Jenny Craig Week 2

Down one pound for a total of five.

A Very Unbride Show

This has to be the most frightening, disgusting thing on TV. I refuse to post a picture of the logo because I don't want to see that on my blog for the next seven days. I am itching and have a stomachache from watching it, yet can't look away. It's safe to say that I'd default on every single debt that I have if "exterminator" was the only paying position in the world. I'd be living on the street with the rats. This has nothing to with weddings, but I am packaging up the invitation files for the printers as I watch it, so it kind of applies. I need to finish these up and go have nightmares about bugs!

Gocco and Napkin Advice

Gocco Question:

This weekend gocco'd some thank you cards on Paper Source Luxe White note cards. The prints kept coming out slightly smudged and with tiny splatters no matter how carefully I removed the card. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong? Is it because the paper is textured? I didn't notice this on the flat surface cards that I printed a while ago. Unfortunately, I wasted two packs of 20 cards to get 10 good cards and 10 "only sort of splattered" cards. Any advice is appreciated. I'm planning on printing about 300 items in the next few weeks, so I need to figure this out pronto or go back to the drawing board.

Napkin Question:

Since we're having a cocktail party and eliminating pretty things like place cards and menus, I'd like to stick our monograms on the napkins. Given the lack of plates, I'm estimating one napkin per person per hour, which would be 750 napkins + guest towels for the john. (My boss calls the bathroom "The John." It still makes me giggle every time. It's so endearing.) Unfortunately, it's about $300-$500 for everything that I'd want in an ideal world.I've tried Print Globe, For Your Party, Branders, and every other site that comes up in Google searches. Does anyone know of any more affordable places?Oh, and my earlier post on gocco'ing my own napkins was crap and I don't know who I am kidding. If these invites have taught me anything, it's that, when it comes to Sunshine vs. Wedding Projects on the weekends, Sunshine wins every time. And at the end of the day who really cares if the guests get plain napkins or even a combo of plain napkins and printed, right?

Hooray!

Three Wine-Fueled Cheers

for Aunt Ruth and Her United Miles!

Our honeymoon has been booked! Andy's aunt gifted us miles yesterday. We're headed to Napa Valley for five-ish wonderul days of eats and drinks. I'm so excited!

I normally only get to Napa for a quick overnight trip before heading to San Fran. I'm excited to eat, drink, and do nothing. This will be my first harvest trip; I've only seen seedlings on my previous trips.

Oh! And I get to "meet" my friend Tracey. We've worked together virtually for four years now and have never met in person. She grew up near Sonoma and is meeting us for dinner with our other friend, Beth. Yeah!

GNO @ Paper Source

Windy City Wedding's trying to get people together for the Paper Source event. I really want to go! Go over to her blog and comment if you're interested.

Image: Paper Source

Join us for a Creative Adventure!



We'll spoil you with sweet treats and savory snacks, while you sip red and whites. And best of all — keen, creative projects will set the tone for your summer travel adventures! To top off the evening, we'll have raffles from our Bindery and other girly prizes! Registration is required to attend this special event. The $25 Ticket includes a 10% off coupon towards purchases made that evening. Last year's event sold out and the waiting list was long, so hurry, space is limited.

Fancy shoes are not required. So, call your favorite gal pals and mark your calendars for the 2nd annual Paper Source: Girls Night Out! Can't wait to see you there.

Price: $25.00

Don't Be Upset That My Friends Are Cooler Than Your Friends

Forget Flower Friday! Look what arrived in my mailbox yesterday!

My First Shower Invitation!

My friend told me that the bridal invitations for my "book club" shower would be in the mail on Tuesday and I have been dying waiting for my copy to arrive. My sister said, "I don't get it. Why are you excited to see the invitations?" I should demote her from Maid of Honor position, as she obviously doesn't know me at all!

Click each image to view it larger.

The envelopes for the bridal shower invitations are going to be fancier than the envelopes and labels for the actual wedding invitations.

The next image literally made my heart skip a beat when I opened the envelope on the elevator. Isn't it the coolest? What a great idea.

And, finally, the invitation to the PARTY AT PAPER SOURCE. That's right. I am having a bridal shower at Paper Source. There are so many words in that last statement that make my heart flutter. I mean, how well do they know me?

