Good Luck, Ami!

Best of luck and virtual hugs to Ami of Elizabeth Anne Designs as she celebrates her vow renewal tonight! I can't wait to hear all about it!

Images: Elizabeth Anne Designs

With This Ring, I Thee Nest

Image: Bride and Broom, H. Armstrong Roberts, 1988

Last week, I begrudgingly, but officially, relinquished my "Bride" title. I sent out the thank you cards - all 91 of them, including almost all of the vendors' cards. I can't find my camera cord to upload the photos of the cute envelope labels so I will post the whole package after the wedding recaps.

In the meantime, here are the Christmas cards that I ordered from Snapfish. They turned out great! We've received a lot of compliments on them.

Ooops!

I was scheduling some posts for next week and accidentally posted them because I forgot to change the year. Those of you who use Google Reader have already seen them in their unedited glory. Oops. For everyone else, the recaps will begin next week!

A Text Just Received From My Sister

"Look! Your wedding colors on shoes at Macy's."

How funny is that? I hope that my invitations looked cuter than these shoes though.

P.S. Working on all of the recaps. If my work schedule cooperates, they'll be posting next week. :)

I Am Embarrassed to Admit This Out Loud...

...but I think that I just did the most idiotic thing that I've done throughout the whole wedding process - perhaps even my life. Yes, even dumber than the time that I forgot to put a screen in my gocco.

I just ran all of the address labels for our thank you cards through my xyron machine upside down. That's right - the adhesive is on the FRONT of the label. What the hell was I thinking?

    $7.16 in paper
+ $9.00 in printing at Kinko's
+ $9.09 in wasted xyron (approx. 1/4 of a $36.37 cartridge)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 = $25.25 + 2 hours of cutting 96 labels down the drain

I am almost more upset about the time than the money. I am on a big initiative at work and have pulling 12 hour days of non-stop work seven days a week. I finally blew off work tonight to get these out the door because I was making myself sick over them. And then I messed them up! So now, I have to be up for work in three hours, I have no supplies left, and I still have these hanging over my head.

I am going to bed to cry my bloodshot eyes out.

P.S. We got to open a guest book card tonight. One of our friends marked an envelope "2 Months" instead of two years. How fun. Their message was cute, but I am too tired to photograph it.

P.S. I'm sorry that I haven't been posting much. Work isn't leaving time for much else these days. I don't even have a Christmas tree up. Or Christmas cards mailed. Or Christmas presents purchased. I'm usally done with all three by the first weekend of December.

Cool Holiday Gifts for the Computer Geeks/Grrrrlllzzz in Your Life

Sorry that I'm so behind on wedding recaps. I'm barely getting enough time away from work to pop home for cat naps. In light of that, I never leave my computer. Here are some cute gift ideas for the dorks like me in your lives - all from where else? ETSY! ETSY! ETSY!

Cute Laptop Sleeves from Dory Designs

(She even has a Damask one out there for all of you Damask Dames)

Image: Dory Designs

Wrist and Arm Support Pillows from HomeGrown Pillows

I actually just ordered myself a set of these and they're wonderful.
They're filled with flaxseed instead of rice or artificial fillers. My cube smells like a spa. LOVE IT.

Image: HomeGrown Pillows

Mouse Pads from Mirror Girl

This shop has the cutest things! I love her coasters.

Images: Mirror Girl

Forgive Me Father, For I Have Sinned.

I've just ordered pre-printed Christmas cards from Snapfish. I am so ashamed! Don't tell the 'Source. I just received the CD of pro pix (Yeah!) and realized that there is isn't enough time to make my own. So I am bit the bullet and placed an order for plain 'ole photo cards. Oh the Shame! It hurts! It hurts!

Am I banned from the blogosphere? Doomed to a death of a million personality-less cards? :) Sadly, it still took me about two hours to lay them out. Happy Holidays, indeed!

Girly, Girly Gifts

I may or may not have been browsing around on my beloved elf, etsy, for Christmas gift ideas when I stumbled upon the shop of Bridget Davies. These passport holders are so whimsical and girly without looking like they should be carried in a bejeweled purse covered in images of martinis and faux fur that you picked up in Chinatown.

She also sells tea cosies, change purses, and pillows:

All images: Bridget Davies

The Final Product: Out-of-Town Bags

Image: Sarah Alair

After six months of talking about the OOT bags, I ended up printing out the welcome packets on the morning of the rehearsal dinner. Not even kidding. I spent a total of maybe 20 minutes laying out the pages for printing. There was no map of the surrounding area, no Chicago fun facts, no list of things to do - just the bare essentials. And I thank God that I didn't waste time on that stuff because I don't think that anyone actually looked at them. Not to mention that the hotel didn't hand a couple of them out. (No comment on that.)

The welcome packets were printed on circle cards from Paper Source and attached to the bag with binder rings.

 Image: Sarah Alair

Each room in our block received one of my beloved Chicago tote bags:

 Image: Sarah Alair

filled with a travel candle, bottled water, snacks, and a "Taste of Chicago" goodie bag containing:

• Fannie May Candy
• Ferrara Pan Candy: Boston Baked Beans, Lemonheads, and Fireballs
• Frango Mints
• Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops
• Wrigley Gum

There would have been Jays potato chips too, but they're impossible to find since Frito Lay monopolized the market. Trust me. I've looked. They sell out fast. If any 60613 brides want to know what day the Jays delivery man hits the local convenience stores, drop me a line. I know the schedule. Ha. Ha.

 Image: Sarah Alair

The candles were fancy Akeewakee travel candles that I picked up at a sample sale. They retail for $11, but I paid $1!

Image: Sarah Alair

I was so disappointed in my matchboxes. I had ordered plain white matches in September, but they were lost at the post office and didn't arrive until LAST WEEK (as in 11/25)! I was on a mad hunt for matches the week of the wedding and found some at Osco on Wednesday. By then, I was TOTALLY out of time, but just couldn't let myself give out ugly matches. I made these match covers using scrap paper that I found around the house. I was cutting pieces and running them through the xyron in between hitting print on the welcome packet pieces. I think my DIY Fury frightened Andy at this point; however, given that it was about an hour before I had to leave for the Ladies that Lunch Luncheon, he knew to stay out of the way and not ask questions.

Pretty Pottery

It seems that I've fallen prey to the post-wedding cliche of fantasizing about a newer, larger home in which to unpack all of our shiny new wares. Since that's probably not in the cards for us for a while, I'm stuck with longingly reading Domino and Apartment Therapy.

If I did have a "home," I think that this vase, these votive holders, and maybe some nesting bowls from etsy seller Sara Paloma Pottery would definitely be on my Christmas list.

Images: Sarah Paloma Pottery