you also need sharpie markers, and some fun treats to fill the mugs with. Draw your design on the mug with your Sharpie marker, I practiced free-hand on a piece of paper a couple of times before I started to draw on the mug or you could use a stencil. After you’re happy with your design or lettering, pop the mug in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes to make set the ink. Then fill up the mug with some seasonal sweets — I chose peppermint ribbon candy– and tie it up with a ribbon, voila!
There’s is an inexplicable force that makes me crave cozy pajamas and slippers and a day in my bed like crazy when that first snowfall hits… doesn’t that sound fabulous right about now? Maybe ordering new pink gingham flannel PJs will help hold me over until I can hibernate this weekend!
Cashmere scarf, gingham pajamas, polka dot slippers, monogram mug
We took a little trip to New York this weekend to spend time with family. My jam-packed schedule included a little Friday night lights for my brother’s football game, a pop-in at the pumpkin patch, and a few fun stops in the city — I finally got to try Shake Shack (yum) and explore C.Wonder (wow). It looks like we’re going to be stuck inside for the next few days with this crazy weather, so I’m glad we got in our whirlwind of fun before the storm hits!
I feel a bit nostalgic this week seeing all of the college students back in the city after a quiet summer. I’m a self-professed geek who actually loved back-to-school time and relished in getting my brand spanking new Ticonderoga pencils sharpened in preparation for the first day of classes. Long gone are the days of first days of school, but I’m still eyeing the desk supplies!
Notepad, Stapler, and Pencil Cup
Today I’m going to be sharing the third of my CREATE COUTURE: The DIY Blogger Challenge tutorials, the Studded Monogram Tank.
If you like what you see, don’t forget to vote!
To make Studded Monogram Tank you will need to first gather your materials. You will need: a plain black tank top and a handful of mini pyramid studs.
After you have all of your materials, take your studs and start laying out the shape of your monogrammed letter.
The studs are square, so if you have a complicated letter, or want to do more than one, grab a piece of graph paper and try filling in the squares with a pen to plan out your shape. Then copy the shape with your studs by mimicking the number and layout of the squares.
I chose an “M” for my sister’s first name — she’ll be getting this tank as a present for nominating me for this challenge!
Once you have the shape of the letter laid out, then you’re ready to add the studs. Push the first stud through the material of your tank-top. Make sure all prongs make it through the fabric, and then push the prongs of the stud back to lock them into place. They are soft enough to push by hand, though you can also use a pair of needle nose pliers too.
Continue to repeat the studding process, keeping the studs close to one another and aligned with the shape of the letter, until you get all the way to the end of your shape.
Then show off your monogrammed tank — it’s a perfect blend of edgy and preppy!
Remember: Head over to NewYorkDesignShop to check out all of the bloggers’ designs and VOTE!
Other than my eternal gratitude, there’s something in it for you too: by voting for the DIY projects you like the best, you could win one of the winning bloggers’ creations, so head over and cast your vote!
(PS: Thanks to my BFF for taking pictures of my completed projects!)