My friend said that she was nervous as she made these because she was concerned about meeting my standards. I find that funny because she's easily as picky as me! I think that it's safe to say that I've found my Party Planning Soul Mate.



I have been counting down the days until this shower for some time. Alison (who created the invitations) moved home to Buffalo in the fall, my friend Sarah (trix), who is listed as a hostess on the invite, moved to Indianapolis in 2006, and a couple of our other friends are out in the 'burbs playing hide-and-go-seek with their kids on their sprawling lawns and in their expansive closets. While the Chicago-area girls try to get together every month or so, we're usually pretty rushed when we do. It's going to be so nice to have all of my favorite people in the world together for a relaxing evening in one of my favorite places in the world.

Monogram Etiquette

I am planning on hyphenating my name after we get married. I will be "Ms. Tina L. W******-C******. " Does anyone know if I can use a "C" monogram at the wedding if I'm only half of a C******? (That reads dirty, doesn't it?) I'd like to use the "C" monogram on napkins and the card box if possible. I think that it would be a small gesture that Andy would appreciate.

Google searches have mainly returned answers, re: correspondence. This site says that I should use TW-AC, but that will look dumb. And I don't think that it will help convince Andy to accept my decision.

What do you think? Does it matter? Please comment. Thanks.

Your Pal,

Tina the Half C-word

P.S. The "ta" pumpkin isn't complete. I got lazy.

P.S.S. My original instinct is so say "F It" and splash the "C" around, but I know some people that would probably comment on it that day or talk about me later on.

Holy Sh*t, She Got $5,700?

I wonder if this girl got duped? If you look at the bid history there was one person with zero ratings driving up the cost.

Image: ebay

Wedding Bands

I was chatting online with a friend yesterday and mentioned that I would possibly hold off on getting a wedding band if we ran out of money before the wedding. I appreciate and respect the ring and it's symbolism, but there's only so much change to go around. Also, because my engagement ring is kind of ornate, I've only found one band that hasn't rubbed against the pave on the side. I can get something affordable to use for the sake of ceremony, but then I really couldn't wear it with my engagement ring, which Andy is very proud of.

Do you think that I am wrong to offer to forego a wedding band for the sake of the budget? This caused my friend some "amazement." I thought that I was being mature by offering to skip the band. If I can find one less area for Andy to worry about coughing up cash, I will. Quite honestly, I feel a little guilty having such a nice engagement ring. I know what Andy sacrified to get it, so I feel bad asking for another $1,000 ring. What do you think? Am I focusing too much on the party and not enough on the meaning? Quite frankly, her reaction took me by surprise. I never realized that my possible decision would be interpreted that way. Andy and I discussed it and he said that it didn't hurt his feelings at all. He thinks that I should get my band no matter what, but is fine if I decide to put it off for awhile for peace of mind.

Please comment.

Jenny Craig Week 1

Yeah! I was down four pounds! I don't know if last week is a good judge of how I'll do, as I didn't eat much last week. My grandma was having surgery and I was so stressed out that I just didn't eat or go to the gym. As long as it's still off next week, I'll be happy! :) I'm back at the gym today though.

Cool Venue

I've never heard of this place before but it looks awesome. The Ravenswood Billboard Factory provides a huge space with views of the city, a rooftop deck, and an antique car display. And parking's so easy in this neighborhood.

Real Wedding

I saw these pix on delish and am jealous. I'd be screaming as the boat launched and have to wear a life jacket.

Images: NY Times

Check out the article about their wedding in the NY Times. This guy's pretty Type A for such a footloose and fancy free wedding. Their story was stressing me out as a I read it. But that could have been because the NY Times writing style makes even the most trivial story sound complex. I do love how every word links to its definition though. Today I had to look up "coxswain."

P.S. Her dress is pretty, no? (Wink, Wink)

Flower Friday #6

This isn't the right color scheme, but I am drawn to this one. Maybe it's the texture? I wonder if I could toss some dahlias in there ans add some leaves at the base?

Image: The Knot

Grazi, Bella #2

We've selected etsy seller OneGirlTwoDogs for the alchemy request for the illustration on our thank you cards. We received many great bids, but Andy and I agreed on her light, airy style. Check out her portfolio. She did the business cards for Anthroplogie. Here are a few of the items from her etsy store. I think that the "Love is Serious Mental Disease" cards would make funny program covers if you have guests with a good sense of humor. I'm excited to see what she does for us.

Images: etsy seller OneGirlTwoDogs

I also meet some other cool, friendly etsy sellers in the process:

PurrPrints

iamsnizzle, she is getting married on Halloween.

carrielindberg, she suggested that we handout buttons of the final illustration!

xtine121907, Aren't her shirts funny?

All images are the from etsy pages for the sellers listed above the graphic.

How Does My Google Reader Have 962 Unread Items In it?

I've been using Reader for escapism all week! How can it be so out of control?

Image: allegrae.etsy.com

Lazy Girls' DIY

I was flipping through In Style Weddings the other day when I stumbled upon an ad for fresh ink. Since personalized totes and note cards seem to be the gifts du jour this season, why not let someone else do the work? (Apparently etsy alchemy requests have turned me into a princess.) Fresh Ink also carries Mindy Weiss' new line.

Images: fresh-ink.com

Does anyone else think that the "new landfills" are going to be chock full of reusable totes? Ha, Ha.

Four Months.

1, 2, 3, 4.

Months.

Four months.

17 weeks, 2 days.

38 pounds to lose to reach my comfortable "curvy" weight.

Today is my first day on Jenny Craig. They seem to think that it's not impossible. I am hesitant to get my hopes up. It better work because it's expensive. I can exercise, but I need someone else to think for me in terms of food right now, because I am obviously not thinking. I just need something to be easy and thoughtless while I:

• work on self-control.


• work on discipline.


• work on actual work.


• work on invitations.


• work on programs.


• attend showers. (Only eight weeks until the first one! The invitations will go in the mail on 7/1!)


• design and write thank you notes.


• am fitted for gowns.


• take engagement photos.


• do tons of things that require me to look at mirrors and my reflection ad nauseum.


• work on not being a cliched asshole that worries about her weight all of the time so that I will be a good wife. (Seriously, when do women get a break? I've freaking out like this since I was 18 -- when I really didn't *need* to be.)


• get used to being called "a wife."

Andy's excited. He said that he hears a change in my voice. I think that he's getting tired of me talking about this. Rightly so.

Tina + Queen Latifah + Valerie Bertinelli = Best Friends Forever

Queen Latifah and Valerie Bertinelli images from jennycraig.com.

Three Cheers for Arippke!

The image for the cover of the programs is complete! Andy and I love it! It has just the amount of cute that I can handle and is still funky, modern, and colorful. Many thanks to etsy seller arippke.

I just posted a new alchemy for the illustration on the thank you notes that I mentioned a while ago. Andy liked the idea too, so I tried to create a designer impostor to no avail. I'll keep you posted on my new etsy. :)

I DID NOT finish the invitations this weekend.

I don't know what I was thinking saying that I would. I had a 'que in the 'burbs and Father's Day to celebrate!

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Tempo's Fast, Tag That A*s

I was tagged by my girl Kate last Tuesday, but haven't had time to blog since last week. Here are the New Rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.


2. Share 5 songs you are embarrassed to admit to others that you like and tell why.


3. Tag 7 random people at the end of post and include links to their blogs.


4. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here goes:

1. "Boys" by Britney Spears. I love when this song pops into the shuffle when I am doing cardio. I pretend that I'm hot and can dance. And love how Britney gets all breathy. It's comically faux-dirty sexy.


2. "Stay" by Lisa Loeb. I dare any girl who watched her reality show a few years back to deny having a huge Lisa Loeb girl crush. Apparently, this song is more powerful when blasted through car stereos.
   
   


3. "The First Cut is the Deepest" by Sheryl Crowe. I don't know why I like this song. I tell myself how bad it is AS I sing along, but it never stops me.
   


4. "David Duchovny, Why Don't You Love Me?" by Bree Sharp. I actually bought the CD and liked it all. She's a very good writer. I think that she wrote a song about me called "Guttermouth."
   


5. "Papa Loved Mama" by Garth Brooks. I went to Purdue and lived with farmers' daughters freshman and sophomore year. This song always made me laugh, which apparently isn't the intended reaction. "Mama's in the graveyard and Papa's in the pen?" For real?
   


6. I am doing six since I was late and, therefore, deserve extra embarrassment. "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Ashley. The beat is catchy. What can I say?

I am going to tag the following seven people and hope that they haven't been tagged yet.

1. enjoy:{the blog}: We enjoy a lot of the same music, so I am curious to know her secret shames.


2. In This Instance


3. Lex Said Yes


4. Life is Reed-iculous!


5. Tales of a Fermale Husband


6. A Bride in the Making


7. a little of this...a little of that

I will finish the invitations this weekend.

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Flower Saturday

I really want my Flower Girl Cousin to carry a pommadore (I can't find the correct spelling of that anywhere), but I have been thinking that it would be cool for her to carry a couple of little ones in bright hues, similar to this one shows on {lucky me} this week:

Image: {lucky me}

Flower Friday #5

So, this was the flower image that I have been carrying around to show vendors for the last six months. My mother said that the green stuff looked "wilted" and kind of ruined it for me. And then I found the flowers featured in Flower Friday 1, 3, and 4 and stopped liking this as much. As I write this post, I realize that these look NOTHING like me!

Image: Chicago Style Weddings

People Who Can Afford Letterpress Printing...

...are so lucky! And don't tell me that it's a matter of setting priorties because, when there's only so much change to go around, even the priorities get a small pot. I don't think that our parents would appreciate relaying to the extended family that they're not invited because "Tina likes Paper." So, instead, I will fantasize...

Image: egg press via Minted

Besides, lettepress brides only get to have two colors. I am having:

• One...


• Two...


• Three...


• Four...


• Five...


• Six...


• Seven Colors!

See? Every cloud has a silver-green lining!

Anyone Looking For a Wedding Gift For Us...

...that may feel crass just handing us $1,500 in cash (you shouldn't, really) can give us one of these. The open editions are only $150, but the limited and one-of-a-kind ones are so pretty. And while they may be girly, I'm the one who will be responsible for art work physically being hung for the next 50+ years, so until Andy picks up a hammer and hangs something, he doesn't get an opinion. (Can you tell that I am still bitter that he never hung the vintage sports pix that I gave him in January 2006? I just moved them to a new corner of the apartment a few weeks ago. I needed them out of sight.)

Images: shopjohnmurphy.com via Pretty in the City

Those bright frames have me thinking...I got swindled* into buying a painting from his guy in Venice last summer:


I was just thinking that I need to get it framed before it gets ruined sitting in plastic. I was going to put it in a plain white gallery frame, but I wonder i it would look cool in a fancy gilded frame spray-painted a pretty color? Hmmm... Explosions of Dots aside, I have been drawn to simplier aesthetics these past few years. I need to mull this over. The painting is of a canal and similar in style to the one in the photo. Oh, except mine has a big bent edge from where it got caught in the train as I tried to reboard the train in a MAD PANIC after I got off alone in the wrong town en route to Florence and realized it after the doors closed and I was standing alone in the station.

I am always drawn to the most random prints that I have no idea how I will use. I always thought that I'd do something like this when I finally lived somewhere with more than four walls.

Image: Pottery Barn

*Piehole, would you say "swindled" or "strong-armed?" Letters of Reference from Frank Sinatra aside, he did kind of yell at me. Maybe "suckered" is more like it. Even that curator guy from the Peggy Guggenheim museum didn't want to pay his prices.

So I Got to the Gym Today...

...and realized that I forgot to pack a shirt. So I put my work top on and walked home. It's only 5.61 miles, but I have to say, it kicks my ass! My legs are TIRED at the end and my saddlebags throb (YEAH TO THAT!). But I digress. I was walking down Michigan Avenue en route to the lakefront path and found that the Michigan Avenue Pottery Barn is closing on June 20. They're having a 50 percent off sale, but the pickins are slim. Any Chicago girls looking for this season's candy buffet containers du jour should run on over because they had a couple left. I would have snagged them myself, but, unfortunately for us, having a candy bar would mean cutting 10 people from the list for both the cost and the space!

Image: Pottery Barn

I Want to Have My Photo Taken Like This

Image: Brides magazine

It's appropos, no? If I had two dimes to rub together, our venue was larger than a postage stamp, and our guest list smaller than the DNC, I would have a photo booth and have a bunch of pre-lit lanterns laying around for photo ops. Just think of the possibilities. But I'd hang an "Absolutely No Atlas Poses" sign to be a b*tch.

Image: The Humor Archives

P.S. What's up with that model's b**bs? Is it the dress or is she wearing falsies?